Startup Tips

I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Practical suggestions were few and far between when I started out. I was an English teacher, with an AP who spent hours describing the difference between an “aim” and an “instructional objective.” To this day, I haven’t the slightest notion what she was talking about. She also spent a good deal of time describing the trials and tribulations of her cooking projects, and other utterly useless information.

Neither she nor any teacher of education ever advised me on classroom control. The standing platitude was “A good lesson plan is the best way to control a class,” but I no longer believe that. I think a good lesson plan is the best thing to have after you control the class.

I also think a good lesson plan need not be written at all, as long as you know what you’re doing. If you don’t, neither the lesson plan nor the aim will be much help.

The best trick, and it’s not much of a trick at all, is frequent home contact. It’s true that not all parents will be helpful, but I’ve found most of them to be. When kids know reports of their classroom behavior will reach their homes, they tend to save the acting out for your lazier colleagues—the ones who find it too inconvenient to call. You are not being "mean" or petty--you're doing your job, and probably helping the kid. If you want to really make a point, make a dozen calls after the first day of class. Or do it the day before a week-long vacation.

Now you could certainly send that ill-mannered kid to the dean, to your AP, to the guidance counselor, or any number of places. But when you do that, you’re sending a clear message that you cannot deal with that kid—he or she is just too much for you. You’ve already lost.

And what is that dean going to do anyway? Lecture the child? Call the home? Why not do it yourself?

You need to be positive when you call. Politely introduce yourself and say this:

“I’m very concerned about _______________. ___________ is a very bright kid. That’s why I’m shocked at these grades: 50, 14, 0, 12, and 43 (or whatever). I’d really like __________ to pass the class, and I know you would too.”

I’ve yet to encounter the parent who says no, my kids are stupid, and I don’t want them to pass.

“Also, I’ve noticed that ___________ is a leader. For example, every time ___________ (describe objectionable behavior here) or says (quote exact words here—always immediately write objectionable statements) many other students want to do/say that too.”

"I'm also concerned because ________ was absent on (insert dates here) and late (insert dates and lengths here).

I certainly hope you will give _________ some good advice so ___________ can pass the class.”

If the kid’s parents speak a foreign language you don’t know, find someone else who also speaks it, and write down what you want that person to tell the parent.

If you’re lucky enough to have a phone in your room, next time you have a test, get on the phone in front of your class and call the homes of the kids who aren’t there. Express concern and ask where they are. If the kid is cutting, it will be a while before that happens again. If the kid is sick, thank the parent and wish for a speedy recovery.

The kids in your class will think twice about giving you a hard time.

Kids test you all the time. It’s hard not to lose your temper, but it’s a terrible loss for you if you do. When kids know you will call their homes, they will be far less likely to disrupt your class. The minutes you spend making calls are a very minor inconvenience compared to having a disruptive class.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a reasonable and supportive AP, God bless you. If not, like many teachers, you’ll just have to learn to take care of yourself. If you really like kids, if you really know your subject, and if you really want to teach, you’ll get the hang of it.

But make those phone calls. The longer you do it, the more kids will know it, and the fewer calls you’ll have to make.

Your AP, whether good, bad, or indifferent, will certainly appreciate having fewer discipline problems from you. More importantly, you might spend less time dealing with discipline problems, and more helping all those kids in your room.

Originally posted June 5, 2005

See also:

Ms. Cornelius with everything they forgot (or more likely, never knew about) at ed. school, and great advice from a new teacher at Syntactic Gymnastics

Dropping the Pretense

Brooklyn Principal Jolanta Roloff rolled out her magic pencil and adjusted hundreds of grades, based on Regents exam scores. Obviously, the test scores are far more significant than whatever may have occurred over hours and months in a classroom.

So why bother consulting teachers? If their grades did not conform precisely with the Regents exam, they were clearly of no value whatsoever.

So what if a kid didn't show up to class the whole year, then read a review book and passed? The teacher should have known that would happen. If the kid did excellent work all year but got carried away in an ambulance on test day, the teacher must not have done a good job.

Apparently, though, the new "no excuses" policy applies exclusively to teachers. There will be no consequences for Ms. Roloff.

Chaz has a few thoughts about this.

Thanks to Schoolgal

Curtain Up

Thespis Journal presents the 82nd edition of the Carnival of Education.

Hurry up, or you'll have to wait till intermission.

No Excuses Here

It's all on the teachers. NYC Deputy Chancellor Alonso would be proud of what's happening in Motor City.

Detroit, facing a 105-million dollar deficit, wants its teachers to pay for almost 90% of it through wage and benefit cuts. Does anyone suppose that the teachers would be offered 90% of a surplus?

Historically, in NYC municipal employees take zeroes, or multiple zeroes, when the city's going through rough times. We defer pay and get it back years later.

During boom times, though, we do not share in the benefits.

Detroit teachers, facing a 5% pay reduction, have indeed been driven to the edge. The judge was wise to order negotiation in lieu of capitiulation.

It's disgraceful that the district can't even be bothered sending people with authority to negotiate, and also disgraceful there are no consequences for management's failure to negotiate in good faith.

Thanks to Schoolgal

Trimming the Fat

It's tough to cut down on administrative costs. I remember when NYC Schools Chancellor Klein cut down on teacher indoctrination days. It seemed like a good idea. But then when he reinstated them, and added more, its impressiveness withered.

When he removed levels of administration, it seemed like another good idea. Of course, when he added more layers than he removed, I once again failed to perceive the net improvement.

How do you resolve such conundrums?

Well, in this case, the Chancellor has determined the best way to eliminate waste is through a no-bid contract. That will cost the city 17 million dollars.

In St. Louis, the company only charged 5 million, but was able to cut costs substantially. How did they do this?

It cut $79 million from the district's bureaucracy, but spawned controversy by firing 1,400 nonteaching employees, outsourcing food, custodial and warehousing contracts and shutting 21 schools, many in predominately black neighborhoods.

Sounds like just what we need, right? Well, proven experience doesn't come cheap. That's why 7 individuals alone are getting paid 1 to 1.7 million each for this service.

UFT President Randi Weingarten now says no-bid contracts are another reason to re-examine mayoral control, which sunsets in 2009. I couldn't agree more, and I hope she gets some mileage out of this, unlike the debacle that succeeded her challenge to slimeball John Stossel.

It's unfortunate Ms. Weingarten didn't have the foresight to examine mayoral control before having given it the UFT's crucial support.

Thanks to Schoolgal, Norm, and Patrick

Forget Merit Pay

It's all about sex. Let's bring back single-sex schools.

And make sure the teachers are the right sex too. Here's a new study claiming that boys learn better from men, and that girls learn better from women.

In college, I had great teachers of both sexes. They knew everything about literature, and woe to those who dared dispute them.

In high school, I had terrible teachers of both sexes. This was an era, though, where it was regarded as hip to play Neil Young songs in class rather than assign anything so inconvenient as books.

Frankly, I find it tough to see this as much of an issue. But I could be wrong.

What do you think?

Leaving No Sacred Cow Behind

Here's a stunningly powerful editorial from the NY Times declaring that charters, despite what Chancellor Klein may say, are not a panacea. I don't think there is any such thing as a panacea as far as education goes. But the Times is very specific:

Too many lawmakers seem to believe that the only thing wrong with American education is the public school system, and that converting lagging schools to charter schools would cause them to magically improve.

Frankly, I'm not altogether convinced even lawmakers advocating charters believe this, so I'm glad they modified it with "seem." Public schools are a prime target, full of nasty union employees who'd like nothing better than to raise Steve Forbes' tax bill. Vouchers haven't captured the public imagination, so such politicians are direly in need of some gimmick that will relieve them of actually paying for good teachers, decent facilities, and reasonable class sizes.

There are certainly good charter schools, and charters might be useful in a diverse city like NY. Optimally, they wouldn't be used to divert attention from rampant neglect of our school system or unconscionable overcrowding. Nor would they be used as exercises in union-busting.

Where I live, we pay teachers well, get hundreds of applications for each and every position (in each and every discipline),send our children to buildings that plainly show we care, and do not subject them to the highest class sizes in the state of New York.

Here, there's little discussion of charters. There's little discussion of vouchers. There's no discussion of merit pay (Why in the world would anyone truly concerned about education want to hire teachers without merit at any price?), and no school officials making the preposterous contention that teachers are the only factor in the education of children.

Treating teachers like items to be scraped off of Chancellor Klein's Florsheims is not precisely what will retain them in the long-term. Denying that years of experience may factor into teacher quality will not much help kids either.

President Bush may be comfortable with such tactics, as they inspire voucher programs which directly undermine public education (a constant drag on Steve Forbes' tax bill). Nonetheless, Mayor Bloomberg, if he genuinely wishes to leave the system better than he found it, simply can't afford to ignore the genuine dysfunction of our school system anymore.

He needs to step up and make sure the CFE lawsuit, promising good teachers, decent facilities, and smaller classes become more than an overly optimistic pipe-dream (even if he has to pay for it). He's got to stop slavishly emulating GW's chronically underfunded and insincere No Child Left Behind. The Times is grateful for the increase in available statistics. But that's plainly not enough:

Four years later, the national teacher corps is still in a shambles. Until Congress changes that, everything else will amount to little more than tinkering at the margins.

Nowhere is this more true than in New York City. Charters, maybe.

But let's attend to the schools that serve the overwhelming majority of New York City's children first.

Fresh Pig

Ron Isaacs, aka "Redhog", is offering us yet another chapter of his newfound philosophy. You may remember that Ron wrote a litany of lies and half truths praising the contract on Edwize, using yet another name so we wouldn't peg him for the Unity hack he is.

Despite Ron's claim to be "from the trenches,", he crawled out of his trench ands retired before the contract was a year old to grab a UFT patronage job.

Here's something you may not know about Redhog--two years ago he was so disenchanted with the monopoly UFT leadership that he ran against them, with ICE. In fact, I'm led to believe he helped them to get on the ballot. This could not have been a capricious decision, since he'd been a chapter leader for years beforehand.

Now that he's got one of those neat two-pension UFT jobs, though, Ron adores Unity and its history so much that he's written a memorial to former UFT President Sandy Feldman. You've gotta wonder how much adoration he felt for her two years ago, when he was running against the party to which she devoted her career.

And you've gotta question the wisdom of showering patronage on people whose loyalties are so blatantly for sale. When the UFT leadership comes up for re-election next year, it'll be high time to consider a healthier dietary alternative.

Take This Job and....Relocate it

Teacher Eric Hamlin was suspended from his post as a Denver geography teacher due to his refusal to remove Mexican and Chinese flags from his classroom. In Denver, there's a regulation against flying foreign flags in school.

He was then offered the opportunity to return, along with an offer to display foreign flags for up to 12 weeks at a time. Hamlin has declined the offer, opting to stay in the district, but choosing to serve in another school. He feels his continued presence could be a distraction, due to all the publicity he's received.

What do you think about this teacher's actions, or the proposed compromise?

Thanks to Jonathan

Another Mayoral Triumph

This year, Mayor Mike was able to accomodate 60% of the requests of kids wishing to opt out of failing schools. That's about twice as many as last year.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough space to accomodate them all. Mayor Mike certainly did his darndest. For example, my school, already at 250% capacity, is slated to get 200 extra students next year. I want to personally thank Mayor Mike for his overwhelming concern, and I have no doubt that he'll be able to squeeze in hundreds, if not thousands more, over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the CFE lawsuit, which promised good teachers, decent facilities, and smaller classes, rots away in limbo due to his unwillingness to pay any percentage of it.

Congratulations, though, to the 5% of city students who managed to get into a good school, like the one in which I work.

More Great News from DC

In yet another important step toward the single most important goal in America today, reducing Steve Forbes' tax bill, the federal government has withdrawn all aid to the Center for Hispanic Medical Students.

Asked about this, Mayor Bloomberg wondered out loud, "Hmmm. How can we do the same for billionaire charter school chief Courtney Ross? State-for-the-art school facilities are simply not enough for people that rich."

So, remember, if your school is at 250% capacity, like mine, and you're trudging through puddles and snow to your trailers, like us, you and your kids aren't simply suffering an inconvenience.

You're performing a vital public service.

Dangerous Schools

They're a tough issue. But one of the DoE's most cherished approaches to tough problems is denial. Say the schools in question are special education schools, for example, so they're supposed to be dangerous.

Or claim that since the weapons you found were during entry searches, that they shouldn't count. That's an odd argument from the administration that recently claimed if it found nothing from the random search program, it would prove the program was a success.

The article, of course, neglects to mention the time-honored tradition of principals not reporting incidents in the first place, so who knows what's really going on?

Not us, I have to suppose.

Thanks to Schoolgal

We're Back in Kansas, Dorothy

Low income students will no longer be receiving federal grants to study evolutionary biology, it appears. Various government spokespersons declared the omission an error.

Of course, various government spokespersons said the Iraq mission was accomplished three years ago, that the resistance was winding down, that Sadaam had WMDs and was in league with Al Queda, and that the war would last 6 days or 6 weeks (they doubted six months).

Perhaps that's why others feel it's yet another step to refute well-established science and edge the United States back to feudalism. We've got those highly efficient black boxes now so who knows whether or not our votes are being counted?If it weren't for that nasty science and history intruding everywhere, perhaps the Bush administration would be able to proceed more rapidly with the vital business of reducing Steve Forbes' tax bill.

Another Brainstorm

Mayor Bloomberg's representative declared the city would not contribute a single dime to the CFE lawsuit. Therefore, despite a state Supreme Court ruling, it's somehow still not resolved.

So, sorry, NYC, but your kids will continue to have the highest class sizes in the state. And the money that would be devoted to procuring quality teachers is just not there. And schools at 250% capacity (like mine) are just gonna have to stay that way.

But guess what? The day after the Daily News reported that the DoE was spending millions on no-bid contracts, NYC Schools Chancellor Klein declared that all 10th and 11th graders would be able to take the PSAT for free.

Doesn't that make you feel better, as you try to crawl over your fellow students to get to your earth science class on time? So what if it's taught by a gym teacher? The whistle keeps you awake, at least.

Thanks to Schoolgal.

Bad Spell for Charters

USA Today reports that charters, after all, do not outperform public schools. So does the NY Times. Despite having 100% enrollment of kids with proactive parents, they do a little worse.

US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings says they need more time. After all, it's only been six years since Michael Bloomberg got into office, and he still hasn't managed to bust a single union.

According to the articale, Albert Shanker came up with the notion of charter schools. I'm sure he did not envision them in the hands of demagogues like Eva Moskowitz. I can see a useful role for charters. Unfortunately, folks like Bloomberg and Spellings see them as nothing more than a battering-ram to be wielded against the inconvenience of unionism.

One only needs to observe the obscenely preferential treatment received by charters to see how little Mayor Mike values open public education.

Read more from Jim Horn at Schools Matter.

Thanks to reality-based educator

Blatant Discrimination

The Department of Education has not yet granted charters extra transportation money to cover Metrocards for kids in the Eva Moskowitz School (or other charters). They're using the flimsy excuse that since they start the school year earlier than public schools, they can't have extra funds.

Frankly, that's poppycock. If they were treating charters the same as public schools, why did billionaire Courtney Ross get a state-of-the-art facility while most city kids are just as liable to learn in bathrooms, closets, or hallways? Why isn't Mistress Eva's school in a buiding at 250% capacity, like mine?

And come to think of it, why isn't NYC Deputy Chancellor Alonso up on his hind legs screaming "no excuses," and demanding Mistress Eva get in her Range Rover and drive the kids to school herself?

Thanks to Schoolgal

Hey, Big Spender

Tired of that nasty teaching job?

Consider becoming a teacher trainer. Or a consultant. Or open up a testing company.

Because Chancellor Klein, who squeezes every penny fifty times before letting it trickle down to an educator, believes in granting no-bid contracts to people like that.

Millions and millions, and money is no object.

Sure beats working.

Update: The News story has generated outrage from several city politicians, who threaten hearings. Despite great personal distaste, ace tipster Schoolgal swears to follow the teacher-bashing Daily News for further developments, so we'll see what comes of this.

But please, let's sit while we wait.

Thanks to Schoolgal (for the headline too!)

Bad Taste Is Timeless

I used to work occasionally at parties with this guy who served genuine Texas barbecue. People raved about it. I tried it, and found it bland, nearly tasteless in fact. I thought the guy was a fraud. Now I've got a book called Roadfood, which recommends genuine barbecue joints all over the country (among many other things, and it's a great book).

We stopped at a genuine barbecue joint in Georgia a few weeks back, and I learned that genuine barbecue is indeed what the Texas guy was serving. I came to a very humiliating realization--I don't like genuine barbecue. Here in Orlando, on Semoral Drive and Curry Ford, there's a little Cuban joint in a strip mall called Martin's BBQ with ribs that I would fight you for. They cost maybe 8 bucks a pound.

Still, I'm truly ashamed not to appreciate such an important part of Americana. I thought I knew better.

If you go to Orlando, after you get ribs, shoot over to the coast to see Anna Maria Island, with beautiful green water that's as warm as your bathtub. Pick up a hotel discount book on a thruway, and be prepared to lay out up to 60 bucks a night for a hotel, or rent a 2-bedroom condo for 75 in nearby Bradenton. Look for Alvarez Mexican Restaurant on the way.

And check out Blue Spring State Park, on the St. John's River. It's mystical, beautiful, and incomparable. And just in case that ain't enough, bring charcoal and you can make your own barbecue (any style you like).

Tom Terrific

If you're planning to vote in the upcoming Democratic primary, you ought to know that Tom Suozzi has declared funding in NYC is a "moral crisis." Mr. Suozzi proposes, among other things, more charter school and raising aid to NYC by less than half of what the CFE lawsuit mandated.

His opponent, Eliot Spitzer, proposes to boost aid by close to the mandate (Mayor Bloomberg, the education mayor, has declared throught a representative his intention to contribute not one dime toward the NY State Supreme Court mandate). Suozzi says full funding will result in a tax hike. Spitzer says it won't.

Supremely ambitious Suozzi got my vote for Nassau County Executive. I was thrilled when he beat a party hack to get the nomination.

Furthermore, Suozzi is absolutely right that funding NYC is a moral crisis. That's why I'm voting for Spitzer, first in the primary, and then for governor.

The Obvious Eludes Alonso (Says Alonso)

The NY Times reports that minority students are declining in the most selective NYC schools. NYC Deputy Chancellor Andres Alonso finds this “extraordinarily surprising,” perhaps since it goes a long way toward contradicting his absurd contention that teachers are the sole factor in student achievement. Is race a factor?

Absolutely not. The influence of home and culture are factors, and American culture, from the lying, self-serving president on down, places little emphasis on personal responsibility (unless you feel blaming the poor for their poverty counts). Proactive parents are the single most valid predictor of academic success. Those working two or three jobs are far less likely to have time for their kids.

I've been shocked by some of the very, very cheap shots against Jonathon Kozol around the blogosphere. Impoverished individuals are playing perpetual catch-up and don't tend to have time to check their kids' homework.

There are certainly exceptions to this rule. I've seen kids come from awful homes who've used school as an escape from the chaos that generally rules their lives. I've also seen kids from very poor homes whose families knew and stressed the value of education. But to dismiss poverty as a factor is at best, idiotic, and at worst, a blatantly insincere mode of pointing the finger at working people.

NYC's 30-year policy of hiring teachers from the bottom of the barrel hasn't helped much either. Nor has Tweed's insistence on gimmicks and buzzwords in place of real solutions.