Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Waiting for Superman....

Sent to me from Karen Wattenmaker:

For light reading I brought Finnish Lessons -

I learned that to be number one internationally 
  • don't start school until  age 7
  • only send elementary students to school for 4.5 hours/day...use the other time for uninterrupted PD, lesson planning and collaboration
    • ​but remember to also give them free hot lunches, hobby lessons for 75 minutes, recess for 50 minutes,  and 15 minute breaks between classes
  • ​give teachers autonomy
  • pull kids early and often for special services ( 50% of students recieve special educaiton services of some type for short periods throughout their career)
  • teach less / learn more
  • eliminate age based secondary schools and let them go at their own pace...6-7 week courses.  All graduate at different times
  • no standardized tests until 16
  • make every principal teach at least one class
  • have fewer administrators-
    • In Finland there are 600 administrators for 1,140,000 students
    • In LA there are 3,695 administrators for 1,140,000 students
    • ( this allows for two teachers in almost every classroom)
  • embrace "the spirit of capitalism and the utopia of socialism"  - how about that for a winning slogan in Wyoming!
Now that you know how easy it is, with these simple steps you could put TCSD on top!

*****


"Revising the Questions that Shape Learning" - (complete blog here):

Below are 11 questions that seem to be at the core of education reform efforts. For each one, I offer an alternative question or two that might spur more productive conversations and result in more effective policies.
1. How can we get schools/districts/states to race to the top?
  • How can we get schools/districts/states to support one another in improving all students’ learning experiences?
2. How can we close the achievement gap?
3. How can we more easily fire teachers?
  • What might compel our most passionate and curious teachers to stay, thrive, and lead in the teaching profession?
4. How can we extend the school day and school year?
  • How might school scheduling and services be adapted to meet the unique needs of various communities?
5. How can we raise student achievement?
  • What does “schooling” look like when all students are engaged in learning?
  • What does “schooling” look like when it is meaningful to students?
  • What does “schooling” look like when students have a voice in it?
6. What deficits should we look for and how early?
  • What might be the impact of identifying and building on students’ strengths?
7. How do we design better tests?
  • What kinds of feedback loops inspire and sustain student engagement and effort?
8. What if we used threats to try and force teacher effectiveness?
  • In what conditions do teachers, education leaders, and students thrive?
9. What is standing in the way of for-profit management companies providing services in education?
  • How will we know when we have achieved equity in education?
10. If someone is a successful business leader, wouldn’t it make sense that they would be a successful education leader too?
  • What is our educational leadership supply chain and how might it be improved?
11. What if we focused on basic skills?
  • What if we focused on the whole child, from cradle to college?
  • What if we focused on amplifying students’ voices?
What questions do you think we should be asking in education? What questions are being asked about technology in education and what questions do you think should be asked? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Want to go deeper into questions and curiosity?
Jason Flom is director of learning platforms for Q.E.D. Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to creating, inspiring, cultivating, and sustaining cultures of transformational learning. He is the founding editor of the multi-author blog, Ecology of Education, and a former elementary school teacher of 11 years.


Mike Rose's Blog - many interesting blogs... including this one:  Blog RE: School Reform (*Teacher, Public School Friendly!)

Sir Ken Robinson: 3 TED Videos:  Changing Education Paradigms (on Ted), Do Schools Destroy Creativity?

Sugata Mitra TED Talk- The Child Driven Education...


Who's on the panel after the Waiting for Superman, October 30?

Other sources to consider:


Responses to Waiting for Superman (their official site) concerns:

1. AFT's (American Federation of Teachers) response to Waiting for Superman -  very thoughtful.

2. Interesting online publication with much about choice and accountability:  the entire magazine is worth a read if you are interested in this topic, but especially the notebook page and "In Need of a Renaissance"...sounds like a very interesting new book.  Again, this is from the AFT.

3. **Check out "Where we Stand: Saving our Schools - 'Superman' or Real Solutions"!
This is the quote I like:

We think about all kids, not only some of them. And reforms that affect small numbers of stu- dents, even when they live up to their promise, still leave that promise unfulfilled for others. Every child should have access to a great education—not by chance, not even by choice, but by right.

4.  From The New York Times: "4,100 Students Prove 'Small is Better' Rule Wronghttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/education/28school.html?_r=1

Note:  Interesting parallel to TCSD's initiatives (and we don't need the level of improvement this school did!).

5.  Great op ed from Facing History and Ourselves:  "Who Taught Superman"

6.  Many options from NPR.

7.  Newsweek article about Waiting for Superman.  (Includes a video clip, interview with director, more.)  Additional response in Newsweek - "Obama's Class Project"





If you find more, please send them my way and I'll post!
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