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3 comments:
My one regret is direct instruction's growing politicalization. Much as with reading, whole language, and phonics. Traditional instruction done poorly is still a poor replacement for math reform. Discovering algebra is not whole language by any stretch of the imagination and it is not on the liberal agenda. NCLB is as much an invention of neo-conservative think-tanks (spigs) as math reform. A bald-faced lie perpetuated by conservatives is that inner-city children learn better with self-instruction and discovery methods.
Direct instruction parallels more closely with reading strategies or writing across the curriculum. It is definitely not a back to basics movement. Imagine teaching a young adult how to add two fractions together. It does not have to be done with worksheets and lots of problems. For one, there isn't enough time during the school year and teach everything else and such intense practices tend to wear out teachers and students and parents. If schools want to stay in this business for very long, teachers have got to work smarter. The idea is to move classes forward in small steps and not be a door. Administrators and teachers talk about test scores as though it were a ball game. Lets be real - school was created to be a win-win for everyone. There are too many losers.
I noticed comments are closed on this news article from the Times about the WASL. Too many irate readers?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009664538_apwawaslscores2ndldwritethru.html#hsm
Ryan pointed out the state should apply for more federal aid to improve curriculum????
The source of Washington's problems are coming straight from the top.
First of all, there is no more federal aid money. Secondly, the feds refuse to adopt anything other than what is on the so-called list of exemplary textbooks. Students are already using these textbooks, so the only thing left to improve are teachers????
What cost saving measures will go into effect in our already destitute public schools where we have -
1. Salary cuts
2. Layoffs
3. Increasing class size
4. Shortages of textbooks
5. Districts merging
6. School closings
7. Increasing numbers of dropouts
8. Privatized tutoring and support services (custodians and cafeterias)
9. Fewer qualified college students.
What's left to improve? The WASL?
This is not how a government should treat its people.
We got two whammies coming up in the equities market - the world is far from recovery - lets see what happens - fall of 2009 and later-spring-early-summer of 2010.
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