teacher quality

Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Education Leadership, Matthew Lynch, Teachers

Promoting Student Achievement through Accountability and Assessment

Educators, parents, politicians, and concerned citizens agree that the American educational system is in poor shape, and that far reaching changes are needed for improvement. One illustration: in today’s junior high schools, more than 80 percent of Black and Latino students say they intend to go to college. For those who get to college, up to 60 percent require remedial work to prepare them for college courses. Furthermore, 25-50 percent of these students drop out of college after only one year.

Accountability in education refers to holding school districts, school administrators, educators and students responsible for demonstrating specific academic performance results. Accountability has become a word describing a whole host of educational activity, and is held up as a banner by some and feared by others. Throughout the country, policy makers are moving toward systems designed to reward educators for achievement and punish them for lack of improvement.

Historically, school system reform was guided by “inputs” into the system. Schools were given more resources, more funding, more staffing, and in some cases had added more days to the school year, in an attempt to improve learning outcomes. The focus on inputs did not necessarily lead to noticeable improvements in student achievement.

A paradox remains where low-performing schools are having the most difficult time making significant improvements. As a result, these schools risk losing funding and support they so desperately need to advance. Of course, many people are worried about making such huge funding and support decisions based on a single high-stakes test. Clearly, there are no easy answers to fixing our education system, but accountability and assessment are the current avenues we are taking. When discussing how to improve our educational system, it is important to understand the language and the relevant issues.

School reform can no longer rely mostly on giving schools more resources and more support. Time has shown that inputs have no real impact on student performance. Federal edicts, such as NCLB have enforced protocols based on standards, testing, and accountability. These standards emphasize performance objectives and require high levels of accountability from educators.

The required reforms, particularly those which impose sanctions similar to those imposed by NCLB, often create much stress and anxiety. Many educators ask whether it is fair to hold schools accountable for student achievement. And, even if it is “fair,” how are we to measure such achievement? What testing and evaluation formulas will be used? The answers to questions like this are not easy. Obviously, achievement can only be guaranteed if we assess it in some way. However, current assessment models are flawed.

Research suggests that standards and accountability may improve learning for some disadvantaged students, particularly those with disabilities. When some schools implement accountability guidelines, they promote an environment of increased collaboration among educators and create an environment where teachers expect all students to perform well academically, which in turn encourages better learning outcomes.

Some countries have been able to show effective and useful outcomes based on their use of certain accountability policies. However, American policy-makers and researchers still do not have any real evidence that these latest accountability reforms are working to improve outcomes for the vast majority of students.

Conversations around school accountability have been polarized. Politicians and parents often want to hold schools and teachers completely responsible for student achievement. Teachers point to disinterested students and uninvolved parents, saying that there is only so much they can do. But studies have shown that if teachers and students work together, and schools hold themselves accountable, great strides can be made. Open discussions of accountability and standards bring us to a place where schools are performing better and our children are learning. This is what the American education system should focus its attention and resources on. Then and only then can we make substantial progress in our quest to close the achievement gap.

Click here to read all our posts concerning the Achievement Gap.

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Equity, Matthew Lynch

Ask an Expert: Authentic Diversity

Question: Dr. Lynch, I am an African American man whose son is being recruited by a large state university in the south. However, my friend informed me that this university doesn’t have the proper supports in place for minority students, and doesn’t have many minority faculty members. It sounds like this university only embraces diversity to be more marketable. Should I be concerned? Wayne R.

Answer: Wayne, thanks for sending this my way. It is not unusual for colleges and universities to have aggressive diversity recruitment programs in place when it comes to students and faculty. After all, a blanket priority for schools is to have student and faculty populations that are as varied as possible.

Pardon my cynicism here, but who exactly do these recruitment programs really benefit? Successful recruitment in this regard creates a visual diversity that looks good on college brochures and websites, but it is only skin-deep. A recent episode of Modern Family referenced this visual diversity when oldest Dunphy daughter Haley made the following observation about a community college mailer she received:

“At least this one doesn’t have that fakie lunchtime shot of the black guy, Asian girl and an Indian… oh, wait, there it is! Wow, that wheelchair kid is really cracking everybody up.”

It got a laugh from me and millions of other viewers who have seen this all too often in college recruitment. If a school can convince potential students that there are others already there, just like them, then enrollment numbers rise – along with revenue. While that may improve bottom line and freshman diversity, long-term retention and student success programs are often not considered. Who is on hand to give these marginalized, trophy students support when the reality of college demands sets in?

While diversity of the student population gets a lot of press, this is not the only group universities target for variety. Increasingly, colleges are seeking out minority faculty members that fit certain criteria and are meant to dispel the myth that professors are usually “old, white guys.” It’s a slow go, however. While 30 percent of the undergraduate population are considered minority students, only 12 percent of faculty are in the minority category. For minority faculty numbers to rise, schools need to make sure they are creating welcoming environments that encourage success. The sad truth is that many minority faculty members did not have many, if any, professors or instructors “like them” when they were earning their degrees and so they are blazing their own trails when it comes to their ethnicity, race and position of authority. It is not enough for schools to recruit diverse talent; they must cultivate those skills to retain those faculty members long term.

An example of a college with strong recruitment and follow up when it comes to diversity is the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The school graduates 70 percent of its black student population and 65 percent of Latino students. These are not just lucky numbers, but are the result of a concentrated program called the Educational Opportunity Program. Designed to target first-generation, low-income college students, EOP includes mandatory study hours and meetings with academic success counselors. Instead of leaving students to their own devices, the program assumes students need that extra encouragement for success.

Other colleges are on board with this idea of hands-on guidance too. The North Carolina Community College Minority Male Mentoring Program incorporates networking and developmental courses to improve retention and ultimately graduation rates for minorities. The University of Florida has a medical school minority mentoring program designed to connect students and health professionals.  The University of Alabama in Huntsville has a freshman minority mentorship initiative that requires mentors to meet at least once each month with their students.

Programs like these provide a bridge between diverse student recruitment and minority retention and graduation. They go beneath the appearance of a student population to address the real people involved. With more of a push in this mentorship direction, more minority students like your son will graduate workplace-ready and less will become collateral damage in university diversity initiatives.

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Teachers

Understanding Federal Funding Part I: 3 Types of School Funding

Not only do school systems receive state funding but also federal funding through various programs and initiatives. Therefore it is important to understand three types of federal funding methods that transpired throughout history which include categorical aid, grants, and Title I funds.

Currently, the federal government contributes approximately 9% annually, or about $71 billion, to the education of the nation’s elementary- and secondary-aged children. The amount of support varies from state to state, with some states receiving more federal monies. South Dakota receives the most federal funding (an estimated 16% of the state’s entire educational budget), while New Jersey gets only 3% of its funds from federal sources. The U.S. Department of Education was allocated $63.7 billion for fiscal year 2010. The department distributes funds to schools, determines major education issues and focuses attention to them through provision of funds, instigates programs designed to ensure an equal education for all, and engages in research activities that result in an accumulation of educational statistics.

Before the 1980s, federal funding was distributed to states solely in the form of categorical aid
(or grants). Basically, money was designated to fund several federally sponsored programs and to support federally based educational legislation. Categorical aid was spent on specific items or in particular ways. For example, money for textbooks was to be used exclusively for textbooks. Schools and districts had to track how money from categorical aid was spent and had to report these expenditures to the federal government to ensure that money was used in the manner for which it was intended. Any unused funds had to be returned to the provider, if they were not spent within an allocated time frame. Many critics claim that the stipulations attached to federal monies allowed the federal government to more readily influence state-based education, as districts had to accept federal regulations in order to receive the funding.

In the 1980s, the Reagan administration introduced the notion of the block grant. With this method of funding, monies were dispersed to states with relatively minor conditions attached. This change in funding reflected the Republican belief that the federal government should play a lesser role in educational policy making. The federal government transferred money in a “block” to individual states, and the states decided how the money would be spent. Both block grants and categorical aid are currently used by the federal government to finance education. States are accountable to the federal government for how monies are spent. To this end, they must accept conditions attached to grants and prepare plans for funds received. All expenditures must be tracked, and reports regarding how monies were spent must be submitted to the federal government. These requirements have led to an increased federal influence over education nationwide.

Federal government monies are often distributed to school districts through the state departments of education. Typically, states apply for available federal funds to support state goals and needs, although school districts can apply directly to the federal government for grants as well. As a beginning teacher, you may be asked to sit on a committee that structures a grant proposal. You may also want to consider taking the initiative to suggest an idea, a program, or an educational service that could benefit from the funds provided by a federal grant.

Some sources of federal funds have been available for a number of years. Funds under Title I of
Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA) have been available since 1965, when the legislation first passed. Title I funds are directed toward improving the education of students from low-income backgrounds. The intent of the legislation of ESEA 1965 is to provide “compensatory education” as a means of ensuring equality of educational opportunities for all children, regardless of the economic status of their parents. Today, states wishing to receive Title I monies must submit to the federal government a proposal for educational improvement.

Typically, the state disperses funds to school districts, which then provide funds to individual schools. All schools considered for Title I funds must have a minimum percentage of low-income students in attendance. Schools with the highest percentages of poor students receive the most money from the Title I fund. Schools have the right to decide how the money will be spent on site and do not have to specifically allocate funds to individual students. Title I monies can be channeled into general programs of improvement, benefiting all students enrolled in the school. Initiatives such as the “Race to the Top” stimulus program have also been initiated at a federal level. This fund aims to assist states in achieving the standards outlined by Title I, acting as a stimulus grant for schools that can demonstrate that they are committed to reform and take proactive steps to ensure the output of competent students. As a beginning teacher, you should investigate how your state participates in and coordinates reform initiatives and ensure that you remain abreast of requirements. Your investigation will also familiarize you with many of the structures discussed in this chapter and with applying the required guidelines to your particular school and students.

In the 2006–2007 school year, the federal government committed almost $14 billion to Title I grants, which aided 17 million elementary- and secondary-aged school children in 61,000 schools across the country. Almost two thirds of the recipient children were in elementary school. Funds aided the education of 35% of all Hispanic students, 33% of all European American students, and 25% of African American students. Asian American and Native American students made up the remaining 7%. A national assessment of Title I conducted in 2006 found that students who had received services through the grant made modest improvements in both reading and mathematics, as evidenced by standardized test scores. Although Title I funds have helped low-income children improve, their progress in basic reading and mathematics lags behind that of their higher-income peers.

Some criticize Title I as a waste of money, suggesting that there is no real evidence that Title
I helps to improve education outcomes for students who receive Title I services. Critics point out that the funding directed toward improved educational outcomes for low-income children has done little to stem the unremitting cycle of poverty. They maintain that social ills associated with poverty, such as drug use, dropping out of school, early pregnancies, and the inability to find work persist. Advocates of Title I claim that the legislation was never meant to address every facet of poverty, and that services made possible by Title I funds have resulted in small gains in the lives of children the services were intended to help. Proponents of Title I further argue that small successes have an inestimable influence on a life that would otherwise be destroyed by poverty, and that no monetary value can be assigned to that influence.

In addition to Title I, the federal government funds other compensatory programs, all aimed to provide equality of education for lower-income children. Some, like Head Start include a substantial parental involvement component as a means for increasing each parents’ role in facilitating the intellectual and social growth of their children. Other programs target older students, whether in elementary or in secondary schools. Tutoring, literacy training, and projects designed to discourage dropping out of school are all examples of programs funded by the federal government. Title I programs today fall under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which was passed in 2001. The 2001 enactment of NCLB was actually a renaming and reauthorization of the ESEA. ESEA was modified several times after 1965, but NCLB was the first sweeping overhaul of the legislation.

Unlike its predecessor, NCLB includes extensive language that connects federal benefits and funding to evidence-based achievement, like standardized testing. NCLB includes specific goals for schools that include early learning initiatives for at-risk students intended to set them on the right path for learning in the formative years. These reading programs for young students have been shown to boost the overall educational achievement for children.

While ESEA took the first steps toward equalizing public school education, NCLB put more specific benchmarks in place. NCLB is grounded in the conviction that a student’s performance can be improved through the simple act of setting high standards and that the achievement of educational objectives can be accurately measured by standardized tests. NCLB requires schools to show adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward a goal of 100% proficiency among students by the 2013–2014 school year, in the areas of reading and mathematics. Schools not making AYP from year to year are subject to sanctions, ranging from the requirement to develop or revise an existing improvement plan after missing AYP for 1 year to complete school restructuring after missing AYP for 5 consecutive years. School districts that fail to ensure that sanctions are implemented at schools not making AYP risk losing Title I funds. Schools do have some leeway in how they can attain AYP. The safe harbor provision, for example, allows a school to improve by 10% overall, even if individual students have not attained state standard. Schools can also receive credit if individual students improve their performance by one third over the course of the year.

The federal government’s commitment to the education of all children was evidenced most recently with the American Recovery and Revitalization Act (ARRA), formalized in 2009.
ARRA allocated a total of $150 billion to keep schools open and functioning across the nation.
This particular piece of legislation was especially significant, because it marked the first time that the federal government provided funding based on the level of need of either the schools or the educational system.

Through the development of federal funding programs school systems are able to continue providing education to children and youth. Although there is still some controversy regarding the amount of funding given by the government, as Educators and guardians, we must be aware of the changes in legislation and how their decisions impact federal funds.

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, First Year Teachers, Teachers

The First Year Teaching: The desist approach to classroom discipline

By Matthew Lynch

As you look for your own way of operating your classroom efficiently, there are several styles of teaching discipline to consider. One that is often used because of its easy-to-implement practices is the “desist” approach. Unlike the self-discipline approach where students are responsible, the desist approach places teachers as the responsible ones. This approach can be viewed as a power system, as teachers have the power and they set the specific rules to give students discipline and correct students’ behaviors. Here is how this method is put into practice:

Assertive Discipline

This approach bases itself on the fact that teachers have the power to ask and require specific actions from students. However, this discipline still has students’ best interest in mind. Canter and Canter, in their historical study conducted in 1992, found that teachers who use this discipline are actually calm when it comes to the rules and limits. This discipline makes teachers assert clear rules.  It gives students the clear idea that misbehavior has consequences and if students want positive consequences, they know how to achieve them.

Behavior Modification

This approach centers around four types of punishment/reinforcement.  These are:

  • Positive Reinforcement: Giving extra credit for a question answered with much thought
  • Positive Punishment: A meeting with a Principal
  • Negative Reinforcement: Removal of an activity that the student does not enjoy
  • Negative Punishment: Decrease in free time

This approach finds the positive reinforcement to be the most effective while punishments are comparatively ineffective. It goes without saying then that teachers are expected to encourage students’ good behaviors instead of criticizing the misbehavior.

In both cases, a lot of the responsibility of the enforcement of acceptable classroom behavior falls on the shoulder of the teacher but for individuals who want to have a tighter control over how things operate, this may be favorable. In classrooms with younger students, this may also be something that is desired as students, particularly in grades K-3, have not yet had enough classroom exposure to really understand how to implement self-discipline models.

In most cases, teachers will subscribe to more than one type of classroom management when it comes to discipline and order. If you are a teacher with different students depending on the period of the day, you may find that one style is preferable over another based on the personalities in your specific class. Conversely, you may go into the process with one style in mind and then find that in practice, something else works better. The main thing is that you at least consider how you want your classroom to operate before going into the process blindly, hoping for the best.

It may be hard to believe, but at some point you won’t need to put so much upfront effort into determining the kind of teacher you want to be — it will just come naturally. In the mean time, consider the best ways to function in your classroom to benefit your students and make your early teaching years more manageable for you.

Check out all our posts for First Year Teachers here. 

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Matthew Lynch published in Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform, Teachers

Don’t Miss this Quick (Yet Important) Guide to Multiculturalism in the United States

The United States is becoming more diverse every day. We are rapidly approaching, if not yet solidly in, an era where the majority of students are from ethnic minority groups. Because of this, it’s really important to know the role multiculturalism plays in the United States and in American education.

Here are 7 questions you’ll want to know the answers to. You will be that much more prepared to face any unique challenges that come with educating with multiculturalism in mind.

  1. What does “culture” mean in the United States? Culture in the United States can be separated into several elements, including behavior, beliefs, traditions, and values. In the early years of the republic, American culture was indelibly associated with European-derived, English-speaking Protestant culture. More recently, however, the influx of new languages, religions, and other cultural ingredients has created a more diverse and challenging environment. Many elements of personal freedom, including freedom of religion and speech, are protected by the legal system. But there’s a conflict between autonomy and assimilation: Is it better to press students into a monocultural mold or to celebrate their diversity?
  2. What is the role of ethnicity in our schools? Determining ethnicity can be complex and includes factors such as race, religion, customs, and culture. The United States is becoming increasingly diverse. Americans of Asian, African, and Hispanic origin are on the rise, and this is reflected in classroom populations. Furthermore, individuals who are multiethnic (who associate with more than one ethnic group) form an increasingly large portion of the student population. Laws have changed in the United States to reflect the value of cultures and languages other than the traditional European ones. It is important that teachers are aware of and are prepared to deal with racism in the classroom.
  3. What is the role of multiculturalism in today’s schools? Multiculturalism is the acceptance of multiple cultures coexisting in a society that provides equitable status to distinct ethnic groups. The former “melting pot” ideology is being replaced by a “patchwork quilt” perspective, in which cultural identity and language are preserved. A number of theories have been floated to explain the variety of performance levels in children of different backgrounds, including the cultural deficit theory (students don’t do well because of an inadequate home environment), the expectation theory (teachers have lower expectations of certain students), and the cultural difference theory (students from different cultures have different ways of learning).
  4. How can teachers embrace their multicultural classrooms? Currently, 37% of U.S. students view themselves as coming from multicultural backgrounds, and the percentage is increasing. By 2040, children of color will make up a majority of students. Schools are currently engaged in producing more inclusive curricula, which reflect the backgrounds of their student population. Teachers should be “color aware,” rather than “color blind,” and should encourage students to share and celebrate their diverse backgrounds and experiences by being inclusive and particularistic.
  5. How religiously diverse are our students? Today, only 51% of U.S. students are Protestant. Groups such as Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists make up around 5% of the population, though this percentage is growing rapidly. The separation of church and state in the educational sphere has grown more pronounced in recent years, and it is now against the law, for example, to have school prayers. But it is important to encourage students to share about their religious experiences, and to celebrate all forms of religious experience.
  6. How linguistically diverse are our students? In the early part of the 20th century, laws were passed limiting the teaching of languages other than English. More recently, however, those laws were challenged. Students may now be taught in languages other than English, and transitional services are offered in many schools.
  7. Does America promote linguistic and intellectual diversity in the classroom? The United States does not have an official language. About 80% of Americans speak English at home. Other families speak languages such as Spanish, Tagalog, Hmong, French, and Chinese. As a result, most schools now include language programs for non-English speakers. The Bilingual Education Act and similar legislation stipulate that ELLs must be provided with the tools to acquire English. Models vary, however, and include the immersion model, the transition model, and developmental bilingual education.

Do you have any beneficial information on the role of culture in our society? What is your personal experience with multiculturalism in the classroom? I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts, so feel free to leave a comment.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Education Leadership, First Year Teachers, Teachers

6 Best Practices for Internal Communication in Public Schools

Written by Eric Walters and Karen Gerberry

Internal communication may be more important than many think. 42% of communication is  delivered   through   other   people.  Whether  it  is  information   needing  to  be communicated  to  teachers,  students  or  administration  a  student  success  is highly dependent on the frequency and quality of communication. Successful communication between teachers and parents is most common in schools with well-informed, effective educators.

Schools, realizing this, have implemented practices to communicate valuable information within their school systems. What are some of these strategies and what benefits do they provide to these school districts?

  1. Developing New Policies

School systems can often be dispersed, making meetings and collaboration difficult. With advancements in technology, however, sharing thoughts and ideas is becoming increasingly easier. In the past, in order to make policy changes, the school board would have to coordinate meetings between all interested parties to develop new policies. Now, with the use of wikis, administrators can access information regarding changes in the school district and make adjustments accordingly.

Not only has technology made it possible for people to access this information from anywhere at any time, but it has also expanded the reach of this data. Before the use of wikis, many parents and faculty were left out of the policy­making process altogether. Whether the problem was logistical or time related, some would argue that there was not an accurate representation of all interested parties.

By using technology to streamline an antiquated process, school districts have afforded many people the opportunity to provide insights and opinions on some of their most important educational concerns.

  1. Schools Employing Internal Communications Managers

With all of the responsibilities involved with being an educator, it is easy to get caught up in day today activities and lose sight of larger issues within the school district. Schools are realizing that a disconnect exists in the communication process and are becoming more active in increasing engagement with employees.

To assist teachers in becoming more involved with internal communication, some districts are employing Internal Communications Managers. These managers act as facilitators of information throughout the school district. Their primary responsibilities are to keep employees informed on major initiatives, events, and news affecting the school district.

Although this method is slightly different than wikis, the idea is essentially the same. The Internal Communications Managers help teachers stay involved by gathering the information and releasing it to interested parties, thus reducing teachers’ time devoted to the discovery of this information.

  1. Developing Employee Portals

There are many facets and resources on school districts’ websites that provide valuable information to visitors.  But, often, what lies within these sites are valuable portals tailored for specific audiences.

At this point, it is commonplace for both students and teachers to have portals in the school district website. Portals are valuable resources for educators to find information that pertains strictly to the data that is important to them. With the obvious value that these portals provide, think of the value that may be added if every school made these resources available to their employees.

  1. Being Recognized by Leadership

Few things at the workplace are more satisfactory than hearing how much your boss appreciates you.  So,  when  we  talk  about  internal  communication  in  schools,  it is important that we address the interaction between the school board and the educators. It is vital that the school board keeps acknowledge educators that are making an extraordinary effort to enhance students’ education. When board members recognize these educators, they need to implement positive reinforcement practices to encourage future innovation.

On the other hand, if the school board notices teaching practices that are less than expected, they can communicate this to educators and push for corrective action.

  1. Using Digital Signage

The challenges of communicating with staff in a public school system are apparent. Whether checking and responding to emails or logging into portals, communication can require a great deal of effort.

Because of this challenge, we are now seeing schools take the “billboard” approach throughout their buildings. These digital signs are easily recognizable and don’t require additional effort to absorb the information. Schools are using these billboards to display both general and emergency information.

If these signs are placed throughout the school, educators will also see them as they pass by. This eliminates the need to have a phone conversation or to send out a memo

to all interested parties. The digital signage creates a platform to simultaneously provide all of the necessary information to the entire staff.

  1. Remembering that Communication is Key

If we want educators to be as effective as possible, we need to keep them informed. Parent­teacher communication is crucial to student success, and in order to maximize the effectiveness of teachers we need to master the internal communication process.

With these 6 best practices for better internal communication in public schools you are sure to see an improvement in overall employee communication. A school that is engaged together will have students that succeed together. To kick off your communication this school year sign up for your FREE trial of Ving here. It is time to start using a tool that allows you to be in control of your communication and start knowing what is and isn’t working at your school.

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert

Learn One Spelling Rule and Unlock 9,000 words

Note: The following guest post comes to us from Julie Bradley. She has been an educator for more than 30 years. Her expertise has taken her to outback Australia and around the world presenting to educators and parents on spelling and foundational skills. Mrs Bradley is Managing Director of Smart Achievers, a worldwide distributor for Smart Words Spelling, Reading and Perceptual Motor Programs.

There are 30 rules that govern the spelling of English words.

By learning just one spelling rule, you can spell 9,000 words. Learning the rule for words that start with a hard ‘c’ or ‘k’ gives the knowledge to use the /k/ sound.

Are you confident teaching this rule?

Over the years, the traditional teaching method requiring kids to learn lists of words hasn’t been effective. Perhaps that’s the method our teachers used with us when we were kids or how we were instructed to teach. But this method doesn’t work.

Here’s why. For a student to learn a list of words, they have to memories them. Every week they have to learn new words.

But get this:

• The human memory can cope with approximately 2000 sight sound symbols.
• The English dictionary has 2 million+ words.
• The average adult has 40,000 to 60,000 words in their working vocabulary.
• Well educated people know about 200,000 words.
• The average six year old knows 10,000 words.

This means, to be ‘average’, students need to learn 4,000 new words a year.

That is 11 words per day.

To learn 200,000 words by the time a student turns 26 they must learn 27 words a day, 365 days a year. You are not going to make the grade if you’re learning to memorize a list of 20 words per week.

It’s possible that many people, teachers included, fall significantly short of this mark. Kids tend to memorize their list of words, often without knowing why words are spelled the way they are. The added dilemma for many students is they have to do this without memory training, so they will soon be overloaded.

Considering an estimated 98% of English words follow the 30 Rules of Spelling – it’s very important that we teach our students those rules. But the most important thing is for teachers to also know the associated rules so they can refer to them and explain them simply to students.

To tackle these issues, Smart Words is designed to teach you the rules so you can apply them with ease. Smart Words aims to help you improve your kids spelling accuracy, quality of writing and ability to read words.

When a student is able to read and write with confidence, it then frees up thinking space so they can think about the Science or the Maths they’re trying to understand. It gives them thinking space to make their writing interesting by adding adjectives and adverbs.

It is reassuring to acknowledge that the Australian Curriculum emphasizes that competency with Literacy be prioritized above other subject areas as success in other subjects is often dependent on a child’s success with reading and writing.

How are your students going with their spelling? Do you have students who don’t apply their spelling list words to their writing? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear what strategies have worked.

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Teachers

Top 4 Group Influences in Public Education Part I: Professional Education Organizations

There are many external influences that impact public education. In this series the top four will be reviewed including the influence of professional education organizations, the involvement of parents, the businesses, and the federal government and court systems. For this part professional education organizations will be discussed to reveal their direct impact on public education.

There are two major professional education organizations to which teachers can belong: the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). These are discussed in greater detail in subsequent chapters. Teachers can belong to these national organizations by becoming members of local affiliate associations. The prominence of teachers’ professional organizations, and teachers’ voices in educational concerns and policies, has increased in recent years. The NEA and AFT affect policy at the national level and are influential due to their large membership numbers and their ability to convince members to vote for or against a particular political tenant. Locally, teachers’ organizations have been particularly effective at influencing policy and decision making, largely due to approaches such as threatening to strike if their demands aren’t met or if their concerns remain unheard.

Many teacher associations have come to fulfill the role of official bargaining agents for their members. Several of these associations have insisted that certain issues, such as professional salaries, curriculum creation, class sizes, and professional development, become part of the collective bargaining process. In some instances, teachers’ attempts to negotiate working conditions have not been met favorably by either superintendents or local school boards. This situation has been ameliorated somewhat by the provision of site-based management and decision making. This concept dictates that because most changes must occur at the school level, most decisions should be made at that level as well. So, budgetary and administrative decisions are made at the school level, with the administrative team seeking input from their teaching staff. The site-based decision-making model has increased the power of teachers to effect change within their direct work environment.

You’ll likely belong to a local affiliate of either the NEA or AFT. It’s imperative that you use appropriate channels to voice your concerns as an educator. Attending local meetings to be aware of current issues and trends is an excellent way to be knowledgeable and to make informed decisions pertaining to your career. You could consider running for office in one of the local chapters of your teachers’ association. You may also wish to join a school-based committee to take part in site-based management, to determine how funds will be spent, or to have a say in how educational policy will be interpreted in your school.

School officials, the local superintendent, and the school principal are not the only influences on your career as a teacher. Many other interested parties can impact what you do in your classes. Therefore being aware of the potential professional education organizations that are available or affiliated with your public school system can aid in your involvement as an Educator or community leader. Professional education organizations are only one type of influence, hence continue to read about the four influences on public education.

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Matthew Lynch published in Parental Involvement, Policy & Reform, Teachers

Top 4 Group Influences in Public Education Part II: Parental Influence & Involvement

There are many external influences that impact public education. In this series the top four will be reviewed including the influence of professional education organizations, the involvement of parents, the businesses, and the federal government and court systems. For this part the influence of parents and their involvement will be discussed to reveal their direct impact on public education.

Parents comprise the single most-influential force in the lives of their children, wielding authority over virtually every aspect of their children’s lives, including their education. Teachers also have considerable influence over the children they instruct. It therefore seems natural that parents and teachers would collaborate in educating children; unfortunately, this is not always the case. Parents and teachers are frequently involved in adversarial relationships with one another. Teachers may be apprehensive about parental interference in the teacher’s primary area of expertise: educating children. Parents may be too busy working to be actively involved in their children’s education, while others may be overly involved. Several research studies suggest that without parental support and engagement, students tend not to succeed in school.

As an aspiring teacher, you can do many things to increase parental involvement in education and improve your relationships with parents. Maintaining contact with parents through frequent parent–teacher meetings, habitual contact with the home via e-mail or phone, and possibly maintaining a class Web site are ways to improve teacher–parent relations. Encouraging parental volunteerism within your school or in your classes is a way to help parents feel invited to be a part of the school community. Finally, interacting with parents through service on the school council, sharing your views with parents, or working with parents on projects to improve your school are additional ways to establish a relationship with parents, which may in turn increase their overall involvement in education.

Parents of school-age children can belong to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), a national organization with 26,000 local affiliations. There are also locally based Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) that are not specifically connected to the national group. Typically, these associations serve as a liaison between parents and the school. Many teachers serve as school representatives and attend PTA or PTO meetings. If you are interested in fulfilling this function, it will give you an interesting glimpse into the educational concerns of parents and may help you to learn how to communicate with parents about their children.

You may also wish to explore other means of involving your students’ parents in the education of their children. You could organize workshops on a variety of topics of interest to parents, for example. These could include promoting effective study skills, understanding the content of a new curriculum, and other topics that target parental educational concerns.

Many PTAs and PTOs are relatively powerless to effect change at the school level. This has caused concern among some school reformers who believe that transformation can only occur with continued parental support. NLCB dictates that schools must actively engage parents in decision making at the school level. However, many districts have neglected to empower parents with an appropriate level of decision making power.

Parents certainly compose one of the largest stakeholder groups, but virtually any concerned citizen can have a say about what happens in public education. Therefore working with parents involves understanding their impact and best practices for dealing with them as an Educator. Parents are only one type of influence, therefore continue to read about the four influences on public education.

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Teachers

Understanding the Impact of Educational Governance at the Local Level: The School Principal

On the local level, educational governance is organized into four levels including the local school board, the local superintendent, the local school district, and the principle. This article highlights the details of the school principle and the essential role they have within the educational system.

The principal is the ultimate authority at the school level and is responsible for governance of all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the facility. Principals report directly to the local superintendent or one of the deputy superintendents. High schools and middle schools may have an administrative team composed of a principal and several vice or assistant principals. While some elementary principals may have an assistant principal (depending on the size of the school), they frequently work solo and may be in charge of more than one school building. The job of the high school principal is generally considered the most demanding of the three and, consequently, high school principals are often paid more than their elementary and middle school counterparts.

Principals are expected to be instructional leaders in addition to carrying out other administrative duties. Like the superintendent, the principal is expected to be an educational generalist. Principals set educational standards and goals, establish school policies and procedures, supervise teachers and other personnel, monitor student progress, ensure appropriate record keeping, and act as a liaison with parents and other members of the community.

In the process of setting school-level policies, principals sometimes call for input from faculty/ personnel, and sometimes do not. Because they are ultimately responsible for ensuring that policies are observed, they must clearly communicate policy parameters to their staff and defend or explain policies to the public. Principals must thoroughly understand their school’s individual mission and ensure that policies support it.

One of the largest duties that a principal undertakes is the supervision and evaluation of professional and paraprofessional staff. Principals are also key players in the search, recruitment, and interviewing process for new staff members. They assign teaching duties, establish schedules, and when necessary, appoint staff to various committees. Principals are responsible for informing their staff of recent developments at the school level and other important information, and this is mostly accomplished through scheduled staff/faculty meetings. These meetings also allow principals opportunities to request input into the decision-making process from school personnel. Principals are instructional leaders who often observe teachers and offer feedback and advice for improvement. They expect that teachers will keep them apprised of any out-of-the-ordinary occurrences in their classes that need the principal’s attention or input.

Principals are the final authority on administering student discipline within the school. They also have the last word on student assessment and grading. The principal has the right, in most schools, to overrule a grade assigned by a classroom teacher. Principals, sometimes in concert with other professional staff, decide if students will be retained in their current grade level or will be passed into the next.

Principals create the schedule for the entire school year, assigning teachers to classes and establishing all classes within a set time frame. They manage school budgets, set priorities, and determine how funds will be allocated. They are also the most readily identifiable public personality of the school and are therefore the primary representative of the school, its policies, and its achievements to parents and the community at large. In 1991 both the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National
Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) created a list of proficiencies that exemplify effective principals. High-performing principals provide extensive leadership and decision making, encouraging others to attain excellence while promoting a sense of community among all school members.

They communicate effectively and model appropriate behavior, as they involve all concerned stakeholders (parents, community members, students, educational personnel) in decision making and attempts to reach consensus. High-performing principals promote and enhance learning by supporting the development of an excellent curriculum and instructional delivery process. They supervise their staff’s professional development and encourage them to learn and to grow as educators. Effective principals also ensure that assessment measures are in place, and that the assessments accurately measure the progress of both students and staff. They organize and manage all aspects of the school’s day-to-day workings, which include staffing, making schedules, managing time, implementing policies, and maintaining the building. Principals also prepare and manage the school-based budget. Finally, effective principals are politically astute and can garner the support of key community players and deal with political issues that may arise.

Elementary and secondary schools will be negatively affected by a predicted shortage of principals in the years to come. The expected shortfall will be due in part to the number of expected retirements of current principals. A greater impact, however, can be found in the attitudes of current teachers toward the position of principal. Most teachers indicate they would not seek an administrative position, because they feel principals are not paid well enough, considering the responsibility they carry. Many teachers assert that the position demands far too much time and commitment. It is too difficult, they say, to attempt to address all the needs of the school while meeting the demands of all concerned stakeholders (e.g., parents, the local school board, businesses, and state and federal educational authorities).

As an aspiring teacher, your relationship with your principal will be important, because he or she will have a direct impact on your job. You may or may not have an opportunity to express your wishes regarding what you teach. Your principal will also visit your classroom frequently and will likely be in charge of your performance evaluation. And your principal will be instrumental in helping you to maintain discipline in your classes and will often serve as a bridge between you, and parents, and the community. A new teacher’s success often depends largely on the relationship he or she has with the principal.

Remember the school principle serves in a vital role and works closely with all internal and external stakeholders. Therefore their role within educational governance is necessary for the operation of their school. Continue to read articles in this segment to learn about the other levels of educational governance at the local level.
What You Need to Know as an Educator: How to Deal with a Difficult Principle

Working with people can be very difficult especially if the person is your boss and you may not agree with their leadership style or discussions. As a teacher you may find it very difficult to work with your principle. Therefore this article provides tips for surviving the work place as you continue to invest in the lives of students.

Being a teacher was handsdown one of the most difficult things that I have ever done in my life. It was also, however, the most rewarding. I had excellent relationships with my colleagues and my building principals, who served as a support system during times of uncertainty and difficulty. I hope that you will have a similar experience, but I also want you to be prepared if you do not.

Your school principal serves as an immediate supervisor and has direct authority over the day-to-day management of the school. A principal can be an invaluable ally in your pursuit to educate students or can be a nuisance and make your life a living hell. Here are some strategies that you can use to deal with a difficult principal.

Take steps to open the lines of communication, and build a healthy reciprocal relationship with your principal. There is nothing wrong with appeasing your principal, and even “kissing up.” Your objective is to coexist with him or her and be the best teacher that you can be. Document every interaction between you and your building principal. If there is a problem down the line, you will have a detailed record of your interactions. Also, if your colleagues witnessed important interactions between you and your principal, be sure to record their names and other pertinent information.

If you feel as though your principal is bullying or persecuting you, try to stay calm and remain professional. Give the principal the benefit of the doubt at first, but if he or she crosses the line, it may be time to seek help. This is especially true if you feel that you have done all that you can to solve the problem.

If you do decide to seek outside help or advice, your union representative will be your first line of defense. The representative will inform you of your rights and help you devise a plan for dealing with the situation. If your principal is exhibiting bullying behaviors toward you, odds are that he or she has also bullied others. There is a possibility that your union representative has fielded complaints about this principal in the past.

If the problem does not subside with time, I would either transfer to another school in the district or simply leave. If you are not satisfied with this course of action, perhaps you should report the principal’s actions to someone further up the chain of command, but make sure you have done your part by having a heart-to-heart with your principal. Remember, it’s not your fault, and everyone, even principals, must face the consequences of their actions.

We would like to think that principals are all altruistic people who treat everyone fairly and have our best interests at heart, but in the end they are human just like us. I have seen strong relationships between teachers and principals devolve into toxic ones within the blink of an eye. The funny thing is that it was usually over some petty matter or a product of miscommunication.

There may come a time when you have to deal with a difficult principal, and I just want you to be prepared. If you implement these strategies, you should have no problem standing up for yourself. Remember why you love to teach and use these tips to deal with your principle.

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