CNN.com has an excellent report about the Ron Cark Academy in Atlanta. The academy uses non-traditional methods to energize students and to encourage them to learn.
In the report Ron Clark states: “It all involves with the teachers. You can talk about the state government. You can talk about principals, superintendents. It all comes down to finding passionate people who want to teach. We have to give teachers more freedom, trust them more, and allow them to use their own creativity to fire up their students in the way they know they need to be.”
We need a superintendent who is going to be like Ron Clark. We need a superintendent who will encourage teachers to use their passion for teaching. In the report there was no talk of Baldrige principles. The Baldrige model, as implemented by I-SS, does not give teachers the freedom and trust that they need to be creative in their classrooms.
Click on the link below to access the CNN report.
Welcome to the advisory meetings..........I really gave them a chance for a couple of years but finally gave up on anything other than their agenda/ideas. They really do not want the publics' input. This is even more true if you in anyway go against what they want.
ReplyDeleteAt one point they started electing one person from each group for them to meet with the other group leaders to discuss things. Would you believe that several of us had been at each and every meeeting were not picked.......someone who agreed with them were chosen.
It appeared that we were simply not educated enough to understand what was needed. So much for change. Is there any real reason for the rest of us to go to our area meetings?
"We need a superintendent who is going to be like Ron Clark. We need a superintendent who will encourage teachers to use their passion for teaching. In the report there was no talk of Baldrige principles. The Baldrige model, as implemented by I-SS, does not give teachers the freedom and trust that they need to be creative in their classrooms."
ReplyDeleteFirst off...who is Ron Clark? Substitute teacher who was inspired to teach kids in a different way by creating an academy. OK...sounds like how charter schools are invented.
Ron Clark as a superintendent? No license, education, or experience to be a superintendent. Sure lets pick someone just like him.
I do agree that we need a superintendent that will revitalize and re-energize our schools/staff so that students will be motivated to learn.
Baldridge in the report? Why would CNN talk about Baldridge for a report about different ways students are being engaged and teachers motivated to teach? Right...they wouldn't.
The Academy is a business. Ok, they have 100 students at a tuition of around 19,000 per CNN. That's 1.9 million the academy made off enrollement. Most of which are given scholarships. So if they give scholarships then children have to apply. Did you see any EC students there? I mean severely EC. I don't doubt some of them have minor learning disabilties. I have a feeling the place cuts students from attending that don't meet certain criteria.
The facility is set up as a training ground for teachers. $300 a day. Yeh, I don't see school systems doing that either.
How many teachers out there would buy into something that is so outside the box for them? Honeslty I don't see a 50 some year old teacher jumping up on desks. Kids singing as a transition to learning is positive and I think it has its advantages.
With teacher buy in comes student buy in. Younger students will surely buy in to this type of program. However, where were the high school students?? What happens to students that don't participate? Are they sent home? What are the rules to this place? Do they have them? They knew CNN was coming...did they try to sugar coat it so kids would be active and upbeat. I mean when I was in classes back in the day and we knew "TV" was coming to our school we all went wild.
Matthew Perry is on the Advisory Board...Anyone remember Friends?? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
ReplyDeleteYou can do anything with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
That's right, most of you southern county folks wouldn't understand the money issues. You all are used to having all the money in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, retirement is coming,
ReplyDeleteAnd my grandchildren are going to other school systems,
And thank God, they're learning ever so much,
Their parents read to them before they were ever born,
If more would do this ,then the burden would be less,
And teachers could teach and students would learn,
Whatever is needed in the new world that is coming.
And the world goes round and round,
As ISS goes through its lies and tales
Of doing what is best for teacher and student.
It never has and it never will,
And the "Emperor's New Clothes" is its tale of woe.
Cause what they say, ain't necessarily so.
Why go to a meeting and it is still going to be their way or no way? Same as teacher meetings and SIT meetings, no use to go it is still their way or no way, just wasting my time sitting and listening to the same old junk that just won't go away. Go to another meeting and waste my time. No way!
If you don't know who Ron Clark truly is, or want to understand what his mission is all about, go rent "The Ron Clark Story" starring... Mathew Perry. He is actually from North Carolina. He is far from a substitute teacher, as before his academy was built, he was Teacher of the Year which is a highly distinguished award. He also had PERFECT test scores in both North Carolina and Harlem...again, not exactly a substitute.
ReplyDeleteHe is also a highly successful author and has used the money he made from his book and movie to fund his academy. His book and awards brought him national attention long before the academy was built.
Part of the extras on the DVD is an interview with Ron Clark, a tour of the academy before it was built, and an amazing trip to Africa with his kids. His academy is specifically for low income students, thus the reason why everyone is on scholarship and parents pay nothing. The criteria to go to the school is that they must be poor and failing in public school. It's not a business, as no profit is made. They fundraise and get donations, sell his books, dvds, etc. In fact, Oprah sent the school $365,000 for Christmas this past year. The money comes from the generosity of others and Ron Clark's personal story.
In his career, he taught 5th grade, but his academy is for 5th through 8th and he explains the reason for that in the DVD. I can't remember the exact statistics or words, but it's basically because that's the age when kids fall through the cracks and learn to hate school.
Instead of spending 40,000+ on an award application, he took a group of kids to Africa, which by the way, the kids were wild about - one even cried when they got near Nelson Mandela. Sounds like a man who has his priorities straight...yes, we want him as superintendent!
Where are the EC students??? What happens when students or teachers don't buy into the program? Youe assumptions make him out to be the golden child to education. I want these questions answered. I'm not buying into a biased story about a man. I don't care how inspirational and feel good it is. I don't think this is a realistic means to make education better. How will a program based for 5th-8th grade benefit 9-12th or k-4th? I guess you only want a superintendent that can handle middle school.
ReplyDelete*You're
ReplyDeleteI do not necessarily believe the intent of this post was to say we need a Ron Clark clone as our next superintendent. I think the intent is to communicate the need for the next leadership of I-SS to allow teachers to have quality time to use their creativity in the classroom. For many the passion of teaching was not ignited by the previous leadership. Unfortunately for some that flame may have become a flicker. And for some in the profession, the flame went out. They had to go somewhere outside the system to ignite the flame again. It is time to allow a new trust that will help ignite that flame of passion for teaching. And that will transcend into a true "passion for learning".
ReplyDeleteAnd please remember, however unfortunate it may be. I am afraid all teachers cannot be a Brett Farve (I just finished watching the Vikings beat the Packers). That is simply the way it is in most all professions. Everyone does not finish first. But if we all put forth a very strong effort than much can be accomplished.
And no, I must say that I would not invest all my income in those I-SS numbers of improvement. There are too many holes in those numbers and too many variables that are not mentioned to establish such claims.
I have no idea if Ron Clark's academy teaches EC students. As far as I understand, it is for regular education. And as far as the teachers, if they don't buy in to the program, they are simply not hired. No school has to hire teachers and many schools choose not to hire specific people every year. The teachers know what they are walking into, it's not do this or we'll squish you like a bug...it's we look for certain personalities and teaching styles to teach at this school. At the same time, they give the teachers everything they could ever need to be successful.
ReplyDeleteThe focus of the school is the children using teaching techniques, not a management model.
This specific school is not a pubic school. They require parents to donate 10 hours of their time during each quarter, which could never happen in a public school. The academy is young and has not yet expanded to younger or older grades. However, children that come out of the school have a passion for learning which they will carry throughout their lives.
Bottom line, Mr. Clark worked in public schools with tremoundous success using his teaching techniques. He was never boxed in a specific way or being told how to teach by the children (which is what PDSA does for those that don't understand the process). Teachers that believe in creating life long learners, have a great deal of respect for teachers like him and Rafe Esquith. It's not for everybody, but nobody can deny the success their children have had in their careers and lives.
Why the hatred toward an outstanding teacher positivly effecting the lives of students? Is it just because he believes in teachers and students and not Baldridge?
ReplyDeleteRemember, it is their way or no way. That is why there is no respect for anyone else's opinions, or if anyone can teach better withgout the program , they don't want to hear about it.
ReplyDeletewithout misspelled above
ReplyDeleteRon Clark posts test scores on his website and uses data to drive process improvement in his school. He is definitely a systems thinker - maybe some latent Baldrige affection there! LOL lIghten up folks. If what we're after is success for all students - then let's use data to determine which program gets us there. We'll never settle this by pitting one opinion against another - that's crazy talk - just evaluate the different approaches and whichever one gets the best results is the one we should choose! No need for name-calling or hate-mongering. Can't we all just get along?
ReplyDeleteWe have been using data since testing started, and that has been a very long time. It is not the data itself, but the overload of using too much data with very little time for instruction. Assessing for a purpose is reasonable but too much of anything is too much.
ReplyDeleteThank you 5:59 PM for a reasonable and thoughtful response. That kind of dialogue is what will make this process productive. I'm hoping to see more responses like that - respectful and logical.
ReplyDeleteThe wheel continually invents it's self. Baldridge was here in different parts.
ReplyDeleteWe, as teachers, have always been on a mission to get our students to the next grade level and on level.
We, as teachers, have always had plans and goals for our students.
We, as teachers, have always tried to get help and remediate the students who need it immediately. Those that did not qualify after being tested by the psychologist were the students who are given more one on one or tutoring, and we provide it through tutoring and one one on one by volunteers and teacher assistants.
We, as, teachers try to be aware of the students who are academically high because they can not be neglected.
We, as teachers, must teach to a whole spectrum of students and differentiate to all. We , as teachers, must instruct , assess ,and create productive citizens.
We, as classroom teachers, must do it all.
We, as care takers of our students, must determine what really works and get rid of that which does not. Time is the problem. You must get rid of what is not needed, and really teach.
Real teachers do this continually with or without data.
Amen! Well stated!
ReplyDeleteI completed a book about a very successful elementary school who through the efforts of their TLC - Teacher Learning Coordinator - assisted teachers by writing mini grants, partnered with teachers on projects, helped with paperwork, etc. They met as a group once a month to shares ideas of best practices and PD. Wouldn't it be great if our IFs helped instead of meeting once a week and our IF spends hours at her computer "surfing" to find helpful sites, as if we have time to look. As for data, have you looked at the DASH website. It bleeds with red directions as it still isn't working. Someone needs to investigate how much the system could save if we abandoned that program and the staff hired to administer.
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