Education reformer Paul Vallas, who last visited Peoria in late 2007, is returning this Saturday morning to meet with Peoria City Council members at Mayor Ardis’s request. The Council has scheduled a full-day retreat this Saturday at the Peoria Civic Center’s Lexus Room starting at 9 a.m. The agenda for the meeting includes several guest speakers including Vallas, a representative from Mesirow Financial, and Heart of Illinois United Way Vice President of Community Investment Don Johnson.
Ardis says he didn’t ask Vallas to speak on any specific topic, but about reforming schools in general. “His experience in successfully reforming urban school districts should make his comments informative and relevant,” Ardis said Tuesday.
The last time Vallas was in town (also at Ardis’s request), the Journal Star reported (12/22/2007):
Vallas said if District 150 were to engage in reform efforts, he would spend his spring break in Peoria working with the district. He would recruit one or more persons to work on the project locally, and he would come back to Peoria periodically to monitor the progress.
He said Ardis has agreed to pay for his gas expenses driving to and from Peoria, along with occasional overnight hotel stays during his road trips.
But despite the City’s efforts to help improve the City’s schools, District 150 said, “no thanks.” Since then, the District has shortened the school day for several Wednesdays at a number of primary schools for no justifiable reason, fired their Comptroller/Treasurer for undisclosed reasons, decided to close four schools (including a high school yet to be named), and issue bonds for $38 million to dig out of a budget deficit. No need for outside advice from a proven reformer here, huh?
Dear Kirk, I love you.
Paul Vallas was invited to speak to a small group in 2007 and that meeting was closed to the public. The retreat at the Civic Center is open to the public (SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2009, from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO HOLD A COUNCIL RETREAT. To be Held at the Peoria Civic Center, Lexus Room, 201 S. W. Jefferson, Peoria, Illinois.)
I would encourage citizens to go to the meeting if only to hear Vallas speak. He is more than motivating- he exemplifies the many qualities of an effective leader. It is fantastic that he is still willing to share his insight and experience even though he has been apparently rebuffed by some District 150 officials.
On a related matter, the new CEO for the Chicago Public schools, Ron Huberman, announced he is reorganizing the district wide Chicago Public Schools administration and has plans to cut up to 1000 non-class room positions in order to save money.
I listened to Ron Huberman speak Wednesday night while in Chicago and he made the emphatic point that he would not be cutting any teachers or school principals. He said he will only cut central administration staff to fill the budget gap. He is another very impressive person.
Huberman and Vallas have a commonality- before they became school system CEOs they did not work in the field of education. Perhaps District 150’s search for a new Superintendent should be focused on candidates with similar talents and skill sets?
Diane-
You hit the nail on the head when you said Hinton did not like his authority being challenged. In my opinion, good leaders encourage others to challenge their views. They also surround themselves with staff who are talented and then encourage these talented people to challenge his way of thinking.
Instead Hinton surrounds himself with “yes men” who bow down to him. God forbid anyone challenges the district’s current practices. Those that do are sent packing.
Diane: I am curious about the $600,000–in this economy, what companies would be willing to pay this amount to District 150? I’m just leary of people like Vallas and Huberman only because I believe they had success because they had “fire in their bellies” to get the job done. They can’t “sell” that passion. People only have passion for their own ideas–the passion is not tranferable. So many of these ideas will not work without the passion. I hope someone understands that. Nowadays so many educators have success with their own ideas–then decide to quit teaching (for which they claimed to have so much passion) and “go on the road” to sell their ideas. Then a school district “buys” the program, but the people who have to carry out the ideas (the teachers) aren’t asked to “buy into” the program in order to get the passion (they are just told to carry it out). I went through that with Dr. Strand’s Efficacy Program–I did buy into it, but in the end it wasn’t all that effective–actually, it died quickly.
Sharon:
As a teacher in 150 I’ve already seen what you mean by districts “buying” or “buying into” certain programs and having them dying out quickly. Anyone remember 21 Keys? Enough said.
I’ve already overdone my FIOA requests. But I’d like to know the names of all the programs that District 150 has bought–and ask how much has been spent on them over the last 5-10 years.
Sharon: One can never overdo the amount of FOIA’s! Just you need to have a money tree in one’s yard to keep pace with all the documents to find out about the ‘rest of the story’ in the Paul Harvey tradition!
Karrie: Yes, I’m finding that out–there are always questions left unanswered.
Sharon – I saw Vallas speak today. He is awesome. Please read my blogpost on it and that should address your questions to me from earlier today.
http://peoriarocks.blogspot.com/2009/06/top-school-reformer-paul-vallas.html
Diane, I wish I could be as optimistic as you are–little of what Vallas says is new. Dr. Strand’s Efficacy program was very much based on Vallas’ premise about changing attitudes about students in poverty that are behind academically. Longer school days, school years, air conditioning, smart boards, laptops (Royster promised every kid a computer)–who hasn’t thought of all those things? District 150 already has a comprehensive curriculum that builds on skills from one year to the next.
At least, I would hope that–before giving Vallas $600,000–the city and district would do some serious studies of their own to find out how much of what Vallas says is hype and how much is reality. I found this online (and there are some negative opinions):
“He now presides over 34 traditional schools and another 33 independently run but publicly financed charter schools — a system about as large as the Olathe, Kan., district — with a weakened teachers’ union, no local school board or bureaucracy and unprecedented funding. State and federal aid provide about $16,000 a pupil, nearly twice what most districts spend. ”
Much of what Vallas proposes requires plenty of money–and you know how I feel about a weakened teachers’ union.
I’m sorry; I am just turned off by so much hype. I’ve heard it too often. Are the Chicago and New Orleans schools now all meeting NCLB’s AYP standards? Who in Peoria would be carrying out Vallas’ plan (he won’t be doing much more than visiting)? Will his consultants live here–and with whom will they be consulting–how much “help” will $600,000 buy? It just sounds so unrealistic to me.
I love the part about teachers who “work like there’s no tomorrow.” I guess I’m going to have to go with the cynical approach: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Actually, much of this sounds exactly like what I’ve heard and am still hearing about the restructured Manual under the Johns Hopkins program (Jim Stowell said it was a “New way for a new day.” I don’t think so. Sorry, Diane, I know what it’s like to be excited about something and to have others throw cold water on it. Sorry to be the cold water. Who knows maybe it would all work–and I don’t get a vote anyway.
Sorry Diane, but Vallas is an incompetent bureaucrat. LONGER DAYS AND LONGER YEAR? “Vallas attributes a large degree of his success in New Orleans to the fact that he was able to start ‘from scratch’.” AND get a huge amount of government money after Katrina!!!!!
He is a business man running a business model. I don’t know and don’t care what his education experience or background is… he is a bean counter.
He thinks of schools as production lines putting out a product.
Notre Dame does not HAVE to provide and education to anyone/everyone that shows up on enrollment day. Richwoods does. So the question of which one provides a “better” education is not really fair. If a kid transfers from ND to Richwoods and enrolls in basic classes, I have no doubt that these are “less challenging” than the equivalent ND classes. But at the highest level Richwoods offers the International Baccalaureate program which is unmatched in the area. I doubt any kid from ND transferred to Richwoods into the IB program and found it to be less challenging than ND.
oooooh, the “International” Baccalaureate program…. and they still can’t read, write or critically think about anything they see on TV. BUT THEY CAN still get into a College or University, if they can afford it.
What schools have you reformed KCdad?
Sharon – Vallas is the real deal and has the record to prove it. Very disingenuous to try to lump him in with the token snake-oil salesman….
Diane, you know I’m going to remain skeptical. 🙂 Before I believe anything about improvements in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, I would have to hear from teachers in the “Vallas” school districts (and not just the ones chosen by Vallas to endorse his claims). Also, at the luncheon yesterday, how many teachers were invited? I do not trust any reformers who do not include teachers in the planning process. How can you expect teachers to implement a plan that doesn’t include them in the process? Just how would you foresee the Vallas plan going into effect in Peoria? The idea of all magnet schools is an absurd idea. The restructured Manual was hyped to be a “choice” school, but no one is talking about that anymore–only 13 Peoria High or Woodruff students opted in to the freshman academy last year. If all Peoria schools became magnet schools, the magnet would pull everyone northward. My opinion is that Vallas hasn’t stayed long enough in any one place to declare any kind of educational victories. I do know that before Vallas many very unqualified teachers were teaching in the Chicago schools–the same simply cannot be said of District 150. I would be curious to see the creditials of the present Chicago teachers–especially, since they apparently don’t have to be certified. I still want to know what the $600,000 would buy. How much of Vallas’ time would be included? It seems to me that Vallas isn’t committing his consultants, not himself. Actually, the PJS seemed to state the consultants would help 150 acquire federal funding–then what? I’m a bit nervous about all the tax dollars that could be going to buy “pigs in a poke.” P.S., I didn’t call Vallas a snake oil salesman; Kcdad did–but then I didn’t disagree. I do know that he must be extremely charismatic.
Diane: I guess it’s just you and I. I am doing a little online research about Vallas. My conclusion so far: In Chicago, his efforts were successful largely due to the formation of charter schools (which I believe probably resulted in cherry picking and leaving the lowest performing students in the “regular” schools). Also, NCLB scores did improve, then they plateaued just before he left–indicating that perhaps his solutions were not longlasting. In Philadelphia (just started looking) but he did one good thing–got rid of Edison.
I will quit for the night–but this is one criticism of Vallas in Philadelphia:
Deficits – Consultants–sound familiar.
“In terms of academic performance, Paul Vallas’s results are mixed at best. Over the last year, we have seen tests scores rise, but the number of students actually graduating from our schools is low. In fact, as we learned earlier this year, approximately 46% of Philadelphia high schoolers do not graduate. This has an effect on our workforce, crime and development. That number must improve.
Now, in the middle of a budget year, Paul Vallas announces there is a $70,000,000.00 deficit. This is quite a different tone from the beginning of the budget year when bonuses and raises for his high-level management were given out. We have known for a time that he has brought in many of his Chicago-people for upper management positions and consulting gigs. To me, it seems the School District of Philadelphia becoming his vehicle for patronage? ”
I don’t think 150 is giving Vallas any serious consideration, but my advice is “Buyer Beware!” Look at the negatives as well as the positives. There is no doubt that Vallas has positives. I have to admit that his stance on discipline (my favorite topic) is appealing.
Diane, I am not interested in reforming schools, I am interested in starting over. This bureaucracy called the education system is grown to large and has very little to do with children or education and is all about money, business and politics.
Vallas has succeeded in New Orleans because he got carte blanche to pump up the scores.
Sharon, if you quote from an article, please provide a link to the entire article. 😉
Diane: http://youngphillypolitics.com/node/1759
My huge mistake about Vallas–I read too quickly. He didn’t get rid of Edison in Philadelphia, he brought Edison in–which, as in Peoria–undoubtedly contributed to the deficit that Philadelphia was experiencing when Vallas left. Now I have some questions about Vallas and his interest in Peoria. According to much that I have read about an earlier time, Vallas consistently denied being part of a business to sell the Vallas model. When he comes to Peoria with talk about his consultants, etc., that implies a company–what is the name of his company? If I have read correctly, his offer to Peoria so far has been offer his consultants to give Peoria advice as to how to acquire federal dollars. If those dollars were acquired, what would Vallas’ next offer be to Peoria?
Sharon – you linked to a discussion blog, which as we know is mostly opinion. I read that whole thread and it referenced few if any facts. According to the article I link to below, Philly’s school district was a huge mess when he got there. Further, if he was such a schmuck, why did they hire him in Chicago? Few debate the success of his tenure in Chicago, and few debate the success of his tenure in New Orleans. That said, I’m honestly not quite sure the purpose of this discussion. To my knowlege, he has no plans to be our next superintendent – I think his dance card is full. The discussions that are you are referring to regarding his consulting services happened years ago and is most likely not even on the table anymore.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MJG/is_1_3/ai_94893900/
Diane–I think we can agree to disagree on the Vallas issue–especially, since he more than likely will not be working in Peoria in any capacity. We have “other fish to fry” on issues on which we can agree. After reading so much about Vallas, I certainly agree with his attitude about discipline, etc. District 150 could easily do what he do if their attitudes toward discipline problems would change. Also, most of his work has been done in big city schools. He was able to create charter schools that were successful–therefore, he can claim success in 20 schools in Philadelphia, etc. Those successful schools carried the district. Therefore, Vallas could claim victory even though a good many schools (and students) in Chicago, Philly, etc., were still “left behind” so to speak. District 150 can’t sustain very many charter or magnet schools–there just aren’t that many students. 150 just can’t afford to pull all of its better students out of failing schools to create a few “good” schools–while leaving those others behind.
Diane… Do you remember our previous Superintendent? She was a disaster in Detroit, and we hired her, she was a disaster here, and she still got hired in St Louis. That is what bureaucracies do with their incompetents… they pawn them off on our bureaucracies. ANYTHING to get out from under their contracts.
“oooooh, the “International” Baccalaureate program…. and they still can’t read, write or critically think about anything they see on TV.”
kcdad, do you even know what IB is? LOL
It looks like what we used to call 2 years of high school…
“The Diploma Programme (sic) for students aged 16 to 19 is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to final examinations and a qualification that is welcomed by leading universities around the world.”
(from their website)
What am I supposed to be impressed about? That they study science, language, and humanities at the same time???? Or that they have a “non-profit status”?
The IB program is an outstanding program KCdad. The real advantages of it, are it’s global acceptance and global standards. Peoria just has the HS level program, but there are IB schools going down to the grade school level too. If you are a highly mobile professional, having your kid in an IB program makes your child’s credentials transportable to any other IB school around the world. It is a program for expats, would be expats, or anyone wanting a top level program. Yes it was probably brought here for Cat folks.
It is probably the only thing I would send my kid to District 150 for over Notre Dame. This view is subject to change…. Notre Dame isn’t perfect and it is expensive.
“it’s global acceptance and global standards”
“child’s credentials transportable”
“It is a program for expats”
Because after all… school is about getting a job… right?
How many,,, I mean, what percentage of kids at Richwoods are going overseas for a job? Or transferring to another school overseas? And what advantage do you think there really is to the IB program once you get out of the United States? None of my friends who went to school in Switzerland, Japan or Brazil went through an IB program.
You can believe whatever you want about fancy names and expensive programs… (“non-profit” organization… yeah. We all know that just means they spend all their profits before the end of the year)
We need to ask ourselves why the IB program was not needed until maybe 20-25 years ago? All four high schools (yes, including Manual) were educating students–many of whom (yes, even from Manual) have lived very, very productive lives–with both satisfying lives and jobs. Whatever happened in more recent years needs to be analyzed so that decisions can be made as to the kinds of changes that need to be made. Mary Spangler and other board members (according to today’s PJS) complained because the mayor, etc., stated that changes need to be made in 150. So far the BOE and administration have made many changes–but they have not consulted the classroom experts (the teachers) about any of them. For instance, soon they will have to admit that Manual’s plan is not working. When will they start including the teachers in the process? My guess is “No time soon.” I guess they (and all others who believe that teachers care only about themselves and not about the children with whom they spend so much of their time) willl soon have to give up their day jobs and get in the classrooms to show us all how it is done.
Kcdad:
“Because after all… school is about getting a job… right?”
Have you ever thought that not everyone is as “enlightened” as you are? You seem to think that teachers encouraging students to do well in school, work hard, go out and get jobs (yes I said that), and encourage them to be productive members of their communities are just awful things to do and it’s robbing them of any intellectual “pouring out” of knowledge or whatever other phrase you care to teach us with your incredible etymological intellect. There are many DIFFERENT people with many DIFFERENT points of view (thank God for blogs huh?). Some people just want to go out and get jobs when they get out of school. Did you know that? That’s what many people WANT to do after school. Some without college. Others with trade school. Some people are just motivated by money and making it. Is it right? Is it wrong? Is it OK to have a doctorate in Philosophy, sit down and solve all the world’s problems, and then serve coffee at Starbucks? I don’t know. To each their own.
For those of you who want the other side of the story on Vallas:
This one about why he was relieved of his job in Philadelphia:
http://www.phillymag.com/articles/power_reformer_rip/
This one about his previous visit to Peoria:
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-6z6IhP08cqXp9kfshYQPv87gCfJyFg–?cq=1&p=1817
teachingisphun… go have some more fun with our kids… teach them to want to be wage slaves. Teach them to be dependent upon the media for their information, teach them to be good little sheep… and collect your $70,000 for 9 months paycheck. The school district will support your fun and games.
kcdad:
There is the overgeneralizing again. We don’t teach our students to be wage slaves, we don’t teach them to be dependent on our media for information, and we don’t teach them to be good little sheep. I don’t know about other teachers salaries but I certainly do not make $70,000 a year. We teach reading, math, science, music, art, and other disciplines that help make our students as well-rounded as possible. We also spend a lot of time teaching how to be respectful to others and critical thinking skills. Yes, these things happen in our schools whether you say it does or not. I see these things happen on a daily basis.
We all (for the exception of those on public assistance which is another debate) work to earn money for the things we need and enjoy. How do you earn your living? Do you enjoy what you do? Is it important? Personally, I’m happy with my career. I’m certainly not well off and I struggle time to time financially with student loans and will continue to for awhile. I have a second job to help make ends meet. Overall though I enjoy my life and I can thank the public education system for my start. Are there problems with it? Yes. But when it comes down to it, there are always going to be teachers who care, rise above the mishaps of administrators and “business” side of education, and teach children. They also teach children to pursue what interests them. I know your idea of a good education is different than everyone else on here and that’s fine. In case you haven’t figured it out though, your way would not work for everyone. Just letting you know. Your welcome.
Don’t bother. kcdad knows everything about everything and sees everything from his ivory tower. I have never read a more jaded person in my life which makes me wonder what kcdad is doing around podunk Peoria wasting his time like the rest of us peasants.
Emtronics:
I know how it is. I’ve sparred with him a few times on this same subject. He probably doesn’t realize though that there are people that he considers “wage slaves” that provide services such as fixing our cars, fixing our roads, driving the trucks that carry our goods, and other services that make our communities continue. He also doesn’t seem to think that some of these people ENJOY doing these things. He must not enjoy these types of services because he probably doesn’t want to get close to us peasants. He thinks we should teach the difference between socialism and capitalism to first graders and blame teachers when students don’t listen no matter how interesting a teacher may make a lesson. He also thinks teachers are evil beings that are strictly bent on turning our students into these “wage slaves” and not thinking for themselves. Being a teacher though, I think it’s necessary to keep teaching kcdad the way OUR world works.
teachingisphun: mechanics and transportation workers? Are they “below” you? What made you think I meant them? I MEANT PEOPLE LIKE YOU. You work two jobs because ONE JOB , one career, one occupation just isn’t enough to “get by” in OUR world. Well , WHY THE HELL NOT? You sound just George Bush during the 2004 campaign when a woman told him she had three jobs and he giggled his idiotic conservative giggle and said “WOW… AMAZING. How typically American.”
What do you call someone taking a job simply to survive instead of choosing to do something with their lives that they might actually enjoy and be good at? Any idea what the job satisfaction rate is in this country? Of course not and you don’t care either. People work to make money… duh… they are forced to sell their labor to someone else at less than the labor is worth so that other person can make a profit off it. That is wage slavery. That is what runs YOUR capitalist economy… NOT investment, NOT entrepreneurship, NOT money. Ensuring that there is a 5-8% unemployment rate and a survival need (see Mazlow’s heirarchy of needs) for money that is intentionally kept worthless. (You don’t believe money is worthless? Why is using credit given a discount over cash?)
Emtronics: you are not a peasant… you are one of the great dangers to the peasants.
I just got back from a short 4 day camping trip so I missed the trap….
It isn’t a trap actually. I have been involved with the debate between public and private schools in four seperate districts in two different states. I can discuss this general education issue without relating it to Peoria.
disclaimer: I have no knowledge of the teachers at ND so not only wouldn’t I sit in judgement on this forum…. I honestly can’t.
I was a Physics teacher and spent four years teaching at Cahokia High School. Cahokia is 90% low income and has extremely low test scores.
I know that our top students had a much more challenging and college prep experience in the math and sciences than the local 2 private schools had. Those private schools were both very similiar to ND.
The same situation existed in Orlando.
If parents set high standards for their kids then ANY public school has a path to prepare students for top-level colleges. At Cahokia we had national merit scolars and had students accepted and succeed at top universities. The level of college acceptance for the top Knights this past year is extremely impressive.
kcdad: greed works and having a higher paycheck in public schools makes it easier to find skilled math and science teachers.
I can be the toughest critic on Physics and Chemistry teachers (my areas), but I completely pleased with what I will be working with next year at RHS.
Quick Note:
I do know of other private schools that are fortunate to have wonderful math and science teachers and this could be the case with the local private schools. All of my working relations with the private schools in this area have been very pleasant and I am impressed with what I have seen.
But I will defend what is offered to the college prep. students at not only RHS but also at the other local public schools.
Steve, what saddens me is that 20+ years ago I made all the same Manual High School vs. private school arguments. I certainly do believe that public schools can do the job as well as and even better than private schools.
No one is “above” or “below” anyone else. I’m simply pointing out to you that there are people that DO want to work and earn money. Making money is what makes some people happy. Not always the jobs themselves but the money. How many children go through school saying, “Gee, when I get out of school I want to run a drill press at a sheet metal factory!”? Many people that don’t know what they want to do with their lives though will take a job doing this and stick with it. Their is nothing wrong with this! Like I said earlier, it’s not my place to say whether that’s right or wrong but that’s the way it is. Some people do it to ensure that their families are supported and others do it for their own benefit and material possessions. If working for someone else is considered being a wage slave well then I guess a good majority of people are. Are you a wage slave? Do you personally benefit from wage slaves? Did someone come and get your trash this morning? Someone came and got mine. Thank goodness for that. If you’re against wage slaves, live a week without those people and services that you consider to be wage slaves and see how you fare. Honestly. Could you do it?
As teachers we encourage ALL students to find their own niche and to do whatever they need to do to pursue their dreams and goals. In addition to that though there are fundamental things that need to be taught (things that I mentioned in the other post). ANYONE can do what they want to do and we live in a country were dreams and goals are possible with hard work. I’m trying to eliminate some (not all) of the blame that you place on teachers in some students shortcomings. Believe it or not, some students from 150 students go on to be successful and happy. Probably not according to your standards though.
BTW, I’m very happy with my life and my career. I think it’s funny that you assumed I make $70,000 a year, get told that I don’t, then ask me why I have two jobs to make ends meet. I’d rather have an apple on my desk than a BMW in my garage. If I have to have another job to help pay some bills here and there in order to enjoy my job for the time being, then I’ll do it. It’s not even really a sacrifice because I enjoy both my jobs and yes, I’m damn good at them.
Steve:
“If parents set high standards for their kids then ANY public school has a path to prepare students for top-level colleges.”
Spot on sir.
teaching…
thanks… but let me clarify myself so others don’t get the wrong impression.
I think that we are entrusted with educating all of our kids, especially the ones without supportive parents. I do think that educators (teachers and admins) too often “cop out” by placing the blame on parents without being truly introspective and seeking constant improvement.
But I think that it is ironic that the parents that are supportive enough and involved enough with their son’s or daughter’s future to consider alternative placements are the ones that will find success in ANY public school.
Steve: “Greed works”??? Yeah, if you want greedy employees, and a greedy society.
teachingisphun: OMG! Listen to yourself.. money is what makes people happy???? WHO believes that? People in our society SETTLE for money because they are taught that is what will make them happy.
Steve: Let me make one correction in your statement and ask for your reaction:
“But I think that it is ironic that the parents that are supportive enough and involved enough with their son’s or daughter’s future to consider alternative placements are the ones that will find success [IN SPITE OF] ANY public school.”
The success, in my opinion, occurs despite being institutionalized in whatever school they end up in.
kc: back to the earlier discussion…. its not that I want it to be that way…. it just is.
I think that there is some truth in your added comments, but the “in spite of” aspect doesn’t only imply failings in public education but it also entails the conditions and expectations that are placed on public schools that private schools are not burdened with.
(But we can not take these conditions as excuses.)
I completely understand, Steve. But it isn’t that way unless we make it that way. Please don’t allow the “easy way” to take over your thinking. Of course you can always appeal to people’s lower instincts, but education is supposed to appeal to the HIGHEST of our ideals.
Otherwise, what is the point…
If all you want is money, NO education is necessary… go to Walmart or McDonalds… they prefer the uneducated. It takes a special kind of education to go for the big bucks like Michael Madoff and Mike Stanford.
“No one is “above” or “below” anyone else.”
teachingisphun, do tell…
how did you come to this quixotic conclusion?
Erik:
Don’t you want a teacher to have the exact view of teachingisphun? Teachingisphun has the ability to see all students as equal and fully capable of doing whatever they want to with their life. People outside of education may see this as a bad thing or something unattainable. I wouldn’t want a teacher in a classroom who doesn’t have this ability.
Kcdad:
My only question for you is this: Aren’t you able to think, agree or disagree, and verbally attack people on this blog because somewhere, along the way, you had teachers who taught you the ability to think critically and come to your own conclusions about your beliefs and the ways of this crazy world we live in? Believe me, sir, you weren’t born this way.
Every doctor you see won’t be the best. Some mechanics may rip you off. Some police officers are crooks and some lawyers have scruples. My point is, there is “bad” in every profession. Not every single teacher in the classrooms is perfect. If you ask us, we’ll tell you none of us are perfect. There are some, however, who love their job, love their kids, love this world, and want to make it a better place by working with children and helping to empower them to be their very best. Who are you to tell them (teachers and students) exactly what it is they should want in life?
Teachingisphun:
I quite agree. You are damn good at your jobs and I’m glad to have been able to see you doing both. I’m a better teacher because of seeing you doing one of them!
“Aren’t you able to think, agree or disagree, and verbally attack people on this blog because somewhere, along the way, you had teachers who taught you the ability to think critically and come to your own conclusions about your beliefs and the ways of this crazy world we live in? Believe me, sir, you weren’t born this way.”
Oh I see… because I can write a teacher taught me how. Because I can think, a teacher taught me how, because I am, a teacher taught me… Erik… how silly of you. I can write because I wanted to. I can think because I chose to. I can communicate because I need to. I think in my years of schooling I can identify 4 teachers who made a real difference….
Edith Semelroth, MaryGreener, Jay Holstein, Bernardo Gallegos…
Edith taught me that we can matter if we choose to
Mary taught me education comes from within if we allow it out
Jay taught me things aren’t always what they seem
and Bernardo taught me to listen to the voices of people and their stories… this last lesson was the most important. We were always an oral culture. We passed on all that matters through stories and relationship building communication. We were each an expert about our own experiences and that expertise added to each of our lives.
Education… on the other hand, DEMANDS that there be only one expert on life: The Teacher, or The School, or The System, or Society.
Education is what is destroying our society because apparently (look around at our wonderful example here in Peoria) we don’t know how to “do it”.
teachingrocks: “Don’t you want a teacher to have the exact view of teachingisphun? Teachingisphun has the ability to see all students as equal and fully capable of doing whatever they want to with their life. People outside of education may see this as a bad thing or something unattainable.”
teachingisphun is living in La La Land if he/she treats every student the same and thinks they have an equal chance to succeed. (If only they would listen to me, their teacher, and take from me the secret knowledge to succeed in the world)
People outside of education (you mean those living in the real world) may see this as something unattainable… well yeah… I think they do.