Any teachers out there?

[rocknrollgirl]

In NJ we are moving toward Alegbra II and Physics for all...crazy.

[uforgot]

In NJ we are moving toward Alegbra II and Physics for all...crazy.

That IS crazy, because they won't really BE Algebra II and Physics. I have two sons, both are dyslexic. I took them to be tested at a local university. They told me that they would never LIKE to read, but they have been trained to cope. My two sons can also take apart and put ANYTHING together. They know how everything (including your computer) in this world works. They struggle in upper level classes because of the reading, but they are the ones you want figuring out how your house should be wired, or setting up your network. I also have excellent students, who are wonderful on paper, definately college bound, and when it comes to putting together a prom, they are lost. They are also the ones who should call in a repair man for their cars and houses. We need diversity like that. Students should be encouraged to pursue the areas in which they excel. Seems like we are trying to make everyone the same. If you excel in academics, then take REAL advanced classes. If you excel in other areas, most schools have technical programs, art and music programs. If all the kids take all of these advanced classes, then what is going to happen to our Fine Arts? That concerns me.

Talking to the principal is probably not going to do any good. He is under pressure from the Super, and the Super has to hear from the State Legislature. (I love that these politicians are telling us what to do in our classrooms.)

I'm through rambling now.

[uforgot]

No, I promise, I'm through rambling, but I just thought of something. Every year I get letters from the local colleges about programs they have for high school students. Why don't you check with any local colleges and see if they offer any institutes, classes, etc for college-bound high school students?

[Tuckervill]

I have to wonder why you live in a neighborhood where the schools are so crappy? I would just move.

Karen

[stacie]

I can't move to where the schools are good. Kids are bussed to these schools from, well, my neighborhood and others. I can move out to the suburbs, but that is not the lifestyle that we love. We love being near downtown where our son can go to museums, and experience so many other things frequently. The good schools are located in the worse neighborhoods. Btw, the neighborhood kids don't go there. They are bussed elsewhere as well.
My son is in middle school so there aren't college programs for him. He's just eleven. I do like that you are giving me ideas and things to think about.
Funny thing just happened...My friend, a 3rd grade teacher just stopped by. She's worried about school this year. Seems we no longer have classes for special needs kids either. They must go to class and stay in class with all kids. I know some of these kids benefit from being with the other children. But, she said all the children who were getting extra attention in smaller specialty classes are in her regular class now. She spends her time helping kids with emotional needs rather than teaching.
Talking this out is making the intention more clear. Schools are judged based on passing scores of the state exam and progress made by failing kids. Kids who are already passing or especially those excelling don't get their needs met. They will continue to pass. Their improvement provides no benefit to the school rating.
Right, talking to the principal isn't going to help. What do I do to help my child have the education he deserves?
He's happy today. The teachers all said he shouldn't expect much homework. Shocking considering he's taking all advanced classes and the amount of progress these failing kids would have to make. Advanced classes without the effort.

[stacie]

uforgot, thanks. It helps that you confirm my concerns and understand. Everyone, I love my son and want the best for him. Thanks for listening and sharing my concerns. s

[salsabike]

That IS crazy, because they won't really BE Algebra II and Physics. I have two sons, both are dyslexic. I took them to be tested at a local university. They told me that they would never LIKE to read, but they have been trained to cope. My two sons can also take apart and put ANYTHING together. They know how everything (including your computer) in this world works. They struggle in upper level classes because of the reading, but they are the ones you want figuring out how your house should be wired, or setting up your network. I also have excellent students, who are wonderful on paper, definately college bound, and when it comes to putting together a prom, they are lost. They are also the ones who should call in a repair man for their cars and houses. We need diversity like that. Students should be encouraged to pursue the areas in which they excel. Seems like we are trying to make everyone the same. If you excel in academics, then take REAL advanced classes. If you excel in other areas, most schools have technical programs, art and music programs. If all the kids take all of these advanced classes, then what is going to happen to our Fine Arts? That concerns me.

Talking to the principal is probably not going to do any good. He is under pressure from the Super, and the Super has to hear from the State Legislature. (I love that these politicians are telling us what to do in our classrooms.)

I'm through rambling now.

I agree with every word of this (school psych weighing in here).

[uforgot]

If he's only 11, then I have to applaud those teachers who aren't loading him down with homework. Others may disagree, but sometimes you just have to be a kid, and I think at 11, he still needs this. After he's been in school for 7 hours, he needs to be out playing soccer or even "kick the can" with his friends. Even better, I love the fact that you are taking him to museums and other things around there. Gosh, you have no idea how much you are contributing to his education by showing him all that you can. What you are doing makes learning fun, while homework can be a real drag. Although it really depends on the teacher. Four pages of identical division problems is the drag, but a newspaper interview...fun. I certainly wouldn't worry about putting him in any educational "programs" right now unless HE is wanting them. Let him go out and build a fort, collect snakes, or ride a bike. It will actually make him a better learner. Trust me, I like the kids who can explore and think when they get to High School, rather than those who memorize and then "plug and chug".

[lyca]

Even better, I love the fact that you are taking him to museums and other things around there. Gosh, you have no idea how much you are contributing to his education by showing him all that you can.

I second these thoughts! And I'd like to throw in the possibility of getting him involved the in the arts. I'm a musician and I taught instrumental and vocal music in the public schools before heading back to University to work on a doctorate. Kids have so much fun learning to play instruments. Especially if their parents decide to learn with them!! It does all sorts of great things for the brain, too.

Good for you for being an advocate for him and for his education. Keep it up and I'll send positive thoughts your way!

[DirtDiva]

Having classes with a huge range of academic ability isn't the problem - meeting every child's needs, whatever they may be, is simply your job as a teacher. The problem comes when the curriculum doesn't have the inherent flexibility required to meet all those needs and/or you're not getting the support you need from your school to help solve whatever problems are making it most difficult to create and maintain a suitable learning environment in your classroom.

Stacie - taking your son to museums and the like is a fantastic thing to be doing for his education. I taught a lot of children from very disadvantaged backgrounds in London and the thing that worried me most was the number who missed out on even the simplest of childhood experiences (such as visiting the playground) because their parents never took them anywhere. Getting your son involved in extra-curricular activities (if he's not already), be it music, art, drama, sport or whatever takes his interest, would be great as it will teach him much better time management skills than he'll ever learn anywhere else and, of course, help foster interests he will likely hold for the rest of his life. And, for goodness sake, if you're worried about his education and want some more specific ideas about how to help your son get the most out of his classes, talk to your son about what he wants and then TALK TO HIS TEACHERS!

[Crankin]

OK, I'm going to chime in here, because it's almost time for school to start and for the first time in 30 years I am not getting ready to go back. Stacie, I was a middle school language arts teacher and i worked as a special educator for many years before that. That said, I have some pretty strong feelings about what your local schools are trying to do. Middle schools should not have leveled classes for kids, except maybe in math. I feel strongly about this and have worked in 2 places where this really worked. There is no "AP" for middle school! Come on, our kids have enough stress as it is. The problem comes from the fact that it takes a very skilled teacher to meet the needs of all learners in a classroom. This is called differentiated instruction. As a former special educator, what seemed normal to me was not education as usual for a lot of my colleagues. You have to have the ability to diagnose, prepare, and plan different levels of activities for the things you are teaching. You also need a wider range of materials. This was easy in writing and reading, where the kids worked within their own level to begin with. No more 'whole class" novels, except maybe once a year. We did independent reading, along with lit. groups, which varied between being mixed ability or like ability. Writing is just writing. Everyone worked on the same type of writing (i.e. expository essay, creative, poetry), but some kids got more time or had more lessons. The "challenge" level was always offered for major assignments and projects and was required for the academically advanced kids, who btw, did not always want to do it.
So, if your school is moving toward this type of instruction, great. It CAN be done, but it requires hard work and a lot of professional development. I found that the expectations were raised for all of my kids and more than once I had a parent ask me if we were the "gifted" team... no, I just had high expectations for everyone.
Now, I know this doesn't help you in your particular situation. I appreciate the fact that you have chosen to stay in the city. But, as long as our schools are funded by property taxes, not much is going to change. I agree NCLB su***, and I hate the testing aspects of it. But, it has raised the bar in some areas. Keep supplementing your children's education with what you are doing. Let me tell you a personal story. When we moved back to Massachusetts from AZ we could not afford to live in one of the suburbs with really good schools. So we moved to a town that was quite average, more blue collar than white. My kids were very different from the others in terms of life experience and religion (they were almost 8 and 5). We became friends with the teachers and volunteered the best we could with our work schedules. We gave small amounts of $, like 25 or 50 dollars to help buy materials. We also did all of the stuff you are doing with your kids outside of school. They went to summer camp with kids from different towns, who were probably more like them. They also made friends at religious school. In fact, when we moved after 6 years, they didn't want to leave (but we couldn't wait). Both went on to do very well in a super competitive middle school and high school where 95% of the kids go to college.
It is hard for us as a society to face the fact that social class determines what kind of education you are going to get. You might have to send your kids to private school if you are determined on staying in the city. But in reality, all kids should have an "advanced' education.