The School House Rocks (Doctorate Level)
September 2011: Featured Post
On a monthly basis, lifeseek.org will be featuring a thought-provoking essay that is designed to stimulate healthy dialogue and a collective resolve to seek the face of God for answers of some of the most pressing issues of our age. Your participation and feedback is very important to us and we encourage you to leave your comments, facebook or tweet this post after reading.
"Playback"
Playback-FM
So we come to the final entry of this discussion/dialogue regarding the shift in education. In the original article, The Schoolhouse Rocks (Aug 2010), we briefly discussed No Child Left Behind, it's implications for American education, both positive and negative. We ended that article by acknowledging a need to return to the basics; that is an understanding of education and its core intent, which is to pull out of children what is already innately there. In The Schoolhouse Rocks (The Graduate Level: February 2011), we examine some of the current government trends regarding education. Specifically, we touched on No Child Left Behind's flaws regarding testing and then President Obama's "Race to the Top" initiative. We also looked at some brutal facts regarding American education, specifically in the black community. Some of these glaring facts put in perspective how FAR we have to go to close achievement gaps and provide a truly FAIR education for ALL children. In this final entry we will examine the money factor and address the issue that many point to when we see that schools are failing our children.
"Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money"
As an educatior in the state of Pennsylvania one of my primary concerns (as it was for many) was the budget situation
mo-money
that all states were faced with this spring. Many states made drastic cuts to their funding and for several states the most aggressive cuts effected school districts. What's even worse is that many of the larger inner city districts were effected the most . . . The issue is money, right? . . . Now, some will argue that "money" does not guarantee a better education or a more successful system. I would venture to agree to a certain extent. Money is not the "Be All" in determining how successful students will be in school but one cannot deny its impact on public education, particularly the success of minority students. Students are byproducts of their social, psychological, physical, and emotional environments. They bring ALL of this to school each day and teachers are charged with the job of opening their minds, exposing them to new concepts, and inspiring them to think critically and creatively about various processes. Where does the money factor fit in, though? The average teacher CAN'T go into the profession for financial reasons, because most teachers are not paid for the amount of work they put in. I would venture to say that money is one factor in how successful our schools will be, but it is not the most pertinent.
"Mo Money, Mo Problems"
mo-money_mo-porb
Let's take a look at three suburban districts in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. All three districts serve a majority Caucasian population, however, they all serve minority students as well. Abington School District services approximately 7,500 students of which roughly 23% of the student population is African American. Upper Dublin School District services approximately 4,265 students with roughly 12% of their population being African-American. Finally, Lower Merion School District service 6,943 with roughly 10% of their population being African-American. I highlight the African-American population because in many school districts they represent the largest "minority" population and the achievement gap, in many cases effects them the most. Each district has a fiscal spending responsibility for each student . . . therefore, based on the "Mo Money" concept, the district spending the most money should have the "greatest" impact on student achievement, but is that the case?
Upper Dublin School District spent approximately $15,148 per student in 2008-2009, while Abington School District spend about $15,871 per student, and Lower Merion spend about $25,714 per student. Now, in order to determine the district who has the greatest efficacy we will examine the standardized test scores required by No Child Left Behind to determine whether or not students are attaining what the state has called, "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP). These scores are representative of each district for both reading and mathematics for grades 3-8, and grade 11.
In 2009-2010 Upper Dublin School District's (UDSD) students performed at 87% proficiency in reading (this represents ALL students), while their African American students scored at a proficiency level of 63%. This state required in 2010 for all students to be at LEAST 63% proficient in reading in 2010 (this target increases by at least 9% until it reaches 100% in 2014). UDSD performed at 89% proficiency in math (All students) while the African-American students performed at 65% proficiency. The state requirement for math was 56% for all students.
Abington School District's students performed at 84% proficiency in reading (all students) while their African-American students performed at a level of 70% proficient. The Math scores for all students was 88% proficient in reading with 75% of the African-American population scoring proficient.
Lower Merion School District's (LMSD) students were 91% proficient in reading with 61% of their African American students scoring proficient. In Math, LMSD students scored 84% proficient with 34% of their African Americans students hitting the proficient mark.
I don't highlight these numbers to attack Lower Merion, but I point to them because I believe that the issues go far deeper then the district(s) pockets. I believe the issue stems from a gradual change in the societal perceptions of teachers and public education in general. In the olden days (60's - 80's) teachers were looked at as pillars in the community, moral guides, and respected professionals. However, over time, as the media, lawmakers, & politics have played more of a role in educational decisions, therefore our perceptions and priorities regarding education have changed.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T . . . Just a LITTLE bit . .
Aretha Franklin
You've heard the phrase, "those who can't do, teach," right? Of course you have . . . many fail to realize how offensive this is to teachers. It stems from a systemic lack of respect and understanding for both the ART and Science of teaching. This summer we heard a heated debate regarding the NFL season which involved the Player Associations "bout" with NFL owners over how to split up roughly $6 Billion Dollars. This debate caught lots of media attention and people wanted their football seasons to start on-time! Why? Because they like the sport. They respect what these athletes do. I know I do and I look forward to watching the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl this year (shameless plug, I know); however, teachers don't get this same level of respect. See, education is NOT a priority for America . . . we'd rather be entertained by our televisions, video games, and sports . . . but teachers have a daunting task before them day in and day out . . . and I don't say this because I'm an educator. I say this because I work in an environment with 40 of the hardest working humans I've ever met and everyday watch them pour their hearts into their life's work . . . teaching. But for years, teachers have been viewed by many as simply, glorified babysitters. Yes, they have your kids for 6 or more hours per day and very few people have taken the time to consider what they do on a daily basis. We respect doctors, their work, the insurance rates they pay, the years of education . . . the internships and residencies and etc. We respect lawyers, the amount of reading they do, the years of law school, and late night hours preparing statements and documents. But when it comes to teachers, those who shape the minds of our future doctors, lawyers, and politicians, we quickly forget that they too had to do internships, student teaching, induction programs, that they have to prepare comprehensive lesson plans that account not only for the learning that will take place but anticipate the questions of students while planning back-up lessons in case the first one doesn't work. How they endure reading pages of students work, write responses, while taking care not to crush the spirit of children who are experimenting with new skills. How they write individualized education plans for special education students and plan to assist those with learning disabilities to reach the very same goals as everyone else. How they spend endless nights grading tests, analyzing data and adapting their instruction to meet the needs of EACH individual students. They serve on committees, often time without extra pay, to plan for programs that will improve their schools, they are unofficial parents, guardians, brothers, sisters , psychologists, psychiatrists, confidants, advocates, safety nets, friends, and for some, the only representation of real love for a child . . . all this while navigating a system that has been inundated with lawsuits, attacks from the media and political red tape that threaten to undermine the integrity of American education. You see, teachers are in a sense, doctors in the classroom; they diagnose educational issues, prescribe the right curricular medication, and applying it until a student shows growth. They are lawyers because they KNOW the law (curriculum) and they work tirelessly to find out how to make that curriculum (law) FIT each student so that they get the MOST of the experience. They are architects of the classrooms, constructing lessons that will require scaffolding of information to take students from one level to the next . . . They're not glorified babysitters, or lazy people who stand in front of classrooms; they're professionals, whose jobs require the type of patience, love, and mental capacity that many people could not dream of on a regular basis.
Back to the Future . . .
Back to Future
It's time for the public to get behind our schools, to support our children, and to apply pressure to our politicians whose salaries are 2 - 4 times that of teachers, but whose impact on kids is often minuscule at best. The purpose is to let our governments know that our kids are worth more than a few test scores given one time per year, that our teachers deserve to be treated as the professionals they are and that we begin see and understand the value of public education. Yes, the test scores have some merit, but teachers and districts cannot be judge ultimately on them until WE, the parents, guardians, and the general public begin to care more about our kids than we do our sports. The old adage that it takes a "Village to Raise a Child" is still true today . . . the village has lost its way. We've allowed television, video games, and music to raise our kids. We need parents to show up to report card conferences, and communities to support school initiatives, we need local businesses to sponsor our children and show them that they care . . . there's so much that can be done so that those 40 African-American students in Lower Merion understand that they're worth more than a test score . . . so that the 7500 students in Abington know that we, as a community and country believe in them for what they can achieve. See, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart . . . our hearts have grown cold towards our children, their future, and their potential. I know our children can achieve, even beyond the test scores . . . if WE simply believe in them . . . support our schools, and accept nothing less than excellence from our politicians.
The school house rocks . . . and it's time for the rocks to cry out.
Question 1: What is your opinion of teachers? Do you think they deserve the same level of respect as other professionals?
Question 2: Do you think Education can be salvaged in its current state? What changes need to be made immediately?
Question 3: Will more money solve some of the prevailing problems in education today?
1) National center for educational statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/ed/index.asp?st=PA
2) http://www.openpagov.org/education_revenue_and_expenses.asp
3) Report card on the schools. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.philly.com/philly/education/report_card/
4) Pennsylvania department of education. (2011). Retrieved from http://pa.gov/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_accountability_system_(pas)/8752/faq/510193
5) Pennsylvania department of education academic achievement report. (2011). Retrieved from http://paayp.emetric.net/
The School House Rocks (The Graduate Level)
On a monthly basis, lifeseek.org will be featuring a thought-provoking essay that is designed to stimulate healthy dialogue and a collective resolve to seek the face of God for answers of some of the most pressing issues of our age. Your participation and feedback is very important to us and we encourage you to leave your comments, facebook or tweet this post after reading.
The School House . . . STOPS!
In my original article, "The School House Rocks," I examined some of the features of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its implications for education today. Though NCLB is a reality in public education today and likely to be overhauled this year by President Obama; it is not the only impeding factor that has thrust our national education system into this downward spiral of mediocrity and struggle. Take this journey with me . . .
Some Child Left Behind . . .
I'm an 80's baby . . . When I was in school it was simple . . . READING, WRITING, and ARITHMETIC. You got a report card with letters for grades "A" to "F" (except "E") and numbers for behavior where you received a 1, 2, or 3. Your parents showed up to your first conference of the year, talked to your teacher, and THAT determined how many of your Christmas gifts were taken back to the store before December 25th! My how times have changed . . . school isn't quite as simple as it used to be. Kids are expected to come to school with a "readiness" to learn, and if they aren't ready, it's the schools job to get them up to speed. But what are we getting them ready for in the long run? YEARS ago it was to be a productive citizen in the American society . . . however, as we discussed in "The School House Rocks" many of our kids today are being programmed to pass state standardized assessments. Teachers are given pacing guides, curriculum guidelines, and a set of "assessments" that must be completed within a certain amount of time, regardless of the overt fact that ALL children learn differently. This is all to prepare them to "Do their best on the Test". Take this scenario for example: A student who has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan - Special Education) is typically instructed at his instructional level, which can often times be 1 - 2 years below their actual grade level. So a 5th grader can be instructed at a 3rd or 4th grade level in reading and math, and it's by LAW that you follow the student 's IEP with fidelity to deliver that instruction. HOWEVER, when it's time for these state tests, you test them on GRADE LEVEL. So we teach the child at a 3rd or 4th grade level, honoring the IEP which is a legal document, but TEST them at the 5th grade level (which is based on another legal document, NCLB) and then PENALIZE schools when their IEP students don't score "proficient" is simply asinine. This is just ONE example of some of the drastic and inequitable changes that have taken place in education over the years. This example is further amplified when you consider the amount of African-American children who have IEPs (Special Education) in comparison to their Caucasian counterparts. The numbers are staggering, and the unfortunate reality is that there are more and more "minority" students being placed in Special Education everyday . . . we'll revisit this later.
AmazinG-race
“America will not succeed in the 21st century unless we do a far better job of educating our sons and daughters…and the race starts today. I am issuing a challenge to our nation’s governors and school boards, principals and teachers, businesses and non-profits, parents and students: if you set and enforce rigorous and challenging standards and assessments; if you put outstanding teachers at the front of the classroom; if you turn around failing schools – your state can win a "Race to the Top" grant that will not only help students outcompete workers around the world, but let them fulfill their God-given potential.” [1]
Cars the movie
This quote was from a speech given by President Obama as he rolled an initiative called, "Race to the Top" . . . which in a nutshell took 4.5 Billion dollars of stimulus money (Out of the $100 Billion set aside for education) and basically required states to come up with "Action Plans" to improve various facets of public education. At first glance it sounds like a great idea, until you realize that this "race" to the top is truly a competition between states . . . an "Amazing Race" that puts the potential future of MANY of our children on the hopes of someone's ability to write a grant proposal. REALLY??!?? This sounds like a business approach, to create competition between other companies (states) to see who can garner the most support (funds) based on their ads (proposals). But the difference here is that these "companies (states) are ALL producing the SAME product (KIDS)! And our kids cannot be looked at as products or merchandise whose worth in investment is determined through state competition. If you have $4.5 Billion, then why not divide it up amongst the poorer districts FIRST (whether urban or rural) and give them an opportunity and the SUPPORT to develop plans to manage resources that many of them have never had! Why play a game where the end result is, some win, some lose . . . The problem with "Race to the Top" is that it only rewards "some" states, those who win. And no matter how you "slice" it, the other states who don't "win", ultimately, "lose". If a state has an expressed and documented need, how is it equitable or even constitutional to place that need in the realm of competition to determine if it will be met? What if our hospitals worked this way? You have a gunshot victim, a stab victim, and a woman who is in labor . . . all three have insurance, but the hospital is only going to share medical resources with the person whose insurance company has the most compelling plan to provide coverage for their policy holder. Sounds absurd doesn't it?
Training Day
Training Day
Remember the movie "Training Day" where Denzel Washington played the character Alonzo Harris; a crooked narcotics officer who spends a good portion of the movie traveling through Los Angles trying to secure money to pay off a group of Russian mobsters who put a hit out on his life; he does so by robbing, killing, and stealing from drug dealers and gang members. Jake Hoyt, the officer being trained by Alonzo, played by Ethan Hawke, was the rookie cop who thought he was being trained on the ins-and-outs of being a narcotics officer, but he was really being set up the entire time. Allow, if you will, an allegory, likened unto Training Day. Denzel, the crooked cop represents everything WRONG with public education . . . his (its) purpose is to satisfy its own needs, to cover its own back. Our educators (teachers/para-professionals/administrators), are akin unto Jake (Ethan Hawke's character), who go along with all of these changes and trends because they believe in the system, and they want to help kids. So we deal with new laws, statutes, regulations, and other trends like No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and the newest trend with gifted education, because we truly do believe in the system. But just like Officer Hoyt in Training Day, there has to come a point in time where we recognize how flawed the system REALLY is and see ourselves (educators, advocates, community members, parents, etc) as the vehicles by which to promote change. The most poignant part of Training Day was when Officer Hoyt stood up to Alonza (Denzel's character) and made the statement, "Do you want to go to jail or do you want to go home." See Jake realized midway through his journey that being a police officer was an honorable job, a responsibility. He suddenly realized HIS obligation to hold those accountable who abused their power and authority! His statement basically said, are you willing to be accountable for what you're doing (going to jail), or do you simply want and expect to get away with what you're doing (going home).
I pose this question to the 60 and 70 year old politicians who consider themselves to be an authority on education, having never spent a day in the classroom. I pose this question to officials who want to medicate kids rather than altering teaching styles to meet their needs. I demand an answer to this question from all those who see our kids as products & I.D. numbers, rather than our future leaders, politicians, and educators!
Say it Loud . . . I'm Black and I'm . . . (My Soapbox)
James Brown
In closing . . . I'd like to reflect a moment on Black History Month. However, I'd like to take it a different route this February. . . rather than focusing on heroes of our past and repeating speeches and quotes that we hear year after year (this is not to negate their importance), I'd rather focus on where we are headed as a people in light of all that is happening in education in America today . . . I'd like to take a moment to face some brutal facts and harsh realities that should motivate us today.
Brutal Fact 1: Did you know that only 37% of African-American children come from two-parent homes? This statistic helps to explain why some parents have trouble making report card conference or have sufficient time to help their kids with homework; though many are labeled simply as "not caring about their kids". [3]
Brutal Fact 2: Did you know that African-American children make up only 17% of the American school population, yet we make up 41% of the Special Education population. [2]
Brutal Fact 3: On the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), average blacks students that are 17 years-old have scores that are equivalent to average Caucasian students in reading, math, science, and writing, however, those Caucasian students are only 13 years-old. [3]
Brutal Fact 4: As of 2003, 31% of all African-American children lived in poverty . . . a situation that I'm sure adversely effects a child's ability to focus in class . . . but consider that 36% of all children being medicated for attentional issues (ADD, ADHD) are African-American as well. [3]
My Point? There IS a problem in education today and it won't be solved with gimmicks, competitions, and more laws. The problem is systemic . . . and when a problem is systemic, the only way to solve the problem, in many cases, is to completely destroy the system altogether, and start over. The unfortunate reality is that our kids are failing because the system is failing them. But what are some of those systemic problems that result in the failure of many of our kids? Some suggest that because many curriculums are developed from a Euro-centric point-of-view (and are often left-brained in nature), and therefore, are innately discriminatory (not intentionally) to the "black experience", and consequently do not relate to our children. This is a modern and covert example of the oppression that exists within the system . . . and though it may not be purposefully executed in that manner today, the design of the system has maintained and perpetuated the cycle for years. Therefore, the Jake Hoyt's I spoke of earlier need to rise out of our black communities . . . out of the environments of those who are being or have been "oppressed" by the system. To be clear, I am not saying that educators/school districts are trying to oppress our children, however, I am suggesting that the system, at its core root, has features that are oppressive in nature. In closing, I'd like to share a quote from Paulo Freire's book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed:
"The oppressed must accept the struggle for their liberation . . . when they accept the struggle . . . they accept their total responsibility for the struggle. They are fighting not merely for freedom from hunger (not literal food), but for freedom to create and to construct, to wonder and to venture. The oppressed who have been shaped . . .by the climate of oppression must find through their struggle the way to life-affirming humanization." [4]
Stay tuned for the final edition of "The School House Rocks (The Doctorate Level). Your feedback is welcomed!
1. The White House. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-race-top
2. Minority Diversity Issues. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ecs.org/html/IssueSection.asp?issueid=84&subissueid=157&ssID=0&s=Quick+Facts
3. Bennett, W. (2008). 20 Troubling Facts about American Education. Retrieved from http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0033.html
4. Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group.
V.J. Delos was born in Philadelphia, PA to J. Johnson and H. Johnson. After years of being raised in a Christian household V.J., soon realized the importance of a personal relationship with Christ. God soon moved individuals into his life who were able to teach him how to study the word and the importance of the fellowship of believers. After attending Temple University and graduating with a degree in education he quickly became and advocate for children. V.J. quickly discovered his talent and passion for teaching, music, & spoken work and seeks to use these gifts to glorify GOD. After some life-changing events V.J. has an unwavering desire to serve GOD, fellowship with His people, and to provide young people with the oppportunities to maximize their potential. Recently receiving his Masters Degree in Education Administration, V.J. Delos currently works as an elementary school administrator. His love for youth, desire to serve his school community, and passionate pursuit of a lifestyle rooted in integrity is what drives him on a daily basis. His life's mantra, as was that of his late mother is that, "This too shall pass". No matter how hard life gets, GOD sees the provision that he's already given by his Grace to see you through it . . . With this in mind, V.J. Delos is sincerely desires to serve GOD and the people of GOD with joy, humility, and love.
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