Comments for ChalkBloggers http://blog.chalkboardproject.org A Chalkboard Project Blog Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:12:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Comment on Small Steps Towards Big Change by Jen http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/early-learning/small-steps-towards-big-change/#comment-7797 Jen Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:12:30 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1522#comment-7797 Thank you, Steve. I agree, and know this effort is just a small piece of the solution. As my daughters head into their Kindergarten year I know I'll be learning a lot more first-hand, too. I'd love to learn more about your efforts with Save Our Schools and profile any upcoming efforts or calls-to-action you msy have on my blog. Feel free to email me at jenbarth@me.com anytime. Thank you, Steve. I agree, and know this effort is just a small piece of the solution. As my daughters head into their Kindergarten year I know I’ll be learning a lot more first-hand, too. I’d love to learn more about your efforts with Save Our Schools and profile any upcoming efforts or calls-to-action you msy have on my blog. Feel free to email me at jenbarth@me.com anytime.

]]> Comment on Small Steps Towards Big Change by Steve Buel http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/early-learning/small-steps-towards-big-change/#comment-7790 Steve Buel Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:48:53 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1522#comment-7790 What wonderful work you are doing!! I wish more people would understand that doing things which directly impact children is the way to go. We spend so much energy and time in things which affect adults in the system, that we forget it is about the children. How sad to think that these kids you are helping will often enter schools where they won't have libraries and librarians to build on the work you are doing. I belong to an organization called Oregon Save Our Schools which is working to correct the problems inherent in how we are trying to reform schools and redirect organizations and the state itself into doing reform which directly impacts students in a positive way. I will certainly consider you a wonderful example and a comrade in the fight. Keep up the good work and thank you. What wonderful work you are doing!! I wish more people would understand that doing things which directly impact children is the way to go. We spend so much energy and time in things which affect adults in the system, that we forget it is about the children. How sad to think that these kids you are helping will often enter schools where they won’t have libraries and librarians to build on the work you are doing. I belong to an organization called Oregon Save Our Schools which is working to correct the problems inherent in how we are trying to reform schools and redirect organizations and the state itself into doing reform which directly impacts students in a positive way. I will certainly consider you a wonderful example and a comrade in the fight. Keep up the good work and thank you.

]]> Comment on Small Steps Towards Big Change by Jen http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/early-learning/small-steps-towards-big-change/#comment-7778 Jen Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:58:40 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1522#comment-7778 Thanks for the comment and for these thoughts-- I agree its an uphill battle, but we can at least put a foot into the fight, right? Jen Thanks for the comment and for these thoughts– I agree its an uphill battle, but we can at least put a foot into the fight, right?

Jen

]]> Comment on Wednesday Webinar on Value-Added Measures by Steve Buel http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/education-reform/wednesday-webinar-on-value-added-measures/#comment-7775 Steve Buel Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:46:43 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1535#comment-7775 Even if value-added measurement works, which it doesn't, it is insulting to teachers to suggest that this be used in any way in the educational system. There is so much good an organization like Chalkboard could do without suckering into every reform movement idea that comes up. Even if value-added measurement works, which it doesn’t, it is insulting to teachers to suggest that this be used in any way in the educational system. There is so much good an organization like Chalkboard could do without suckering into every reform movement idea that comes up.

]]> Comment on Small Steps Towards Big Change by kona http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/early-learning/small-steps-towards-big-change/#comment-7773 kona Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:25:54 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1522#comment-7773 Hello Jen, I applaud your efforts. What an uphill battle. A person would think that it should be an easy situation. I'm sure you realize the headwinds: 1) "From the National Center for Health Statistics, "Large racial differences remain: 73 percent of Black children are born outside of marriage, compared with 53 percent of Latinos and 29 percent of Whites." The numbers inversely match up with almost all educational achievement measurements. Demographics are generally the driving force for education achievement. We are "dumbing down" as society/family becomes fragmented. 2) Battling the electronic movement. It is so difficult for the general population of children to choose books over the excitement generated in the electronic gadgets (including television). It seems like education is constantly swimming upstream. I certainly don't have an answer. It seems more of a cultural/demographics problem than an educational problem. Hello Jen,

I applaud your efforts. What an uphill battle. A person would think that it should be an easy situation. I’m sure you realize the headwinds:

1) “From the National Center for Health Statistics, “Large racial differences remain: 73 percent of Black children are born outside of marriage, compared with 53 percent of Latinos and 29 percent of Whites.”

The numbers inversely match up with almost all educational achievement measurements. Demographics are generally the driving force for education achievement. We are “dumbing down” as society/family becomes fragmented.

2) Battling the electronic movement. It is so difficult for the general population of children to choose books over the excitement generated in the electronic gadgets (including television).

It seems like education is constantly swimming upstream. I certainly don’t have an answer. It seems more of a cultural/demographics problem than an educational problem.

]]> Comment on A Clear Focus on School Improvement by Ron Smith http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/student-achievement/a-clear-focus-on-school-improvement/#comment-7764 Ron Smith Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:12:20 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1511#comment-7764 Hi Steve - I'm sorry I didn't communicate more clearly concerning Dr. Schmoker's views on curriculum. In some respects he agrees with your thinking. Rather than adopting any one set of proposed learning targets, like the national standards or the targets provided in a basal series, teachers should work together to select a reduced set of important targets that can actually be taught in the time available. This is not really a new proposal, but really a re-statement of a well-established principle that the planned and taught curricula should be aligned with each other. As are you, I am critical of Dr. Schmoker's failure to discuss how to differentiate instruction to account for student cognitive and other differences. Certainly that topic needs to be incorporated into the narrative on instruction. Finally, I assume that you are not really arguing for a laissez-faire approach to curriculum as there are now decades of evidence showing that the thoughtful development of shared learning targets by teams of teachers is clearly an effective practice for improving achievement. Hi Steve – I’m sorry I didn’t communicate more clearly concerning Dr. Schmoker’s views on curriculum. In some respects he agrees with your thinking. Rather than adopting any one set of proposed learning targets, like the national standards or the targets provided in a basal series, teachers should work together to select a reduced set of important targets that can actually be taught in the time available.

This is not really a new proposal, but really a re-statement of a well-established principle that the planned and taught curricula should be aligned with each other.

As are you, I am critical of Dr. Schmoker’s failure to discuss how to differentiate instruction to account for student cognitive and other differences. Certainly that topic needs to be incorporated into the narrative on instruction.

Finally, I assume that you are not really arguing for a laissez-faire approach to curriculum as there are now decades of evidence showing that the thoughtful development of shared learning targets by teams of teachers is clearly an effective practice for improving achievement.

]]> Comment on A Clear Focus on School Improvement by Steve Buel http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/student-achievement/a-clear-focus-on-school-improvement/#comment-7746 Steve Buel Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:10:35 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1511#comment-7746 The strength of American education has always been tied to the fact that every teacher didn't teach the same thing. The very idea that we should have national standards flies in the face of good education. Should all 5th graders be taught the same thing and then be tested at the same level. Absolute absurdity. But it is darn close to what Dr. Schmoker is advocating and what we are doing. Plus, he wants to cut the scope of what is taught. what about those kids who can learn a lot more than very specific standards or kids who are not quite ready for the very specific standards. To heck with them, right? Not only will I not be reading his book, but will toss it in with the whole list of failed programs of the last 30 years. New program after new program, the supposed saviors of education. All gone. The strength of American education has always been tied to the fact that every teacher didn’t teach the same thing. The very idea that we should have national standards flies in the face of good education. Should all 5th graders be taught the same thing and then be tested at the same level. Absolute absurdity. But it is darn close to what Dr. Schmoker is advocating and what we are doing. Plus, he wants to cut the scope of what is taught. what about those kids who can learn a lot more than very specific standards or kids who are not quite ready for the very specific standards. To heck with them, right? Not only will I not be reading his book, but will toss it in with the whole list of failed programs of the last 30 years. New program after new program, the supposed saviors of education. All gone.

]]> Comment on The importance of relationships by Doug Wells http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/professional-development-for-educators/the-importance-of-relationships/#comment-7716 Doug Wells Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:59:53 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1504#comment-7716 I agree Todd. Recently, I attended a community conversation about the achievement gap. It was a very diverse audience in all aspects of the word, and included parents, teachers, administrators, and kids. The bottom line that came from this robust discussion is that relationships are the key. You are right that it is harder to put relationships in to concrete terms - and, that doesn't make it any less important. Thank you for this reminder. I agree Todd. Recently, I attended a community conversation about the achievement gap. It was a very diverse audience in all aspects of the word, and included parents, teachers, administrators, and kids. The bottom line that came from this robust discussion is that relationships are the key. You are right that it is harder to put relationships in to concrete terms – and, that doesn’t make it any less important. Thank you for this reminder.

]]> Comment on Poll Results: Within Oregon’s limited resources, where might you focus the state’s investment in public education, to improve better outcomes for students? by kona http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/education-achievement-gap/poll-results-within-oregon%e2%80%99s-limited-resources-where-might-you-focus-the-state%e2%80%99s-investment-in-public-education-to-improve-better-outcomes-for-students/#comment-7704 kona Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:28:21 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1486#comment-7704 I have been wanting for 15 years for someone to shoot holes in my opinion/conclusion about allocation of K-12 education revenue. I have left myself open for constructive criticism. I would appreciate a different well thought opinion. Or, does everyone agree? I think it is significantly worthy of discussion, perhaps not. I have been wanting for 15 years for someone to shoot holes in my opinion/conclusion about allocation of K-12 education revenue. I have left myself open for constructive criticism. I would appreciate a different well thought opinion. Or, does everyone agree? I think it is significantly worthy of discussion, perhaps not.

]]> Comment on Poll Results: Within Oregon’s limited resources, where might you focus the state’s investment in public education, to improve better outcomes for students? by kona http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/education-achievement-gap/poll-results-within-oregon%e2%80%99s-limited-resources-where-might-you-focus-the-state%e2%80%99s-investment-in-public-education-to-improve-better-outcomes-for-students/#comment-7668 kona Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:08:24 +0000 http://blog.chalkboardproject.org/?p=1486#comment-7668 Sure wish there were an edit function with these posts. Proof reading is so important, I apologize ("there","their","fewer"). Sure wish there were an edit function with these posts. Proof reading is so important, I apologize (“there”,”their”,”fewer”).

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