To add fuel to the fire, I will say I'm in the process of adding a teaching
certificate to my English degree (the slow way -- one class per semester)
and I am horrified by the prospect of some of my fellow Ed students
becoming teachers. A great many of them can't think, write, or speak.
Keep it up, Bob!
Briana LeClaire
----------
> I am pleased to receive invitations to expand on my earlier posting.
>
> On Sun, 8 Feb 1998, Bert Cross wrote:
> > I have always believed that free public education was the very
> > foundation of a free and democratic society. I still do.
>
> I concur, but I believe some competition must be introduced to restore
> some competence. Charter schools may be the path. The monopolistic
> public schools preclude any real choice (as exists at post-HS level).
>
> My public school education (1950s, Lincoln, Nebraska) was quite good, I
> believe, so I was unprepared for the deterioration which has occurred in
> recent decades. (Read Philip K. Howard's The Death of Common Sense for
> numerous additional examples.)
>
> > "bizarre philosophies that are counterproductive"="social promotion"
>
> Do you believe in passing pupils who cannot read? It happens in Moscow.
> A HS science teacher told me he didn't discover one instance until the
> first test, as the larger class sizes precluded his usual assignment/quiz
> sequence. How does someone achieve 10th grade as an illiterate? What
> does this teach the other pupils, who are keenly aware of it?
>
> A Moscow GT teacher told me Idaho state policy forbids failing any student
> before the 9th grade, without the permission of the parent; therefore, the
> local district must accept this situation. Poppycock. I phoned the Boise
> Board of Education office and (after three transfers) found an authority
> who stated, "That's a local policy. The state has no policy on that."
> When I reported this to the Moscow teacher, she was astonished, saying she
> had taught in other Idaho districts, and had been given the same line.
>
> Why do grade schools forbid take-home work before 3rd grade? It's a local
> policy, and a 2nd grade teacher who tried to slip a little involvement
> with her pupils' learning was almost ostracized by her colleagues. A
> Washington superintendent (small district) told me his school starts
> "homework" at second-grade, by having each student carry home a blank
> paper, then bringing it back the next day with a parent's signature.
> They're building the correct habits. Moscow is not.
>
> > "CYA attitudes that preclude rational discipline (I don't know what CYA
> > means)," "appalling practices of the schools,"
>
> CYA means "Cover your ass," as in, don't be concerned about the result of
> your decision except as how it might reflect on your career. Also, don't
> do anything that may precipitate a lawsuit, as we cannot afford them.
> Heck, we can't afford the lack of social skills and rudimentary upbringing
> which must be enforced at public schools.
>
> I was in MJHS 4 years ago when a pupil entered a classroom with his ghetto
> blaster booming. The teacher (who was working at the computer with me)
> politely asked the pupil to turn it down, and he snarled back, "It ain't
> too loud." My friend, a retired Navy CPO, spun into his face and snapped,
> "What!" at which point the kid came unglued. When I asked my 7th-grade
> son about school policy on radios, he responded some teachers didn't allow
> them into the classroom. SOME! Who's running this zoo?
>
> This is the same JHS which featured lots of cheerleaders and
> extra-curricular activity at the new-student-orientation, but never said
> word one about academics and expectations.
>
> The sad fact it, pupils knows their "rights" and use behavior and language
> which is incompatible with a productive educational environment, too much
> of the time. Our national mantra of "all children are created equal" is
> preventing the natural division of children into appropriate channels [now
> I'll get the tracking opponents on my back].
>
> > "the idiocy we are witnessing,"
>
> When I served on a district History textbook selection committee about
> 1983, I was amazed at the procedures for selecting and procuring new
> texts. After reading several samples, I suggested none were worth the
> money being spent. I even heard one publisher's rep state, "Moscow has a
> Mercer Island problem; your students are better than the norm, so no one
> has texts for you." It was a year or two later when the California
> Textbook Selection board judged all submissions to be inadequate.
>
> I also inquired of several elementary teachers about the textbooks which
> had been selected by committee. Many pointed to unused new books on a
> back shelf. The teachers had many discouraging stories to relate. But no
> sense could prevail against the juggernaut of text buying mentality.
>
> > These are pretty inflammatory accusations without supporting evidence.
>
> I could relate many more instances, from my years on the Lena Whitmore
> Parent's Advisory Board, and my conversations with teachers,
> administrators and board members. However, this gives you an idea.
>
> > "Local media have ignored or disguised this unfortunate situation."
>
> I've excerpted a couple paragraphs from a letter I wrote to the Daily
> News. No response was ever received.
>
> >From rcp@uidaho.edu Mon Mar 31 1997
>
> Did the DN make any mention of Willard Daggett's presentation to the
> Moscow teachers? Had I not happened onto the channel 8 telecast, I would
> have been unaware of it. This could have huge ramifications; how about
> some periodic follow-up articles?
>
> The 1987 coverage of the school teacher strike was abysmal. No
> perspective was provided from other districts and their policies. All
> the local reporters did was parrot back the (mis)statements of the
> participants. That is lazy reporting.
>
> The May 17, 1995 reporting of student scores was a textbook example of
> How-to-Lie-with-Statistics. The headline put a positive spin on classes
> which are 14% and 28% proficient (buried in prose on page 3A).
>
> Was it just coincidence this "news" was trumpeted the day AFTER the school
> bond levies?
>
> Are you contributing to the problem?
>
> ------------------- End of excerpt -----------------------
>
>
> > I'm not about to give up on public education. It always needs
improvement,
> > but you don't improve something by deserting it.
>
> I'm willing to be convinced public education can be resurrected, but it
> will be a hard sell. I've heard too many administrators start mumbling
> when I challenge some assertion about state or federal requirements. They
> are in classic CYA posture.
>
> I welcome the opportunity to continue this discussion.
>
> Robert Probasco rcp@uidaho.edu
>