I had parent/Teacher Conference with my son's teacher this week, and I was shocked to hear the pressure that is being put on our teachers, and asking for a 40% improvement is outrageous! what ever happened to having a little bit of fun in school.. My son's has to refrain from talking in the classroom(which is the right thing) refrain from talking at lunch (Silent lunch as it is called) and have recess when available..The pressure on these elementary students is overwhelming along with the homework and preparations for MCAS, Benchmarks and everything else.
13 comments:
It's demoralization.
You can't FORCE information down students' throats. That is not how they learn. As a matter of fact, they need to be engaged in the process. Or else, they will shut themselves off! It's a no- win situation, and very shameful!
Without an element of fun and interaction, you've lost them!
Had a great lesson planned for Friday! We were planning to revolt against the nobility at NBHS! We analyzed the good the bad and the ugly through the kids eyes. They are very concerned about lunch and passing time. Class 1was amazing. I was so proud and at awe of their work. Class two- couldn't hook them. They were more interested in socializing than anything else. Some did try but...... By the way we really aren't planning to overthrow anything! We were connecting to the three estates of France and the French Revolution!
Of course, you know how the Revolution ended up, right?
I'm tired of all the criticism being leveled against Dr. Durkin. She is so $$$! Pia leaves me $$$$$ every time I look at her. $$$ just needs to be $$$$$$$$ by her.
Every time I hear the word "rigor" I cringe. It just sounds so Nazi Germany. Next thing you know, we'll all be chanting "Heil Hitler" as Durkin enters our buildings.
I guess Pia never read Howard Gardner's theory on multiple intelligences and how we all learn DIFFERENTLY!
GLPCS had, at most, 53 9th graders last October, 2012.
This September they had, at most, 44 10th graders.
GLPCS has a 13.6 % dropout rate. But that's only from a review of 22 students they have 4 years records on, ignoring others who seem to leave between grades and before examinations.
The real story is in the Attrition Report. This shows a grade level and how may of those kids in Grade A, never make it to Grade B.
Over the past two years, it looks like up to 50% of Grade 8 students, mostly minority or Special Ed, arrive at other destinations than GLCPS 9th grade classrooms.
Next, up to 1/3 of grade 9 students never see a Grade 10 GLCPS classroom.
The latest Attrition rate report has improved slightly. This slight improvement has coincided with a drop in the number of those scoring advanced proficient at GLCPS.
Ok! I can't take this anymore! I spent two hours and 30 minutes last evening witnessing a "change"! 13 stakeholders sat around a table for 30 minutes and brainstormed. They made statements about my school. Many of them have no idea regarding what goes on in that building. The longer I listened the more frustrated I got! These people will ultimately make recommendations to the superintendent as to what to do with my building! I feel sick! The gentleman from the workforce community wants to know what teachers do with their prep time! Sir we do not sit and nap. We have lessons to plan, papers to grade, copies to make. My prep time is not for you to manage. Should you choose to do that, it is mine no longer. It belongs to you and you will need to pay for it. Your employees are afforded break time. If you infringe on that you pay for their time only you pay overtime. Come on in and chase me around for 1 day! You'll be amazed!
The young man at the other end of the table... Sweetheart you've got a lot to learn.
To the Union person, we do not care about your personal information. Please represent the issues on the table which will eventually get there.
The parent has a personal agenda that is valid. Students come to the high school unprepared. That's a given and needs to be addressed. Right now it is the job of this committee to "fix" high school problems. Talk about a catch 22!
Hopefully this committee will get down to the work at hand. Hopefully positive change will come to NBHS.
To Natalie Sherman, please try not to believe some of the garbage out there. If a student has been suspended for not wearing his/her ID... I'm sure the issue was about the ID originally, but it turned into a shooting match with swearing involved. ID's are about identifying who belongs in our building. Ask an employee that has been not been able to get into work because they forgot theirs! How many times have I stopped someone in the hall without an ID, schedule, refusing to ID himself/herself and be told " your forcin' it!" No I'm trying to keep us all safe!
Please keep NBHS and all the employees of NBPS in your prayers. I think we really need them!
A parent enters a local elementary school to deliver gum, candy, and hair spray for her daughter. Upon her entrance she hears a tremendous amount of commotion bellowing from down the hall. As she approaches the front desk, and with some concern she inquires about the racket. The attending clerk responds by saying the school had just instituted a new strategy to increase MCAS scores by 40 percent. She wasn't quite sure if the strategy was working, but stated that its only been in place for a short time. It had been recommended by a couple of consultants and has worked in other cities. What is the strategy called asked the parent? "Silent lunch."
You make a good point about the id suspension but your meldown about a boring, dry meeting on the high school with little said that hasn't been said before, with people simply asking questions, is over the top.
The standard times should put reporters at the high school to get the real story of what goes on there..undercover..they would be appalled..they are giving a soft version of the disgusting behavior exhibited by some students there,and the lack of resources..it's a shame..
Watch out for the social climbers on that committee.
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