Kimberly-- Can I add this story to my collection for an article about censureship in the schools?
Let me know, Bonita Gr. 5, California ---- kimberlee hannan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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. The teachers are > expected to carry the TE around with them and be referring to it. 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. We, as teachers, are being set up for failure. > > In my 5th and 6th grades, I got sneaky, keeping two set of lesson plans. I > taught the kids the strategies and the importance of reading. I used the > text for mini lessons only. I kept the textbooks on the table and taught > the kids to pick them up when the admin. came in. I finally had to escape > elementary to get rid of that. Ironically, in now in 7th grade, I see the > results of that sort of teaching. The kids get have a horrible time reading > and comprehending, among many other bad attitudes. We won't even discuss > writing. > > 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. Since there is no trust, they give us the script, > just so they can say they did everything they could. It has to be the kids' > fault they aren't reading, or the teachers' fault. It certainly can't be > the program's fault. Everything you say is true. And yes, any monkey off > the street can follow the script. > > How do we fight this? We keep up the good fight. We get the kids to read > and LOVE it. We point out to the parents what works and get them to watch > their children. We get on the committees and leadership teams. We go to > the board meetings at the district and state level. We get our voices out > there. We talk to people. Try to convince them to change their votes. We > keep reading and stay on top of the current research. Stay informed. > kim > > > > On 7/21/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > In a message dated 7/21/2007 8:13:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > > Wow! I thought we were the only school that heard the word "fidelity"! > > Not > > only that, but we are required to keep the teacher's manual with us at > > all > > times. > > > > Not only I'm I not meeting the needs of 90% of my students but I feel I'm > > ZAPPING the joy of reading right out of the students - all of them! > > > > Cathleen > > > > PS I hate blue dots! (You know, from the teacher's manual that tell you > > when to stop and talk.) > > > > > > >From Jane: > > That is AWFUL!! Why pay someone with a teaching degree? It sounds like > > they could hire people who don't even have a diploma as long as they can > > read > > the teacher's manual. > > We have new standards in SC and I have spent many hours this > > summer revising > > my curriculum (also incorporating more of the comprehension > > strategies) and > > loving every minute of it! I am totally on my own to teach as I want as > > long > > as I cover the standards, and there is really no one paying > > attention that I > > do that! I really feel for those of you who are not allowed to make the > > curriculum your own. I feel for your children, too. Through no fault of > > your > > own, you are not allowed to meet their needs. Jane in SC :-( > > > > > > > > ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL > > at > > http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > > -- > Kim > ------- > Kimberlee Hannan > Department Chair > Sequoia Middle School > Fresno, California 93702 > > > Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't > change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give > everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
