| I pointed out that kids who were willing to work that hard, who had strong parental support , would succeed anywhere. I clearly blindsided the very nice teacher who was presenting KIPP's credentials and successes. Her answer was to explain how hard they worked to keep kids. How it was a lottery system to gain admission in the first place. I pointed out that she still was describing "self-selection" , whereby the most dedicated, the strongest students stayed and the rest self-selected out. Thus the pool she worked with was rigged for success.
I pointed out that , in turn the public schools, like the one at which my wife worked, were the victims of that same system. Their teachers worked just as hard ( I know, I live with one) , but got much worse results - they were working with more difficult students and with less support form the state and the parents even from their own principles in some cases .
On top of this, the public schools then get hammered by the comparison between KIPP "success" and public school failures. They , the public school teachers , are branded failures and pressured to do more, to work more miracles.
So, we have the ingredients for a perfect disaster in Texas. To the degree that successful charter schools like KIPP are the model of success , they will be held up as either replacements for public schools, the preferred solution of Rick Perry and apparently President Obama , or they will be the model we use in "reforming" the public schools.
In either case this will fail. It will fail because the only way it works is if you can wash out those who won't get with the program.
Is a 10% drop out rate acceptable? What do we do with this 10%? Under the Texas constitution every child has the right to a adequate public education. This model will not give us that.
Meanwhile, back at reality, public school teachers are being treated to reformers who think they are CEO's of corporations. Who measure, reward, punish and think like corporate CEO's. Think Michelle Ree. Think Cathie Black.
A consultant at the same lecture button-holed me afterward and pointed out that all the Young Turks favored by right wing education reformers are of a mold: white, under 30 , experience in Teach for America or some such and corporate training. NONE have backgrounds or training in education. In fact such training seems to be a DISQUALIFICATION for being taken seriously as a reformer.
They share something else with the whole herd of New Reformers - angling for ways to capture education reform money, lots of it! 2014 is coming and by the NCLB act failing schools must be upgraded, closed , taken over or replaced.
I received a brochure form one of the groups angling for this money. They boasted of their cherry-picked successes and then told me that "blended learning" using computer instruction to "augment" teachers was the wave of the future. Most chilling, they told of a school of 200 students which has a staff of 4 - NONE OF THEM certified teachers, just "subject experts". But the school did have 200 computers and this is where students spent the bulk of their time. So much for augmenting teachers, so much for pesky teacher unions.
You get the picture. We are on the lips of a precipice and I am not sure if anyone is playing much attention.
Please get informed about this topic. Here are some places to start.
Read Diane Ravitch
2 false claims that drive school reform is another worthwhile resource.
I will add more when I have more time... |
