Comments on: If You Don’t Want To Leave Any Child Behind… http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:41:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: s.sommer http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-114269 s.sommer Fri, 17 Nov 2006 03:18:23 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-114269 The mystery of failing schools is solved: the missing link is effective classroom management. It does not take more money, (although it would be nice if I could quit personally buying books for teacher friends' classes, since their school districts constantly short them...and, they pay so much out of pocket on their fairly low salaries that I help out of flat ass guilt!) But, the biggest way I have been able to "make a difference" is by bringing fledgling struggling discouraged new public school teachers to a retired teacher who was known as "tough." Through often-times hilarious real life stories, she teaches the new teachers true secrets of classroom management. I have watched her save careers, change lives, do miracles with new teachers just like she used to do in her own classrooms with kids, for 30 years in a tough school district. Classroom management is the key, along with teacher subject qualifications, but real classroom management is NOT being taught to teachers. They are thrown to the wolves! YOU try to walk into a room of 30-40 kids and make learning happen. Good luck! But, this woman can teach how to do it!!! There are other teachers like her in this world, but too few. And, can they teach their techniques to others? I don't know. I want to bottle this woman's knowledge and share it universally. It is a huge part of the answer to our education mess. I have taken notes, as she met with new teachers and coached and mentored them., This is seminar material useful to any teacher. One more key idea: Can we have truly equal quality education across this country, for the good of all of us, and to save our future as a nation? Can we take away the element of "luck" based on where you live, and have national standards for schools, physically, educationally, so that no matter where you live, you get a good education? Property tax based education means unequal education, Get rid of the property taxes, the school bonds, and fund quality education federally. Clean schools, toilets that work, books for all, heating & cooling, playgrounds... far from everyone has it that good. I am shocked at the conditions some of the poor schools near my home. I know many places are much worse. This is a national shame & tragedy. Every child should have a CHANCE in a decent school, to make our country truly a land of opportunity and equality. Throw away schools are a disgrace. How has this been allowed to go on all of this time?? This is an issue that could truly change our world. The mystery of failing schools is solved: the missing link is effective classroom management. It does not take more money, (although it would be nice if I could quit personally buying books for teacher friends’ classes, since their school districts constantly short them…and, they pay so much out of pocket on their fairly low salaries that I help out of flat ass guilt!) But, the biggest way I have been able to “make a difference” is by bringing fledgling struggling discouraged new public school teachers to a retired teacher who was known as “tough.” Through often-times hilarious real life stories, she teaches the new teachers true secrets of classroom management. I have watched her save careers, change lives, do miracles with new teachers just like she used to do in her own classrooms with kids, for 30 years in a tough school district.
Classroom management is the key, along with teacher subject qualifications, but real classroom management is NOT being taught to teachers. They are thrown to the wolves! YOU try to walk into a room of 30-40 kids and make learning happen. Good luck! But, this woman can teach how to do it!!! There are other teachers like her in this world, but too few. And, can they teach their techniques to others? I don’t know.
I want to bottle this woman’s knowledge and share it universally. It is a huge part of the answer to our education mess. I have taken notes, as she met with new teachers and coached and mentored them., This is seminar material useful to any teacher.
One more key idea: Can we have truly equal quality education across this country, for the good of all of us, and to save our future as a nation? Can we take away the element of “luck” based on where you live, and have national standards for schools, physically, educationally, so that no matter where you live, you get a good education?
Property tax based education means unequal education, Get rid of the property taxes, the school bonds, and fund quality education federally. Clean schools, toilets that work, books for all, heating & cooling, playgrounds… far from everyone has it that good. I am shocked at the conditions some of the poor schools near my home. I know many places are much worse. This is a national shame & tragedy. Every child should have a CHANCE in a decent school, to make our country truly a land of opportunity and equality. Throw away schools are a disgrace. How has this been allowed to go on all of this time?? This is an issue that could truly change our world.

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]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6557 Justin Gardner Tue, 14 Feb 2006 03:57:34 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6557 <blockquote>I still have no idea what the hell it is this program does. You can call it anything you want; if all it does is generate gobbledygook like that, it’s not worth a dime. And FYI, I used to be a public school teacher.</blockquote> Essentially, it makes teachers accountable for the test scores of their students. So it switches the focus of the classroom from learning to testing. I think that's where we're failing, especially since this was an unfunded mandate by nearly 6 billion dollars. If students don't make the right scores on the tests, then those schools lose funding. I agree that this program is hard to understand, but I wish the President would have done a more comprehensive review of our nation's public school system before he tried to get this legislation passed. But it certainly feels like this is more of the same type of "Make decisions now, ask questions later" type of legislation that's the hallmark of this administration.

I still have no idea what the hell it is this program does. You can call it anything you want; if all it does is generate gobbledygook like that, it’s not worth a dime. And FYI, I used to be a public school teacher.

Essentially, it makes teachers accountable for the test scores of their students. So it switches the focus of the classroom from learning to testing. I think that’s where we’re failing, especially since this was an unfunded mandate by nearly 6 billion dollars. If students don’t make the right scores on the tests, then those schools lose funding.

I agree that this program is hard to understand, but I wish the President would have done a more comprehensive review of our nation’s public school system before he tried to get this legislation passed. But it certainly feels like this is more of the same type of “Make decisions now, ask questions later” type of legislation that’s the hallmark of this administration.

]]> By: Brian in MA http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6549 Brian in MA Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:04:09 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6549 Somehow our parents, grandparents, and great-grand parents managed to make it through life faily educated without the massive amount of useless pork in education spending. What do you need for a classroom these days anyway? If you want hi-tech: a 1 year old Laptop(to lower price substantially), a projection system, a chalkboard, a few sticks of chalk per classroom, and books. Btw. Books cost the most, so how about a tax credit to book producers to reduce the price? You can spend the rest on teacher and administrative salaries. That and competent teaching staff should do you right. Somehow our parents, grandparents, and great-grand parents managed to make it through life faily educated without the massive amount of useless pork in education spending.

What do you need for a classroom these days anyway? If you want hi-tech: a 1 year old Laptop(to lower price substantially), a projection system, a chalkboard, a few sticks of chalk per classroom, and books. Btw. Books cost the most, so how about a tax credit to book producers to reduce the price? You can spend the rest on teacher and administrative salaries.

That and competent teaching staff should do you right.

]]> By: Callimachus http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6474 Callimachus Sun, 12 Feb 2006 16:13:53 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6474 <blockquote> <i>"provide funds to partnerships among teacher preparation institutions ... implementing reforms that hold teacher education programs accountable, improving prospective teachers’ knowledge of academic content, ensuring that teachers are well-prepared for the realities of the classroom, and preparing prospective teachers to use technology and to work effectively with diverse students."</i> </blockquote> I still have no idea what the hell it is this program does. You can call it anything you want; if all it does is generate gobbledygook like that, it's not worth a dime. And FYI, I used to be a public school teacher. The only way to be "well prepared for the realities of a classroom" is to go into one and try to teach there. If you want to use the money wisely for education, tack it on to the salaries of the poor saps who actually have to try to turn those zoos into learning experiences. Don't waste it on bureaucratic nonsense.

“provide funds to partnerships among teacher preparation institutions … implementing reforms that hold teacher education programs accountable, improving prospective teachers’ knowledge of academic content, ensuring that teachers are well-prepared for the realities of the classroom, and preparing prospective teachers to use technology and to work effectively with diverse students.”

I still have no idea what the hell it is this program does. You can call it anything you want; if all it does is generate gobbledygook like that, it’s not worth a dime. And FYI, I used to be a public school teacher.

The only way to be “well prepared for the realities of a classroom” is to go into one and try to teach there. If you want to use the money wisely for education, tack it on to the salaries of the poor saps who actually have to try to turn those zoos into learning experiences. Don’t waste it on bureaucratic nonsense.

]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6415 Justin Gardner Sat, 11 Feb 2006 00:22:51 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6415 I'm not going to tell you what tax bracket I'm in, but you'll just have to trust me on this one. I’m not going to tell you what tax bracket I’m in, but you’ll just have to trust me on this one.

]]> By: Tom http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6412 Tom Fri, 10 Feb 2006 23:20:08 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6412 So you're in the 15% bracket, aren't married, don't have kids, and have no dividends or capital gains? So you’re in the 15% bracket, aren’t married, don’t have kids, and have no dividends or capital gains?

]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6405 Justin Gardner Fri, 10 Feb 2006 22:02:41 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6405 <blockquote>Justin - I’m guessing you got a hell of a lot more than $300 from the tax cuts - I know I did.</blockquote> Actually, no. I only get 300 bucks more per year, even though I put a nice little chunk into my 401(k) and Health Savings Account. True story. <blockquote>If we were being smart, we’d throw a ton of money at NIH to have them search out cost cutting innovations for the future, so we can afford it when the baby boomers are in nursing homes on Medicare.</blockquote> Agreed, but as long as Republican like Bush is in the Oval Office, that ain't gonna happen.

Justin - I’m guessing you got a hell of a lot more than $300 from the tax cuts - I know I did.

Actually, no. I only get 300 bucks more per year, even though I put a nice little chunk into my 401(k) and Health Savings Account. True story.

If we were being smart, we’d throw a ton of money at NIH to have them search out cost cutting innovations for the future, so we can afford it when the baby boomers are in nursing homes on Medicare.

Agreed, but as long as Republican like Bush is in the Oval Office, that ain’t gonna happen.

]]> By: Tom http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6404 Tom Fri, 10 Feb 2006 21:49:44 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/02/10/if-you-dont-want-to-leave-any-child-behind/#comment-6404 Justin - I'm guessing you got a hell of a lot more than $300 from the tax cuts - I know I did. That isn't to say we can afford the tax cuts as a nation. The red ink is rediculous, and the cuts they're making are both minor and short sited - I'm less concerned with this one and more concerned with the NIH ones. If we were being smart, we'd throw a ton of money at NIH to have them search out cost cutting innovations for the future, so we can afford it when the baby boomers are in nursing homes on Medicare. Justin - I’m guessing you got a hell of a lot more than $300 from the tax cuts - I know I did.

That isn’t to say we can afford the tax cuts as a nation. The red ink is rediculous, and the cuts they’re making are both minor and short sited - I’m less concerned with this one and more concerned with the NIH ones. If we were being smart, we’d throw a ton of money at NIH to have them search out cost cutting innovations for the future, so we can afford it when the baby boomers are in nursing homes on Medicare.

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