Some Educational Thoughts

We're halfway through the school year and I have a few observations.  The second semester have more days in it because of mandated testing, but at least symbolically this is the halfway point.  Halfway to the end, and I say that as a fact.

I think we've lost our way in some aspects of education.  Testing is so important, but we have degraded our finals testing time.  There was a ritual to finals that gave the student a sense of accomplishment after finishing.  They had this two or three day period to focus upon at the end of a class to both show what they knew and give them a purpose.  It was hard on them and it was hard on teachers.  In my former English teacher days I would assign and collect the essays a week in advance to give me time to grade them. (Do the Math: 15 minutes per paper x 120-150 papers.)  I'll be honest; the 90 minutes testing period was a good chance to have the students quiet while I grades tests or essays.  Again this is not complaining; I chose to be an English teacher and knew what to expect going into the job.  We then had Christmas break or a weekend in June to finish the grading of tests before inputting the grades in the computer.

So the teachers started changing things and had fewer tests and more parties.  As a freshman teacher it was always a task to "educate" the students that we tested during finals instead of feasting. At least that was my feelings.  Not all of my colleagues felt the same.  The admin saw this change and wanted the tests earlier, and we now have to have our grades inputted the day after the tests are finished. In the middle of the day, not the end.  So I change again. Except not as a shop teacher I'm trying to help students finish projects. Some of which are Christmas presents at this time of the year.  Just another change we teachers brought upon ourselves.

Yesterday I spent seven and a half hours with 44 other teachers at an inservice about the new English Language Development (ELD) standards and the also new Common Core standards.  We were paid because it was a non-duty day, and I rightfully agree that sticks in many people's craw as another waste of tax-payers money.  Paying teachers extra to learn about their job.  I look at it as a day to make a few extra dollars for my family and talk shop with other teachers when I wouldn't get to otherwise.  By both counts it was a successful day. Otherwise it was not.

I was instructed to bring my "district issued laptop/Ipad" for use.  I don't have either and most of the other teachers didn't either.  I saw many teachers working on their own personal devices, or like me sharing with their neighbors.I don't own laptop or Ipad or phone with wifi connection. I am a Luddite or dinosaur take your pick.  There were connection issues so the presentation dragged at times.  There was much information shared, so there was much teacher(the presenter) talking and much student (us) listening.  The new buzz idea in education is to reverse that and make the students do the majority of talking.  So I find it interesting when a presenter from the county office of education comes to our school, they talk most of the time.

Now I have found that teachers can be the rudest students in meetings and yesterday was no exception.  I don't mean rude in responses, though that happens, but rude in behavior.  I've seen teachers grading papers and openly reading the newspaper in staff meetings.  I may have difficulty sitting and staying awake, but I will not be that rude.  I saw people reading the online paper and other assorted things. I even did it when a teacher didn't know about the local high school trainer being shot on campus.  I looked up an online article on my neighbor's device between looking at state English language standards.  I am just as guilty.  If your audience is not engaged, their minds and fingers will wander.

To be honest I am still wrapping my mind around how the Common Core standards will be implemented.  I have to admit that I am happy to be out of English and teaching a subject that will not be tested. I do feel that every time I learn more about Common Core, the more I am against implementing it.  I think it will be a boondoggle that will only make testing and curriculum companies more money and not help teachers nor help students learn more.  It is a classic example of government thinking they know better than we do, and shoving a new product down our throats.

I'll leave you with one last thought as I rode my bike home afterwards. The presenter made it a point throughout the day to try and give us insight into how a second language learner hears and sees what a teacher is doing in class. That was eye opening at times, and I remembered some of the same feelings as I try to learn Spanish.  But the presenter made a statement that made me think of the future.  "The ELD teacher of the future won't be teaching a subject anymore, but will be talking with the subject matter teachers of the student to determine what background the student  will need to know to succeed."  I may not have it entirely correct, but that is the gist of what was said.  It felt to me like a cold washcloth.

In the last decade I know that Special Ed teaches have been buried under a blanket of paperwork and bureaucratic regulations.  My thought while riding home is that in the future ELD, and eventually all, teachers will be similarly buried as English language learners are given the same status as special education students.  And for California that will further change the nature of education and learning.