On another post Anonymous wrote:
"
New topic please: Title 1 reward schools
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2013/12/02/Title-1-reward-schools-go-to-head-of-the-class-Title-1-rewards-schools-go-right-to-the-head-of-the-class.html
So,
since P-G cant say the words-- Title 1 is meant to supplement students
receiving free/reduced lunches ( our measure of poverty in the schools).
Often this means a specialized Title 1 teacher who targets the
remedial needs of students.
NO PPS school was mentioned as receiving this-- we do have title 1 schools and students.
But,
to even APPLY for the "Gates money" you had to have a "managed
curriculum" IN PLACE. Managed curriculum is Edspeak for SCRIPT. So we
rushed out a script to apply- and "win"-- and it is very obvious that
this script is NOT helping disadvantaged children learn. And though I am
not a fan of charter schools-- this was the point of them-- that they
would TRY innovative ways to teach and that public schools would learn
from them. Gee could this mean that classes under 20, and a positive
curriculum-- rather than "drill the script" might work? Besides the
fact that script HAD to be in place to even apply, please note that the
ANSWERS from students, as well as the "teacher talk is scripted"-- Maybe
there is more to learning?"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
If I recall correctly from my time on my school's PSCC, central admin either determined how Title I funds are used or gave a school a limited number of options to choose from. Almost all of our buildings are Title I eligible. When buildings had coaches, they were usually paid for with Title I funds.
Is there an opportunity to use these kinds of dollars innovatively?
The University of Pittsburgh School of Education was funded in excess of 2.5 million dollars to be "innovative" at U-Prep. In the words of Louis Gomez PPS Central Office was not open to any innovation. Even Pitt and 2.5 million couldn't move PPS to move beyond the one-size-fits-all "managed curriculum"
Wondering why PPS is super-glued to a failing model is an exercise in futility. PPS has nowhere to go but up; yet they reject every opportunity to go there.
What will the "State of the District" report tell us this week?
Many of PPS schools still are tagged as "scores suppressed" on the new PDE School Performance Profiles website.
Why would you report on the "State of the District" when you don't have this years achievement data for half of the schools?
Do uprep students still get a laptop they can take home? Any word on how the 6000 iPads are working out on actual practice?
Uprep students do not get laptops anymore. Students sold them, stole them, lost them...
That was one of the big selling points for uprep. Does sci tech still get laptops?
There are times when questions come up here on the blog like the last two about laptops. At one time those types of questions were asked at Excellence for All meetings. The meeting format is much more controlled now with an agenda or theme for a meeting with little opportunity to deviate. The same can be said of PSCC meetings. There seems to be less accountability, could that be a result of the strict structure of the time to share and learn. parents need to have more chances to ask questions where many are gathered to hear the answers. Here is one, how much lost/stolen property do we write off every year?
There is no accountability. Five years ago questions were asked about whether tracking and other anti theft measures would be used and the response was that everything was being taken care if. With so much turnover it is easy for those in current positions to say that people no longer with the district were responsible. Even more important is the way that a gimmick like free laptops served to win support for shaky initiatives.
Q: SciTech students do get laptops. 6-8 keep them at school. 9-12 can take them home and have the option to pay a bit yearly and then keep them when they graduate.
Thanks for the information! Wonder if the same approach could be taken at uprep (equity?), or is this an illustration of how much easier it may be to work with magnet/ charter students?
Hmmm. All depends on the levels of trust established with whom and by whom. Trusting relationships are developed in some schools because the adults do NOT trust the students and they may respond in kind.
The ADULTS in any school are responsible for what kind of relationships are developed. And, please do not say it isn't so since you are only indicting yourself.
Correction: "Trusting relationships are NOT developed in some schools because the adults do NOT trust the students and students respond in kind."
Post a Comment