I agree. Change is coming. In NC a person from DPI told a group of Pre-K and K teachers that change for a more developmentally appropriate K is on the way as well as better ideas for/ in leiu of testing. Our principal heard the same ideas about testing at a principal's meeting in Chapel Hill just this week. He stated that a Blue Ribbon committee? is coming around to hear from teachers about the good, bad and ugly of testing. He has challenged us to teach and not worry about the test. He wants to take our school in the direction of what works for our kids and being innovative. NC also throughout the writing test this year and we are doing portfolios. Thought I would share some of the good news that it out there.
Kendra PS I have always heard the pendulum swings every 10 years. I started teaching when ABC's ( NC accountability program) was introduced. Its my 11th year:) On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 9:13 PM, Palmer, Jennifer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > Bev... > > Kumbaya....Kumbaya... (holding hands here...) Kumbaya... > > LOL > > You are absolutely right, of course. No one said any of this is easy. What > has happened up to this point, is that so often we teachers just shut our > doors and do what is right for our kids but we never try to go beyond that > point. > > We ARE all scared...and angry. It is time to be brave...and that courage > will look different depending on our own personalities. Some of us could > mentor a new teacher. Others could create study groups on Ellin's new > book... still others may aspire to take on an administrative role...Once we > reach a critical mass...teachers leading and taking responsibility for their > own profession, then can you imagine what we could do? We just can't shut > our doors and take care of just our own students anymore. There is too much > at risk. > > Ellin wants us to teach for depth and for understanding. Kids who grow up > with this kind of teaching will not only be productive, but thoughtful. > Isn't this what democracy...what our country requires of us? Isn't this > worth fighting for...working through and past our own fear and uncertainty > to try to make a real difference? Could we fail? Sure. But, you only miss > 100% of the shots you never take. > > I know this is more than we bargained for as teachers. We already fight to > see that our students in our classroom get the learning they need and of > course we love them. We put in hours and hours on lesson plans and paper > work. We spend our own money on classroom materials and that should be > enough. But it isn't anymore. > > That is why first and formost, I believe that real change and real > leadership needs to come from US. Leadership has to not only be at the > school level or the district level as I talked about in our earlier post. > Some of us, perhaps all of us, need to learn to talk to policy makers..and > advocate on behalf of our children. I have had the chance to do some of this > since I live near Washington DC...and believe me it is hard. I didn't really > know what I was doing and I am pretty sure that 90 percent of the time I was > just "yessed" along. BUT a few times, a few precious times, I did feel I was > listened to. And you know what? It is our cumulative voice that matters. > There have been many voices crying out against the unfair portions of > NCLB...and I think that voice is being heard. How do I know this??? > > My principal is on the executive board for the National Association of > Elementary Principals. She has had many opportunities over the past few > years to meet with officials in Washington and she has more experience doing > so than I have. She is sure that change is in the air. Suddenly she is > being asked for her opinion on changes to NCLB. She doesn't have to knock on > doors...they are coming to her. After the election is over...watch and see. > I bet we will see change. We, as educators, need to be at that > table...insisting on input on how that change will look. We must be > persistant...step out of our comfort zone and speak up.There are ways to > email our congressmen. We must do so. Our kids depend on us. > > In the meantime, I am convinced that little things like professional > learning communities and coteaching can make a difference. If you help even > one colleague develop better teaching practices, you have doubled the amount > of students whose lives you have improved. > > Oh, Bev... I am an optimist. I can't help it. If I didn't believe that > things could change and that we can play a part in making that happen, I > couldn't go to work each day. > > > Jennifer Palmer > Reading Specialist, National Board Certified Teacher > FLES- Lead the discovery, Live the learning, Love the adventure. > "Children grow into the intellectual life around them." > -Vygotsky > > > ________________________________ > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Beverlee Paul > Sent: Thu 9/25/2008 6:36 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Understand] For Lori...way too long > > > > I'm leaving the other posts on in this case because there is no single > piece that I'm responding to. As a lit coach, I do know what you are both > talking about. Believe me. But here's the problem. > > I hate reverting to politicism when I know people tire of it and would > rather be forward-looking and visionary and proactive and all the things > that I'd certainly rather be. But...let's look at the case of what you are > both talking about. It's what our teachers face every single day as > teachers. It's what we face every day as the teacher of teachers (okay, > some poetic license there) and that's TEST ANXIETY. And it has nothing to > do with us taking tests. It has everything to do with the > testing/standards/accountability/NCLB, etcetera mania that is choking the > lives out of us. > > I have a feeling none of us (represented in this post) would be impatient > and stressed about change and where different teachers are in the process if > we weren't half crazed over test scores. We're not > hyperactive-guinea-pig-acting naturally. We would remember that things take > time and that Rome wasn't built in a day and things bloom in their own time > and we're just here to support you and just take baby steps and.... But, in > the schools I know, things are at such a frantic, frenetic pace to make > everyone above average!! > > I teach in a school where 70% of our children receive free and reduced > lunch and there are many other factors that might discourage us. I don't > mind at all what child walks in our doors, as long as he can get himself in > or we can help her get in. They're all welcome. But then we're told that > they have to ___________ and to _________ and to __________ and they have to > do it tomorrow or "the state will take over the school." > > Do you think that makes me patient and accepting of our less-developed > teachers when I know there's a better mousetrap out there that would help > them catch more mice--more humanely--and they just don't want to know about > it yet? Even though I know that "change is thrilling and exhilerating if > you're doing it yourself, but terrifying if it's being done to you"? Even > if I know it's better to go slower, think deeper, and take it one step at a > time? > > And then let's pass that on down. Do you think those very teachers are > ready to experiment with doing something new or take a risk or change a leaf > when all they hear is AYP threats? And then how accepting are they of their > little ones which are doing the best they can, but that's not better than > 70% of the kids across America so their progress is marginalized? > > Now...Jennifer's response is the thoughtful response that belongs here and > that Lori needs and wants. And I can justify all this rant only by saying > it's not fun walking in any of our Birkenstocks these days, whether they're > tiny pink ones or well-worn brown. But here's why I'm writing it: > > We are in the position where if it's to be, it's up to...us. And while we > need to do all the things Jennifer recommended, maybe what we need at the > core is to understand that NOONE LEARNS IN FEAR--including soccer teachers > in mini-vans. There's only so long that warm fuzzies are appropriate, but I > think it helps my impatience when I can put myself in others' shoes, which I > certainly can in this Blame Game we live in in education today. > > Our teachers are sometimes just scared to take chances. > > Okay, that's enough for me today. Sometimes we do have to just hold hands > and sing Kumbaya. > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Understand mailing list > [email protected] > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org > > -- Kendra Carrol _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list [email protected] http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
