Common Core

My bi-monthly edition of Educational Leadership just arrived and the entire magazine is devoted to the Common Core State Standards, adopted by 37 states.  This is a framework for instruction K-12.  It focuses on high level capacities that describe what students should know in the 21^st century.  It is the national version of our TEKS.  And in Texas, we do not have a clue what the CCSS is.  I believe that is myopic on our part.

A few basic assumptions behind why I think we need to move to the CCSS and away from the TEKS as quickly as possible:

First, we must admit to ourselves as educators that we no longer are in control of our curriculum.  We do not decide what we teach.  The SBOE decides that.

Secondly, we must recognize that whatever the state decides we should teach is likely to be on the test they choose to administer to our kids to see how well we are teaching.  If we teach what they prescribe we teach, then our kids should do well on the test they prescribe to measure that.  (In other words, yes, we teach to the test.  What else would we teach to?)

Thirdly, the whole notion is flawed of course and I hate it, but that is the name of the game these days and if we are to have a snowball’s chance of winning the game we must play by the rules, even if we know the rules were developed by a naked emperor.  (And yes, I continue the struggle to dismantle our ridiculous high stakes accountability system.  But until that day arrives, we must plan to do well in that system.)

So, here sits almighty Texas, proud of our TEKS and proud of our TAKS and soon to be proud of our STAAR.  So proud, that we refuse to adopt the Core Standards.  And in that we are very dumb.  By 2014 there will be a national standardized test based on the CCSS that will be used to measure the quality of instruction from state to state.  We have little chance of doing well if we are not even teaching from the same framework other states are teaching.  In fact, that to me is like teaching Spanish and giving a test in French.

We won’t budge though.  That is why we could not get a waiver for AYP this year because we refused to adopt the CCSS.  That is why the state did not apply for “Race to the Top” funds because we refused to adopt the CCSS.  We will continue to get hammered by the feds for doing our own thing; much like any individual school or teacher would get hammered by Texas for doing their own thing and not following the TEKS.  What Texas has done to our own public schools was carried to Washington by a Bush and became the law of the land and is what the feds are doing to the states.  Texas hates it as much as school districts hate it in Texas.  I think that is a hoot and hypocritical as all get out, but that’s the way it is.  Every argument the state proffers against the feds is an argument local districts can use against the state, but they can’t see it.

One of my all time favorite children’s’ books is Zoom, by Istvan Banyai.  If you are not familiar with this book, the youtube link below will take you to it (There are only pictures, you do not have to read it, and yes, for all of us, there is a test at the end.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYblhdhQ1M

We have lost perspective.  We have concluded that our view of the world is the world.  We have lost sight that our view is simply our view and that there are many views, many ways to interpret any given reality.  I believe that is the core problem in most human relationships, in most political stalemates, in most religious confrontations, etc.  One group believes they are right, absolutely right, and sets out to make sure their view happens.  It is the result of the ultimately closed mind.  Texas is big, but we are not bigger than the US of A, nor are we bigger than the world, the solar system and the universe.

It is time Texans looked at the Common Core.  It’s here.  And while we wrestle with the mystery of the STAARs and the accuracy of our CSCOPE we are missing the bigger picture.  Educators should argue that we do not need a high stakes accountability system that is inherently punitive, but if we have to have one, let’s level the playing field nationally and adopt the CCSS.  That would be an educated position to take, I think.  The Common Core is common sense.

Precious and Flawed

Just finished my morning routine of checking in on http://www.texasisd.com/ to see what is happening in education across the state.  You may not care, but I do.  This website scans all the newspapers in the state and posts links to all the articles published relative to public education in Texas.  For me it is a wonderful way to monitor trends, identify common issues and concerns, and get the media’s take on what we are all doing well and in what areas we are falling short. 

I am saddened after today’s review.  It appears that a large number of our fellow educators are in trouble for stealing funds or having sex with students.  Money, drugs/alcohol, and inappropriate sex.  It is my observation that more professional educators get in trouble over these three issues than any other.  And, it always makes the headlines.  We may be shocked to discover that one of our leaders had an affair as is the current news regarding General Petraeus.  But our communities are outraged when an educator is charged with any of these human frailties.  Why is that?

We are public servants.  We are paid by taxes collected from the public.  We spend all day with the children of our communities.  Our public expects us to operate on a higher moral platform than other folks.  I get that.  My dad was a minister and from earliest childhood I was taught that the way I acted in public was a direct reflection on my father.  In other words, be good all the time.  An assignment I woefully and consistently failed, but I knew the pressure and understood the rationale.

I believe God doesn’t make junk.  All humans are both flawed and precious.  We all make mistakes.  We are all sinners.  We are all worthy of love.  We all are tempted to find ways to ease pain, get ahead, maintain our sense of security, or establish our self-worth.  Some of those efforts are immoral or illegal, and carry heavy consequences.  Some are just silly and harmless; and some are actually productive. 

Two things come to mind for me.  One is I used to do a workshop called “Defending Perfection or Pursuing Improvement.”  In this workshop we would talk about attributes of people whom for whatever reason are determined to be right, see the world from only one point of view, and spend an incredible amount of energy defending their perfection, their view, their paradigm.  These folks are very difficult to deal with because they start with the assumption that their view is the correct view and there is no dialog, no negotiation, and no consideration of the possible flaw.  They are perfect.  If things go wrong it must be someone else’s fault.  On the other hand, folks who recognize they are flawed and imperfect and are constantly seeking ways to improve, whether that is professionally or personally, are open to new ideas, new strategies, learning new lessons, etc. 

The second thing that comes to mind is the birth of my son.  I was there with Debbie while she was in labor and I was coaching, breath in, breath out, etc. like it made much difference.  Debbie was in agony, she was under the influence of meds, and she screamed at me, “I hate you!  Look at what you did to me!” as well as other phrases I will not share, and she tore my surgical smock. 

These two events are related.  I could have judged Debbie based on what she said to me in the delivery room, or I could write it off as the response to incredible pain and drugs and not the real Debbie.  That is what I did, because I had a host of evidence to the contrary.  We laugh about it now.  If I perceived myself to be perfect it makes it very hard to forgive those who are not.  How dare she say those things to me?  I could have judged her for her words under duress, but I did not.  I knew that was not her.

People who see themselves as perfect have a hard time forgiving.  They have a hard time allowing a second chance.  They have a hard time accepting both the flawed and precious notion of the human reality.  They have a zero tolerance view of the world, the tolerance that is not allowed is anything with which they disapprove or disagree or find threatening.

Some behaviors carry consequences beyond interpersonal forgiveness.  An employee that sleeps with a student, an employee that steals money, and an employee that endangers themselves and others by being under the influence of something – all these behaviors carry consequences.  We must keep student safety foremost in our decision making, and if an adult employee is a threat to kids or others then we must remove them from employment.  However, many flawed behaviors deserve a second chance in my book. 

I am not perfect.  I have made plenty of mistakes.  I am only able to do this job because many people along the way have forgiven me, have given me a second chance; have recognized I am both flawed and precious. 

I believe you are too.  Do your best.  Do the right thing.  If you need help, ask for it.  Be ready to forgive others if they disappoint you.  Please know that you and I are both precious and flawed. 

I know.

Now What?

The re-election of President Obama sent pundits scrambling for hidden meanings, data driven observations, and prognostications of things to come.  I’m not a pundit, maybe a pun-dat, but I have no credentials beyond public education and some private sector success as a restaurant manager.  I do know public education.  And my questions for our new President and to our nation are where will you stand on public education?  What will happen now?  Now what?

We are well overdue to re-authorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a.k.a. No Child Left Behind.  Congress would not take it up this past year for fear that it would give Obama another feather in his cap.  Why?  Because the Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on education issues.  And, they are both wrong.

Both parties support high stakes testing, school choice, teacher evaluation based on test scores, national core curriculum standards, etc. etc.  The so-called reform movement has been disastrous for public education and I fear the re-authorization of ESEA will be more of the same.  The Race to the Top competitive grant for schools is more of the same.  Limit resources and let schools compete for them if they agree to the national reform agenda.  Texas is schizophrenic on this issue because our state leadership totally supports the reform agenda, and yet they do not want to do what the feds tell them to do.  So Texas avoids the federal programs and loses money and sets their schools up to fail under federal standards because it is federal program under a Democratic administration.  Sadly, the policies and programs of this Democratic administration are virtually identical to the previous Republican administration.  I would find it amusing if it were not so sad that both parties support school choice and yet in terms of education platforms voters are not offered any choice in proposed education policy.

(A brief caveat to my previous paragraph.  If we are going to move toward a national high stakes standardized test based on national core curriculum standards– which I strongly oppose – then it only makes sense for states to adopt the national core standards.  Otherwise we are not aligned instructionally between what we say we will teach and what gets tested.  If we are not going to have a national high stakes test, then national core standards should inform state standards but not be mandated.)

The core question for me is do we believe in and support the education of all children in this country?  If the answer is yes, then supporting public education is our only real option.  Diverting money from public ed to private sector ventures makes no sense to me at all.  If we want a better Navy, we put more money in the Navy.  Want better public schools?  Put more money in public schools.  If the answer is no, we do not want to educate all children, then continue on the current path where parents of means have choices and parents without means are left in the public schools with fewer resources, higher standards, and more opportunity to fail.  So, Mr. President, where do you stand on the notion of the public education of all kids?  Charter schools, vouchers, parent triggers, etc. are all designed to divert money from public schools to private sector pockets. 

If we are infected with the notion that the way to improve public education is shifting resources from public ed to other for-profit organizations, then those organizations should be required to have teacher unions.  Unions make the most sense in the private sector where management makes decisions regarding wages, benefits, working conditions, etc. while weighing those benefits against the drive to make profit.  Labor needs to sit at that table to influence those decisions.  In the public sector, there is no profit pot, there is only tax revenue.  Clearly teachers should have a voice in decision making in public schools, and in the states where teacher unions are legally allowed and have experienced years of collective bargaining it makes little sense to wage war on those unions rather than pull them into the fold.  But, private operators of schools should have to deal with their labor.  Another oxymoron: bust public school teacher unions via charter schools and vouchers for private schools wherein teacher unions are most logically needed.

So, with all due respect Mr. President, what will happen now?  More federal intrusion into public education, more high stakes testing, more competitive grants, more escalating standards to make schools look badly, more choice for everyone except public schools?  Or, something quite different that supports public education, operates on the notion that the most efficient and effective way to educate all kids in the U.S. is via public education.  It makes no sense to promote a network of schools outside public education where facilities and services must be duplicated and when it is impossible to create enough of those schools to serve our children.  My advice, sir, is to dump school choice, dump competitive funding, stop harassing teacher organizations, dump high stakes testing, dump holding teachers accountable for results on the high stakes test, and offer the core standards as a guide.

To make all the above reality you will have to abandon Michelle Rhee and Arne Duncan.  They don’t get it.  Appoint Diane Ravitch Secretary of Education, or Linda Darling-Hammond.  These ladies know what works and how to make it happen.  And they both have a strong conviction to educate all children, not to dismantle public education.

So, now what?  I eagerly await the re-authorization of ESEA.  Will it be more of the same, or will it in fact promote the success of children via public education?

We’ll see.

A Model, Perhaps 2

Posted yesterday regarding a way to perhaps dramatically improve instruction and allow teachers to teach by doubling the number of teachers.  I still like the idea.  I slept on it, and thought of some other benefits.

We would eliminate sub costs.  With two teachers per assignment there would be no need to hire a sub unless we are talking long term absence.  With 2 teachers per assignment stress levels should drop and we would likely have fewer absences anyway.

We would clearly satisfy special education inclusion needs.  The "other" teacher could monitor, coach, assist special ed kids, or any kid with difficulty, in each classroom.

We could free up schedules by having RTI, Tier 2, or whatever we call it simultaneously with instruction.  In fact, the number of kids needing additional after regular class help should drop tremendously.

Expensive?  Yes.  Worth it?  I think so.  Eager to hear what teachers think......

A Model, Perhaps

Since my fireside chat at EHS this week, which turned out to be even more exciting than I anticipated, I have been thinking about my off-the-cuff remarks regarding model schools.  I am perchance defending my own hastily drawn model, but the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Schools, as I have postulated before, serve many missions.  One of those is to house the children of our community safely for about 8 hours a day for 180 days a year.  We cannot get away from that.

We are also expected to teach them, the operable definition being that teaching has not occurred until there is evidence the child has learned.  Thus the phrase teaching for learning.  We cannot get away from that.

We have been attempting to perform those two missions in little rectangular rooms where 20+ plus kids or more sit at the feet of an adult, college educated, certified professional teacher.  That adult bears the brunt of the responsibility for the learning of all those kids.  In a system our size, secondary teachers are totally responsible for the outcomes of their subject by grade.  In elementary school, multiple teachers teach the same grade level, but there is typically more than one teacher teaching each subject by grade while all elementary teachers have multiple preparations. 

All this happens all day, every day.  Groups of kids, one teacher.  From the teacher’s point of view, the kids are not getting any easier to teach at the same time what we have to teach is growing in depth and complexity.  Teachers are boxed in all day with the kids, and their focus must be on grading, planning, setting up for tomorrow.  They are lucky and exhausted if they get through the day.  There is no time for real collaboration, no time for real professional development, no time to learn all the newest whiz bang stuff out there.  Something has to give. 

Of our $12 million dollar budget, roughly $5.5 million is devoted to teacher salaries.  Almost half.  This does not include aides, principals, etc.  Just classroom teachers.  So, what would I do with another $5.5 million dollars?  (This is rhetorical.  My answer follows.)

Double the number of teachers is what I would do.  If we set aside the reality that we will not receive another $5.5 million and the reality that another 120 teachers are not available to hire, let’s look at what we could do if we had twice as many teachers.

We would pair everyone up.  We would not need more classrooms; we would have two teachers where now we have one.  We could format that in any number of ways.  Every classroom has two functioning teachers to help.  Each classroom has a morning teacher while the other plans, learns, prepares, etc., and then they flip for the afternoon.  One teacher could be the “teacher” and the other could be the planner, grader, curriculum expert, materials resource person, and classroom observer to identify kids tuning out.  Teachers would be structured to collaborate, we could dramatically reduce the bane of teaching, and we would have dramatic improvement with that many adults working with the same number of kids.  The only real magic bullet to improve instructional outcomes for kids is a dedicated, prepared, motivated teacher working with small numbers of kids.

And, teachers could enter the ranks of other professionals who intentionally set aside time each day to reflect, to learn, to collaborate, to consider either their patients or their projects or their day in court.  Success up, stress down.  I like it! 

But oops, the current thinking politically is to raise the stress and lower the money.  Guess I’ve got it all backwards.

Anybody got $5.5 million?