Educators Anonymous?

The Twelve Steps of a Recovering 20th Century Classroom Teacher

1. We admitted we were powerless over students—that our classrooms had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a higher power and scientific data greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him (or a PLC, whichever made more sense at the time.)
4. Made a searching and fearless moral and intellectual inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, our principal, our PLC, and our dog, the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God (or our PLC) remove all these defects of character or lesson planning.
7. Humbly asked them to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had undereducated, and became willing to make amends via the RTI process.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others, or violate the deepening incongruencies caused by NCLB and IDEA.
10. Continued to take personal inventory through self-reflection and when wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and self-reflection to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him (and/or our PLC), praying only for knowledge and the abilities, resources, and time to carry it out.
12. Having had a spiritual and intellectual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles as principals, and in all our other educational realms.

One of the keys to success with regards to forming a professional learning community (PLC) within a department and/or campus is the ability to effectively utilize data. Ideally, the data is provided via a test or other assessment vehicle which is aligned to the curriculum being taught as well as the state standards. The disaggregating of this data can be a daunting challenge at first, and the ability to do this activity first as a group is important: not only to get past the initial uncertainties; but also to collectively share and collaborate to find or create solutions to issues which become visible through the analysis. The fear comes in when we have to each lower our own defenses and accept that we may in fact, not be perfect, nor have all the answers. Some may even have to learn how to say: “I don’t know”; “I’m Sorry”; or “Would you help me.”

A massive potential drawback to all of the focus on data, is it can take our attention off of the human element. We are after all, in the people business. So much emphasis has been placed on tests, data, and the like, we have lost sight of the fact that these are still kids, not products off an assembly line, and they have human psychological and emotional needs. Many of these needs can’t be tested or measured en mass with some sort of standardized test, and subsequently go largely ignored in the current climate of accountability. No amount of data desegregation individually or within a PLC will be able to help the teacher fix a psycho-emotional or relationship issue.

We are beginning and will continue to see, as we become more adept at utilizing data for shaping curriculum and instruction, a reemphasis placed on developing quality relationships with students. To help bolster that concept, there is a growing recognition that we will have to make time for teaching and reinforcing social skills and values, particularly “middle class values”, and at all grade levels. This is especially true for schools which demographics contain high percentages of economically disadvantage students.

It would probably be better to use the PLC model on a campus to get the teachers to create a campus wide and unified program for teaching social skills. Despite the fact that there are some excellent models out there like Boys Town, Capturing Kids Hearts, AVID, etc; these can be expensive to purchase or send people to training. In addition, it is much more difficult to get teacher buy in when you bring something in from outside. However, using some of these materials as a reference, a campus could develop or modify their own model which would hopefully facilitate quicker buy in from the faculty, and hence, unified implementation and self-accountability across the campus for the program.

The same can be true for developing formative assessments as related to the curriculum. A unified scope and sequence is essential in today’s accountability climate. And where some “old school” teachers may find that limiting, as they will have to give up their “love units” (aka, units that I love to teach, yet are outside of the TEKS), having everyone teaching the same thing, at the same time can give unity and strength in looking at data, and developing best practices together. We can utilize the PLC to help each other, and ourselves by recognizing our deficiencies and strengths, and using that information to improve everyone’s performance, teachers and students alike. And perhaps, as we develop positive effective collegial relationships with one another through the PLC, we will better be able to model that to our students, and aid them in doing the same within the classrooms.

Beware of the hidden on-line threat, Statistics Abuse

“one in five youths (between ages 10 and 17) ‘received a sexual solicitation or approach [over the internet] in the past year.’ And ‘one in seventeen [youths] were threatened or harassed’ online.” Adelman (2000)

I despise scare tactics such as these whether in the news, advertisements, or in this case, an academic periodical. At first glance one would be frightened, upset, or even enraged by these numbers. However, when one applies a bit of logic and math, one can see clearly how this quote is designed to elicit those emotions, and may not be as factual as it appears to be upon first glance. What Adelman fails to mention is: “According to the study, 48 percent of youths under the age of 18 were the perpetrators of the sexual solicitations. In addition, 19 percent of sexual requests came from females, showing that not all sexual solicitors on the Internet fit the media stereotype of an older, male predator.” (Mariano 2000)

“90% of all statistics can be made to show whatever you want - 50% of the time.” – Direct TV ad. Where this particular quote may only be 66% true to life, clearly this is exactly what Adelman was going for by starting out her article with this horrifying statistic. By using numbers from other sources like the article from Mason & Dodds (2005) stating “two-thirds of white children have gone online, just 45%, of black children and 37% of Hispanic” can we really believe that with at most 2/3rds of students online that 1/5 (20%) of all students have been solicited sexually on-line, as Adelman would have us believe?

As pointed out by Marinao (2000) a major discrepancy with this statistic is that it doesn’t account for age grouping by the solicitors. We adults immediately react to Adelman’s quote and assume that these solicitations are all made by adult predators, when in fact, the virtually half of these solicitations are actually made by the student’s peers. But of course, more accurate statistics in this instance lack teeth, complicate the thought process, and invariably lessen or deaden any emotional reaction to the statement.

By applying Adelman’s tactics and Aristotelian logic, one can come to another startling problem which faces educators today. “The number of Elvis Presley impersonators has reached an all-time record high - there are now at least 85,000 Elvis’s around the world, compared to only 170” at the time of his death (Naked Scientist 2000). At that rate of increase, everyone will become an Elvis impersonator by 2054. Currently, this trend suggests that by 2019, one third of the population will have transformed into Elvis impersonators. Therefore it is only logical to conclude that we should be incorporating more Elvis into our education system, as this is a worldwide phenomenon, and we must keep pace with the rest of the planet so our kids do not fall behind in their knowledge of the king.

Despite these facts, I am unaware of any huge sales bumps in blue suede shoes. So before we get all shook up and send more individuals to the jailhouse, rock solid evidence must be collected and presented. It is important to remember we must engage in a little less conversation and take more action and stop, look, and listen to the statistics clearly. Sure, there are countless instances of inappropriate behavior online: individuals requesting someone “love me tender;” or offering: “a teddy bear or a big hunk o’ love;” or scheming to meet at the “Heartbreak Hotel, somewhere in the ghetto.” There are still plenty of teenaged youths who also brag about being “a hound dog” as they have for decades, now just on a digital forum. Yes, we must teach our children online safety, and when to say to someone “don’t be cruel.” That’s all right mama, because there are plenty of security software and protocols available to help parents and teachers protect children.

Despite the fact that her particular article suffers early on from over dramatization, television style sensationalism, and perhaps Pythonesque logic (from Monty Python and the Holy Grail) it does contain some valuable tools and strategies to help teach online safety to kids. Of course, I would have thought that without the obvious abuse of scare tactics Adelman attempted to use. Well, I’m at least 47% sure I’d have thought that.

Resources

Adelman, H. (2004). Teaching online safety. Voices From the Middle, 11(3), 17-22.

Mariano, Gwendolyn (2000) Cnet.com, Children frequently exposed to online solicitations, study finds
http://news.cnet.com/Children-frequently-exposed-to-online-solicitations,-study-finds/2100-1023_3-241672.html

Mason, C. Y., & Dodds, R. (2005). Bridge the digital divide for educational equity. The Education Digest, 70(9), 25-27.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/shows/2000.12.03.htm

Digichaff

As the internet gets on in age (10+ years is pretty old in technology years) we are beginning to become plagued with much content that is out of date yet lingering on a server somewhere. Even Google, as good as it is, can pull up ancient sites at the top of a search. One has to be vigilant to place a date range into one’s search to be sure to obtain more up to date links and information.

Case in point. I entered a Google search for "school technology"&"infrastructure" which netted me the following link: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te300.htm. At first, this site appeared to be a great article with links to more information regarding planning for school infrastructure for technology. Upon reaching the bottom of the article I found that it was posted over 10 years ago, yet was second to the top of the search, and most of the links in this post were no longer valid. Although content of the article is still valid for the most part, its age and false links make it less compelling.

So, as we become more content crazed on the internet, we must also become more savvy and aware of the resources, age, and validity as we attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff in this digital realm.

Less is More

It seems that over the past 10 or 15 years more and more requirements have been added to graduation. Certainly the world has grown far more complex, but does that mean that the required credits for high school graduation must follow suit? More and more, students are being pushed towards a college bound education, whether they want it, are capable or it, are qualified for it, or not.

Yes, we need more students going to college, and majoring in science and engineering if our country wants to maintain its technological edge. However, not all kids are capable of obtaining a college degree, either because of genetics, motivation, or finances. Forcing more credits for a high school diploma will not alter a child’s genetic structure, their motivation, and certainly not provide him or her with the necessary tuition.

We are always going to need: dishwashers, auto mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, waitresses, cashiers, etc. These are all careers that require trade school at most. Does taking four years of high school science really make someone a better auto mechanic? Doubtful. But a well rounded education, including the core subjects and electives will certainly make him or her a better human being.

An example of letting the old go for new is: replace handwriting (cursive) with keyboarding skills. Certainly it is difficult to argue that in the 21st century, keyboarding is a vital skill to learn. Most jobs, including auto mechanic and serving necessitate the usage of computers, and the ability to type certainly makes that part of the job more efficient. I would argue that the ability to write in cursive is virtually useless in the computer age that we now live in. Therefore, we should reexamine the need to teach cursive in schools in lieu of teaching keyboarding in the elementary grades.

So too, other courses or requirements should be reevaluated for their usefulness in the 21st century. To maintain a balanced education, for every thing that is added, something should be taken away.

The Whines of Change

Whether motivated by political, economic, or social conditions, education has always undergone and withstood change. Most recently however, as our world seems to accelerate in changing through mass globalization; increased usage and availability of technology; and the continuing breakdown of cultural barriers, the field of education is having extreme difficulties keeping up with the rest of the world. Why is this? Do educators fail to take advantage of new technologies? Does the education system lack appropriate funding to supply technology to students and faculty? Is the entire education system antiquated? The answer to all three of these issues is yes.

A very large problem that education faces today is unfunded mandates. Many states as well as the federal government have very lofty visions for technology in education, and have passed laws to ensure the adoption of technology. Unfortunately for students, the lawmakers generally haven’t supplied funds to help make these great visions a reality. This leads to the problem of teachers not being able to take advantage of technology because they lack appropriate training in hardware and software, or the tools are not available.

The education system is also still based on the factory model from the 20th century. Unfortunately, the world is no longer an off the rack, one sized fits all place. We have the ability to custom order most items and services to suit our own specific needs. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) serves to attempt to force this same kind of change upon the field of education. Unfortunately, a federal law such as NCLB only serves to strengthen the factory model, not to overthrow it. Education reform will have to take place at all levels, and simultaneously for it to truly be effective and lasting, and all parties including teachers, administrators, parents, and politicians will have to be held accountable for the outcomes.

Unfortunately, this is a vast and multifarious problem, which will require an equally mammoth and multifaceted series of solutions.