On Jul 21, 2007, at 6:24 AM, kimberlee hannan wrote:

> Our district does that with the Reading First mentality, especially in 
> the
> primary grades.  When the literacy coaches (reading police) come 
> around all
> in a certain grade level need to be on the same page.  At my last 
> school the
> Reading First folks from the state told the teachers that they should 
> be
> able to go from room to room and see the same lesson.

Anyone who advocates for this does not understand what it means to 
teach or what it means to learn. This is a philosophy that says that if 
you deliver a piece of information to a child, the child will get it 
and you can move on. It has nothing to do with teaching and learning 
and everything to do with power.

>  The teachers are
> expected to carry the TE around with them and be referring to it.

Sounds like a recipe for Carpel-Tunnel Syndrome to me.

> One
> teacher at my last school came in one morning and the furniture had 
> been
> rearranged by the lit. coach because she didn't agree with the 
> teacher's
> philosophy.

OK. This is just downright rude, wrong, and a breach of academic 
freedom. Certainly there must be *something* in the contract that gives 
the teacher some rights? Also, once again, anyone who advocates for 
this doesn't know much about classroom management.

> We, as teachers, are being set up for failure.

I believe this is deliberate.
>
> ....... snip
>
> Please remember that it is not your fault that you can't meet the 
> needs of
> your kids.  The politicos that sit in the cushy chairs don't have a 
> clue.
> We cover their butts.  ......

But it is not just the politicos. It is also principals, curriculum 
directors, superintendents, and school boards who support this kind of 
insanity. And it is principals amd curriculum directors who should be 
screaming the loudest against these practices, rather than buying into 
them, because they should know better. Should. But apparently don't.
>
> How do we fight this?  We keep up the good fight.......

And support each other. Do some research. Don't buy into the numbers 
game. Don't assume the test is really testing what it says it tests. 
Etc.

Renee


"I take my work seriously, but it's not the only thing that exists in 
the world."
~ Viggo Mortensen


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