Life a LOT of teachers in my building will be hurt tomorrow thanks to NCLB - Page 2

Gracie Dean · 04-20-2011, 05:13 PM

Our building was moving in the right direction (test score wise) for 3 years we even made AYP. Our building is 93% Free and reduced lunches and 78% Hispanic with some of those being very new to the USA. Making AYP is hard work and quite an accomplishment.

After making AYP the principal retired and we gained all new admin. Each year with the new admin, the test scores went down with our building being 433 out of 435 last year. As a result, we were thrown into restructuring this year. At first it was thought that our head principal was going to stay but every one had the choice to interview for the job we already held or choose to be placed at a different school. 5 of us chose to be moved, the rest had to interview last week. We also found out the principal lost his position at our building and we were introduced to the new principal.

Tomorrow, at 2 pm, there will be letters placed in all the teacher's boxes to tell them whether they will remain in the building or be moved elsewhere. The office doors will be locked until 2:30 when our students are totally gone then grief counselors will be brought out to any that need it. Admin canceled all after school activities for Thursday and Friday we have off.

This shit is NUTS and certainly not what is best for our students. The kicker???

WE ROCKED AYP this year; just blew the roof off the scores.

So tomorrow, when you get a moment, send some good thoughts/prayers to my building because it will be like someone shot it up

vailpass · 04-20-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

we shouldn't be funding the education, feeding and housing of illegal immigrants anyway.

Maybe if they get hungry here, they will return home.

X2. Non English speaking students should be in separate classrooms at the very least.

vailpass · 04-20-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gracie Dean

Changing the focus on a lot of programs that were working. Making Science and Social Studies every other day. Eliminating our flex intervention time that allowed us to intensively work with students on specific low idicators which gave the students extra work time to get things right. These are just a few examples.

You sound like a good educator.

**Donger** · 04-20-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gracie Dean

Changing the focus on a lot of programs that were working. Making Science and Social Studies every other day. Eliminating our flex intervention time that allowed us to intensively work with students on specific low idicators which gave the students extra work time to get things right. These are just a few examples.

Who selected the new admin?

Adept Havelock · 04-20-2011, 06:22 PM

Sorry to hear it Gracie. You sound like a solid educator. NCLB is dreck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

How did the change in admin result in the lowering of test scores?

You've never seen a good company tank when an idiot gets put in charge?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Who selected the new admin?

I'd assume the local School Board had to sign off on the placement, but not always. Could have been just the Superintendent's decision.

You've never seen a Board of Directors put the wrong schmuck in charge?

'Hamas' Jenkins · 04-20-2011, 06:25 PM

NCLB was never about improving education, it was about creating a windfall for the companies that designed the tests by giving them a monopoly.

Gracie Dean · 04-20-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Who selected the new admin?

The interim super at the time. Since then we have had a new super for 2 years and I have yet to see him in our building.

Gracie Dean · 04-20-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

NCLB was never about improving education, it was about creating a windfall for the companies that designed the tests by giving them a monopoly.

You got that right~!

Just Passin' By · 04-20-2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gracie Dean

there are some amazing teachers at our building that will get screwed tomorrow. Most of us are the same ones that were there when we made all the previous gains. The Admin is what changed, not us.

So NCLB isn't the problem.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 04-20-2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gracie Dean

You got that right~!

It might be the worst piece of legislation designed in the last fifty years, solely for the fact that it's pilot program failed and failed miserably in Houston, Texas, and yet in spite of that, the dumb sonofabitch who ran that program, Rod Paige, was put in charge of implementing it on a national scale.

WRT to repealing NCLB, that's what the Race to the Top is supposed to do.

**Dave Lane** · 04-20-2011, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

we shouldn't be funding the education, feeding and housing of illegal immigrants anyway.

Maybe if they get hungry here, they will return home.

We shouldn't be educating kids with my tax dollars period. All you parents of rug rats should have to pay and pay through the nose. My tax dollars have been looted from me by the looter class and shouldn't help anyone else for anything.

/republican rant

OK maybe I hung out in DC for about 15 minutes too long this week, if you want to see more of that head over there. Sorry Pam you know I'm not serious

BucEyedPea · 04-20-2011, 06:39 PM

I tutored under a NCLB grant for a private non-profit tutoring place last year. I had all Mexicans. One who had to be moved to one on one special handling meaning a bi-lingual tutor. All the rest of mine were moved up to where they were supposed to be. One I took from Grade 2.2 mos to 3.8 months. He was really smart. I only was supposed to move him up by 6 months to 2.8 originally, but he was so hungry for more so I gave it to him. I even gave him some free. It all showed on their tests though so I don't understand why testing is so bad. I didn't teach to the test at all.

**Bugeater** · 04-20-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vailpass

X2. Non English speaking students should be in separate classrooms at the very least.

There shouldn't be "non-English speaking" students.

Gracie Dean · 04-20-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I tutored under a NCLB grant for a private non-profit tutoring place last year. I had all Mexicans. One who had to be moved to one on one special handling meaning a bi-lingual tutor. All the rest of mine were moved up to where they were supposed to be. One I took from Grade 2.2 mos to 3.8 months. He was really smart. I only was supposed to move him up by 6 months to 2.8 originally, but he was so hungry for more so I gave it to him. I even gave him some free. It all showed on their tests though so I don't understand why testing is so bad. I didn't teach to the test at all.

You are the exception and had the luxury of small group settings. Combine all the issues with budget cuts and larger classroom sizes, the personalized care that many students need will be lost in the process. It really is a no win situation.

Pacing guides that do not allow a teacher to slow down to ensure retention of content does not help. If more students could get the intensive instruction that your tutoring provided that would be a God-send to many of our students.

Chiefspants · 04-20-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

What are you/they doing to stop and reverse the problem?

It's tough to reverse the problem when our school's funding is going to be absolutely gouged in the coming years. I wish the best of luck to any teacher hoping to increase test scores with 30 students in his/her class.

Gracie Dean · 04-20-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

There shouldn't be "non-English speaking" students.

our building has a "Newcomers" classroom for specifically those students but they are only allowed to be in that program for one year, then they are mainstreamed!

04-20-2011, 05:13 PM
Gracie Dean MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10004900	a LOT of teachers in my building will be hurt tomorrow thanks to NCLB Our building was moving in the right direction (test score wise) for 3 years we even made AYP. Our building is 93% Free and reduced lunches and 78% Hispanic with some of those being very new to the USA. Making AYP is hard work and quite an accomplishment. After making AYP the principal retired and we gained all new admin. Each year with the new admin, the test scores went down with our building being 433 out of 435 last year. As a result, we were thrown into restructuring this year. At first it was thought that our head principal was going to stay but every one had the choice to interview for the job we already held or choose to be placed at a different school. 5 of us chose to be moved, the rest had to interview last week. We also found out the principal lost his position at our building and we were introduced to the new principal. Tomorrow, at 2 pm, there will be letters placed in all the teacher's boxes to tell them whether they will remain in the building or be moved elsewhere. The office doors will be locked until 2:30 when our students are totally gone then grief counselors will be brought out to any that need it. Admin canceled all after school activities for Thursday and Friday we have off. This shit is NUTS and certainly not what is best for our students. The kicker??? WE ROCKED AYP this year; just blew the roof off the scores. So tomorrow, when you get a moment, send some good thoughts/prayers to my building because it will be like someone shot it up
Posts: 12,955

04-20-2011, 06:25 PM	#20
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	NCLB was never about improving education, it was about creating a windfall for the companies that designed the tests by giving them a monopoly. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

04-20-2011, 06:39 PM	#26
BucEyedPea Gimme My Berries Back! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: None of your business Casino cash: $3359963	I tutored under a NCLB grant for a private non-profit tutoring place last year. I had all Mexicans. One who had to be moved to one on one special handling meaning a bi-lingual tutor. All the rest of mine were moved up to where they were supposed to be. One I took from Grade 2.2 mos to 3.8 months. He was really smart. I only was supposed to move him up by 6 months to 2.8 originally, but he was so hungry for more so I gave it to him. I even gave him some free. It all showed on their tests though so I don't understand why testing is so bad. I didn't teach to the test at all.
Posts: 161,924