The book The Global Achievement Gap talked about how many teachers feel that all they have time for is to teach to the standardized test. I recently had a conversation with a fellow special education teacher. She mentioned when she prepares her students for the Dakota Step test she does not let students use manipulatives to solve math problems. This gave me quite a bit to think about. I teach math in first grade regular education math classes. I also teach pull-out math recovery students. When teaching in both areas I let students use manipulatives or tools that they need for their level of understanding. She mentioned she tries to teach math strategies that students can use during the test like fingers. In first grade we let students use cubes, place value blocks, number lines, graphic organizers for addition and subtraction, 100s chart, arrow cards etc… I thought it was both true and sad that teachers feel they do not have enough time to prepare students for the real-world.
Chapter one discussed the real- world importance of knowing how to ask questions. Another skill this chapter talked about was the need for high school students to work together as a team. Then the chapter talked about achievement gaps. “..Two achievement gaps in our education systems… the gap between the quality of schooling that most middle class kids get in America and the quality of schooling available for most poor and minority children….The second one is the global achievement gap…-the gap between what even our best suburban, urban, and rural public schools are teaching and testing vs. what all students will need to succeed as learners, workers and citizens in today’s global economy.”(pg.8). There are a few things other than the basics that I feel all students need to be taught typing, computer skills, and personal finance. It would be awesome if all high school students were required to complete a 10 week internship in a business field of their choice. This would let students know if they wanted to pursue a career in that field of work.
Chapter one lists the Seven Survival Skills for the 21st Century:
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
• Agility and Adaptability
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
• Effective Oral and Written Communication
• Accessing and Analyzing Information
• Curiosity and Imagination
Chapter two talks about what students are learning and what students actually need to know as adults. The author and a group of people from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation toured schools. In this chapter it talks about how students need to apply their knowledge instead of just memorizing facts.
Chapter three mentions that No Child Left Behind has a goal of 100% in reading in math for all students by 2014. How is 100% for every child even possible? To put that in perspective how many classroom tests end up with all students receiving 100%? This chapter asks if high school students are citizenship-ready and college ready. I was surprised to find out that high school advanced placement courses did not prepare students for college any better than regular courses. Students were provided with more material to memorize than the regular classroom students.
Chapter four is about re-inventing the curriculum. What this means is every few years there is a push to teach a new way. The problem with this is that no one explains to the teachers why they should teach this knew way and how it will help the students learn. If the teachers do not buy into the new curriculum they will continue to teach it the same way they have been teaching the curriculum. School districts need to tell teachers what they want their students to know and be able to do.
Chapter four also talks about teacher and administrator preparation. “Lack of adequate teacher preparation and support is considered the primary cause for the astounding public school teacher attrition rate. Studies show that nearly one in two teachers who start out in the classroom leave after just five years!”(pg.146.) Grade level teachers in our school have 15 to 20 minutes of common planning time each day.
This chapter mentioned how unannounced administrator observations give a clearer picture of how a teacher teaches than scheduled observations. This would be one way administrators could coach teachers to be better teachers. Our principal is in and out of classrooms all day long. This allows him to have a clear snapshot of what the teachers are doing in his school. This chapter also talked about teachers observing other teachers teaching. Peer observation would allow the teacher to gain a new perspective on how to teach a skill they maybe struggling with. Peers could give feedback on the lessons. I am fortunate enough to teach in five different regular education classroom a day. While I am teaching the classroom the classroom teacher is assisting the lesson. They provide different angles to the lesson. They can provide different materials to supplement the lesson. With two or three teachers in the classroom we can differentiate instruction based on the students’ skill level.
Chapter five is about motivating students. The Net Generation was born and lives digitally. They are interested in technology and they are able to multitask. Some critics feel that the digital generation is not motivated. Others feel that the digital generation is motivated by using technology and working on projects. The digital generation wants and expects information immediately.
Chapter six covered “interest based learning”, High Tech High, and The Met. The CEO of High Tech High did not believe in separating students into different educational tracks. At High Tech High teachers are evaluated by students work. If students complete good work their teacher must be good. Students complete ten-week internships. Students work on group projects. One student said, “Projects make us figure things out-we’re always, planning, organizing, working in a team.”(pg. 227).
In summary I thought this book was very easy to read. This book asked questions about how teachers teach information in public, private and charter schools. It asked what makes a good teacher and what makes a good administrator. How do we prepare teachers better? How do teachers move away from teaching to the test? How do we keep teachers teaching more than five years? These are all very thought provoking questions, none of which I have the answer to.
No comments:
Post a Comment