This is the blog section of the PURE Reform website. Please leave your thoughts and comments here.
PURE Reform has created this blog as a forum for parents, teachers and community members to share information and voice concerns regrading the reform process in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Although we would like to foster constructive dialogue, PURE Reform does not edit content. The views expressed by bloggers in this forum are not necessarily views held by PURE Reform.
To comment on an existing topic, go to the line at the bottom of the post for that topic that begins "Posted by..." That line will list "1 comment," "2 comments," etc. Click on "comments," then leave your comment in the box provided. To post as Anonymous, no registration is required, OR you can choose an identity.
To suggest a new topic, go to this month's post labeled "Start a New Post" and add your comment (as described above) about the new suggested topic. PURE Reform will use these comments to start new posts.
"Questioner: The points are added to the School Performance Profile (SPP). PDE began last year, 2013, and will continue in 2014 to give "extra points" to the school for offering the course."
- So the course just needs to be offered for SPP points, regardless of the number of students who take the course or take or pass the exam?
Interesting. There has been a huge push for more ap offerings in the district. At leas in my school it was sold as increasing rigor and improving equity. I've had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I think.k it's good to offer the courses and push students to work hard and take more challenging courses. On the other hand pushing students to take classes they're not prepared for can have a negative impact on them and the whole program. Still I know teachers who's ap test scores have been consistently improving. This whole spp thing makes me think that the district motivation behind this push is just another way to game the books. Where is the integrity in central office?
Science in PPS, especially at Obama Academy, is very bad. The scores prove it. We have known it for years. Perhaps they will listen soon. But, this year began and the Chem teacher who was new to Obama last year was moved to Westinghouse and then quit after one day. Meanwhile, the new Chem teacher who moved into Obama quit too, after one day.
Likewise, the great Physics teacher at Langley in its last year was moved to U-Prep and lasted one year and then fled the district. He should and could have been moved to Obama then.
Fumbles by administration who hire in the Sciences need to be fixed. The students are getting ripped off because of the poor levels of teaching in this discipline.
(Above was also posted to the P-G site after the article.)
With good science teachers in such short supply, a science school may not be in the best interest of all students. With a graduating class of only about 60 students, and those students split into 4 different areas of concentration, there are most likely many classes with enrollment way under capacity. Nice for the students who happen to get in, but it leaves the majority of students underserved.
There is only a shortage of good teachers who are WILLING to put up with the madness that CO created in some of these schools. Teachers in PA leave the state because they can't get PA jobs, yet these positions are unstaffed. CO & ill advised "reform" caused the 'short supply' of teachers.
Right you are, 5:35. I'm a PPS science teacher. And I still like my job, most of the time.
But when science student teachers ask for my advice, I regretfully tell them not to even apply to the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The "reforms" have destroyed us. Working here can break your spirit, and your love for teaching.
And yes, I feel bad about having to say that. PPS students need and deserve good teachers in all fields.
But being a good teacher really doesn't matter all that much anymore in the PPS. We all must follow a script, with no opportunity to apply our skills as we know best.
Then add to that mix the appalling lack of discipline in many schools. So when student teachers ask for my advice, I'm honest with them. Avoid the chaos here. There are saner opportunities elsewhere.
I am not blaming parents-- cause you wouldnt be reading this blog if you didnt care ALOT-- but the truth is-- in the burbs if there were free classes associated with universities to help prep kids for AP classes (that save parents $$) suburban kids would be literally pushed out of cars, handed bus schedules,forced to car pool with people they hated-- you name it to get their kids there.
Props to math teacher Roseann Casciato at Allderdice for applying to and receiving graphing calculators from Google. Google reps visited her AP Calculus AB class with the calculators. The only down side was that the mayor accompanied them for a photo op. He is everywhere!
10 comments:
From another thread:
"The new PDE School Performance Profiles (SPP) gives extra points for AP courses."
When did SPP's begin receiving extra points for AP's taken whether or not passed?
From another thread:
"Questioner: The points are added to the School Performance Profile (SPP). PDE began last year, 2013, and will continue in 2014 to give "extra points" to the school for offering the course."
- So the course just needs to be offered for SPP points, regardless of the number of students who take the course or take or pass the exam?
Here's another problem with giving points for just taking an AP course: it encourages administrators to drop most prerequisites for such courses.
Few prerequisites means higher class enrollment means more points means the administrators look better.
And that puts enormous pressure on the course teachers. Do you water down the course because there are now so many unprepared students in the class?
Or do you teach as before, and fail out students? Remember, many PPS administators see student failure as irrefutable evidence of teacher failure.
Interesting. There has been a huge push for more ap offerings in the district. At leas in my school it was sold as increasing rigor and improving equity. I've had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I think.k it's good to offer the courses and push students to work hard and take more challenging courses. On the other hand pushing students to take classes they're not prepared for can have a negative impact on them and the whole program. Still I know teachers who's ap test scores have been consistently improving. This whole spp thing makes me think that the district motivation behind this push is just another way to game the books. Where is the integrity in central office?
Science in PPS, especially at Obama Academy, is very bad. The scores prove it. We have known it for years. Perhaps they will listen soon. But, this year began and the Chem teacher who was new to Obama last year was moved to Westinghouse and then quit after one day. Meanwhile, the new Chem teacher who moved into Obama quit too, after one day.
Likewise, the great Physics teacher at Langley in its last year was moved to U-Prep and lasted one year and then fled the district. He should and could have been moved to Obama then.
Fumbles by administration who hire in the Sciences need to be fixed. The students are getting ripped off because of the poor levels of teaching in this discipline.
(Above was also posted to the P-G site after the article.)
With good science teachers in such short supply, a science school may not be in the best interest of all students. With a graduating class of only about 60 students, and those students split into 4 different areas of concentration, there are most likely many classes with enrollment way under capacity. Nice for the students who happen to get in, but it leaves the majority of students underserved.
There is only a shortage of good teachers who are WILLING to put up with the madness that CO created in some of these schools. Teachers in PA leave the state because they can't get PA jobs, yet these positions are unstaffed. CO & ill advised "reform" caused the 'short supply' of teachers.
Right you are, 5:35. I'm a PPS science teacher. And I still like my job, most of the time.
But when science student teachers ask for my advice, I regretfully tell them not to even apply to the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The "reforms" have destroyed us. Working here can break your spirit, and your love for teaching.
And yes, I feel bad about having to say that. PPS students need and deserve good teachers in all fields.
But being a good teacher really doesn't matter all that much anymore in the PPS. We all must follow a script, with no opportunity to apply our skills as we know best.
Then add to that mix the appalling lack of discipline in many schools. So when student teachers ask for my advice, I'm honest with them. Avoid the chaos here. There are saner opportunities elsewhere.
I am not blaming parents-- cause you wouldnt be reading this blog if you didnt care ALOT-- but the truth is-- in the burbs if there were free classes associated with universities to help prep kids for AP classes (that save parents $$) suburban kids would be literally pushed out of cars, handed bus schedules,forced to car pool with people they hated-- you name it to get their kids there.
How about some good news:
http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/6818586-74/google-pittsburgh-students#axzz3E3uShZHl
Props to math teacher Roseann Casciato at Allderdice for applying to and receiving graphing calculators from Google. Google reps visited her AP Calculus AB class with the calculators. The only down side was that the mayor accompanied them for a photo op. He is everywhere!
Post a Comment