WHAT MAKES A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER ANYWAY? HIGH TEST SCORES?

"People who know nothing about education and whose ideas have no basis in research or practice are calling the shots. Left to their own devices, they will destroy public education. They have already demoralized our nation's teachers. Eventually, their bad ideas will fail, because they are wrong." by Diane Ravitch

I saw the post below today, and it made me mad. I have to respond.

"December 31, 2010 Posted At: 01:51 PM Author: Alexander Russo Category: NCLB News , On The Hill
Congress: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" About Highly Qualified Teachers

One thing Congress didn't get done during its lame duck session was to end the long-running practice of not telling low-income parents that their children aren't getting highly qualified teachers -- this despite an October court decision denouncing the practice."

My response: I am a retired teacher (2006), but still keep abreast of what is going on in some Seattle elementary schools by substituting when I can. I struggle with articles like the one shown above because I know what it was like to teach in an inner city low-income elementary school; what kinds of teachers were in that school; and what was being accomplished against great odds. My experience told me that the vast majority of teachers were well trained, intelligent, caring, creative and hardworking. On the other hand, it also told me that many students were on free or reduced lunches, in single parent homes with stress and crisis constant companions, and challenging daily lives most of us cannot even imagine. Acting out in class and on the playground was often inevitable. Obviously, no matter how skilled the teacher, the learning environment was compromised.

The PTA was one step away from non-existent - the same small handful of parents in attendance, carrying the load of whatever plans were being attempted. I clearly remember an after-school carnival that was only possible if the teachers each took on a booth or activity. Few parents volunteered in the school or classroom. Reasons ranged from difficult work schedules, to younger children at home, or no transportation. There were even a few parents who had an actual fear or dislike of the school itself because of their own prior negative experiences as children.

Curriculum Nights and Open Houses were poorly attended. I doubt that most people realize how much work goes into the planning and implementing of such events, and their importance to the child's school experience. I always took time to assemble packets of important information, homework ideas, how a typical day might look, classroom procedures, word and math fact lists, ideas parents could use for balking students, and more. Examples of school and art work would be on the walls, welcome mats proudly designed by the children would be on cleaned and organized desks, and a schedule would allow parents to attend more than one classroom if necessary. Although reminder notes would be sent home from the office, they were often left fluttering in the wind, or littering the ground. In order to get any kind of reasonable attendance I would call every family having a working number and send multiple notes myself. It usually followed that those parents who came to Curriculum Night had higher achieving children than those who didn't bother.

Principals make a big difference in every school, but particularly in those with low achievement. During my last years I felt lucky to have an understanding, skilled building leader who understood the needs of his staff as well as those of the kids. But his job was not easy as he struggled to meet the needs of teachers, students, parents and community with too little money in his budget. Deciding how dollars would be spent was a yearly trial. As the dollars shrank, tough decisions had to be made. Vital positions such as librarians, nurses, classroom aides, computer teachers, and office assistants were diminished or eliminated, with the rest of us taking up the slack. The pressure of raising the test scores was a constant concern and I am sure he took the brunt "downtown" as we called the administration offices. Rarely were we, in the classroom, visited by folks from Administration, who undoubtedly were also dealing with public pressure. However, in hindsight, I wonder if they were thinking that if our school only had teachers and a principal like those in "Excellent School A" or "Outstanding School B" the children would be learning, and the resulting scores would be higher.

I called a former colleague to find out her views on this serious problem. Let's call it the "good teacher-bad teacher syndrome." I learned that she is as incensed as I am about the general public's misunderstanding and ignorance about what is really going on in our educational institutions. After years at an inner city school like the one I described above, she is now in a wonderful school filled with very involved parents and on-task students.

I thought she made a great point. She wryly said that in the inner city school where she used to teach, with its poor test scores, she would now probably be labeled a "bad teacher". But in her present school she is considered a "good teacher" because her students are well behaved and her scores are high. She went on to say this:

In her former low-achieving school the students were from a low socio-economic group. There was a high percentage of students needing free or reduced lunches. Many families were in crisis. Most children came from single parent homes. Very few parents volunteered in the class or school. Many were absent from school functions.

In her present high-achieving school, the students come from a high socio-economic group. Very few students need free or reduced lunches. Whatever problems families might be experiencing does not seem to affect student achievement. Only a few students come from broken homes. A high number of parents volunteer in her room and the school. School functions are well supported.

From her point of view she would like to see some of the following things implemented in what I call hardship schools:

· Earlier and better medical diagnosis and treatment of vision, emotional and other handicapping conditions.

· Support for counselors and counseling

· Two certified teachers in every room. At the least, a skilled aide in addition to the classroom teacher.

· More pay for teachers in hardship schools

· Recognition and respect should be accorded to teachers for their work in these schools, rather than the put downs so often heard when scores are low.

She strongly encouraged me to read a book called The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Dr. Diane Ravitch, educator, educational policy analyst and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education. Curious, I went on line and read a review of the book, and also found that she had made several worrisome speeches about the state of education in our country. I felt validated by her article, "Stop Trashing Teachers." As my friend encouraged me, I will now encourage you to check out this amazing educator's evolving views on teachers and education.

In the meantime, here are some of my feelings about fixing the schools.

1. Stop trashing the teachers!!! There may be a few bad apples, but by no means is there the number the media would have you believe.

2. Lower the class size, and bring some instructional assistants into challenging classrooms.

3. Offer parenting classes and make them mandatory if students are repeatedly interrupting the learning of others.

4. For those students, remove them immediately from the room to minimize their impact on the learning. Find ways to successfully integrate them back into the classroom.

5. It seems like there is a preponderance of special needs students in low-income schools for a variety of reasons. Could fetal alcohol syndrome be a factor? Are there some "babies raising babies" or young mothers who did not experience good parenting themselves? Are there children of unrecognized abuse and neglect who are bringing their problems to the classroom?

6. Where parents cannot help out, get volunteers to come in to help struggling children and overworked teachers.

7. Make sure the physical playing field is equal. This means computers that work, and technicians who can keep them working. It means a working document camera in every room. It means not having to choose between a librarian, P.E., or art teacher. It means not having to juggle the dollars and choose between more things like nursing hours, an office assistant or a classroom assistant. It means finding a way to supervise the playground during recess that doesn't involve the teacher. Teachers need to make calls, take care of problems that invariably come up, get some last minute item for the next lesson, and even take a minute to use the bathroom. Supervising the playground may show the teacher a different view of the student, but that time is better spent in the classroom or reaching parents.

6. Recognize that until the playing field IS equal, low-achieving schools need all the moral and physical support they can get in order to do the job. This support should come from all quarters. Educators in authority need to remember what it was like when they were in the classroom, and be particularly supportive and helpful. They, of all people, should stick up for the teachers and educate the public.

7. If normally excellent teachers are struggling, give them opportunities to learn better behavior management techniques, or offer them other classroom settings where they can be more effective. I remember one teacher of gifted students, known for her creative teaching style, failing miserably in a classroom of poorly behaved students. She was not a "bad" teacher, but simply one who was better suited to a different population of learners.

And to you, Mr. and Mrs. General Public, why don't you follow the advice of the song "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" by Joe South, as performed by Elvis Presley.

"Walk a mile in my shoes.
Just walk a mile in my shoes.
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse,
then walk a mile in my shoes."