All data and information provided is for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed by Bloggers are theirs alone.
NBEA makes no representations as to accuracy of the posts. You agree to indemnify and hold NBEA harmless from any claim made by any party due to or arising from your use of or posting upon this blog.
We reserve the right to edit or remove any post at any time for any reason.
If you disagree with these conditions, please do not read our blog or post to it.
Where the hell have people been? Your top students are at Voke, claiming a Darthmouth address, or paying for Stang. This is not the fault of teachers this is the fault of all that have turned a blind eye to what is reality. When it is common practice to move kids along from grade to grade inspite of teacher input, this is the result.
Fifth grade teachers a warned not to retain, middle school teachers are given the "what are you doing wrong and remember you will have that kid next year". The failures from the middle school are then dumped on the doorstep of the high school. Now we are going to look at student scores and tie them to teacher performance?
Principals are not removed from this, when the question is why is such and such a school retaining less students than your school? Parents who take no part in their kids education and watch their kids being shoved from grade to grade. As for students who pass MCAS but can't pass the grade level frameworks,hmmmmmmm, We have all had reg. ed. kids who passed the MCAS and can't read.
This system needs to decide, do we continue to do the same thing and then point fingers when it all hits the fan or do we really make some changes? That would mean that the system would need to point to everyone downtown, SC, courts, City Hall, parents, and teachers and demand that the hard decisions be made. So I guess the question is now who has the courage to really call it for what it is and do something to fix it?
Most of the better students go to Voke. NBHS ends up with the Roosevelt and Normandin students that are being pushed along. Their luck runs out at the high school. Student achievement will increase when the district holds them accountable.
As a teacher at Normandin, I see Bonneau constantly blaming teachers for giving students the bad grades they have earned. There is a quiet pressure to make the kids pass. The teachers are afraid to stand up for honesty in grading. How sad.
Perhaps I was not clear enough, by hard decisions I mean; 1. If a kid can't learn the Curriculum Frameworks then don't pass them along. Your name is now linked to that kids scores. How is it possible that kid had a B average in Math but can't pass benchmarks or the MCAS? 2.The district needs to back off teachers who feel a kid needs to be retained. 3. The SC needs to step up to the plate and decide do we keep things as usual or do we create a policy that has some meat to it, then do we enforce? I hope this clears thins up.
To the Watchdog are you telling us Keith does not push kids along? If that is the case then Keith needs to share how they do that! I for one would be more than happy to follow your lead.
Everybody pushes kids along. That's a given. The question is why? The answer has nothing to do with the teachers. Every teacher I know would retain a kid that needs it. But the teachers are under pressure. Isn't all of this clear?
I think the blog is great but I'm sad that it is so much more passionate than any union gathering I've ever seen. Yes we have to hide behind anonymous posts. That is so wrong. I wish there wasn't such fear in our schools. I know about Normandin but I'd guess othere places are the same. Wouldn't it be great if we could do something?
As someone who has worked at many schools around the district as an intinerant, I have witnessed much of what is being said here. Students being passed along after they have not mastered the skills-WHY? Principals telling them they can only retain a certain number of students so the state doesn't come down on them... where do they get that message? Central Office. Why does Central Office give that message? To keep the School Committee from coming in and telling us we are doing something wrong. Why do we care about what the School Committe (A group of elected officals who won a popularity contest rather than have credentails to prescribe any realistic ideas to today's education)thinks? Because with nepotism still in existance, we would be out of a job and easily replaced by some good ole boy connection...
Hard decisions. I am still not satisfied. This is not specific. I think the idea that teachers are pressured to retain, and retention as a solution itself, are a sideshow. Maybe it happens, maybe it is used as an excuse [ by the new teacher, old teacher, parent]. it is a wild goose chase like the ridiculous pursuit of scheduling changes. Schedules, retention, parents, bullying, feel good programs can only come after we know we have a clear academic focus. Personally, I think we are all over the place, misaligned, with poor math and literacy strategies the norm - with few exceptions. Saying that sounds like blaming teachers, but nothing could be further from the truth. Teachers are busting their humps with increasing pressure, programs, and class sizes. Leaders who don't value or prioritize core instruction are the impediment to improvement.
By getting rid of Bonneau, Dr. Francis would be sending a message of support to the teachers and students and a message of independence and strength to the school committee. She needs both of these messages. Do others think she realizes this?
I agree on the importance of those messages, but I don't think Dr. Francis realizes it. My sense is that she feels so targeted by Mitchell that instead of pursuing something significant and forward thinking, like getting rid Bonneau and others like her, she feels forced to speak DESE-ese, turnaround plans, innnovation schools etc. In other words, big bureaucratic ideas that probably won't make a heck of a difference.
14 comments:
Where the hell have people been? Your top students are at Voke, claiming a Darthmouth address, or paying for Stang. This is not the fault of teachers this is the fault of all that have turned a blind eye to what is reality. When it is common practice to move kids along from grade to grade inspite of teacher input, this is the result.
Fifth grade teachers a warned not to retain, middle school teachers are given the "what are you doing wrong and remember you will have that kid next year". The failures from the middle school are then dumped on the doorstep of the high school. Now we are going to look at student scores and tie them to teacher performance?
Principals are not removed from this, when the question is why is such and such a school retaining less students than your school? Parents who take no part in their kids education and watch their kids being shoved from grade to grade. As for students who pass MCAS but can't pass the grade level frameworks,hmmmmmmm, We have all had reg. ed. kids who passed the MCAS and can't read.
This system needs to decide, do we continue to do the same thing and then point fingers when it all hits the fan or do we really make some changes?
That would mean that the system would need to point to everyone downtown, SC, courts, City Hall, parents, and teachers and demand that the hard decisions be made. So I guess the question is now who has the courage to really call it for what it is and do something to fix it?
Most of the better students go to Voke. NBHS ends up with the Roosevelt and Normandin students that are being pushed along. Their luck runs out at the high school. Student achievement will increase when the district holds them accountable.
Oh man. In regard to the first comment, I am so sick of people saying, "make the hard decisions" and never, ever specifying.
As a teacher at Normandin, I see Bonneau constantly blaming teachers for giving students the bad grades they have earned. There is a quiet pressure to make the kids pass. The teachers are afraid to stand up for honesty in grading. How sad.
Perhaps I was not clear enough, by hard decisions I mean;
1. If a kid can't learn the Curriculum Frameworks then don't pass them along. Your name is now linked to that kids scores. How is it possible that kid had a B average in Math but can't pass benchmarks or the MCAS?
2.The district needs to back off teachers who feel a kid needs to be retained.
3. The SC needs to step up to the plate and decide do we keep things as usual or do we create a policy that has some meat to it, then do we enforce?
I hope this clears thins up.
To the Watchdog are you telling us Keith does not push kids along? If that is the case then Keith needs to share how they do that! I for one would be more than happy to follow your lead.
Everybody pushes kids along. That's a given. The question is why? The answer has nothing to do with the teachers. Every teacher I know would retain a kid that needs it. But the teachers are under pressure. Isn't all of this clear?
I think the blog is great but I'm sad that it is so much more passionate than any union gathering I've ever seen. Yes we have to hide behind anonymous posts. That is so wrong. I wish there wasn't such fear in our schools. I know about Normandin but I'd guess othere places are the same. Wouldn't it be great if we could do something?
As someone who has worked at many schools around the district as an intinerant, I have witnessed much of what is being said here. Students being passed along after they have not mastered the skills-WHY? Principals telling them they can only retain a certain number of students so the state doesn't come down on them... where do they get that message? Central Office. Why does Central Office give that message? To keep the School Committee from coming in and telling us we are doing something wrong. Why do we care about what the School Committe (A group of elected officals who won a popularity contest rather than have credentails to prescribe any realistic ideas to today's education)thinks? Because with nepotism still in existance, we would be out of a job and easily replaced by some good ole boy connection...
Hard decisions.
I am still not satisfied. This is not specific. I think the idea that teachers are pressured to retain, and retention as a solution itself, are a sideshow. Maybe it happens, maybe it is used as an excuse [ by the new teacher, old teacher, parent]. it is a wild goose chase like the ridiculous pursuit of scheduling changes.
Schedules, retention, parents, bullying, feel good programs can only come after we know we have a clear academic focus. Personally, I think we are all over the place, misaligned, with poor math and literacy strategies the norm - with few exceptions.
Saying that sounds like blaming teachers, but nothing could be further from the truth. Teachers are busting their humps with increasing pressure, programs, and class sizes. Leaders who don't value or prioritize core instruction are the impediment to improvement.
When will the nepotism issue at Normandin be exposed?
Dr. Francis is aware of the nepotism problem. I'm not sure about the school committee. It will be a really big deal if the news gets out there.
By getting rid of Bonneau, Dr. Francis would be sending a message of support to the teachers and students and a message of independence and strength to the school committee. She needs both of these messages. Do others think she realizes this?
I agree on the importance of those messages, but I don't think Dr. Francis realizes it. My sense is that she feels so targeted by Mitchell that instead of pursuing something significant and forward thinking, like getting rid Bonneau and others like her, she feels forced to speak DESE-ese, turnaround plans, innnovation schools etc. In other words, big bureaucratic ideas that probably won't make a heck of a difference.
Post a Comment