Teachers Suggest How to Improve Education

This survey, commissioned by  Scholastic Inc and the Gates Foundation, asked teachers a number of questions about the current state of American education and how it can be improved.  The survey showed that, in terms of retaining good teachers, supportive leadership (68%), time to collaborate (54%) and high-quality curriculum (49%) all out-rank higher pay (45%).

The teachers' suggestions to directly improve student performance include: "clear, common standards; multiple measures of student performance; and greater innovation, including differentiated instruction and more use of digital resources."  I certainly agree with all of these things.  But I've got one to add.  

Picking the Perfect Preschool

Choosing the right preschool for your child can be a daunting task.  This may be your child's first experience with care outside your home, and will certainly be their first school experience.  It is important to get off on the right foot.  Yet there are so many programs to choose from, and even within a school, each teacher has their own energy and classroom philosophy.  What can a parent look for to guide them towards the right school?

There are obvious issues such as safety and cleanliness, student-to-teacher ratios, travel distance and cost.  But I think that parents also need to seriously consider the way their children are taught, and perhaps take the road that is currently less traveled: a preschool curriculum that focuses on play.

Soda Tax Proposed

Yes, you read correctly.  A tax on soda.  Politicians are comparing soda to the "Big Tobacco" of old, pinning the blame for the obesity and diabetes epidemics on soda.  They draw parallels between the youth driven advertising and health problems in both.

Their plan includes: eliminating soda and candy from schools; placing a tax on soda and other sugared beverages to increase their price significantly; requiring tobacco-inspired warning labels about the sugar and calorie content; and creating a marketing campaign to educate the public on the evils of high sugar consumption.

Officials say that sugar consumption is much higher than it should be, which I don't think anyone can deny.  They say that part of the problem is the relative cheapness of unhealthy food and the relative expense of healthy food, like fresh fruits and vegetables.  They say that the proposed taxes could be used to subsidize fruits and vegetables, fund their marketing campaign and pay for health and nutrition classes in public schools.

Education Optimism

As a substitute teacher, I have a peek inside a variety of schools and teaching methods, as well as age groups of children.  Sometimes the teacher remains in the room for a while after I arrive, and at such times, I try to glean as much information as possible by watching them: how they deal with the children, which students are trustworthy, which ones whine or instigate trouble, what the discipline system is like, what the feel of the classroom is.

Even a five minute observation tells me a lot about a teacher and their classroom.  Often, I critique internally whether I agree with the teacher's methods, tone and general manner with the class.  But sometimes, on a rare, pleasant occasion, I find myself becoming a student of the teacher's method, an avid observer of the details, in awe of the smooth way a classroom can be run by a good teacher.  I was in such a classroom yesterday.

Your Baby Can Read! But Should They?

We've all seen the ads and seen the trends:  Infants who can barely sit up that can recognize 100 basic flash cards.  Toddlers who can "read" a shockingly large number of words.  Parents who park their little ones in front of the TV for hours of educational programs to give them a step up in school.  Does it work?

Well, yes.  You can see the results all around you, from the baby in the infomercial to your neighbor's little reading prodigy.  The real question is, should we be pushing our children to this extreme?

Teachers: Help Your Students Cope with Disaster

Seeing the footage of the disaster in Haiti on the news these last few weeks has been difficult.  It is hard for adults to wrap their minds around such disaster, poverty and pain.  Yet I remember how much more difficult it was to watch the news during my childhood; I was a sensitive child, easily affected by the intense words and images.

There was an earthquake in California during my early childhood; misunderstanding the wreckage I saw on the news, I wrote in my school journal entry that millions of people had died.  My teacher wrote a note on the entry, explaining that in this instance, no one had died but many buildings had been destroyed.  While teachers can not offer this comfort to students in the case of the earthquake in Haiti, they can help their students deal with various kinds of tragedy.

Every Parent and Teacher Must Teach Tolerance

Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday.  Happy Birthday to a great man, a powerful speaker, an inspiring leader. 

This is, naturally, a great time of year to talk about race relations, prejudice and tolerance; it is a time to take stock of our progress as people and families, as well as nations.  While there have been many steps forward, there is still a long way to go. 

And that brings me to something a bit controversial that I believe needs to be said: Racism is not a one way street.

Continuing Education for a Lifetime

Have you stopped learning?

It's a strange question to pose to an adult, isn't it?  Yet it is an important one.  In the last several years, studies have shown that people of all ages need to keep their minds active and engaged to remain happy and healthy into their golden years.  It's not a very surprising finding, but it is one that adults should bear in mind.

If your child stopped learning at any stage of development or had no interests outside of school, that would be a serious cause for concern; yet when adults find ourselves in that rut, we make excuses: we're busy, our careers are important, someone has to pay the bills, etc.

Children with Special Needs: Where do they belong?

As a substitute teacher, I have a somewhat unique view on how any classroom functions.  Children's usual behaviors seem to be amplified by the presence of a different leader (a.k.a. me) and possibly changes in their usual routine.  This makes the whiners more whiny, the ornery more bold and the organized almost obsessive.  Fortunately, most of this polarization can be averted by a teacher who leaves a thorough and detailed plan for the day, and by a substitute who arrives and guides the class with confidence.

Unfortunately, these measures are not always enough to help a child with special needs.  Many special needs students are so sensitive to routine that my mere presence and the lack of their usual teacher can be quite upsetting.  This initial distress often cannot be avoided; however, most students warm up within a few minutes or hours and the day is ended on a good note.

But I have become concerned with some of the special needs students I have come across in classrooms.  I don't want what I say next to be misinterpreted; I believe that most special needs students belong in a regular classroom.  The structure and interactions there are a fine environment for their education.