Sunday, May 10, 2009

A free question . . .


I have many things I want to share:
  • A comment from my last post sharing what I would say in response to the request for information on what is right and wrong with public schools.
  • A draft of a post on the continued conversation for identifying one set of national standards. This topic continues to gain momentum with heavy hitters weighing in on the need.

  • A focus on the Teaching and Learning Department as they identify how best to support development and implementation of Classroom 10 curriculum and instructional practices given the changes to the department's budget.

  • A look at what will happen as we move into the second year of not meeting adequate yearly progress at the building and district level.
For today's post, however, I simply want you to share with me. If you could ask me one question, what would it be?

5 comments:

Scott Mitchell said...

I first have to say that this is quite the step to take as you have really opened yourself up to taking on difficult questions, thanks for being a risk taker.

So my question is, what is your thought or philosophy on performance pay/merit pay?

Thanks again for opening up this field of questions.

Jonathan said...

I concur with Mr. Mitchell and much appreciate your risk taking and openness.

Our school site is considering the piloting of an RTI model to help our District move towards meeting the AYP requirements.

What do you think about the Blueprints for Implementation presented at The National Center for Response to Intervention?

http://www.rti4success.org/images/stories/
topPicks/school.pdf

http://www.rti4success.org/

Is this the process that our pilot school would enact?

I guess I have a million other questions, too, related to RTI, but if I knew the answer to these, that'd be a great start.
Jonathan Hartke

Anonymous said...

Why are we not hiring trainers who create the curriculum? Lucy Calkins, Kathryn Twomey Fosnot, Vicki Spandel, Debbie Miller, etc... to name a few. Training completly for the curriculum is the only way it will be fully implemented and invested in by the teachers. My colleague in another district has sent everyone, that wanted to go, to the Lucy Calkins institute in NY, on the districts dime, yes 13 elementary schools. They are now sending 14 teachers back to NY to train with Fosnot, a pioneer in math problem solving.
Out of the three districts I have been in, our trainings our inadequate and ineffective.

Anonymous said...

I am going to attempt to frame my frustration in the form of a question....so here goes...
Why, with all of the other tough changes going on, must we completly change the entire move up process? We have now brought back most of the teachers who were going to be RIFed or displaced. Why no move up day? By the way...I can live with this if it has to be, but I don't think I can be supportive of it. What I am having the most difficult time with is no move up day AND no telling parents who will be their child's teacher until AUGUST???? WHY??? I hear because so many families are being displaced. Why are we even doing balanced placement? I am incredibly irritated with all of these changes and I know parents will be frustrated. And for what???

Anonymous said...

ok... so I read over my "question" about placement and my irritation is shining through like a beacon. I am more calm now and I think I can discuss my concerns without so much frustration. I am ok with not doing move up day, though I am worried that it will be gone forever and that saddens me. It is such a nice thing for students, teachers and parents. For some teachers, not posting teacher names till the last few days before school starts will be a huge adjustment. There are before school open houses that will be impacted. I am being asked to create a generic supply list with my team. My normal supply list is short, so that will mean adding to it and asking my parents to buy supplies that we won't use. That is really unfortunate when people are struggling as it is. So, I better close with an apology for being so "snotty" in my last post. I am just frustrated that there has to be so much more stress and anxiety than necessary. Sad....