Re: Fwd: Wall Street Journal Article on Ed

[Judie Hirsch <judih@OUSD.K12.CA.US>]

I must say that I have had tremendous success with tenagers who had little
or no support from home, often because there was nobody there to give
support. Sure, it takes a lot of effort, but isn't that what it's all
about??? wha does it matter whose kid it is? They are all OUR children and
will affect our society one way or another. Of course, it's harder to get
close to someone who has been neglected for a long time and thus has walls
built up around him (or her) for protection, but it is possible to slowly
wear them away if we keep at it. If you have been following my posts about
the boy who sais "don't touch," then I will tell you that today he asked for
help while we were working onthe distributive property and even put an
answer on the board!!! He is beginning to trust me and that means that he is
beginning to feel safe enough to learn. We will all be better off if he has
a good and productive life, so I am doing my part.
Judi
----- Original Message -----
From: Jean M. Ward <jmward@QWEST.NET>
To: <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 2:18 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Wall Street Journal Article on Ed


> From my own eyes, I have seen the vast difference between kids who have
> involved parents and the kids who don't.
>
> True, parent's influence diminishes as the child ages and peer pressure
> takes over.  Hopefully, we have instilled in them what is important to
> help them make the proper choices.  However, I also know that unless
> "involved" parents don't push a reluctant child, they will fail.  I am a
> step-parent (came into the family when he was 14) who watched my
> husband's son use school failure in jr. high & high school as a way to
> "control" us in his adolescence.  However, with consequences and his
> aging, he was successful at earning a high school diploma (3 mos. late)
> but a diploma none the less.  And our high school requires a Senior
> Project as a condition for graduating.  He did it but it never would
> have happened without "involved" parents.
>
> That was the hardest 4 to 5 years in our new marriage.  But we all
> survived.
>
> My husband's 13 yr. old (7th grade) is smart as a whip.  Always has
> been.  But this year, which we were told to expect, school isn't so
> important to him and his good grades started slipping the second
> quarter.  As "involved" parents, with consequences for his choices, we
> are seeing improvements and we expect A's and B's this report card
> (expected anytime now).
>
> The point is, parents DO HAVE influence or whatever it's called.
>
> Jean Ward
>
>
> Mike Kluznik wrote:
> >
> > Jean,
> > As far as my views on parenting go, see the book "The Nurture
Assumption" by
> > Judith Rich Harris.  Parents aren't as influential as conventional
wisdom
> > says.
> > Mike
> >
> > >From: "Jean M. Ward" <jmward@QWEST.NET>
> > >Reply-To: Assessment Reform Network Mailing List <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
> > >To: ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU
> > >Subject: Re: Fwd: Wall Street Journal Article on Ed
> > >Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 13:28:49 -0800
> > >
> > >Mike,
> > >
> > >Hey, now THERE'S a novel idea!!!   **BIG GRIN**  Give merit pay to
> > >parents.  I'll second that.
> > >
> > >That reminds me of how I felt (as a parent) last summer.  Our
elementary
> > >school began a summer program called "Teacher in a Mailbox", to help
> > >kids keep their brains active during the summer months.  Becca was 2nd
> > >going into 3rd grade.  Strictly voluntary (we jumped at this) and were
> > >given a reading textbook and handouts in reading, writing and math and
a
> > >schedule and we sent in completed work periodically.
> > >
> > >For the kids who completed all 3 sessions (and boy was it a struggle as
> > >is anything worthwhile), they got a giant chocolate bar and certificate
> > >at their first assembly that next school year.  Not that many kids
> > >completed it.  I remarked to the teacher heading this up that the
> > >PARENTS should get the rewards, not only the kids!  And the other
> > >parents who saw it through (part of this whole exercise was a lesson in
> > >keeping a committment) felt the same way! It turns out the parents got
a
> > >certificate too.
> > >
> > >The summer was actually no different than it is all school year.  I
> > >guess I just felt it more having to keep at my daughter for 12 months.
> > >It was good for her though and I don't think it put any more pressure
on
> > >her than she made for herself.
> > >
> > >It pays off.  Parental involvement.  THAT's the TICKET!!  Just wish the
> > >ones in charge would realize that and quit blaming the teachers and put
> > >accountability where it really SHOULD be.
> > >
> > >Jean Ward
> > >Bonney Lake, WA
> > >
> > >WE WON'T WASL!
> > >
> > >Boycotting the 7th grade WASL this year
> > >Boycotting the 4th grade WASL next year
> > >
> > >Mike Kluznik wrote:
> > > >
> > > > "Don't they understand that students' performance has everything to
do
> > >with
> > > > parental involvement"?
> > > > Obviously, we ought to forget about the schools and give merit pay
to
> > > > parents.
> > > > MK
> > > >
> > > > >From: "Jean M. Ward" <jmward@QWEST.NET>
> > > > >Reply-To: Assessment Reform Network Mailing List
<ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
> > > > >To: ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU
> > > > >Subject: Re: Fwd: Wall Street Journal Article on Ed
> > > > >Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 11:20:33 -0800
> > > > >
> > > > >Mike,
> > > > >
> > > > ><<take steps toward linking teacher pay to student performance.>>
> > > > >
> > > > >This is one area that is all wrong!  Don't they understand that
> > > > >students' performance has everything to do with parental
involvement
> > > > >????  It is wrong to link teacher pay to student performance ...
> > > > >especially with high stakes tests!  This will steer virtually every
> > > > >teacher to DEFINITELY "teach to the test" (and ONLY those subjects)
> > > > >because the high stakes test scores will be the ONE barometer that
will
> > > > >drive it all.
> > > > >
> > > > >Lets see ... who wins in this scenario.
> > > > >
> > > > >1.  The state gets bragging rights for how great their high stakes
test
> > > > >is
> > > > >2.  The test scoring companies will rake in the dough (which they
> > > > >already are)
> > > > >3.  The successful "teach to the test" teachers will get pay raises
and
> > > > >keep their job
> > > > >4.  The principals and district administrators will get pay raises
and
> > > > >keep their jobs
> > > > >5.  The "Practice Makes Perfect" pro-high stakes book authors will
rake
> > > > >in the dough from their     book sales
> > > > >
> > > > >Who loses ...
> > > > >
> > > > >1.  The students who lose everything from lost curriculum to health
> > > > >(both physical and mental)
> > > > >2.  The parents (including caregivers, etc.) who lose their
> > >inquisitive,
> > > > >LOVE SCHOOL,           children
> > > > >
> > > > >Human lives ... what a price to pay ...
> > > > >
> > > > >Jean Ward
> > > > >Bonney Lake, WA
> > > > >
> > > > >WE WON'T WASL!
> > > > >
> > > > >Boycotting the 7th grade WASL this year
> > > > >Boycotting the 4th grade WASL next year
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >Mike Kluznik wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > >From: tdkluznik@uswest.net
> > > > > > >Reply-To: tdkluznik@uswest.net
> > > > > > >To: "Mike Kluznik" <mkluznik@hotmail.com>,  "  mike57"
> > > > > > ><mike57@mymailstation.com>
> > > > > > >Subject: Wall Street Journal Article on Ed
> > > > > > >Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 12:16:18 -0600
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >From the January 31, 2001 issue of the Wall Street Journal,
> > > > > > >Page A10.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >Politics & Policy
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >                Business Groups Push
> > > > > > >                Big Changes for Teachers
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >                By JUNE KRONHOLZ
> > > > > > >                Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >                WASHINGTON -- Four leading business groups
> > > > > > >called
> > > > > > >                for big changes in the way teachers are
> > > > > > >trained, promoted,
> > > > > > >                treated and paid if public schools are to be
> > > > > > >turned around.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >                Their report agrees with the education plans
> > > > > > >announced
> > > > > > >                last week by President Bush and Capitol Hill
> > > > > > >Democrats.
> > > > > > >                Those plans would require all teachers to
> > > > > > >have at least a
> > > > > > >                minor in the courses they teach, would put
> > > > > > >more money
> > > > > > >                into teacher training, and would take steps
> > > > > > >toward linking
> > > > > > >                teacher pay to student performance.
> > > > >
> > > > >SNIP
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
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