I want parents with opposing views to schedule ufc like matches with each other so they can get their aggression out, while educators and admin continue teaching according to current best practices. For example the homework vs no homework crowd.
(I actually don't know what the current best practice is for that.)
Most research shows that homework does next to nothing at the elementary level in connecting to achievement. At the high school level, a minor positive correlation. It also depends on the kind of homework assigned, and of course parental involvement and socioeconomic status. It's hard to find any definitive studies easily because all the good stuff requires paying for it.
Anecdotally, I teach the most advanced seniors in my school, and I want to get rid of homework other than reading. I get a TON of pushback on that from parents. I've cut it down to the very least I can, and I haven't seen a difference in any measure.
We really need to stop thinking of schooling as childcare and more of a place for learning. Giant 12 week breaks are not conducive for maintaining and retaining material.
Totally agree in theory. In practice, we'd have to reduce the need for school-as-childcare for this to work. Pay living wages so that more 2-parent households can support themselves on 1 or 1.5 incomes if they choose to. Actual paid leave in realistic amounts that you're not shamed for using for parents who are working.
I want parents with opposing views to schedule ufc like matches with each other so they can get their aggression out, while educators and admin continue teaching according to current best practices. For example the homework vs no homework crowd.
(I actually don't know what the current best practice is for that.)
Isn't this already happening... the cage matches are on NextDoor and Facebook and the teachers just keep teaching around all this.
No, the teachers are busy sending defensive emails every time the parents leave their cage match to complain to the principal and superintendent.
I think having levels within subjects in each elementary grade would be great. I was an "advanced" reader, which meant that I had the regular assigned reading which was boring to me, and then I had additional assigned reading. As a kid, that felt like a punishment (extra work). At the same time, I struggled with math but just got pushed through and never really learned the material. It would have been better if I could have been given the same amount of work but with more difficult reading and slowed down/more help in math.
Our (fairly well resourced) district does this to an extent. Kids struggling in math get their own pull out math teacher (I honestly have no idea if they're on pace with the rest of the class but it's during math class); exceptionally high kids get an enrichment math class ON TOP (so they have to make up work) of their math class one semester a year starting in third. For reading, my reluctant reader has gotten 2 30 min periods a week with a reading specialist for several years during "extended learning," so in addition to their existing reading class; there is also pull out help for math (I don't know how the criteria differs from pull out to the small class math). Exceptional readers get a pull out structured like the math one (different semester so there's not overlap). The district uses F&P for reading levels but I honestly don't know how they teach it beyond telling us occasionally what level the kids are on. They don't seem to have differentiated for other subjects (yet? We are in elementary so I don't know how this works in MS. HS has tracked levels which starts in MS for math for sure).
We are also on Standards Based Grading, starting about 4 years ago, K-4, which as a parent I like though I suspect it's a LOT of work for the teachers.
We really need to stop thinking of schooling as childcare and more of a place for learning. Giant 12 week breaks are not conducive for maintaining and retaining material.
Totally agree in theory. In practice, we'd have to reduce the need for school-as-childcare for this to work. Pay living wages so that more 2-parent households can support themselves on 1 or 1.5 incomes if they choose to. Actual paid leave in realistic amounts that you're not shamed for using for parents who are working.
This is where I kind of wanted to see the buildings be more community centers with childcare and recreation, but where kids also attend lessons from teachers brought in for that purpose.
Because, realistically, as long as you have two full-time working parents, and commutes, etc. to contend with, the kids who are too young to supervise themselves gotta get watched by someone. Some families have help from grandparents, etc., but some don't, and could to hire a babysitter, but might rather have their kids be out socializing with other kids.
But we definitely need to get working hours and childcare hours in better alignment. And though I'm sure a lot of families only have 2 working parents because they have to in order to support themselves, there are also a lot of families where both parents want to work. Or where the non-income-generating parent may want to volunteer or do other things that still necessitate available, affordable childcare some of the time.
Of course I'd love to see a lot of businesses transition to a 6-hour workday, too.
I want parents with opposing views to schedule ufc like matches with each other so they can get their aggression out, while educators and admin continue teaching according to current best practices. For example the homework vs no homework crowd.
(I actually don't know what the current best practice is for that.)
I feel like you could sell tickets to participate/watch and it would help with a lot of the school funding discussions here lol!
I agree with so much of what has been said here. I left teaching (8th grade ELA for 10 years, with the last three teaching writing only. Like sugarbear, I let the kids write about what they wanted. It was so much more interesting for me when it came to assessing their work.
What I’d like to see: -Class sizes 12-20 (avg 15) -Higher teacher pay -More recruitment of diverse teachers to the profession -No HW unless reading or working on long-term project -More arts and languages -Focus on good sources and interpreting information instead of memorizing facts -Life Skills class mandatory for graduation - finance, home ec, etc -year-round schooling with 2 week breaks and one 6 week summer break. Use these breaks for remediation for students not meeting standards or students who qualify for ESY -Designated time each day for students to get help from their teachers -Equitable funding not based on zip code -Coaching model for teacher evaluation with “drop in” observations. Our evals were scheduled in advance, and so many teachers designed these “show” lessons for their eval to get a good one. It’s not reflective of what goes on every day in the classroom -More school counselors and nurses. -More school counselors and nurses -Eliminate standardized testing and move to portfolio-based eval of student achievement
I am not sure how to implement the thoughts that I have. I would like to see mini-lessons taught on concepts to students that are all close to the same learning level with independent practice done while other groups are learning. These groups should be dynamic and constantly changing, but not tied to age. I guess sort of an independent study with mini-lectures starting from the beginning of formal schooling.
I want the teachers teaching the lessons to be free to focus on just the students in front of them for the lesson and not other students who are in a separate area that the students can not easily see. I want these groups to stay small.
For a literature group, you could combine multiple groups for more robust discussions.
Overall I would also like to see teachers responsible for fewer students so they can provide appropriate feedback. I want a variety of start times for students and teachers. I want time off to be sacrosanct so that grading and planning are accounted for during the day. I want the bathroom to not seem like a forbidden fruit to students or teachers.
I want lessons on non-academic topics that anyone can access. Topics like gardening, baking, basic first aid, pet care, etc.
I want healthy tasty food to be provided to all students, no matter their income level. I want true knowledge about food allergies and sensitivities. I want to address discrimination and sex ed without having to skirt the topic and protect parents' sensitivities.
I have vaguer less fleshed out thoughts as well, but this is where I want to start.
I want parents with opposing views to schedule ufc like matches with each other so they can get their aggression out, while educators and admin continue teaching according to current best practices. For example the homework vs no homework crowd.
(I actually don't know what the current best practice is for that.)
Most research shows that homework does next to nothing at the elementary level in connecting to achievement. At the high school level, a minor positive correlation. It also depends on the kind of homework assigned, and of course parental involvement and socioeconomic status. It's hard to find any definitive studies easily because all the good stuff requires paying for it.
Anecdotally, I teach the most advanced seniors in my school, and I want to get rid of homework other than reading. I get a TON of pushback on that from parents. I've cut it down to the very least I can, and I haven't seen a difference in any measure.
My homework is optional. I assign it with detailed answer keys so they can practice what they need. Then if they don’t do it and are also struggling in assessments, I suggest to them and their parents that they start doing more of it.
Post by penguingrrl on Jan 27, 2021 17:54:41 GMT -5
I would kill for year round school. I was not a highly motivated kid, but summer break was always so long and so so boring. I hated it. I spent most of it watching my brother and we sat and watched TV and I kept him alive until mom got home from work. There were few camps (too expensive) and basically no activities. As a parent I hate it even more. Everyone spends most of it bored and restless. My household is vastly better off than my family growing up, but camp is still cost prohibitive for more than maybe a week per kid. We all need breaks during the year, but having shorter breaks more often would be better for all of us.
Definitely need smaller class sizes. My district has fairly low class sizes. Never over 17-18 for K-2, no more than 22 after that unless it’s a co-teaching classroom and then they still keep it to 25-26. We are incredibly lucky on this. Nobody should be trying for more. As someone who has subbed I can honestly say that I don’t know how teachers manage with more. Even that number of kids in one place is hard.
More phys ed, or even simply extra recess. My son generally does well behaviorally, but only if he rides his bike to school in the morning (1 mile) and plays hard at recess, which is 30 minutes at lunchtime (except it ends up far less by the time everyone gets lined up and outside then lined up and back in, etc).
No school choice. I’m okay with the idea of public magnet schools that are interest-based at the HS level. My county has several, one for marine science, one for visual and performing arts, one for communications, one for those who are interested in healthcare (and that one includes paths to becoming an EMT and helps students connect with jobs during and after HS), etc. I think these can be okay when done right, especially because in our county they take exactly 2 students per district, period, so they don’t exclude students from less well performing sending districts (when I was a kid it was one boy and one girl, now they’ve done away with that because they understand that not all people identify as male or female). But I would also be fine if those went away in favor of supporting programs in our standard high schools instead.
The biggest thing we need, though, is a society that understands that teachers are highly trained professionals and know what they’re doing. And an understanding that education is the bedrock upon which our society is founded and we need to invest in it and understand that a rising tide lifts all boats, and that if we funded education properly and gave teachers the respect and pay they deserve we would be showing that we actually value education for all, not just for the rich.
Post by breezy8407 on Jan 27, 2021 18:11:05 GMT -5
This is anecdotal, but the only reason the summers work for us is because H and the kids have the same schedule, so he can (pre-covid) keep them busy and bring them to activities. I think more 2 week breaks interspersed vs the 12 week summer break would be ideal for more families.
I had the same experience growing up as penguingrrl, where my brother and I basically watched TV all summer and I had to keep us alive. Lots of pizza rolls and frozen burritos. He was too young to be left alone, so I couldn't go hang out with my friends but my parents (rightfully so) didn't want a bunch of 13 year old's at our house unsupervised.
Apparently, this is unpopular here, but I need students to do some work at home.
7:30 am is too early for high school students. Too damn early.
We moved our start time to 9am last year for high school. It is SO much better for them.
Ours is 850 and it’s amazing. We also have 40 minutes of “consultation time” between first and second period. They can use it to meet with teachers of as independent time . Ten minutes between second and third, then an hour lunch, then ten minutes between fourth and fifth. It’s a glorious laid back schedule for the kids.
-Get rid of regular homework for at least K-5th graders
-Increase teacher pay
-Increase budgets for classroom supplies so teachers aren't buying their own supplies
-Hire a nurse and counselor for every school (as many as needed to meet the needs of the kids at each individual school)
-Teach a second language starting in elementary school
-Have childcare available on site for employees (open 6am-6pm)
-Offer life skills classes at high schools (money management, cooking, CPR etc)
-Serve healthy food kids will eat for lunch
-Lunch time should be an hour*
-More art
*Honestly I've always scarfed my food. It was ingrained in me to eat fast starting in first grade. In grade school there was an hour break for lunch & recess. Eat faster and you get more recess. My high school lunch period was 22 minutes. I always brought lunch from home. My friends that bought lunch ate in 10 minutes by the time they made it to our table.
I'm an anomaly but hate the idea of year round school, I love having our summers and my kids do summer swim team and we do a month long trip every summer. I also know we are privileged to be able to do all of that and for a lot of families year round school would be better, I just personally don't like the idea for us.
Saying that, we get a week off in Fall, a week at Thanksgiving, 2.5 weeks at Christmas, a week in March, a 5 day weekend for Easter, and we are out for Summer 3rd week of May, and go back mid August (typically 12-13 week break). So it seems like we get as much or more as people in Europe (and I am basing this on my family and friends in the UK)
What do you (and or your spouse) do that you can be so flexible in the summer for work and long vacations? I wish we had longer vacations for work (like European August ), but without, I am much more stressed in the summer with kiddos home.
I work part time at my children's school and my husband works for a French company and gets very good vacation benefits but we go visit his family in the UK and he works for 2 weeks of the month we are gone (he works from home all the time(
-Get rid of regular homework for at least K-5th graders
-Increase teacher pay
-Increase budgets for classroom supplies so teachers aren't buying their own supplies
-Hire a nurse and counselor for every school (as many as needed to meet the needs of the kids at each individual school)
-Teach a second language starting in elementary school
-Have childcare available on site for employees (open 6am-6pm)
-Offer life skills classes at high schools (money management, cooking, CPR etc)
-Serve healthy food kids will eat for lunch
-Lunch time should be an hour*
-More art
*Honestly I've always scarfed my food. It was ingrained in me to eat fast starting in first grade. In grade school there was an hour break for lunch & recess. Eat faster and you get more recess. My high school lunch period was 22 minutes. I always brought lunch from home. My friends that bought lunch ate in 10 minutes by the time they made it to our table.
OMG, yes to a real midday break! In our middle school the 6th-8th graders only get 27 minutes, which is the time to leave their previous class, get to the cafeteria, get food if they’re buying, eat, and be in the next classroom. And their building doesn’t have bells (block schedule, so each grade has a different bell schedule to make it work) so teachers routinely will let the kids out late, shortening an already too short break.
I actually didn’t take a lunch break 3/4 years in high school. I had two periods of drama (magnet program within my zoned HS) and a period of band, and so in order to fit my academics in I had to skip lunch or quit band. I don’t know who considered that an acceptable idea, looking back it was terrible for me. While I got to eat during drama (the teacher was fine with it) it meant no break in my day at all. It set up habits I still have where I feel guilty if I’m unproductive for a few hours in the day (at work or at home).
This is anecdotal, but the only reason the summers work for us is because H and the kids have the same schedule, so he can (pre-covid) keep them busy and bring them to activities. I think more 2 week breaks interspersed vs the 12 week summer break would be ideal for more families.
I had the same experience growing up as penguingrrl , where my brother and I basically watched TV all summer and I had to keep us alive. Lots of pizza rolls and frozen burritos. He was too young to be left alone, so I couldn't go hang out with my friends but my parents (rightfully so) didn't want a bunch of 13 year old's at our house unsupervised.
That was exactly our situation. My friends were hanging out, but I had to stay with my brother (we’re 5.5 years apart) and so we sat and ate Ellios pizzas and frozen burritos and fought with each other. My sister was in and out (she’s a year and a half older than me) but even days she was supposed to be in charge she just left, so I had to stay.
Change the math education to be statistics driven rather than calculus.
This doesn't work for kids who want to go into certain fields. I'd rather see the kids have choice of math pathway based on career goals.
And Jalapeñomel of course some kids (based upon future career goals) will need the skills required for calculus. But a large number of students are struggling through things like completing the square and proving trigonometric identities when they would be must better served taking courses in data analysis.
This is how we grade in my district in the elementary school. Many teachers hate it because it takes so flipping long to do report cards. Because of all the standards and behavior categories, we have 43 categories per student on our report cards. Plus comments for each subject. I prefer it to letter/percentage grades, but it emphasizes how much more is piled on teachers.
Change the math education to be statistics driven rather than calculus.
This doesn't work for kids who want to go into certain fields. I'd rather see the kids have choice of math pathway based on career goals.
I have suspicions about how schools would enact that.
Ok my wish list: End to all standardized testing and subsequent test prep (I might view AP tests differently) End to school “choice” initiatives including magnets and charters End to all forms of privatization End to siloed subjects End to tracking End to garbage teacher evaluation practices End to racist textbooks End to school sports culture End to illusion of “neutrality”
Instead Interdisciplinary inquiry learning Robust elective programs Fully funded and equitable neighborhood schools Recognition of education as a right and not just a goal, which means putting the onus on the federal government Faculty dedicated team to teacher development instead of a couple admins doing half-assed perfunctory evaluation Funding for meaningful professional development at all levels of career Require undergrad major in content/subject, masters in teaching as a specialization (like how law school works)— including social Justice, critical race theory, and culturally responsive methodology, Pay teachers as professionals accordingly Librarians and multiple instructional coaches and nurses and social workers, psychs, counselors Recess Actual restorative justice practices Screening out racist teachers and harmful practices through teacher programs anything special education wants Class size caps at 22 Heating and air conditioning Active recruitment of teachers of color I don’t know the word, but furniture you can manipulate in all spaces PD in meaningful use of technology, not just substituting Google Drive for the xerox machine Restore union protection
Post by RoxMonster on Jan 27, 2021 19:34:23 GMT -5
Many (most?) of mine have already been mentioned. As I teacher I would love to see: -higher pay for teachers across the board -treating teachers like the professionals they are -later start times for high school -more individualized learning plans in HS, almost like a mini college major perhaps where students pursue classes that will help them with their future career and/or interests -One thing our remote schedule during the pandemic reiterated for me is that we do not need 7 classes a day, kids in seats 8 hours a day, at least at HS. I have only ever taught HS, so I won't speak to lower grades as I have no experience there. I LOOOVED having office hours (virtual, but without a pandemic could be in person) to work one-on-one or in small groups with kids that is outside of formal class hours but still during the school day. I would love to just focus on 3-4 classes a day with office hours built in. Basically, I want block schedule all the time (which my district doesn't have normally), with time built in the day for office hours, planning with colleagues, etc. Students who didn't need the office hours could use that time to work, work on passion projects, whatever they needed, really. -NO standardized testing -And YES to small class sizes, including at secondary. 25 is still too big. I would like them capped at 15.
I think having levels within subjects in each elementary grade would be great. I was an "advanced" reader, which meant that I had the regular assigned reading which was boring to me, and then I had additional assigned reading. As a kid, that felt like a punishment (extra work). At the same time, I struggled with math but just got pushed through and never really learned the material. It would have been better if I could have been given the same amount of work but with more difficult reading and slowed down/more help in math. Dreamworld for me would be modular content and no grade levels at all, so students could flow seamlessly through the material at the pace that works for them and get individual support. That would continue all the way up to college-level courses in high school (which was not an option at my HS).
My elem school sort of did this in the mid 80's. Starting in kinder, for every subject. Public school, but alternative, all lottery admission.
You pre-tested for each subject, and were placed in one of 4 levels to meet your needs. So maybe you kicked ass at math, but needed a lot of extra help with reading, no problem - your teacher for each subject met the entire class at their level. Teacher A was your math teacher, then you'd go to teacher B for reading. It was also 4 cohorts of mixed grades, so K-1, 1-2, 3-4, 4-5 (16 teachers total). You were still in your actual grade level, but with one grade level above or below. And you switched teachers for each subject, starting in kindergarten. If a kid needed to switch in either direction after their placement, they could do that too.
The big caveat here though, was there wasn't tons of testing in place then. I think we had one week of standardized testing per year with one subject per day, 4 days total, I think. Maybe 2 (beginning and end of year? I can't remember), but definitely not the insanity there is now.
This doesn't work for kids who want to go into certain fields. I'd rather see the kids have choice of math pathway based on career goals.
And Jalapeñomel of course some kids (based upon future career goals) will need the skills required for calculus. But a large number of students are struggling through things like completing the square and proving trigonometric identities when they would be must better served taking courses in data analysis.
We have to leave the idea that one way of teaching math is the only way. Students should be given options.
However, I will also say there’s more to learning the higher level math than just the math itself.
And please don’t let anyone say “when why they ever use this in the real world”? I field this question almost daily and it’s frustrating!
Post by outnumbered on Jan 27, 2021 19:50:29 GMT -5
I am answering this from the perspective of a preschool teacher. I would like to see quality preschools and daycares well funded and available to all children, especially children at risk and those who have suffered trauma (poverty is considered chronic trauma by early educators). I want preschool teachers to make more money. I love teaching 3 year olds (they are easier to teach than live with, LOL). I am good at it, but I am only able to do it because my husbands salary supports our family. Early education is so important and is seen as a luxury by too many people. Early education in low income communities can be life changing.
All the other things and also a stronger focus on integrative environmental education. Pollinator/community gardens, solar panels on site, composting that the kids are mostly in charge of, landfill tours, recycling programs, energy reduction and zero waste principles, citizen science, pairing high school mentors with elementary kids for environmental education in local habitats. Etc.