EDUCATION
"In the constitution of Spain, as proposed by the late Cortes, there was principle entirely new to me,... that no person born after that day should ever acquire the rights of citizenship until he could read and write. It is impossible sufficiently to estimate the wisdom of this provision. Of all those which have been thought of for securing fidelity in the administration of the government, constant reliance to the principles of the Constitution, and progressive amendments with the progressive advances of the human mind, or changes in human affairs, it is the most effectual. Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day... It is better to tolerate the rare instance of a parent refusing to let his child be educated than to shock the common feelings and ideas by the forcible exportation and education of the infant against the will of the father." -Thomas Jefferson (Bergh 17:423 1817, Bergh 14: 491 1816)
Click on box for Quick Links to the Topics
EDUCATION LINKS DEALING WITH CURRENT ISSUES:
Bulling the Teacher: Do they have any rights? http://andyhilbert.blogspot.com/2007/01/teacher-watch-lausd-how-much-money-to.html
Teacher's freedom of speech: http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=433
All she should have needed to say is that "it was her personal
opinion that---" Some of our teachers forget that their religious and
political opinions need to be prefaced by that statement. Then they should be
allowed to make reference to their opinion because this is a free country. Their
students should not feel so intimidated that a religious or political statement
on the contrary would be regarded as appalling nor should they be demoted
scholastically for such themselves. Teachers also should be upfront with parents when a
controversial topic of discussion has been or will be in the classroom so
parents can also discuss it with their children. Parents should have the right
to remove their children if they prefer. And these discussion times should be limited
because caution is used when such topics are presented. Some discussions need to
be referred to medical staff or to parents and is not conducive to elementary or
high school learning environments. In the public schools, religious discussions
should be kept to the historical context only. If this teacher is prosecuted for these comments - can
you see how any statement in opposition to the politically correct opinion of
the moment could be used against any comment or belief of any teacher or any
parent or any child. When did it become politically correct to control all
thought or conscience of someone else to be considered stable.
Outrages of the Day: I don't agree with all of Susan's
editorial statements, but she links to issues all over the country. The conclusion has to
be that
it doesn't just happen in isolated incidents or that you are at fault
personally, but that these problems exist everywhere and we need to say "no
more". Sad thing is we usually have to leave our positions to defend
ourselves. Too often the liberal minded will state that the conservative or
Republican is to blame for the current status or that because someone is a Democrat
that they support all the mandates coming from the National PTA organization.
Most level headed people whether Republican or Democrat realized that it is
physically impossible to force everyone into a narrow definition of mandated
competencies and to stipulate that all children will learn in a certain way at a
certain time in life. Let us unite on this issue and stop this corrupt
government bureaucracy now.
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_index.html
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation: Who is really making the decisions in Washington? The Politicians and Social Engineers who want more testing, equalization (as if that is possible) and control, control, control. It includes more testing of teachers, more standards to meet, more testing of students and more crying, and all will psychologically destroy children and adults.
Reed Benson's Thesis on Home Schooling: http://www.lds-nha.org/benson.pdf
"The heart has been torn out of schools. You've got to want to teach, and they've got to want to learn. And when both happen, it's magic. It may not be what you intended to teach, but it's when kids really learn. But now teachers are being forced to teach the test, which isn't formulated by teachers but by bureaucrats. They have to let teachable moments go." -David H. B. Drake (Christian Science Monitor 28 Dec 2004) www.davidhbdrake.com producing a protest CD called: No Child Left Behind: Bring Back The Joy (Even liberals are waking up to convoluted educational philosophies that have been taught for seventy-five years by bureaucrats and teacher training schools. Testing is not the problem, it is how they are created, who created them, how they are used and by whom they are demanded.)
The Case Against Block Scheduling
Dr. Reginald Wild -Dept of Curriculum Univ. of British Columbia
Reality Therapy or Choice Therapy (The name will always change.)
Dr. William Glasser Institute of Ireland
Prof. Gene Glass, ASU
articles on school schedules
Public
Education: Views of a Concerned Parent
Goals
2000
Outcome Based Education in the Library Curriculum What usually happens is that the teacher/librarian is now required to develop a lesson in isolation to what happens in the classroom since they become a special for regular classroom teachers to have a break that is between 30 minutes to an hour, many times increasing the workload of the librarian to a regular classroom situation. Doesn't any administrator know that doing just the library work is a full-time job - what do all those people do in the public libraries if it isn't time consuming? The administrators than look upon the teacher/librarian more as a classroom teacher and will evaluate them based on all the classroom teacher requirements and ignore the needs and time required to run an effective library which should be classified as an administrative position, not as some have been lead to believe. All administrative duties are left to a classified employee or volunteers from the community which has to be supervised and trained by the librarian for all library work usually during the lunch breaks or if there are any breaks between classes. My classes were usually back to back. I supervised up to 45 classrooms during a week leaving little time for anything but classroom instruction. Some teacher/librarians are on double shifts depending on the size of the school, which require two classrooms in the library at a time for an hour, one checking out and one having instruction. This could total 70 students at a time and usually that means there is a clerk. Otherwise, it is at the discretion of the principal if a classified clerk exists because this is an easy way to cut budget expenses. How effective instruction could happen for anyone under these conditions is beyond explanation. Some tell you, you must work harder with less, tell that to a bunch of kindergarteners who need individual help checking out a book, it is a technical and complicated process even with a computer for them.
They state that this method is supposed to help students become independent learners. If this truly is the goal, then we need to get back to the fact that the librarian is there as a support for the regular classroom to accomplish the work done in the regular classroom not a baby sitting service, which is how much you get accomplished under these conditions. This is where students can see two professionals come together - to work for a common classroom goal or assignment. Now the school librarian works in isolation because there is no time during the work day to do collaborative planning on the subject matter being discussed in individual classrooms. Somehow librarians are supposed to take a yearly scope and sequence and make that happen with no input from anywhere. The principal expects the librarian to be responsible for every state and national standard for all grade levels, an absolute impossibility. So if the school yearly goal is to increase math scores on the state mandated test - guess what the librarian is expected to be instructing - you're right - math concepts for the year. The library is then not a library but a remediation center. The truth is you can't have it both ways, but most assuredly expect just that.
Effective
School Practices - Association for Direct Instruction
The current practices state - that to be effective, students have to be in mixed
ability homogeneity cooperative groupings, where research shows regular ability
groupings are most effective. If you have a classroom of students where the
majority are low achievers or special needs or drenched in drugs, the standard classroom work is placed at a lower
achievable level so that the majority can accomplish the assignments, and it can
be shown a years progress is made. The high
achievers are left to themselves - bored and many become the trouble makers. The
students who can't do the work assigned without individual help receive the most
attention of the teacher if the classroom accomplishes anything. Sometimes the teacher attempts to use the high
achievers as extra tutors for those who need the help. This is fine and keeps
them busy, but does not increase the knowledge base for them as good as it is a
reinforcement to the topic. When cooperative teams are organized with these
mixed grouping, invariably the overachievers rule and accomplish most of the
work because some care about the grade, those who don't care accomplish a
moderate amount of involvement, and those who can't do the work sit it out. The
rubric score or points develop due to the grouping, but who actually did the work?
Ideological Indoctrination of Teachers: http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/Damon final.pdf Teachers being given a test for moral and political beliefs and attitudes to determine disposition on political and social attitudes to qualify as candidates of universities and colleges of education.
Tech Prep: Reason for Block Scheduling
Norm-referenced Test - Multiple choice usually, compare one student to another from anywhere on any material that might have been learned. Should not be used to make judgments on funding or student performance. It has been used successfully to determine ability to handle college level material because the norm group basis is the average abilities of a college student.
Criterion-referenced Test - Can be multiple choice, but supposedly restricted to the material the student was taught. The problem is when the government makes it, the government sets the standard, then the teacher has nothing to say on what is taught, when it is taught or if it is taught. Usually the passing of the test because an arbitrary, subjective evaluation by people other than the teacher who taught the students because government surely can not trust the grading done by someone involved with the student directly. It should only be a test prepared and administered by the staff directly responsible for the teaching of that particular student to compare that class grouping to have any kind of validity. Compensation for physical handicap, learning disability, and material presented then takes place.
The problem we now have is based in the lack of trust in educated professional staff to do its job. The politics of criticizing those in the classroom is the politics of "get me elected and fool the public into believing that is where the problem lies." If the teachers themselves are as bad as indicated, the schools need to be completely closed down now and a new system completely developed. Supposedly the standard basis for the test is the knowledge classified to be taught at the grade level tested for that state. So when the students in high school continue to fail the test as outlined, the state can determine to lower the standard required to be met. This has happened for ten years in Arizona during their development of their test. Every year it was rewritten. Finally, the state board of education just lowered the score to be met to pass. It was interesting to see how it affected my children as seven of them went through the mess even though classified as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in their graduating high school classes. At that time it didn't effect receiving the diploma, now however, one more issue has been placed upon it with students being rejected by that one evaluation. It should only be determined by overall performance under the conditions that existed at the time of instruction. However, this makes the United States look like Europe and Asia, with only the proper class being allowed to have higher educational opportunities. We still have the ability to try and try again or choose another field of interest if it doesn't work out at this time, but not in those other countries. Once the opportunity is past for the beginning education levels, you are regulated to menial tasks and once you choose a profession if you pass the test, you no longer have an option to change that either.
NCLB Requirements http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/NCLBreport.pdf
(Public Schools and Charter Schools) see page 43
1. State Test annually 3rd - 8th grade in reading and math.
2. State Test twice during grades 3rd - 8th grade - science (to simplify this
means it will be added every year whether used statistically or not on a
national level.)
3. State Test once grades 10-12 (usually this means every year until student
passed, and offered several times after graduation to achieve a passing score
and sometimes to receive a state recognized diploma.) It also means, a month of
instruction on how to take the test, how is this helping.
4. State may add other subjects as they desire to above requirements. (If they
are doing it, we must do it, too, mentality.)
5. NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) Since the definition of
"proficiency" can vary from state to state, under NCLB every state
must also administer the NAEP to 4th grade and 8th grade for reading and math,
as long as Congress funds the assessment.
"Finn also serves on the National Governing Board for the
National Assessment for Educational Progress. The NAEP is the tool for measuring
accountability to politically-correct government viewpoints (60 percent of the
test items measure political correctness and school-to-work readiness). The NAEP,
which President Bush mandated be administered in all schools, will determine not
only curriculum, but compliance with accountability standards and therefore will
be essential in the determination of which private schools and home schoolers
will receive vouchers. That is the reason this decision will do away with
private and home schooling education as they are presently constituted."
Charlotte Iserbyt July 8, 2002
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/pages/articles/death_sentence.html
AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) for the entire school is based on the test scores recorded every year and is the bases for continued funding, school classifications, teacher salaries, and removal of staff. It does not compensate for movement of population, change in demographics, or conditions in the physical environment. 95% of all students must participate or devaluation of the school standing is put into place as well as lower pay or removal for teachers and administrators. Comparisons are based on previous year/s to current year, which does not have the exact same population of teachers and students. How can they say this is a scientific evaluation of progress or failure? (I truly believe there are manipulation occurring one way or the other statistically.)
Testing and AYP requirements of NCLB apply only to students in private schools that receive funds or services under NCLB. Home Schools are totally exempt. No requirements are mandated for curriculum controls on private or home-schooled children based on NCLB.
Private Religious School Achievement Report: US Dept of ED 2006 Achievement is still identified as higher than public, but of course it is because they are defined as unequal in demographics. Government just can not figure out why.
New Jerusalem Charter (California)
NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PRIVATIZATION IN EDUCATION
Dibels http://vsse.net/dibels/node/86 (This test requires students to read out loud at a certain speed or fail the test. It does not care if you understand what you read, just that you pronounce the word. The reading speed becomes the determination of failure and if a child may be held back in a grade level. It is being administered to Kindergarten and up. There is a lot of discouragement generated by this test to teachers and students, even if the student has earned top grades in all other areas.)
Study from Univ. of Houston see The Arizona Republic Feb. 22, 1997 pg. H4
Our Failure to Follow Through -from New York Newsday
BAD BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS A great site to help parents when finding unacceptable materials in our schools for curriculum or in the school library. As a teacher/librarian it is not politically correct to determine a book offensive. Some school administrators seem to think you should allow everything and others feel responsibility to the parents of the children under their care. Then, we have parents who are offended if there is anything of a religious nature or a book that even has the word "God" in it. My personal experience has seen the book vendors show the most vulgar literature imaginable to sell as the "in thing" for our children and young adult students. It is impossible for any librarian to read every book that comes across their desks under the new system of teacher/librarian specials. Most materials are only seen by the clerk or a volunteer. Usually we are made to purchase materials only through a district approved vendor who may just ship a yearly list that is approved by the ALA for certain age groups. That isn't good enough. Librarians need their time back to be accountable for what is happening. However, some librarians accept the status quo that states there can not be any banned books. It is my belief that Elementary, Middle, and High Schools are not public libraries. They are special libraries with a responsibility of teaching basic standards, literacy and the love of reading to children. This is sufficient. There is enough filth on TV, in movies and plenty available for adults who want to corrupt their minds. We don't need to start teaching it Kindergarten to be a whole person or to live in the world. My personal conduct on this matter: if a parent brought a book to my attention that was in the library and it is reasonably objectionable, it was removed to the office for review. After review, if there is no historical significance to having the book available, it was trashed. Most districts have a complaint form. Some books that are problems for parents ended up with parental permission slips so that only parental approval allowed checkout. This is significant for materials used for classroom curriculum. Believe me, some literature just isn't necessary, one such book for me is "The Giver". It is not a book to consider as an adult if you want to have uplifting materials to read. It just is not necessary material for a K-8 Many schools have banned it due to the topics while others still use it as trade literature for whole classroom discussion in the 4th and 5th grade. I just can not figure out how a child is better - learning how to kill, be immoral, or be abusive to others. It has a questionable good ending, but do we wade through filth for hours for two minutes of "it's now ok. Nine and ten year olds are very impressionable and need the most uplifting material possible since many of them see these topics already in their homes personally or view it on television. If you are interested in what is being read at your school, volunteer at your school's library. Ask for a copy of the approved trade book list for your school or district. Don't let them tell you it doesn't exist. It took me as a paid teacher/librarian some time to find the list in some of the districts I worked at when it should have been readily available. I guess that is a significant indicator of how widely it was followed. Those lists are supposedly approved by the school board. If they are approving questionable materials, they are not reading the material or they believe in it, maybe it's time to change those who are elected.
CITIZENS FOR READING STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS Look at the reading lists for good examples of what is now in the public schools. This group is not asking books to be removed from the library but to restrict required and graded reading assignments to uplifting materials only.
Censor*: A person authorized to examine books, films, or other material and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. *www.dictionary.com "the truth is that all teachers and librarians due some sort of censorship". This is true! Some, however, have little morality themselves and surely would never want to be labeled in this way, but will certainly remove a Rush Limbaugh book because he is not of their political opinion. See how librarians have no problems weeding books from their collections: http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.html?id=6844
Phonic
Based Instruction: downloadable files for free http://www.donpotter.net/ed.htm http://www.oocities.org/tiggernut24/Grandmom/
http://www.oocities.org/tiggernut24/Grandmom/SAHowTeach.html
Online Reading Comprehension http://www.oocities.org/yamatoro670/readinglab.htm
Online Children's Lit Classics http://www.mainlesson.com/
Online Books http://digitallibrary.upenn.edu/books/
Phonics Quiz http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/phonics.html
WHOLE LANGUAGE or as some call the Look Say method.
Math Instruction materials that are downloadable
Integrated
Math The
Freedom to Agree (A very typical parent information night. I wonder if the
following is an example of Integrated Math?)
More flashcards, word search, and hangman provided by StudyStack.com
If We Really Hope to Improve Math Education
Mathmatically
Correct - hundreds of links about Math and Science Textbooks, Standards,
and problems.
NCTM - They're not genuine
standards. - Bill Quirk, PHD
FuzzyMath Definition
Lawrence Gray - Full Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota
"Gather me the people together,
and I will make them hear my words,
that they may learn to fear me all the days
that they shall live upon the earth,
and that they may teach their children." Deuteronomy 4:10 KJV
SCIENCE
Review of Middle School Physical Science Texts by John L. Hubisz, Ph.D. and other articles.
Fluoridation and Children
Why I Changed My Mind About Water Fluoridation http://www.fluoride-journal.com/98-31-2/312103.htm
SOCIAL STUDIES
If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
National Center for Constitutional Studies
ART
Art Teachers Cart/ Lesson Plan Ideas
Homemade Clay, Paint, Crayons, Chalk
Music
BLOGS
TEACHER HELP Print Certificates
Apples 4 Teacher http://www.apples4theteacher.com/
(a source for free flash cards)
Templates for Lesson Construction http://questioning.org/module2/quick10.html
Teacher/Administration
Teacher Evaluations also statistical information on year round schools and ability groupings
Deliberate Dumbing Down of America http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com
Religion and Education
"A
problem occurs on occasion when, in the pursuit of higher degrees, one becomes
so imbued with the terminology and methodology of a secular discipline that,
almost without realizing it, he compromises the gospel message. The simple
principles of the gospel, not the disciplines of men, should always be our basis
for truth."
"The Gospel Teacher and His Message." Religious Educators, Salt Lake
City, Utah, 17 Sep 1976.
"From the fifth grade through the fourth year of college, our young people are being indoctrinated with a Marxist philosophy, and I am fearful of the harvest. The younger generation is further to the left then most adults realize. The old concepts of our Founding Fathers are scoffed and jeered at by young moderns whose goals appear to be the destruction of integrity and virtue, and the glorification of pleasure, thrills, and self-indulgence." -Ezra Taft Benson "The Greatest Work in the World," Improvement Era, January 1967 p. 26.
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