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Another committee has been formed, this time to study homework.
4 comments:
Annette Werner
said...
Something I have long believed would help these committees to be more effective is for the district to announce in advance that a committee is being formed, and to seek information on who is interested and committed to serving on the committee. This was done for the IB committee but not for other recent committees formed, such as facilities and Peabody. Without checking for committment in advance, attendance may be a problem. While many people on the facilities committee for example have an excellent attendance record, there are others listed who I have seen at none or just one of the 4 of 5 facilities meetings I observed.
Another possibility would be to have a "lottery" component so that people could serve even if not hand-picked by the administration.
I'm a little at a loss to understand you, Annette. Are you saying that a committee needs to be formed to understand why administrators NOT in the classroom see homework as "boring." I mean, the slam dunk of Smydo's piece was someone suggesting homework be done on a cell phone. Perhaps we should find ways to have it done on street corners or at the local mall. Perhaps a report on the benefits of cigarette smoking or why certain drugs should be legalized will get the students' juices flowing. At what point do apologists begin to get it, Annette? At what point do they realize that with the "revised" 50% grading policy, et al, we in the Pittsburgh Public Schools are no longer engaged in the task of educating children?
I'm not really sure that a committee is the best way to handle the homework question. Also there is an awful lot already going on now, particularly with facilities.
But if a committee is to be formed- why not announce that in advance so interested people can apply?
Well, I am sure that you are asking a rhetorical question here. The committee idea is nice and all, but it is for public consumption only. If we truly want a committee to get to the bottom of things--don't announce the idea that we are forming one because there is certain input, i.e., that of parents and teachers, that we don't want. If we simply are going to put a committee together as a public spectacle only--invite all of the squeaky wheels out, and then do nothing about their findings.
4 comments:
Something I have long believed would help these committees to be more effective is for the district to announce in advance that a committee is being formed, and to seek information on who is interested and committed to serving on the committee. This was done for the IB committee but not for other recent committees formed, such as facilities and Peabody. Without checking for committment in advance, attendance may be a problem. While many people on the facilities committee for example have an excellent attendance record, there are others listed who I have seen at none or just one of the 4 of 5 facilities meetings I observed.
Another possibility would be to have a "lottery" component so that people could serve even if not hand-picked by the administration.
I'm a little at a loss to understand you, Annette. Are you saying that a committee needs to be formed to understand why administrators NOT in the classroom see homework as "boring." I mean, the slam dunk of Smydo's piece was someone suggesting homework be done on a cell phone. Perhaps we should find ways to have it done on street corners or at the local mall. Perhaps a report on the benefits of cigarette smoking or why certain drugs should be legalized will get the students' juices flowing.
At what point do apologists begin to get it, Annette? At what point do they realize that with the "revised" 50% grading policy, et al, we in the Pittsburgh Public Schools are no longer engaged in the task of educating children?
And we need a committee for that?
I'm not really sure that a committee is the best way to handle the homework question. Also there is an awful lot already going on now, particularly with facilities.
But if a committee is to be formed- why not announce that in advance so interested people can apply?
Well, I am sure that you are asking a rhetorical question here. The committee idea is nice and all, but it is for public consumption only. If we truly want a committee to get to the bottom of things--don't announce the idea that we are forming one because there is certain input, i.e., that of parents and teachers, that we don't want.
If we simply are going to put a committee together as a public spectacle only--invite all of the squeaky wheels out, and then do nothing about their findings.
Welcome to the NEW Pittsburgh Public Schools.
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