Easier vs. Better

In his latest Tumblr post, "Easier vs. Better", Will Richardson reminds us of how we came to the heavy, and often-times bureaucratic system of brick and mortar schools, bells, rows of chairs, etc.  In the early 1900s we were concerned to transform a whole population of rural children into adults who could perform adequately in urban and industrial society.

What I like about this post is what he writes next to remind us that it is, you know, the 21st century:

But now the premise has changed. We’re getting more and more easy access to “quality” content and instruction (if we’re literate enough to know it when we see it), and that means that some of those once fine ideas for “getting an education” just don’t fit any more. Many of those old answers are feeling less and less useful when it comes to actually developing learners out of our kids instead of workers.
Yet we stick to them. And I know the reasons are many and complex (it’s what we know and what we expect schools to be,) but I think at the end of the day, we’re loathe to change because it’s just easier this way. It’s not what best for our kids, but it’s what’s easiest for us. (I know…a lot of you are thinking “there ain’t nothing easy about this,” and you’re right. Caring for kids and doing right by them educationally in whatever system we have is hard, hard work.)
But I’m thinking it’s time to call some of these old school habits out and ask, “are we really doing what’s best for kids, or are we doing what’s easiest for us?”
Like:

• Is it better for our kids to be grouped by chronological age, or is it just easier for us?
• Is it better for our kids to separate out the disciplines, or is it just easier for us?
• Is it better for our kids to give every one of them pretty much the same curriculum, or is it just easier for us?
• Is it better for our kids to turn off all of their technology in school, or is it just easier for us? 
• Is it better for our kids that we assess everyone the same way, or is it just easier for us?
• Is it better for our kids for us to decide what they should learn and how they should learn it, or is it just easier for us?

He is right on target here.  After 16 years in the traditional public and alternative public classroom I have had it with the hyper-reactionary resistance to trying new forms of education.  The legit question is not "Is this new, and am I comfortable with it?"  The question is "Will this improve my students' lives and move them forward into this new century."  What do you think?

Why I Won't Support Teachers who Test-Cheat

 I fully agree with those who argue that it is past time for the current testing culture to be sacked and an entirely new approach to mass, public education be developed.  That’s why I attended the Save-Our-Schools March in Washington, D.C. this summer.

But, that is at the policy level.  On a professional level, as a professional teacher, I am very clear that there are no excuses for test-cheating among teachers or administrators.  I will not voice any support for those who are caught.  And, if I find out about fellow teachers or administrators test-cheating, I will gladly and quickly blow the whistle with no second thoughts.  Why?

1.  Test-cheating is profoundly cynical. 

In general, test-cheats represent a deep cynicism about our profession by those who should be the most passionate about guarding it.  They cheapen the profession of teaching and confirm what hostile critics are saying about teachers as a group.  Our students, parents, and public deserve better.

2.  In turn, this cynicism makes life harder for students, parents, and especially those teachers who produce and guard honest test scores. 

Skewed scores mislead everyone in the process and don’t provide the feedback needed for anyone to improve for the next year.  In districts where the re-hiring of teachers is based on those false test scores, the honest teachers are punished due to apparently low scores while the test-cheats are rewarded.  Eventually, the very cynics who should not be in the classroom influencing our children are the only ones left.  Comforting, isn’t it?

3.  If a testing regimen is wrong, it is our professional and political responsibility to organize and resist.

Test-cheating in places like Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. revealed a particular immediate lack of individual moral will and long-term group political laziness that is inexcusable.   Yes, many of us find ourselves in life situations that sometimes make it very hard to stand up and say “no”.  Yet, many teachers across the nation who are in equally-as-hard personal situations stand up, are counted, and sometimes are fired for it when they could not afford to be fired.  And, are you really going to argue how hard it is to take political stands to those Wisconsin teachers who marched in sub-freezing temperatures this past winter and occupied their state capital?  Yea…I didn’t think so.

Those are the reasons why I won’t support test-cheating and those who perpetrate it, no matter who they are.

Background:

In case you have not been following the controversies this summer there are many good resources out there for learning about them:

Just yesterday, Valerie Straus had another good post on her Washington Post blog, The Answer Sheet, about the ramifications of test-cheating.

Larry Ferlazzo has the most comprehensive listing of the strongest articles on his blog.

For those of you who like to read “top-five”-type articles this one, by Melanie Smollin,  is an especially good briefing on recent test cheating scandals.

And for those of you who buy into the reformy spin going on out there and believe that Teach for America’s golden kiddies are the answer, yes, even three TFA grads have confessed to participating in the Atlanta PS test cheating scandal.

All of these resources are good and offer good insights into the glaring problems that are created by a wooden-headed testing culture that reformy types have created.

SOSMarch Inspires and Motivates Teachers to Continue the Fight

Teachers from across the U.S. stood up for our own profession and professional selves yesterday in Washington, D.C.

The crowd was large and impressive, and the points that were made by the speakers motivated us and served to bring our issues to the forefront so that others might ask questions about the gobble-de-gook that is passing for education theory in public discourse today.

It was especially fun for me to see the Wisconsin teachers who I have been watching, admiring, and openly supporting from a very long distance this winter show up in force for this march.  There was a particular energy and certainty among these teachers that energized me and the whole rest of the crowd.  The energy seemed to come from practice that had yielded results.  The certainty was from having been forced to clarify their position and approach in the face of a sudden turn of political events in Wisconsin.  I also believe that their boldness and certainty came from the support that many of us have given them in our blogs and on Twitter.  The Twitter hashtags #wearewi and #wiunion were prevalent on Twitter during this last winter and even now.  I encourage you to continue or start using them.

That fight is also our fight.  The same forces that are doing so much to harm Wisconsin teachers are also pushing our own legislatures nation-wide to do the same things.

When the march itself formed up and began to move toward the White House, I found myself drifting in and among the Wisconsin teachers.  It was really fun to be with this group, so experienced, determined and passionate about our cause.

And, finally this from Matt Damon who makes a point about how the skills that he learned and values that he values the most can NOT be tested:

Why I'm Going to the #SOSMarch in D.C

I've never gone anywhere out of my home state of Oklahoma to attend a demonstration or rally of any sort. But, this is different....

More than ever before there are strong forces with monetary and ideological motives who seriously want to kill not just some bad public schools; but, the concept of public schools and all that goes with it.

Of course we need reform. Been ready for that since my first year of teaching. This isn't about that.
I'm marching because public political action in mass is just about all we have left to channel passions for reform toward the benefit of our parents and students and away from a wealthy minority who only want to loot a system - a public asset - that took 100 years to build.

I'm marching because it is too easy for the less informed among us to believe the jingoistic crap that is being passed off as education thinking. If they see masses of teachers, administrators, and school board members marching on national TV and locally, too, at least they'll start asking questions and wondering just what the deal really is.

I knew for several years now that if I was patient, I could find a good use for those award miles. I found it. Got my hat and sunscreen out. Running shoes and shorts packed.


I'll see you there....

So, Teacher, you don't want to be "political"? That's No Longer An Option

I know, you are in the teaching life to teach, to instruct, to give to the next generation.  So am I.  But, I have come to some stark realizations lately:

Teachers Protest Budget Cuts & Union-busting
Legislation at the Oklahoma State Capitol
Photo by Brett Dickerson

1.  If you are a public school teacher, you are involved in politics right now, whether you acknowledge it or not.  Professional writers and pundits have been hired and paid handsomely to attack public school teachers and our representative organizations as their full time job.  And in case you missed it, they are attacking you, too.

2.  Even if you don't like the idea of being involved in some sort of job collective, like being active in your union, your critics will lump you together with all other teachers anyway.  Sorry, your critics won't let you out, no matter how much you want to be seen as that virginal, non-collective, not-dirty-with-politics, nice-smelling teacher.

3.  Critics will want you to forget that your democratically-elected union leaders at the local, and state levels have been, and in many cases still are in the classroom, teaching every day.  They will begin presumptive statements with phrases like "greedy union bosses" and hope that you forget that your "bosses" are still certified teachers, deeply committed to the profession.  For instance, the president of my local teaches AP English full-time with a huge grading load and is working on his Masters Degree while being a responsible husband and father.  Wow, what a "greedy union boss."

4. If your union falls apart, you will be on your own to negotiate a job or contract up against big-money interests who have teams of staff lawyers just waiting to overwhelm you if there is ever any legal action that you may bring.  Don't believe me?  Ask any number of professionals, including doctors and nurses who work for huge hospital corporations.  Remember, school administrations operate in collective ways, also, not just teachers.  And they won't stop even if all teachers unions go away.  It is in their best interest to act collectively.  Hmmmmm...Maybe it's in our best interests, too.

5.  If you have any concern for the poorest of your students, you will want them to have the consistency of a good education, right?  The original purpose of public schools was to create that kind of consistency.  Those who want to dismantle public schools today want only to "open up a new market" of private schools that will come into existence, fail, over and again. Isn't that what wide open, freewheeling business does today?  Sure it is.  And not much of anyone thinks anything of it.  Would we think something of it if a charter school collapsed and closed at odd times and their students had no place else to go for the rest of the year.  Oh, yea.  Who stands between "market" education and consistent public ed?  The teachers unions.  That's the whole purpose of the attacks.

The only way left for you to not be "political" is to stop being committed to public education.  So, welcome to "the collective", like it or not.  Your critics have made sure that you are locked in.