Today in class we were given an exercise where we had to determine who were teachers, who were groups, and who were the students. We were only given a certain amount of information about the exercise and it was very confusing. Now that we're done, Dr. B states that the lesson he wanted us to learn was not one of us were more important than the rest. It was a study in group dynamics. Dr. B wants us to know that working with other teachers will be similar to our group dynamics. We'll be meeting every week to discuss school or student issues, and we'll have to work together in order to solve problems. We'll need to Listen, Trust, use Visual Displays, and perhaps a Matrix. I've done a lot of teamwork exercises before, and I don't feel this exercise was as effective as my professor believed it to be.

Charter Schools-
Apparently charter and public schools tend to even out as far as test scores go. My teacher, as well as myself believe that perhaps after getting their feet more firmly on the ground, charter schools may outscore public schools. That is, as soon as they learn from their experiences. Right now, charter school education and public school education are very similar in how things are set up.

So each charter school is each set up to support different subjects, some more than others. Some schools support math and sciences very strongly, although they do teach English classes. Their English classes however, seem to be more like medical English or a college prep class. Other charter schools however, support creative writing as much as math and believe each are equally valid.

Charter School Controversies
-Not enrolled most disadvantaged
-No more likely to enroll low income students
-Have not improved educational performance of low minority students
-Achievement levels suffer because of high mobility rate
-Competition has not improved effort of public schools to improve

Some charter schools also have a high strict discipline. I'm not sure if I'd want the teachers to discipline my child, although I do see the need for a serious learning atmosphere in some cases. But why does learning always have to be serious? Studies show that humans learn best when they're having fun.

Charter Schools offer parents and students:
-Additional choices about where students attend school
-Input and develop school's curricular emphasis
-Freedom to try new strategies
-Inspire students
-Experiment with innovative ways of educating
-Allow individuals and organizations more leeway.

I like the idea of having both charter schools and public schools because I think the competition that exists is a good thing. Until parents are prepared to take their child's education into their own hands and teach the children themselves, we should have options: charter, public, or private.

Organization and Moneys in local education

School governance and Finance
"We may have reached the time when the public will not grant us more money unless we can show greater efficiency in spending the dollars which have already been voted for school use."

I believe that the school system does get enough money, but they just don't spend it efficiently. I think that a lot of money goes to the big administration people which should go to the students. Many teachers end up buying materials for themselves, and as a teacher I don't want to end up buying supplies for my students all by myself. Its expensive. I almost wonder if some teachers would prefer a pay cut to pay for materials vs buying them themselves. Some schools run a tardy program which is a waste of time and money. Its basically a "detention" hall. Why not have the students make up tardies other ways, such as presentations or making a donation to the school.

Organizing for Education in the U.S.
-fifty separate state educational agencies
-more than 14,000 school districts
-about 90,000 schools
-3 million teachers
-Largest budget items in most states exceeding $550,000,000,000 per year

Local Level Organization. primary function of school districts:
-adopt policies and regulations for school operation
-within state guidelines, adopt curriculum
-serve as links between community and schools
-provide reports about schools
-provide human and material resources needed
-provide and maintain adequate facilities
-provide state and other agencies with information
-funding from local, state and federal sources (8.9%)


Local School Boards
-Lay citizens serve as board members. Appointed or elected.
-Represent all people of district
-Stewards of public trust
-Decisions should be based on beliefs, values and traditions of community
-Rely on counsel and recommendations of superintendent
-Establish policies under which schools operate

School Board Functions
-Budget adoption and approve expenditures
-Approve schools organizational pattern
-Approve and adopt textbooks and curriculum
-Employ school personnel Approve/issue contracts
-Inform community- public relations
-Maintain strong base of community support

District Superintendent
-Chief executive officer of district
-Planning, recommends and carries out policies
-Staffing, certificated and classified
-Coordinating, works with board and staff to improve educational programs
-Budgeting, administering, evaluating
-Responsible for day-to-day operation of district
-Possess management and leadership skills

2/3rds of school budgeting goes ot instructional services.

Site Based Management (SBM)
Defined: Shifting of management from central administration to school councils composed of parents and teachers. Promoted to:
-Increase teacher morale
-Improve management of schools
-Raise student performance
-Increase involvement of teachers, parents, and community members in school-site decision making

Mastery Learning
-Most students (>90%) can master what we have to teach them, and it is the task of instruction to find the means which will enable them to master the subject under consideration. A basic task is to determine what we mean by 'mastery of the subject' and to search for the methods which will enable the largest proportion of our students to attain such mastery. -bloom-

Standardized testing

Today in class we took a version of the MENSA test. Except I think my professor purposely changed some of the questions and answers to make it NOT make sense. For instance, a question about love and sex; sexiness and intelligent readers. Anyway, he gave us 10 minutes to answer 25 questions. I finished early because I became impatient and just guessed with the rest. I got 7 correct. Luckily, those were the 7 I had expended some effort to learn. I felt happy at the end. VERY stressed at the beginning.

My professor told me I'd have to re-enter the education program and repeat the classes if I failed this standardized test. If I got 17 or above, I'd be okay. I worked fast, and was strongly reminded of those annoying state tests we would have to take at the end of each school year. I understand why we have to take them, but are students seriously supposed to be tested on what they know? Yes. Their knowledge should be assessed. The question is, "HOW." How do we test children with dyslexia, ADHD, blindness, test anxiety, or any other disability or problem?

Teachers should not teach to get good scores, but to help their students be challenged and to gain achievements.

Our government (Bush AND Obama) wants America to be able to compete in the global economy. What does that mean? Should we be teaching Chinese, Swiss, Arabic or Japanese instead of French, Spanish or German? Should our classes be Economics, Business, Cultural Anthropology, Statistics, Communications, National Security and Math instead of Gym, Creative Writing, Theatre, Dance, Mythology or Physics? This is not just an education issue, but an economic, civic, social and national security issue.

Soooo... what should we teach? Which subjects should we prioritize above others? What about the different units within the subjects? Is creative writing as important as writing an essay? Both are English. Is statistics more important than geometry? Both are Math.

One thing our country excels at more than any other country, is our creativity and ability to think outside of the box. Most of the other countries competing in our world economy focus on logic or systematic approaches. Do we want to be more like other countries while still being ourselves? Is it possible?

Today I am handing in my research journal assignment. Since I lost my notebook with all my rubrics, and my professor forgot to bring the rubrics last time, I'm kinda handing this paper in blind.Oddly enough, its about rubrics and constantly assessing students.

I'm looking at Bill Clinton's education reform goals. You remember these?

By the year 2000- (Pres. Clinton)
1- All students will start school ready to learn
2. High school graduation rate will increase by at least 90%
3. All students in grades 4,8, and 12 will demonstrate competency in English, Math, science, foreign language, civics and government, arts, history and geography
4. All teachers will have access to programs for improvement of professional skills.
5. U.S. Students will be first in the world in math and science
6. Every adult American will be literate and prepared to compete in a global economy
7. Every school will be free of drugs, violence and the unauthorized use of firearms and alcohol, and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
8. Every school will promote partnerships to increase parental involvement.

No Child Left Behind- (Bush)
Under NCLB, all public schools administer yearly state-wide standardized test (All students take the same test under the same conditions). Students' scores are used to determine whether the school has taught the students well. Schools which receive Title 1 funding through the Elementary and Secondary act of 1965 must make yearly Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on test scores.

For schools repeatedly poor:
First year- steps taken to improve school
Second year- labeled "in need of improvement," must develop two-year improvement program student given option to transfer to another school if available.
Third year- students offered free tutoring and supplemental education for struggling students
Fourth year- Labeled as requiring "corrective action." Involves action such as:
-Wholesale replacement of staff
-introduction of new curriculum
-Extending amount of time students spend in class
Fifth year- restructuring entire school
Sixth year- Reading and math scores measured annually in grades 3-8
Turning school into charter school
Hiring private company to run school
Asking state office of education to directly run school

President Obama's Program - The Current Situation
"At this defining moment in our history, preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators and teachers, parents and students accountable. We will prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring the American children lead the world once again in creativity and achievement."