Assigned Reading

I recently read Work Hard, Be Nice by Jay Mathews.  It’s the story of Mike Feinberg and David Levin, who started the KIPP program in a couple of fifth grade classes in Houston.  Today KIPP has more than 60 urban charter schools across the country.

Mathews writes a narrative, revealing how the two Teach for America grads overcame the bureaucratic roadblocks of public education.  Feinberg and Levin work tirelessly to develop and expand a program that would prove successful even in the most struggling urban areas.

Most inspirational was the motivation of these young men.  They seemed to know early what many education decision-makers never learn, that a successful program must be developed based on the needs of the kids it services.  Feinberg and Levin put kids at the center of their efforts.

Mathews is an education reporter for the Washington Post, and he understands terminology and pedagogy.  Yet his story is engaging as it weaves the personal lives of the KIPP founders, excessively at times, into the tale.

I found Work Hard, Be Nice to be a fun read, and it has already influenced the way I teach my fifth graders.

AFT members receive a very good quarterly publication called American Educator.  Rather than union propaganda, the magazine features articles on educational issues and research.  The current issue features an uplifting story by Jennifer Dubin called “From Picket Line to Partnership.”

In the Fall of 1993, the ABC Unified School District in California found itself in a nasty battle, with union officials and administrators at each others throats.  Eventually teachers walked out of their classrooms and went on strike.  Although the strike lasted just two weeks, the results were a severely damaged district and an unhealthy school environment.  Both sides realized change was necessary.

The article shares what can happen when the leaders of a school district decide to put down their arms and work together.  By viewing themselves not as opponents, but players on the same team, union officials and administrators have created a very successful school district that provides “what’s best for kids.”  Today the atmosphere is positive, the respect is evident, and the tests scores are up…way up, even in the poorest areas of the community.

Although the story is written from a union perspective, credit is given to all those involved in making the school community a success.  The complete article is available on line in .pdf format, and is worth reading.

Teachers at two KIPP charter schools in NYC have asked the state board to sever their relationships with the city’s AFT affiliate.  The petitions were signed by every teacher at each school.

Apparently the union attempted to begin collective bargaining talks with the charter boards without the knowledge of the teachers at the schools.  The union also filed a grievance against the schools “without solicitation or support of staff”.

The union is not interested in acting in the best interest of the teachers at these KIPP schools.   Its unsolicited intrusion into the operations of these charters  stands as evidence to its motives.

Teachers at KIPP schools know what is expected even before they accept job offers.  It is the longer hours and higher teacher expectations that have made KIPP such a success.

In its press release KIPP teachers wrote:

we do not believe that one size fits all.  We firmly believe that the best way to move forward is to continue with what has made our schools great: parents, staff, and administration working cooperatively to teach character and academics in order to prepare our students for high school, college, and the world beyond.  We look forward to continuing to serve the students and families of New York City to the very best of our ability.

As it should be.  These teachers know why they teach.  I have great respect for them.

It is unclear whether teachers at a third KIPP school that has been in the news, KIPP AMP, will continue its efforts to unionize.  Hopefully the events this week will shine some much needed light.

At the Britannica Blog, Daniel Willingham explores how teachers might earn more respect.  His premise is that a small number of incompetent teachers are damaging the entire profession.

The problem goes beyond the small number of incompetent teachers.  There are many more who are barely competent, and still more who are only adequate.  For too long our public schools have allowed adequate to be acceptable.  Is an adequate teacher good enough for your child?

Unions are filled with teachers of all abilities.  In today’s public schools, it seems the incompetent and adequate teachers make up a significant voting block in teachers’ unions.  These groups have the ability, and the energy, to overpower the voices of those superior teachers looking to provide what’s best for children.

My view seems pessimistic.  I have met hundreds and hundreds of teachers.  Most are nice and caring individuals.  They arrive at work on time, and put in some extra hours here and there.  But these qualities do not make excellent teachers.

Public schools cannot accept mere adequacy.  Firing bad teachers should be a no-brainer, but most of our efforts should be geared towards providing the very best in every classroom.  Demand excellence, and replace those who cannot provide it.  Evaluating teachers should not be part of collective bargaining agreements; principals must be allowed to demand more than the bare minimum from their teachers.

It’s not the media or some “confirmation bias” that is to blame for the lack of respect teachers feel.  Rather, it’s the willingness to overlook the truly bad teachers, and accept the merely adequate ones, that has damaged the reputation of our profession.

This news is depressing.  Apparently politics trumped kids once again in Washington.  Senate Democrats have quietly blocked the extension of the DC school voucher program.  The program provides vouchers of up to $7500 to mostly low-income and minority students in the city.

Without a renewal, students currently participating, about 1,700 of them, will find themselves back in the failing D.C. public schools.

Sorry kids, but chalk this one up for the unions.

I often argue that for too long we have viewed schools first as a place to employ adults, and only second as a place to educate children.  Sounds like leaders of two of America’s most challenged school districts believe the same,  From a Huffington Post report, NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein:

Once teachers get tenure — which typically happens at the end of three years — they basically have their jobs for life. Last year, only 10 in 55,000 tenured New York City teachers were fired for poor performance. Protecting grownups rather than making sure students can read and do math is how our country has gotten into the educational mess it’s in today. It’s the reason we have shameful racial achievement gaps separating our white and Asian students from our African-American and Latino students. It’s the reason too many of our kids are dropping out of school. It’s the reason our kids are lagging further and further behind their international peers.

And from the same report, DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee:

Tenure is the holy grail of teacher unions, but has no educational value for kids; it only benefits adults. If we can put veteran teachers who have tenure in a position where they don’t have it, that would help us to radically increase our teacher quality. And maybe other districts would try it, too.

It’s time for the grown-ups to act like grown-ups, and do what is best for the kids in their charge.

Blog: Clever. Teachers that voted to unionize at one KIPP school in NY are pressuring administrators with an ad campaign to recognize the union, titled “Be Nice.” “Be Nice” is part of the motto guiding students at all KIPP schools. edspresso blog reminds the unionists of the first part of the motto: “Work Hard”.

Opinion: writing in EdWeek, Kirsten Olsen believes an addiction to “busyness is the enemy of change” in our schools.

News – The union that represents NY lifeguards has voted to affiliate with the state’s teachers union, AFT. What? Lifeguards are unionized? Yes, and according to the NYTimes, the union president wears “trademark pink polo shirts” and drives a white Mercedes.