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I've seen the problems from both sides, as a student and for a time as a teacher...I'll homeschool if I ever have kids.
Fortunately I have a N-6 degree plus an English degree. I am going to get my son's English up to speed this summer and work with him like I always do. He reads all the time (we make weekly trips to the library). Unfortunately, like most people (myself included) he prefers non-fiction so his comprehension of literature is a bit behind. It's not anything that can't be worked on.
My husband (who is from abroad) is aghast that teachers are not 'rated' here by parents or students and after tenure cannot (virtually) be fired (apart from if they commit a crime). Tenure is not a good thing in 2010. (spoken as a former teacher and parent.)
I'd much rather have my kids in the Williston school district (which is one of the school districts on the list in need of improvement) then back in Manchester, NH where teachers are spending an inordinate amount of time battling behavioral issues and teaching to kids who don't speak english. I am all for diversity and wish Williston had more, but I've also seen teachers torn between teaching and also doing everything else society expects them to do these days. And since they have to teach to the lowest common denominator for these tests, then the kids at the other end of the spectrum are ignored. At least Williston still has an enrichment budget so that my kid gets a lot of 1:1 time rather than being ignored because he can do the work expected of him just fine. Ideally we'd have an education system that can succeed at all levels and with all of the current demands of society (where teachers often have to fill the role of a parent too), but it's just not the case.
I'm very familiar with these tests and the NECAP tests taken every fall. I have to analyze the results for my county as part of my job.
Anyway, what I've noticed is that despite Act 60 and 68 and our revamped progressive education-funding system kids in lower socio-economic populations continously perform worse than their more affluent counterparts.
For example Stowe and Morrisville are in the same supervisory union, but overall student performance is vastly different. It's the same throughout Vermont. And yes, Arctichomesteader is correct: If you only compare the results of non-minority students, Vermont's national ranking falls sharply. Perhaps this is because minority students are more likely to live in poverty.
Obviously, throwing more money at the problem doesn't seem to help. Maybe a push for more parental involvement/responsibility and student self-motivation would.
All I know is that like any other school system, it's what you make of it. My kids are doing great (testing several grade levels above their age) and college bound. My only complaint is that teachers spend too much time dealing with behavioral issues and there aren't enough programs for gifted students. Most of the money, time and energy seems to be focused on special ed imo.
If the teachers are teaching down to the tests shouldn't the kids be passing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by momnh
I'd much rather have my kids in the Williston school district (which is one of the school districts on the list in need of improvement) then back in Manchester, NH where teachers are spending an inordinate amount of time battling behavioral issues and teaching to kids who don't speak english. I am all for diversity and wish Williston had more, but I've also seen teachers torn between teaching and also doing everything else society expects them to do these days. And since they have to teach to the lowest common denominator for these tests, then the kids at the other end of the spectrum are ignored. At least Williston still has an enrichment budget so that my kid gets a lot of 1:1 time rather than being ignored because he can do the work expected of him just fine. Ideally we'd have an education system that can succeed at all levels and with all of the current demands of society (where teachers often have to fill the role of a parent too), but it's just not the case.
Bad secondary education has been around for decades, it's not a Vermont problem, as the Vermont haters want you to believe, it's a national problem. Why take minority kids out of the equation? In alot of states you take the minority kids out your not left with many. In some state the white kids are the minority. Every kid needs to be educated, stop dividing them up in groups and making conclusions based on one group or another.
When I started working on my MA in Education in 1974 there was a very popular book, Why Children Fail by Johnathon Holt written in the late 50's. It's still relevant today. If anything it has gotten worse. My 16yo nephew goes to a big HS in the suburbs north of Albany and the students are planning to go on strike cause the school won't allow them to use their cell phones while in school. Most kids don't care about education and I don't think that is the fault of the schools or the kids.
Teachers and our schools are working in canoe without a paddle. Too many distractions and most kids(white and minority) nowadays come from dysfunctional families as compared to 30 years ago when it was the complete opposite.
Money also plays a part. Most schools can barely pay for the gas in the school buses, extra-curricula activites are being cut everywhere. I realize it's the easy thing to do but don't just blame the schools. Also, look past the headlines that's where the truth lies. The OP implied that Vermont has the worst schools in the country...it doesn't, not even close. Sorry Bang but that's the facts, deal with it.
The way we fund schools in Vermont does need to change. It's the 800 gorilla in the room no one wants to deal with. Act 60 was born out of a Vermont Supreme Court decision and the legislature was forced to come up with something that leveled the financial playing field quickly. If your a gold(sending) town you hate it. If your from a receiving town it has probably doubled your state money. A majority of the school across the country are facing huge finacial headwinds right now. On the short term no one wins, long term, who knows?
What is to 'lowest common denominator' ? Does this refer to 'special ed.' students or those who can't speak English?
I am against standardized testing because I don't think it can truly measure how well children understand the material or show the success of a teacher.
Last edited by GypsySoul22; 05-12-2010 at 04:39 AM..
Standardized testing discriminates against minorities ignoring that is racist. Iirc VT schools corrected for race ranks 26th as a state. Right in the middle, nothing to be proud of for one of the top 3-4 states in per student school spending and the lowest student/teacher ratio in the country.
Big question is if todays students can't be taught, as you and others have proclaimed, why are we spending over 50% of state tax revenues trying to teach them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MRVphotog
Bad secondary education has been around for decades, it's not a Vermont problem, as the Vermont haters want you to believe, it's a national problem. Why take minority kids out of the equation? In alot of states you take the minority kids out your not left with many. In some state the white kids are the minority. Every kid needs to be educated, stop dividing them up in groups and making conclusions based on one group or another.
When I started working on my MA in Education in 1974 there was a very popular book, Why Children Fail by Johnathon Holt written in the late 50's. It's still relevant today. If anything it has gotten worse. My 16yo nephew goes to a big HS in the suburbs north of Albany and the students are planning to go on strike cause the school won't allow them to use their cell phones while in school. Most kids don't care about education and I don't think that is the fault of the schools or the kids.
Teachers and our schools are working in canoe without a paddle. Too many distractions and most kids(white and minority) nowadays come from dysfunctional families as compared to 30 years ago when it was the complete opposite.
Money also plays a part. Most schools can barely pay for the gas in the school buses, extra-curricula activites are being cut everywhere. I realize it's the easy thing to do but don't just blame the schools. Also, look past the headlines that's where the truth lies. The OP implied that Vermont has the worst schools in the country...it doesn't, not even close. Sorry Bang but that's the facts, deal with it.
The way we fund schools in Vermont does need to change. It's the 800 gorilla in the room no one wants to deal with. Act 60 was born out of a Vermont Supreme Court decision and the legislature was forced to come up with something that leveled the financial playing field quickly. If your a gold(sending) town you hate it. If your from a receiving town it has probably doubled your state money. A majority of the school across the country are facing huge finacial headwinds right now. On the short term no one wins, long term, who knows?
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What do you suppose these illiterate students expected to get from college? Certainly they learned to read before they graduated?
