Back on track...thanks to the teachers!

It's early November, which means we are in the heart of the best learning season of the school year. September is all about getting settled, changing rosters, going over rules and expectations, getting to know one another and getting into the flow of the year. October and November are the two months where we are really able to get down to business and teach...after that, the holiday frenzy gets ahold of everyone, and after returning from the winter break, it's all about PSSA test prep.

I really love this time of the school year, all your plans from over the summer are finally taking shape (and of course the gorgeous fall weather just makes things feel better), and you feel like you can really get things accomplished during this year. First marking period grades have not been entered yet...so for the students, the year is still wide open for them to make it their own.

With all of the budget and leadership craziness this past summer, and so many people not being placed in teaching positions until just before the start of school, I would say that the train has gotten itself back on track pretty smoothly. But then, that's because teachers are running things! We just know how to do it. I mean, you get classes full of children staring at you in September, you better start doing something, lots of somethings really...or you will lose control of the whole year from the start. Despite everyone's grumblings, no one wants to have a bad year in their own classroom, for the students' sake or their own, so smoothing out the wrinkles (even the giant ones here in the SDP) just happens as teachers begin their practice. I just wish credit was given to the teachers where it's due. Yes, in schools where the administration is supportive, they deserve credit too...but I've seen plenty of classrooms back in the swing of things at schools where the administration is sub-par to say the least. So, go ahead teachers, pat yourself on the back!

As for the district, it's still a mess...there's still money problems, leadership problems, safety problems, inequities...the list goes on. However, most teachers I see are going full steam ahead and are deep in the learning process with their students. Happy November everyone! Take a minute to enjoy the path you've now carved out for your school year.

Things Are Really Heating Up

At least with all the hot air...literal and figurative...smothering us this week we are getting early dismissals to deal with the pressure cooker that has become the School District of Philadelphia.

I personally did not have the dreaded one-on-one layoff meeting with my principal, but many of my fellow teaching friends were not so lucky. I say lucky, because there was no measure of skill involved in these layoff decisions, simply seniority and hiring dates. Some of these teachers are being optimistic, and say they will use the time to go back to school for a Masters Degree. A few I've spoken to say they may interview at Charter and Catholic schools, which they wouldn't normally want to do. Others say they will just put their information online at PA-REAP or PA-Educator online hiring sites, and hope for the best, though they have admitted that with other districts in the same budget binds, that they aren't expecting much. The biggest concern I've heard is not about loss of salary, as most seem somewhat confident they will make out okay with unemployment, but loss of benefits.

Once again this year, I find myself in this unique position of being able to observe so much due to my travels between 5 high schools. Never before have I had the opportunity to talk with so many different people in a school district. My previous 6 years of teaching, I had a small circle of friends that I sought out at lunch or prep. This year, without a classroom of my own at any of the 5 schools, I am much more visible, and have a chance to meet with not only teachers, but counselors, school psychologists, secretaries, school support staff, school police, etc.  It has been almost surreal at times to have access to so many different perspectives on the individual schools and the district.

Though I was not given a lay-off notice, I have yet to be assigned a position for next year. Hopefully this will happen sooner than later, but in the meantime, I will digest all that I've been exposed to this year. By mid-year, I was feeling refreshed, thinking that this year was just what I needed to give me some perspective on the SDP. I had become frustrated with many things at my previous school, but this year helped me to see that I would find many of those issues at any school. I was able to come to a place of understanding where I would take things less personally. However, as the year is now winding down...these last few months I've felt that understanding turn into frustration and lack of hope for this district. As much as I try to be an optimist, and a pragmatist, I'm not seeing the place for either of those things. This city's school system is just a HOT MESS!

I'm sure all of this has be exacerbated by recent developments, and I'm feeding off of the high stress levels of everyone else around me. It also doesn't help that my school-issued teacher laptop was stolen out of my office last week at Overbrook High...and nothing has happened to the 2 students who were obviously involved....sigh.

Alas, I hope that I can use the summer to re-charge, and use this new district-wide perspective that I've been privy to this year in whatever position I land for next September.

Making my day today, and something I'll try to focus on, was saying goodbye to one of fabulous 11th grade ESOL students from Germantown. She was truly sad that I wouldn't be her teacher again next year, and said, "No other ESOL teacher will be as nice as you." She also remembered that I loved a bird that she painted earlier in the year...and gave me a smaller version that she recently made. I guess I've gotta just really treasure these little moments, and forget all the $4!+ that won't change anytime soon....

So Much Going On...Some Places to Keep Up With It All

The School District of Philadelphia is in crisis mode. I read about different meetings, proposals, school changes, and budget updates daily, yet I still feel like I have no idea what is going on. If you're looking to learn more about any story related to this process, check out http://www.thenotebook.org/ where you can find anything and everything district related.

Also a great resource is the Philly School Files section of Philly.com: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/school_files/ where Kristen Graham is diligent in reporting daily updates.

As for the district, the vacancy list for 2011-2012 has been posted. Who knows how they are going to fill these positions (but I do see quite a few ESOL spots on there, so hopefully I'm in good shape?!?).
http://www.philasd.org/vacancy_list/

Additionally, for some color commentary on all of this...there are these amazing "heat" maps of the district and its surrounding areas. Anyone interested in education, or socio-economics in general will find them intriguing. http://www.localetrends.com/philadelphia-trends.php
They are available for every major city...pretty interesting stuff.

I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on all of this. I realize that with the current economic situation there will need to be some major cuts. This is understandable, and realistic. Public education is not immune to the tough times that have plagued the rest of the country. I just hope they make the right decisions, and truly cut any "fat" before making decisions that will place our students at greater risk. One item on the table right now is cutting full-day kindergarten, and that is something that I fear will cause irreparable harm. Many of the students in our district enter school very far behind as it is...this will guarantee that all of our battles are uphill for many years to come. If there is one issue that needs to be fought for, I believe this is it!

Thumbs up, Thumbs down

This strategy is one of many used in classrooms as a "formative assessment" to check for student understanding. In some Philly schools, teachers are required to use "Thumbs up, thumbs down" as a part of their exit ticket for students to leave the room after a lesson.

From now until the end of the school year, check out my daily "Thumbs up, Thumbs down" on Twitter @yogabeth218

I am actually a bit sad that this year is over, as I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work in 5 different high schools. I was unsure in August how this placement would work, but it has been an amazing learning experience. I have a much deeper grasp on what truly goes on...what works, what doesn't....in this troubled district. After the last two years in a very negative environment, I was really heading towards a "7 year itch" in my career. This year has saved me from that, and given me a fresh perspective that was so desperately needed. Thumbs up for that!

Does this count?

This week, students in Philadelphia are taking the quarterly "Benchmark" tests to monitor their progress and learning up to this point in the school year. These tests serve as indicators as to how well the students should score overall on the state tests, and they also provide data regarding what concepts and topics need to be reviewed and which have been understood. They take benchmarks in English, Math and Science.

The students whine and complain about these tests, and most don't give their best effort. Yesterday I heard the typical, "I'm just gonna put anything..." and "Give me my paper, I'll just fill in the bubbles". I also heard the more colorful, "Man, I hate this reading shit. All these damn words dawg." Most students finish way too quickly, indicating that they did not actually read the stories, but just rushed through the 20 questions. That's right, it is only 20 questions, about 4 separate 1 page stories (for the English test). But to most of the students in my English classes, reading through a full page of text that is written at their grade level is a monumental task.

Before starting the test, students argue about it's worth, and state that it doesn't matter how they do on them anyway. I repeatedly hear, "Does it count?" If the students don't see an immediate possibility for a reward/consequence for themselves, they just can't understand the value of giving their best effort.

Myself and another teacher in the class proceded to explain why they should actually try to do their best work. We explained that these scores are used in determining course placement for the students, and that the school overall will be judged on the scores. This particular school is one that has been failing for years, and is being taken over by a charter next year. We pointed out to the students that results on tests like this have helped the district make that decision. Still...this has no impact on the students. One says, "Well, I'll just go somewhere else next year anyway." They never want to take ownership of the conditions of their school. It's kind of like how people say, "Why should I vote? My one vote doesn't count." These students don't see how them making an effort on one day's test is going to help their school. They just can't see the bigger picture.

Now, I'm not the biggest proponent of the heavily testing based curriculum that is in place, but nonetheless, days like these are frustrating. Many of our children just don't see the point in proving their intelligence.  They seem to think they are being asked to perform in order to help the school, or to help the teacher. They can never seem to grasp that it's their own learning that is being measured.  Over and over my days are filled with times where I feel like I care more about my students' education than they do. I try to convince them that things are important. I try to challenge them, and ask, "What's the harm in doing your best?" and "Why not try to think through this? You're here in class anyway, just make an effort!". A few will try, but most are just trying to get through the next 42 minutes until the bell signals them to go get their 4 minutes of acting up in the hallways.

Sadly, it ends up being their own education that they think doesn't "count" for anything.

What about them?

The other day I found myself actually charting and tallying the activities of students in a 9th grade English classroom. This was at a large, neighborhood high school in North Philadelphia, and not surprisingly is one that is being taken over as a charter school next year. Here is what I found.

There were 2 students asleep, 3 sitting around one cell phone looking at music videos, 1 playing with a phone (this student had at least written something on his page before getting his phone out), 1 texting (after arriving 10 minutes late to class), 1 girl doing another girl's hair, 1 male student doodling on his worksheet, 1 male talking to 2 other male students about his new ("215") tattoo. This left 2 male students who were partially attempting to do the assignment...which by the way was to describe characters in the movie Troy, not write a 5 page essay or anything...and 5 female students sitting together in a group, who were all working on the assignment, and interacting with the English teacher to answer the questions.

This took place last week during PSSA testing, so this was actually 2 classes that were combined due to scheduling changes. This means two things....one, that there was also a second teacher in the room (plus me, which makes three) and these students still would not respond positively to the assignment with redirection from all of us...and two, that the 20 students that I mentioned above does not account for both combined classes, so many were absent or skipping.

I left this class feeling exhausted. I have told people, that oftentimes teaching feels like a never ending game of "Whack-a-Mole". You know, I run around and get one student to put their phone away and start working, then I move over to a different table to get them focused, but now another student is about to put their headphones back in....and on goes the game. In this particular case, at least there was other teachers in the room, so two of us could play "Whack-A-Mole" while the English teacher worked with the table of girls who were willing to participate.

I spoke with one of the teachers after class about the group of girls, and the two male students who were attempting to do some work. I said, "What about them? What can we do, so that this group who is involved in the lesson can be pushed and challenged?"

It breaks my heart to see the 2, or 3, or 5 students in any given classroom who come in, sit quietly amidst the chaos, stare at the front board, patiently waiting for class to begin. Many times these students wait for 10 minutes or more (after the late bell rings) before a teacher can gather everyone into the room, get everyone settled, and begin the lesson. So again, "What about them?" If those motivated students had back those 10 minutes of every period, that would be about an hour extra of learning per day. 5 hours a week...20 hours a month...wasted for these students who really care about their education.

I know that teachers don't want to ignore these students, and certainly do not want to leave them behind. It's really difficult though, almost impossible really, to pay attention to them when you have multiple students coming into the room singing and rapping with headphones in...a few in a loud conversation that involves completely inappropriate language that you need to correct...3 asking to go the bathroom...a fight in the hallway, some still strolling in late, etc.

I suppose it would be some form of tracking, but can't we take these students, and put them in classes together? I mean, really, the School District of Philadelphia has already "tracked" its students based on the way the high school application/acceptance procedure works. The students who remain at neighborhood schools are those who haven't been accepted anywhere else, are much more likely to have behavioral and learning issues, and are the most "at risk" students in the district. Let's at least take the small minority of students at these schools who come prepared to learn, and TEACH THEM!!

Right now we operate as correctional facilities first, and educational facilities second. The students have come to realize this, and know that their negative behaviors have changed the way the school must operate. This however is not at all fair to those who walk into the building expecting an education. All of our attention goes to the troublemakers, while there are some great young adults who are already behind their peers across the state and nation that we are leaving behind. "What about them?"

Let's play some defense for a change....

Being March, two things begin to take up a lot of my day...college basketball, and the PSSA tests. So, being the English teacher I am, this analogy has been floating around in my head.

Our district is failing miserably at these state-wide, standardized tests, so all we are asked to do, all year long, is test, test, test.  Then we review the practice tests, talk about the practice tests, analyze what the practice tests mean for the real tests...you get the idea.

Yes, these are "high-stakes" tests. They are worth a lot for the schools. Funding, curriculum, and jobs are intricately tied to the results. However, preparing for these tests solely by doing "mock" testing all year long is kind of like preparing for the NCAA tournament by only shooting 3's at practice.  It doesn't make sense. Teams live and (often) die by the 3 point shot. It's not reliable. It doesn't make you a well-rounded player. Our kids and schools, are currently "dying" academically because so much focus is placed on the PSSA.

I have said for years, in Tucson, Allentown, and now Philadelphia, that our "failing" students would have a much better chance of improvement if we were actually allowed to teach them.  I mean, really teach them, you know, things that would actually get them interested in learning and school. I'm thinking this would give us a bit of breathing room for when the "big dance" of testing time came around.  They would be more confident in their abilities, and even if they missed a few questions, they would be confident enough players, that they could rely on their defensive year of learning to get them through.

Zero Tolerance For Real Consequences

District-wide rules and regulations can be found in the handbook that every student is given at the start of the year.  Each school then needs to figure out how to enforce these rules within their building.  Certain "hot-topic" rules like those regarding cell phones & electronics or bullying even get special memos sent from regional offices on single sheets of paper that schools then send home.  More accurately, they give these memos to the students in advisory period to take home, where most students leave it on the desk, or crumble it up and throw it on the floor.

In addition to these memos, the morning announcements at most high schools include reminders that students are to be in uniform, are not to be in the halls between classes, are not to have any electronic devices (and if they do, these may be taken by any adult in the building), there is to be no weapons or fighting of any kind in the building, and some other items relevant to the building on that day.

For those unfamiliar, when students enter the building in the morning they must all enter through one single door where multiple school police officers and security guards are located (all the other doors are always locked...not sure how that is okay with fire codes, but that's another story...). Students must swipe in with their ID's, take off their jackets/hoodies, place their items on through a scanner machine like at the airport, and they walk through metal detectors.

So...my first point of contention...if the Philadelphia School District claims to be "zero tolerance" for so many of these rules and regs, why at that crucial moment of entering the school that some of these blatant violations are not taken care of?  I will give a shout out to Germantown High here, because they actually look for cell phones and electronics on the scanner devices, and do not let the students into the building with them.  At the other schools, students are allowed to bring these items through the door, and then proceed to use them conspicuously and quite disrespectfully throughout the day.  This is why the issues need to be stopped at the door.  For our students, once they can break a rule one time, in front of one adult, the battle becomes that much more difficult.  They are quick to use the, "But officer so-and-so let me in the building"...or, "Well, Ms. _____ saw me and said it was fine.".

At some schools, if a student is not in uniform, the security officers take them to an In-School suspension room for the day, which is a start, but not quite "zero tolerance".  Now, I understand that with drop-out rates as high as they are, and daily attendance as low as it is, that it's hard to turn a student away who actually comes to school even if they are in jeans and they do have cell phone in their pocket.  However, these students are well aware when they put on their jeans, and use their phone in the classroom, that they are breaking rules.  They are extremely aware that it seems that the adults in the building aren't doing much about it.  When not enforced, the students quickly lose respect for any of the daily rules and those who do try to enforce them.  I often hear arguments from students about how they "aren't doing anything wrong"...or "I'm here aren't I, get outta my face."

The students seem to think that as long as they aren't being overly violent (I say overly, becase an awful lot of "play fighting" goes on that looks pretty rough) that they are within the boundaries of appropriate behavior. Cursing goes unpunished.  Trash covers the school walkways inside and out. Skipping classes is laughed at. Tardiness is excused. Failing grades get litte attention. I could get a contact high in stairway #2 at Simon Gratz at any given point in the day.  The list goes on....

Is it becoming clear that there are no consequences? All this for students who so desperately need structure and discipline in their lives.  I'm not saying I was an angel and didn't bring my (I'm dating myself here...) beeper to school, that I didn't skip classes, etc. The difference? The first time my beeper was seen in class not only was it taken, but my father had to come to school later that day in order for me to get it back.  When I was caught skipping, I found myself in in-school suspension.

Things have gotten so far out of control though, that teachers end up turning the other cheek.  I am guilty, I admit it.  My first year in Philly, I tried giving after school detentions for any child who cursed in my classroom.  I was there everyday after school, using my own time because our school had no organized detention system.  Many of the students wouldn't show up, leading me to give them more detentions, and to run around from room to room trying to gather them all at the end of the day.  It was exhausting.  I didn't want to give up on the fight for appropriate langauge, but it wasn't worth my sanity.  I do not ignore the cursing now, but simply say "language" in a stern tone everytime I hear it.  I at least want the students to know that I do hear it, and I don't like it.  It's not a consequence though, so not much changes. 

Until school administration gets behind teachers, the students will break the rules.  Until consequences are given for small infractions, students will progress to larger offenses.  I realize that it seems silly and futile to "sweat the small stuff" but it is desperately needed in our neighborhood high schools.  Sadly, it's not until something tragic happens that administration gets involved...and the news cameras show up...and people from district offices magically appear and find a way to park their cars on the side streets of North Philly...and then there is a school wide assembly reminding students of the rules in the handbook that must be followed.

The cycle then continues....consequence free, until the principal themself receives a reprimand.

One example in the news from last week if you hadn't seen it: "Another Phila student beaten by a mob"
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7940850

I can't help but think that if there were consequences for the small stuff...there would be less of the big stuff.

Will they keep their Promises?

Last week, quite a few Philadelphia public schools have been added to the Promise Academy and Renaissance list for next year.

What does this mean for these schools? See description here:
http://www.thenotebook.org/blog/113254/outine-four-ren-schools-models



I work at two of these high schools, Simon Gratz and Germantown. At both schools teachers and students alike are all in a frenzy trying to figure out what this means for them next year. Today, I saw teachers working on resumes and checking out websites for other districts. There was also a senior today who walked around from class to class, and with permission of the teachers, asked the students in the classrooms to sign a (relatively polished looking) petition to keep Gratz a public high school.   I don't even think that the students fully understand how their school may change, but they all signed the petition in the classroom that I was in.

I really do not know what will work to reform this district, especially if we are only focusing on curriculum and rules, school hours and teacher certification, and ignoring the larger systemic problems. I only hope that they use all this new federal money on something that can really make a difference.  (I know that I certainly didn't need a color printed brochure at the district PD I attended today, when at most schools, paper is treated like gold.)

 Want some color commentary? This is an actual conversation between a few male students regarding the issue:

Student 1-They gettin’ ready to kick all y’all out. (Saying this to a teacher)

Student 2-Yeah, They shuttin’ this school down

Student 3- They ain’t shutting it down, it’s gonna be a charter

Student 2-I’m goin' somewhere else…Del Val something

Student 3-You ain’t goin' nowhere…we getting’ booked.

Student 1-I’m getting’ my GED- Get every dolla’

Student 2-Yeah,I gotta do something, I’m not tryin' to be 23 graduating and everything

Sigh. After hearing conversations like that, I sure hope the people at 440 N. Broad can keep some promises.