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SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Chartering student retention
A common criticism of charter schools is that their students drop out or are encouraged to leave in greater numbers than their traditional public school counterparts.
It is well known that academic performance suffers when students change schools.
But students and their families are very mobile, changing schools in surprisingly high percentages.
So this study compared the turnover in New York City charter schools to the turnover in New York City traditional public schools and found that the turnover is greater in the traditional public schools. The percentage of kindergarten students still at the same school in grade 3 was found to be 70% for charter schools but only 61% of the students in traditional public school.
Academically speaking:
- The charter school stayers did the best
- Next best were those who transferred from a charter school to a traditional public school
- Next were students who transferred from a traditional public school to a charter school
- And last were students who transferred from one traditional public school to another traditional public school.
The big exception was students with disabilities who transferred out of charter schools at a higher rate than those who transferred out of traditional public schools. H/T TB
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Sunday at the Movies (Michelle Rhee)
Michelle Rhee is the plain-speaking ex-chancellor of DC schools. In this short interview. Ms Rhee talks about the changes she tried to make and the flak she encountered. It speaks volumes about the dysfunctionality of the current system that it is controversial - indeed almost impossible to accomplish - if someone tries to ensure that money is spent effectively and every child has an effective teacher.
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Moving the education needle with Scott Hamilton
In this article, we learn that when Scott Hamillton asked parents and students what they want in terms of education, he got some unexpected answers.
When it comes to parents, it depends on their income level. Low-income parents want schools that deliver a good academic education, but the more income a parent makes, the less that matters to him or her and the more the parents start to just want their kids to be happy.
When it comes to students, they tend to value "good learning skills" as opposed to "an education". They view themselves as entrepreneurial and think in terms of picking up particular skills, like for example geometry, when and if they need them - on their own, preferably online.
The article goes on to tell more about Scott Hamilton and what he has done to shake up conventional education delivery to date (think KIPP and Teach for America). It looks as if Scott isn't finished, not by a long shot. Right now he's working on reinvigorating Catholic education, with an emphasis on blended learning. Stay tuned.
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Raising reading achievement means playing the long game
Here's a link to a well-written and very compelling article about the importance of vocabulary and general knowledge in reading.
The author suggests that teachers stop wasting their students' time on well-meaning but futile efforts to develop "generalized, all-purpose reading-comprehension skills' and cheerlead their students into loving reading. Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire goes an adage popular in education circles but, at least when it comes to reading, this adage is an example of the 180 degree syndrome (educators have it exactly backwards). Education IS the filling of a pail.
From the article: "Reading comprehension, then, is not a skill that you teach but a condition that you create. Teachers foster that condition by exposing children to the broadest possible knowledge of the world outside their personal experience. As Daniel Willingham aptly titled one of his instructional YouTube videos a few years ago, 'Teaching content is teaching reading'.” H/T TA
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Something rotten in the state of Ontario
This just in from one of our roving reporters.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association held its annual general meeting at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle Hotel over the March break. Teacher representatives from every school are invited to attend the meeting, with food and accommodation being provided free of charge.
The Minister of Education, Liz Sandals, was in attendance, and the Premier, Kathleen Wynne, was the keynote speaker.
One of the items discussed at this AGM was the idea of using $ 2.8 million of the teachers' reserve fund in order to fund an ad campaign attacking Tim Hudak, the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party (and supporting the Liberal Party). There was discussion, followed by a vote.
Well…………….surprise……………….the teachers voted NOT to use their reserve funds for this political initiative.
At this point (allegedly), one of the delegates approached the microphone and addressed the crowd. He stated that he was very disappointed with the result of the vote, that it was a terrible mistake. This delegate went on to argue the merits of bringing down Mr. Hudak and warned teachers that if they didn’t spend the $ 2.8 million now, they would surely spend it later - because if Mr. Hudak wins, there will probably be a teacher strike and …there goes the reserve fund.
A second vote was proposed and - guess what! - this time the teachers voted YES to using their money to fund the ad campaign.
Points to ponder:
- Why was the Ontario premier at the OECTA AGM?
- Why was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party not invited?
- Why are the Conservatives never invited ?
- How ethical/professional is it to use teacher funds to help one party win over another?
- How fair was the second vote taken at the OECTA AGM?
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Parent Power
GUEST BLOG BY TARA HOULE, INITIATOR OF THE BC MATH PETITION
Yesterday was very busy in our national dailies, and there has been a bit of a breakthrough both in Alberta and Ontario where the education ministers have acknowledged that their math curriculum should include memorization of multiplication tables...this is a start. So we will just keep pushing.
Globe and Mail (Part 2)
National Post
Ottawa Citizen
There was also a terrific resource page from the Society of Quality Education website. I have posted this, plus the articles above, on the WISE Math BC Facebook site.
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support. None of this would be happening without you!
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Making it possible for kids to become responsible
Three separate people sent me this link, and so I figured I should write about it. It's about a New Zealand principal who stopped enforcing playground rules and just let the kids be kids. The result was fewer injuries, bullying, tattling, and vandalism.
I'd be interested in your reactions, but I'm receptive to the concept since I've noticed that people are more careful when the safety net has been removed - like when the traffic lights are out or they're not covered by insurance - and in these circumstances people start taking more responsibility for their own actions. Works for me. H/T JE, TB, EP
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Change is Hard
I found this column about the mayoral race in Newark, NJ fascinating. It's about a poor black kid with a troubled childhood who pulled himself up by his bootstraps and now is trying to make it possible for more poor kids to do the same by, among other things, promoting education reform in general and school choice in particular. His opponents are the usual suspects and they are employing the usual smear tactics. I found the last two paragraphs so interesting that I reproduce them here.
Then there is the split, which we’re seeing in cities across the country, between those who represent the traditional political systems and those who want to change them. In Newark, as elsewhere, charter schools are the main flash point in this divide. Middle-class municipal workers, including members of the teachers’ unions, tend to be suspicious of charters. The poor, who favor school choice, and the affluent, who favor education reform generally, tend to support charters.
These contests aren’t left versus center; they are over whether urban government will change or stay the same. Over the years, public-sector jobs have provided steady income for millions of people nationwide. But city services have failed, leaving educational and human devastation in cities like Newark. Reformers like Jeffries rise against all odds from the devastation. They threaten the old stability, but offer a shot at improvement and change.
And here is what Niccolo Machiavelli had to say 600 years ago.
And let it be noted that there is no more delicate matter to take in hand, nor more dangerous to conduct, nor more doubtful in its success, than to set up as a leader in the introduction of changes. For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only the lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new. This lukewarm temper arises partly from the fear of adversaries who have the laws on their side and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.
H/T TB
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
Sunday at the Movies (Eagle Academy)
Here's a school that is working to overcome the challenges faced by disadvantaged black students. Teaching these kids is nowhwere near as easy as teaching advantaged children, but QED it can be done. And if the Eagle Academies can do it, other schools can do it too. H/T TB
SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT
The Cost Disease: Why Computers Get Cheaper and Education Doesn’t
In our How Much More Money, O Lord blog two days ago, I cited a US study that showed dramatic increases in spending in every single state over the past 40 years, during which student achievement remained more or less the same. Now, very obligingly, one of our honorary patrons - Rod Clifton - has published a similar study for Canadian provinces, looking at the period between 1999 and 2010, and - surprise! - the findings are similar. Click here for Dr. Clifton's study "The Cost Disease Affects Public Education Across Canada".
During this period, across Canada student enrolment declined by 6.8%, the number of educators increased by 8%, and spening increased by about 60%, from about $37.3 billion to about $59.2 billion. Although student achievement is outside the scope of the study, it is worth noting that Canadian students did significantly worse on international comparisons of student achievement during this period.
Lowlights from Ontario are that while the number of students decreased by 2.9% during this period, the number of educators increased by 16.3% and per-student spending increased by 69%.