Good principals make a difference in any school

The recent headline about how effective principals make a difference in high poverty schools really resonated with me. My elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee would have been considered on of those high poverty schools, based on the high percentage of low-income families.

Joseph K. Carr, the principal at my elementary school, saved my life. He was known as a disciplinarian and no student wanted to get in trouble under Mr. Carr’s watch. We feared and respected him. His words of encouragement to all the students were “If not you, then who?” He challenged us all to reach our highest potential. Those words set me on my educational journey.

A new study on principal effectiveness focused on high poverty schools and found that:

. . . . high-quality principals—as determined by a value-added model that includes student achievement and school characteristics—had a large positive impact on their students’ achievement: “A principal in the top 16 percent of the quality distribution…will lead annually to student gains that are .05 standard deviations or more higher than average for all students in the school emphasis is the authors’.”

They also tended to be associated with teacher turnover in the lowest-performing grades in their schools—indicating, perhaps, that these principals are trying to replace low-performing teachers with more-effective ones.

via Study: Good Principals Make a Difference in High-Poverty Schools – Inside School Research – Education Week.

Based on my observations of schools over the past 15 years, I would argue that strong leadership makes a difference in any school, whether it is high poverty, low-poverty, independent, parochial, or other. The leadership sets the tone and culture of the school. A school is only as strong as its principal.

What difference has your principal made?

How physical activity and school performance work together

One of the suggestions I may to all my students on test day, whether they are taking the SAT, SSAT, ACT or even an achievement test at school, is to exercise the morning of the exam. During the weeks when my kids would have achievement tests at school, they would have oatmeal for breakfast then walk to school.

Earlier research  studies found that exercising prior to an exam enhanced performance. Now a recent study among students aged 6 to 18 showed the difference that exercise/physical activity during the school day has on academics. This study is quite timely as many schools have eliminated physical education or athletic offerings to emphasize other academic enrichment:

The researchers point out that when children participate in sports, they often have better behavior within the classroom and are better able to pay attention to academics. Past studies have suggested that as physical activity increases, school performance and performance on the job improve; but some studies have been inconclusive. . . . The studies were varied in size, duration, and population. The sizes of the study populations ranged from 53 to 12.000 participants, and the age ranged from six through 18 years. The children’s physical activity levels and academic achievements were followed for as little as eight weeks to over five years.

The researchers found evidence that physical activity improves academics. They noted, “Evidence from the studies included in the present systematic review•suggests that there is a significant positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance…”

via Kids: Physical Activity and School Performance – The Doctor.

Academic enrichment is still important. However, this meta-analyis shows that physical activity is still an important feature of the school day that can support academic achievement. Our school policies may be better modified by extending the school day to keep physical activities or adjusting other non-priority programs.

Does your school still offer physical education? If so, has there been other programs eliminated to still maintain the academic quality.

Do we really want to redistribute the fundraising of local education foundations?

In the spirit of complete disclosure, I volunteer time with my local district’s education foundation. Even prior to volunteering, I applaud the efforts of these foundations. Their contributions are important and many of them are envied for their fundraising prowess.

The author in this article misunderstands how they actually level the funding in many cases:

In the face of severe budget cuts, parents have stepped forward to provide generous donations to the school their children attend. Their largess has resulted in the addition of art and music classes, instructional aides and extended library hours. The problem has been that not all schools have been the fortunate recipient. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education has become involved.To understand why, it’s necessary to recall that since the late 1970s courts have repeatedly ruled that resources must be equitably distributed between rich and poor districts. When parents are permitted to give their own money to one particular school, the effect is to create a two-tier system of education between the affluent and the impoverished. Their contributions only exacerbate the already inequitable distribution of state and local funds. According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Education, more than 40 percent of low-income schools are shortchanged Office of Communications and Outreach, Nov. 30.This disparity is on display in California in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, where PTA donations have amounted to more than $2,100 per student at Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School in Malibu, compared with only $96 per student at McKinley Elementary School in Santa Monica. To comply with past court rulings, the school board is considering centralizing fundraising. Donations would be placed in a districtwide non-profit, which would then distribute the money evenly among all schools. (“Public schools, private donations,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 27.)

via Drawing the Line on Parental Involvement – Walt Gardner’s Reality Check – Education Week.

When I conducted research and evaluation for districts and state education agencies, it was apparent that much of the federal funding supported the poorest districts. For example, schools with majority of their students qualifying for free and reduced-lunch would qualify for technology grants, such as Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT). Qualifying schools would receive equipment and professional development for teachers.

My local district does not qualify for such grants. However, the education foundation makes it possible for the district to purchase equipment and technology for teachers. In this case, funding from the education foundation levels the playing field as compared to those districts that qualify for federal awards. What do you think will happen if the funding through these foundations are re-distributed?

 

Does the Mindset of Teens today match with Teaching and Learning?

Reading this list from Beloit College reminded me of how much life has changed in the last two decades and the implications it has for how we communicate with this new generation of students. Just recently when I was listening to NPR in the car with my teenager, there was a story that featured the sound of AOL dial-up. To my amazement, he was not familiar with this sound at all! Thus the concept of waiting to get on-line is a foreign concept. To extend that further, the concept of the waiting period, is a foreign concept for many teens.

When things happen at such a rapid pace these days, it has implications for learning that I find fascinating and worrisome at the same time. A big question for teaching and learning includes “How should  we communicate with teens so that they will stay engaged in the classroom?” For some students who thrive on over-stimulation, “Does it still make sense for classrooms to be structured so rigidly with a teacher at the head and desks facing the teacher?” Even when I visit college campuses today, this is the model for many of the classrooms.

Given that this is the “Mindset” for entering Freshmen . . .

1 There has always been an Internet ramp onto the information highway.

. . .

23 There has never been an official Communist Party in Russia.

24 “Yadda, yadda, yadda” has always come in handy to make long stories short.

25 Video games have always had ratings.

26 Chicken soup has always been soul food.

27 The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been available on TV.

. . .

29 Arnold Palmer has always been a drink.

30 Dial-up is soooooooooo last century!

. . .

37 Music has always been available via free downloads.

. ..

40 Sears has never sold anything out of a Big Book that could also serve as a doorstop.

. . .

44 They’re the first generation to grow up hearing about the dangerous overuse of antibiotics.

.  . .

47 No state has ever failed to observe Martin Luther King Day.

48 While they’ve been playing outside, their parents have always worried about nasty new bugs borne by birds and mosquitoes.

49 Public schools have always made space available for advertising.

. . .

53 Charter schools have always been an alternative.

. . .

57 They’ve often broken up with their significant others via texting, Facebook, or MySpace.

via The Mindset List: 2015 List.

 

. . . how should teaching and learning change for our students . . . preschool, middle school, high school, and college students?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4HJ6EHb3CI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

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Why college-bound teens should still send Handwritten Thank you notes

With all the talk in education circles about handwriting in school, we’ve overlooked the need for handwriting outside of school. Yes, I do think it’s important to continue handwriting in school but we mustn’t think of handwriting as only an academic endeavor. There are numerous occasions outside of the school setting where handwriting should be encouraged and valued. The college application essays are enhanced by handwriting them first, as suggested in this posting on how to get admitted by handwriting your college essay.

Outside of school, parents can foster handwriting with grocery lists, phone messages, and letters to grandparents. The most precious occasion for handwriting is a thank you note. Interestingly, I saw a new iPad application released yesterday on August 5, 2011, that offered a “handwritten” postcard to email. Yes, I understand you’re simulating the pen movement with your fingers but somehow the tactile experience of pen to paper just can’t be replicated with a screen. An emailed thank you just doesn’t have the same level of sincerity and appreciation. This recent article in the Dayton Daily News affirms the importance of this lost art:

While email, social media and cell phones enable people to be more connected than ever before, etiquette experts say there is no substitute for a sincere, handwritten thank-you note. “It used to be that’s all we did,” said Leah Hawthorn, etiquette coach and director of Advanced Business Image & Etiquette in Kettering. “Now, am I horrified if my thank you is in an email? No — it is 2011. But there are times you should not send anything other than a handwritten thank-you note.” Those times include a graduation, wedding and job interview. A gift, a dinner, a favor, even, an interview — might all warrant a thank-you note. “If you are not sure whether or not a thank-you note is called for, send one anyway,” Hawthorn said. “A note of appreciation is always welcome.” And time is of the essence. . . “the sooner the better. . . . According to Hawthorn, one day is the optimal thank-you turnaround. “Write a thank-you note within 24 hours of an occasion while everything is fresh in your memory,” she said. “A handwritten note will make you appear attentive, professional and sincere in your thanks.”

via Mastering the art of thank-you notes.

Last fall, several of my high school seniors visited college campuses and interviewed for admissions. After they returned, I insisted that they handwrite their thank you notes to the admissions interviewer as well as professors they met. This was a way for them to stand out among the thousands of other applicants.

Many colleges have criteria of “demonstrated interest” in their admissions decisions. These students who visited and followed up with a handwritten thank-you note not only showed their interest in the university but presented another example of their communication skills, attention to detail, and follow through!

 

Can’t blame Rahm Emanuel’s decision about schooling his kids

Enroute to Midway Airport in Chicago this morning, all the rage on the radio airwaves was the fact that the new mayor, Rahm Emanuel is sending his own children to the prestigious University of Chicago Lab Schools. (This is the same school that President Obama’s daughters also attended.) The radio announcer belabored the point that the Mayor would be “spending $27,000 per year for each of his three children to attend this school”, yet the Mayor is encouraging Chicagoans to support and send their children to the public schools.

Critics of the Mayor’s school choice for his children assert that he should choose public school as the leading city official. Likewise, during his early tenure, he’s been promoting the city schools, reportedly leaving voicemail reminders to announce the start of school.

In a TV interview, he lost his temper when the reporter questioned his choice:

. . . with Mary Ann Ahern of NBC Chicago, the reporter asks the mayor about where his children will be going to school. Rumor has it, she added, that his kids would be attending the prestigious, private University of Chicago Lab School.”Great! So, it’s a rumor,” the mayor responded, apparently irritated. But Ahern persisted. Why not just say? After all, the kids are “in a public position now,” she said. Then he got cold.

“Oh, Mary Ann, let me break the news to you. My children are not in a public position. The mayor is. … No, no, no, you have to appreciate this. My children are not an instrument of me being mayor. My children are my children. And that may be news for you, and that may be new for you, Mary Ann, but I want you to understand — no, no, no, you have to understand this. I’m making this decision as a father.”

. . .But where a politician sends his children to school has long been a matter of public curiosity — think back no further than when President Obama chose Sidwell Friends for his kids, for instance. And for a mayor who has made the city’s schools a central focus of his administration, you might imagine that he would be prepared for a question about his own school choice for his children. Instead, though, as he reportedly said on the phone to Ahern after the interview, “My children are private and you will not do this.”

via Rahm Emanuel’s Temper Flares Over Question About Kids’ Schooling VIDEO.

As an educational researcher over the past 10+ years, I’ve spent a lot of time observing classrooms, meeting with district administrators. I have met many teachers and school officials in these public districts whose own children atten school in an independent (the term ‘private’ is so 1980’s) school or other district.

Just as I don’t blame those teachers and district officials, I don’t blame Rahm Emmanuel for making the best decision for his family. Can he still be a strong proponent of public schoos? YES, he can. Can those teachers and school offices care about the students they serve although their own children are in another district? YES, most certainly.

I especially understand how challenging it can be to find a great fit for all three of his children. When I work with families who are relocating, it can be challenging to find districts with strong feeders and high schools. My own children are in high, middle, and elementary grades. Few public school districts have preK-12 all on one campus as the Lab School does.

Three children from the same family can each have different learning needs as well. What worked for my boys in a public school district would not have worked for my daughter. I was able to find one school that satisfied their different learning and social needs, which happened to be a preK-12 independent school. It’s been a huge financial sacrifice that I’ve had to weather, but I had no other choice at the time. Do I care about the quality of public schools in my community and the students they serve? YES, I most certainly do and I am a strong proponent of public schools that work. Public schools are not, however, the best for every family. But when they are, the results can be great.

I am a product of Headstart and Memphis City Schools through high school graduation. My husband is a product of Dayton Public Schools through high school graduation. My sons attend public elementary schools through 5th grade. My daughter has been and continues to attend independent schools. Different times . . . different students . . . different choices.

How have your own school choices changed or remained the same?

Etienne LeGrand on Closing the Achievement Gap in Atlanta

A popular term in our education lexicon today is “achievement gap.” Believe it or not, this term was first used in the 1960s, then after 1970, it started to appear more in popular press as well. With the introduction of No Child Left Behind at the start of the millennium, it’s almost become a household phrase.

We most often hear about this achievement gap in the context of the wide test score disparity between white students and black students. A persistent achievement gap can have severe consequences for schools as well as entire communities. More importantly, although it may be an educational indicator, it takes the resources of teachers, administrators, parents, businesses, and community-based organizations to tackle this pervasive problem throughout our education system. As a naïve doctoral student several years ago, I thought that the so-called achievement gap would be eradicated by now. Each year, we learn that there is more work ahead and many bright beacons in this fight are in our communities.

Etienne LeGrand, who is the co-founder and President of the WEB DuBois Society in Atlanta joined The Education Doctor Radio show to discuss some promising initiatives she leads. My hope is that as we hear the work that’s being done in her community it will stimulate and encourage others to implement initiatives in their own community, whether they are located in Bangor, Maine, San Diego, CA or Grand Rapids, MI.

Listen to how your WEB DuBois Society is Closing Achievement Gap in Atlanta

Teens staying sober and out of trouble through Drug Court

The springtime is great! The sun is starting to shine more and the flowers are blooming. Although I am on pins and needles through the admission decision announcements, I look forward to the months of March and April. If I can just make it through those months, my favorite event of Spring is around the corner in May.

Graduation Time

My students walking across that stage. . . . families tearing with joy . . . . I can go to graduations over and over without tiring. Unlike any other graduation I’ve attended before, a Drug Court graduation ceremony moved me to tears.

My friend invited me to the ceremony. She has played an integral role in the success of these graduates so I attended in support and admiration of her work. The students looked like regular teenagers, decked out in their gowns. The setting felt a bit unusual because the graduation took place in a courtroom. The ceremony starting at the exact hour with the presiding judge giving his remarks. He was warm, yet brief. His brief remarks though intimated the depth and trials of what these graduates had experienced during their completion of Drug Court.

What is Drug Court?

Teens get in trouble. The trouble with the law, family relationships, drugs, or alcohol. You name it, and there’s an addiction that gets in the way of being a teenager or staying in school. Drug Court is like “traffic court” in that you participate after you have broken a law and it proceeds in lieu of serving jail time. Through the moths of drug court proceedings, students receive substance abuse counseling with the support of a community of officials, educators, and counselors. Students may have setbacks during their drug court time. However, the graduates of drug court affirm that they are sober and seek to stay out of the judicial system. The chances are good in that an estimated 90% of Drug Court graduates stay out of jail. A proud moment indeed!

 

More interesting articles to check out:

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Early college high schools and the seeds of the Gates Foundation

Several years ago, there was a lot of media attention on Early College High Schools. Schools were opening across the country to fulfill a vision to provide a rigorous curriculum with a supportive structure to a generation of students who may have not had those opportunities otherwise. These mission-focused schools gave hope to low-income students and first-generation students, which is another way of describing those students whose parents did not attend college. I am a first-generation college student! The parents play an important role in this process but this critical factor is often overlooked.

The other big “media frenzy” if you will around Early College High Schools was that the Gates Foundation was very involved in these initiatives, providing the seed capital for their success. The Gates funding boosted the start-up efforts of the early college high school movement, while other funding sources have sustained these initiatives. In fact, many early adopters of this reform remain true to their mission and the number of early college high schools continues to grow, even with far fewer resources.

In this show, Dr. Judy Hennessey, Superintendent of Dayton Early College Academy (DECA) joined us to talk about this movement.  I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Hennessey when I first relocated to Ohio and learned so much about Early College High Schools and not only what was happening in the state of Ohio but throughout the country. DECA was the very first early college high school in the state of Ohio,  has won awards, and is widely recognized for fulfilling its mission and graduating this population of students from high school into college.

Did you know that the college graduation rate for first-generation students is less than 30%? Listen to this podcast and find out what DECA is doing to get first-generation students ready for college and ready to graduate from college.

Early College High Schools

New AP Exams Coming…Attention Class of 2013!

The Advanced Placement (AP) program has had a love-it-or-hate-it relationship with schools, teachers, and students for many years. At the same time that AP courses are cheered for providing a challenging curriculum for college readiness, it’s been jeered for being too reliant on rote memorization. College Board, the folks who created this program and make all that test fee revenue, will announce some long-awaited changes in its program.

AP Biology and AP US History changes in 2012-13

The new AP Biology course will emphasize more analytical thinking and hands-on experiments. This change will require many high schools to upgrade their science labs. For schools that are already cash-strapped, who knows how this is going to happen? Or what it will mean for the gap in test scores between under-resourced and well-funded schools? The AP Biology changes are definitely more in line with an overall trend in education to teach science as it’s used by scientists. The hope is that students will be more engaged and perhaps pique their interest to pursue more science knowledge.

AP US History has the largest number of test-takers at more that 380,000. Similar to the changes in AP Biology, AP US History will also feature more concepts in depth, rather than a broad survey of memorized facts.

Class of 2013 start planning NOW

Note in this NY Times article on the AP changes that a College Board official suggests that students should wait until senior year to take the exam if it can be done under the new program. That may sound good on paper, but less realistic in practice. Senior year, is a difficult year with college applications and numerous other time demands. Current sophomores should plan ahead now so that they are not overburdened with too many intensive courses in senior year, if their AP Bio course will be taken during senior year.