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Last year, my first-born was in enrolled in our local public school in second grade, and although he spent 6 or 7 hours there each day, he came home with tons of homework and a good deal more learning remaining. I started to think, “Why am I sending my kids to school, when the school sends them back to me to educate?” A friend later complained to me that when they gave her son a book report, it meant at least 5 hours of her own time working on it with him. Another parent told me how great the tutoring was at the chain store down the street from her. All this got me to thinking: if I’m ultimately in charge of my kids’ education, why do I feel so powerless? . . .
I assumed that the government knows best what, and how, to teach my kids. It’s an assumption I was raised with, one I never challenged, until now. Well, you know what they say about you when you assume…
“It’s always worse than you think?” Well, that’s what we often say around here.
Another parent gobsmacked by our public schools
Back to School: Part One
Showing posts with label Tex. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tex. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Does the quality of a student’s handwriting affect SAT essay grading?
After reading chemprof on handwriting, I caught a thread on collegeconfidential that asked, How much does handwriting affect SAT essay grade?
I would say probably yes, because I agree with this comment:
Officially, it's like jgraider says. They're professional graders, handwriting quality is not one of the things being judged, so it has no effect.
Unofficially, essay grading is by its nature subjective. An essay where all the letters are beautiful and flowing will look better than an essay of chicken scratching, whether or not it's officially used as a criterion.
I would say probably yes, because I agree with this comment:
Officially, it's like jgraider says. They're professional graders, handwriting quality is not one of the things being judged, so it has no effect.
Unofficially, essay grading is by its nature subjective. An essay where all the letters are beautiful and flowing will look better than an essay of chicken scratching, whether or not it's officially used as a criterion.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Teachers telling it like it is
. . . the UFT is an advocate for teachers . . . The UFT is not there to protect education or to insure excellence in the classroom.
The UFT . . . Their job is to protect us, not the students.
. . . when students start paying dues, that's when the union will start representing them.
These are lifted from teachers’ comments over at a NYC Educator post where they were lamenting what they considered to be a teacher-bashing New Yorker magazine essay about the infamous ”rubber room”. Most readers would probably agree that this piece was not kind in its treatment of NYC teachers.
Although I certainly don’t fault these teachers for their candor, it did surprise me a bit. I rarely see this type of honesty from educators, where they openly admit that the union’s goal is to protect the teachers, not the students. Interestingly, on their website the UFT claims it is “an advocate for public school students”. Now, some would argue that protected teachers = well-educated students, but I would disagree that it works out that way all the time or even most of the time.
On the other hand, there is no doubt in my mind that the overriding goal of parents is to protect their children. Parents want to insure excellence in the classroom for their children. Let’s be clear, although unions and parents are often supportive of each other, in many ways this is an adversarial model at work, with each side protecting its own interests. I would like this to be uppermost in the minds of all involved in education reform efforts, especially whenever the unions agree to participate with disingenuous claims that it’s all “for the children”.
As we at KTM have been saying for years, parents should not be shut out of the education debate. If teacher unions, politicians and education bureaucrats are the only ones allowed a place at the table, how likely is it that our children’s interests will be prioritized as they should be? Parents, specialists in the various disciplines and other interested parties should be included in order for there to be any chance for a fair and productive resolution of our nation’s education crisis.
http://kitchentablemath.blogspot.com/2008/09/parents-need-union.html
The UFT . . . Their job is to protect us, not the students.
. . . when students start paying dues, that's when the union will start representing them.
These are lifted from teachers’ comments over at a NYC Educator post where they were lamenting what they considered to be a teacher-bashing New Yorker magazine essay about the infamous ”rubber room”. Most readers would probably agree that this piece was not kind in its treatment of NYC teachers.
Although I certainly don’t fault these teachers for their candor, it did surprise me a bit. I rarely see this type of honesty from educators, where they openly admit that the union’s goal is to protect the teachers, not the students. Interestingly, on their website the UFT claims it is “an advocate for public school students”. Now, some would argue that protected teachers = well-educated students, but I would disagree that it works out that way all the time or even most of the time.
On the other hand, there is no doubt in my mind that the overriding goal of parents is to protect their children. Parents want to insure excellence in the classroom for their children. Let’s be clear, although unions and parents are often supportive of each other, in many ways this is an adversarial model at work, with each side protecting its own interests. I would like this to be uppermost in the minds of all involved in education reform efforts, especially whenever the unions agree to participate with disingenuous claims that it’s all “for the children”.
As we at KTM have been saying for years, parents should not be shut out of the education debate. If teacher unions, politicians and education bureaucrats are the only ones allowed a place at the table, how likely is it that our children’s interests will be prioritized as they should be? Parents, specialists in the various disciplines and other interested parties should be included in order for there to be any chance for a fair and productive resolution of our nation’s education crisis.
http://kitchentablemath.blogspot.com/2008/09/parents-need-union.html
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The market steps in
As the parent of children in the public school system, I receive many solicitations for tutoring services. This pitch for a summer school session, in particular, caught my eye.
Math Facts Boot Camp
Pre-Algebra
Algebra I
Algebra II
Geometry
With the new emphasis on “real world” or “integrated” math, many educators agree that the skills that go into solving math problems, pure and simple, are being lost. Chyten’s math Facts Boot Camps are comprehensive and intensive courses in which the ability to solve equations is brought back to its rightful position, front and center in a student’s math mind.
Five 2-hour session
Although many of our government schools seem to be more focused on making sure students are “engaged” and “love learning” rather than on actually teaching vital skills and concepts, at least it’s reassuring to know that the private market has stepped in to help. Well, it can help those families that can afford to pay $550 [edited to correct price] for this “boot camp” class.
I notice that these boot camps are targeted to middle- and high-school students. For many, this is when the sh*t hits the fan, and parents may be ready to part with their hard earned money as they come to realize what vital skills their children have not yet learned (were not taught, perhaps?) in school.
http://www.chyten.com/ces/site/global/ads/summer_catalog_09.pdf
Math Facts Boot Camp
Pre-Algebra
Algebra I
Algebra II
Geometry
With the new emphasis on “real world” or “integrated” math, many educators agree that the skills that go into solving math problems, pure and simple, are being lost. Chyten’s math Facts Boot Camps are comprehensive and intensive courses in which the ability to solve equations is brought back to its rightful position, front and center in a student’s math mind.
Five 2-hour session
Although many of our government schools seem to be more focused on making sure students are “engaged” and “love learning” rather than on actually teaching vital skills and concepts, at least it’s reassuring to know that the private market has stepped in to help. Well, it can help those families that can afford to pay $550 [edited to correct price] for this “boot camp” class.
I notice that these boot camps are targeted to middle- and high-school students. For many, this is when the sh*t hits the fan, and parents may be ready to part with their hard earned money as they come to realize what vital skills their children have not yet learned (were not taught, perhaps?) in school.
http://www.chyten.com/ces/site/global/ads/summer_catalog_09.pdf
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Here’s a clue about why our schools are in trouble
If I didn't know anything else about our nation’s public schools, this one sentence from the WSJ article about merit pay in Denver would go a long way in explaining the trouble with our education system.
Nationwide, most teachers are paid based on two factors: education and experience.
Teachers take risks when they decide to teach middle-school math
The headline in the WSJ article says “Denver Teachers Object to Changes In Pay-for-Performance Plan”
Yawn
But what really caught my eye when reading this story was this sentence:
No one who reads KTM regularly is surprised to find that teaching middle-school math is considered a job desired by few teachers. It must be darn hard to teach students who’ve emerged from elementary school not having mastered such things as fluency with multiplication tables, long division or fractions. These are considered by many mathematicians to be critical stepping stones on the way to higher-level mathematics. Instead, middle school math teachers might typically find students who have mastered things like math journaling, sorting colored manipulatives as a way to demonstrate they understand the “concept” of multiplication and pizza-slice fraction analysis.
Middle school math – where the math sh*t hits the fan.
PS – Actually, the entire article is worth reading.
The Denver teachers may decide to strike while the Democratic Convention is in town.
Yawn
But what really caught my eye when reading this story was this sentence:
But the biggest rewards will go to early- and midcareer teachers -- and to those
willing to take risks by working in impoverished schools or taking jobs few
others want, such as teaching middle-school math.
No one who reads KTM regularly is surprised to find that teaching middle-school math is considered a job desired by few teachers. It must be darn hard to teach students who’ve emerged from elementary school not having mastered such things as fluency with multiplication tables, long division or fractions. These are considered by many mathematicians to be critical stepping stones on the way to higher-level mathematics. Instead, middle school math teachers might typically find students who have mastered things like math journaling, sorting colored manipulatives as a way to demonstrate they understand the “concept” of multiplication and pizza-slice fraction analysis.
Middle school math – where the math sh*t hits the fan.
PS – Actually, the entire article is worth reading.
The Denver teachers may decide to strike while the Democratic Convention is in town.
That could create some awkward moments. The Democrats don't want to angerMerit pay did make a difference.
teachers unions, which are key allies. Nor do they want Denver's plan to fall
apart.
Before the plan took effect, she said, "we almost never sat down with our
principals to say, 'Where are our students now, where do they need to be and how
do we get them there?' This really has changed the culture in our schools."
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Hilarious argument for school choice
You can’t make this stuff up. Although this clip is from the popular "Yes Prime Minister” British TV series, it seems to reflect many real life discussions about school choice that take place in our country.
But apparently The YM and YPM series are admired for showing the reality of political life combined with British humor. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was very impressed with the series and once stated: "Its closely observed portrayal of what goes on in the corridors of power has given me hours of pure joy".
yes (Prime) Minister
This clip is chock full of tragicomic lines and it’s hard to pick a favorite. Certainly this one where Humphrey attempts to defend the very existence of the national education department is priceless.
Humphrey: “Who would plan for the future?
Prime Minister: Are you
saying that education today in Britain is what the department PLANNED?
Humphrey: Well, uh, no, of course not!
H/T to Jay P. Greene.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Presidential politics and school vouchers
Will both presidential candidates end up supporting vouchers for public charter schools?
John McCain endorsed the Education Equality Project, thus aligning himself with Al Sharpton and Joel Klein on calling for immediate steps to “Empower parents by giving them a meaningful voice in where their children are educated including public charter schools.”
Strange bedfellows, right?
From McCain’s speech to the Urban League:
If I am elected president, school choice for all who want it, an expansion of Opportunity Scholarships, and alternative certification for teachers will all be part of a serious agenda of education reform.
[Snip]
Under my reforms, parents will exercise freedom of choice in obtaining extra help for children who are falling behind. As it is, federal aid to parents for tutoring for their children has to go through another bureaucracy. They can't purchase the tutoring directly, without dealing with the same education establishment that failed their children in the first place. These needless restrictions will be removed. If a student needs extra help, parents will be able to sign them up to get it, with direct public support.
Some of these reforms, and others, are contained in a Statement of Principles drafted by a group dedicated to finally changing the status quo in our education system. The Education Equality Project has brought together leaders from all across the political spectrum, including school Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City. Chancellor Klein is a strong supporter of charter schools, because he understands that fundamental reform is needed. As he puts it, "in large urban areas the culture of public education is broken. If you don't fix this culture, then you are not going to be able to make the kind of changes that are needed." Among others who share this conviction are Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, Chancellor Michelle Rhee of Washington, and Harold Ford, Junior. You know that a reform movement is truly bipartisan when J.C. Watts and Al Sharpton are both members. And today I am proud to add my name as well to the list of those who support the aims and principles of the Education Equality Project.
But one name is still missing, Senator Obama's. My opponent talks a great deal about hope and change, and education is as good a test as any of his seriousness. The Education Equality Project is a practical plan for delivering change and restoring hope for children and parents who need a lot of both. And if Senator Obama continues to defer to the teachers unions, instead of committing to real reform, then he should start looking for new slogans.
Sounds like a challenge to Obama, who has not formally signed on with either Education Equality Project or the Broader, Bolder Approach to Education. It has been reported that Obama agrees with the goal underlying both statements that schools need to improve for all children, but has not stated a preference for one approach or the other.
It will be interesting to see how the debate shapes up as we get nearer to the November elections. Although education may not be the top issue of this presidential race, its relationship to our economic well-being may be garnering the attention of more voters, perhaps helped in part by discussions about this book.
According to some survey results, most African Americans and Hispanics support vouchers. Additionally, in Florida they found that combining a voucher proposal with a requirement that 65 percent of every education dollar be spent in the classroom dramatically increased its support among voters.
I think it’s likely that Obama will come out in support of school vouchers, modifying his position in the same manner he did when he came out in support of offshore oil drilling last week. He may already have a script for supporting vouchers while not totally dismissing the concerns of the teachers unions and other interested groups. How about this?
"At some point, people are going to have to make decisions, do we want to keep on arguing or are we going to get things done? What I will not do, and this has always been my position, is to support a plan that suggests thatdrilling is the answer to our energy problems vouchers are the answer to our education problems. If we've a plan on the table that I think meets the goals that America has to set, and there are some things in there that I don't like, then, obviously, that's something that, you know, I would consider because that's the nature of how we govern in a democracy.”
I’m as cynical as most anyone when it comes to politics, but I do think it would be a good thing for both presidential candidates to endorse vouchers.
John McCain endorsed the Education Equality Project, thus aligning himself with Al Sharpton and Joel Klein on calling for immediate steps to “Empower parents by giving them a meaningful voice in where their children are educated including public charter schools.”
Strange bedfellows, right?
From McCain’s speech to the Urban League:
If I am elected president, school choice for all who want it, an expansion of Opportunity Scholarships, and alternative certification for teachers will all be part of a serious agenda of education reform.
[Snip]
Under my reforms, parents will exercise freedom of choice in obtaining extra help for children who are falling behind. As it is, federal aid to parents for tutoring for their children has to go through another bureaucracy. They can't purchase the tutoring directly, without dealing with the same education establishment that failed their children in the first place. These needless restrictions will be removed. If a student needs extra help, parents will be able to sign them up to get it, with direct public support.
Some of these reforms, and others, are contained in a Statement of Principles drafted by a group dedicated to finally changing the status quo in our education system. The Education Equality Project has brought together leaders from all across the political spectrum, including school Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City. Chancellor Klein is a strong supporter of charter schools, because he understands that fundamental reform is needed. As he puts it, "in large urban areas the culture of public education is broken. If you don't fix this culture, then you are not going to be able to make the kind of changes that are needed." Among others who share this conviction are Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, Chancellor Michelle Rhee of Washington, and Harold Ford, Junior. You know that a reform movement is truly bipartisan when J.C. Watts and Al Sharpton are both members. And today I am proud to add my name as well to the list of those who support the aims and principles of the Education Equality Project.
But one name is still missing, Senator Obama's. My opponent talks a great deal about hope and change, and education is as good a test as any of his seriousness. The Education Equality Project is a practical plan for delivering change and restoring hope for children and parents who need a lot of both. And if Senator Obama continues to defer to the teachers unions, instead of committing to real reform, then he should start looking for new slogans.
Sounds like a challenge to Obama, who has not formally signed on with either Education Equality Project or the Broader, Bolder Approach to Education. It has been reported that Obama agrees with the goal underlying both statements that schools need to improve for all children, but has not stated a preference for one approach or the other.
It will be interesting to see how the debate shapes up as we get nearer to the November elections. Although education may not be the top issue of this presidential race, its relationship to our economic well-being may be garnering the attention of more voters, perhaps helped in part by discussions about this book.
According to some survey results, most African Americans and Hispanics support vouchers. Additionally, in Florida they found that combining a voucher proposal with a requirement that 65 percent of every education dollar be spent in the classroom dramatically increased its support among voters.
I think it’s likely that Obama will come out in support of school vouchers, modifying his position in the same manner he did when he came out in support of offshore oil drilling last week. He may already have a script for supporting vouchers while not totally dismissing the concerns of the teachers unions and other interested groups. How about this?
"At some point, people are going to have to make decisions, do we want to keep on arguing or are we going to get things done? What I will not do, and this has always been my position, is to support a plan that suggests that
I’m as cynical as most anyone when it comes to politics, but I do think it would be a good thing for both presidential candidates to endorse vouchers.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Girl Scouts hate group projects
As part of earning their career badges, my daughter’s troop participated in a discussion about how to prepare for the workplace. One of the topics the troop leader brought up was how doing school group projects can teach them how to work effectively in groups.
Wowee! These girls had nothing good to say about group projects.
“Since I’m the smart one, the other kids take advantage and let me do the work.”
“Johnny kept telling us he didn't have time to get together because he had ‘soccer practice’ or ‘family events’ on the weekend.” (She kept making the “air quotes” gestures with her hands.)
“Since the other kids wouldn't do the work, I had to do most of it. Well, I mean my mom had to do most of it.”
“I told the teacher about Sarah not doing her part, but it didn't help.”
“I didn't want to tell the teacher about the problems, because that would be snitching.”
“I kept telling her that she had to do her part, but she wouldn't listen.” (This after receiving advice to gently confront her recalcitrant classmate.)
I listened quietly to the animated comments of these fourth and fifth graders, and bit my tongue.
It has been argued that there are lessons about succeeding in the workplace to be learned from school group projects. However, as I grow older my focus increasingly becomes how best to use our limited time most efficiently. From that perspective, I would say spare my child the group projects in favor of more time spent on direct instruction of fundamental skills and content.
Additionally, these group projects often impart damaging lessons. Such as, don’t work so hard because you’ll not receive credit anyway. Or, let others (including mom) do your work. Or, the teacher doesn't care that the other kids are taking advantage of me. Or, these school assignments are a lot of BS so why should I care about them.
Wowee! These girls had nothing good to say about group projects.
“Since I’m the smart one, the other kids take advantage and let me do the work.”
“Johnny kept telling us he didn't have time to get together because he had ‘soccer practice’ or ‘family events’ on the weekend.” (She kept making the “air quotes” gestures with her hands.)
“Since the other kids wouldn't do the work, I had to do most of it. Well, I mean my mom had to do most of it.”
“I told the teacher about Sarah not doing her part, but it didn't help.”
“I didn't want to tell the teacher about the problems, because that would be snitching.”
“I kept telling her that she had to do her part, but she wouldn't listen.” (This after receiving advice to gently confront her recalcitrant classmate.)
I listened quietly to the animated comments of these fourth and fifth graders, and bit my tongue.
It has been argued that there are lessons about succeeding in the workplace to be learned from school group projects. However, as I grow older my focus increasingly becomes how best to use our limited time most efficiently. From that perspective, I would say spare my child the group projects in favor of more time spent on direct instruction of fundamental skills and content.
Additionally, these group projects often impart damaging lessons. Such as, don’t work so hard because you’ll not receive credit anyway. Or, let others (including mom) do your work. Or, the teacher doesn't care that the other kids are taking advantage of me. Or, these school assignments are a lot of BS so why should I care about them.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Bill Ayers is not a “professor of English”
In fact, he is a tenured Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
I haven’t heard if Obama has corrected himself on this. However, this is what I'm interested in:
The more pressing issue is not the damage done by the Weather Underground 40 years ago, but the far greater harm inflicted on the nation’s schoolchildren by the political and educational movement in which Ayers plays a leading role today.
[...]
Instead of planting bombs in public buildings, Ayers now works to indoctrinate America’s future teachers in the revolutionary cause, urging them to pass on the lessons to their public school students.
[…]
Ayers’s influence on what is taught in the nation’s public schools is likely to grow in the future. Last month, he was elected vice president for curriculum of the 25,000-member American Educational Research Association (AERA), the nation’s largest organization of education-school professors and researchers. Ayers won the election handily, and there is no doubt that his fellow education professors knew whom they were voting for. In the short biographical statement distributed to prospective voters beforehand, Ayers listed among his scholarly books Fugitive Days, an unapologetic memoir about his ten years in the Weather Underground. The book includes dramatic accounts of how he bombed the Pentagon and other public buildings.
Sol Stern in the City Journal
Maybe the media should be questioning Obama and McCain about their views on Ayers in this influential position. Some readers might believe doing so would be a demonstration of “gotcha” politics, but I really would like to hear their answers.
I haven’t heard if Obama has corrected himself on this. However, this is what I'm interested in:
The more pressing issue is not the damage done by the Weather Underground 40 years ago, but the far greater harm inflicted on the nation’s schoolchildren by the political and educational movement in which Ayers plays a leading role today.
[...]
Instead of planting bombs in public buildings, Ayers now works to indoctrinate America’s future teachers in the revolutionary cause, urging them to pass on the lessons to their public school students.
[…]
Ayers’s influence on what is taught in the nation’s public schools is likely to grow in the future. Last month, he was elected vice president for curriculum of the 25,000-member American Educational Research Association (AERA), the nation’s largest organization of education-school professors and researchers. Ayers won the election handily, and there is no doubt that his fellow education professors knew whom they were voting for. In the short biographical statement distributed to prospective voters beforehand, Ayers listed among his scholarly books Fugitive Days, an unapologetic memoir about his ten years in the Weather Underground. The book includes dramatic accounts of how he bombed the Pentagon and other public buildings.
Sol Stern in the City Journal
Maybe the media should be questioning Obama and McCain about their views on Ayers in this influential position. Some readers might believe doing so would be a demonstration of “gotcha” politics, but I really would like to hear their answers.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
A school survey that asks about tutoring
The problem of schools failing to account for the effects of outside tutoring when boasting about their test scores has frequently been brought up on KTM, and it came up again in the comments section of this post.
Well, the Bridgewater-Raritan school district in New Jersey has a survey out that asks several questions about outside tutoring. Here are some:
11. Does your child receive any form of tutoring extra help in math by someone other than a family member?
12. Why do you get extra help in math? a) My child is doing fine in math, but I want her/him to do even better. b) My child has difficulty with math and needs extra help. c) I’m dissatisfied with the math curriculum, and the tutoring makes up for that.
(Question 12 is important in order to learn if tutoring is being used primarily to help kids to gain an edge in competitive environments, as many schools claim.)
13. What type of tutoring/extra help do you utilize? a) Kumon, Huntington Learning Center, Sylvan Learning Center, or other professional tutoring service. b) Paid private tutor c) Extra help from classroom teacher
(In some school districts, it might be advisable to add a fourth option for question 13: Paid private tutoring from teachers in my child’s school. I was amazed to learn that this occurs; it doesn’t seem ethical.)
15. About how much does it cost you a month?
16. Does the tutor provide different techniques and strategies than those your child is learning in class?
Parents who post on this B-R forum are dissatisfied with their school’s choice of Everyday Math. This survey seems like it will capture important tutoring information for them. I would love to have my school send out something similar.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Happy 50th Birthday Kumon!
Kumon Math & Reading Centers, the world's largest after-school education program, turns 50 this year .
[…]
"The Education industry is burgeoning," says Deven Klein, vice president of Kumon franchising. "Tutoring is a widespread option for an increasing number of families in the United States."
Gee, lucky for us that we have this option.
Over the past five years, the average Kumon Center enrollment in the United States increased by 55 percent, and overall, the company has 80,000 more U.S. students than in 2002.
Kumon opened 84 new US centers last year, and expects to open 120 in 2008. Business is booming.
[…]
"The Education industry is burgeoning," says Deven Klein, vice president of Kumon franchising. "Tutoring is a widespread option for an increasing number of families in the United States."
Gee, lucky for us that we have this option.
Over the past five years, the average Kumon Center enrollment in the United States increased by 55 percent, and overall, the company has 80,000 more U.S. students than in 2002.
Kumon opened 84 new US centers last year, and expects to open 120 in 2008. Business is booming.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Here’s one reason I support school choice
In a story about NCLB, a parent is critical of her children’s school:
"Over the years, Victoria Woisin has noticed a change in the types of projects her children are assigned in school.
And it's not necessarily to her liking.
"The emphasis is more on writing correctly, without as much creativity," said Woisin, a stay-at-home mother of three girls in the White Plains schools. "It just took the fun out of it."
Hmm . . . . When the schools hear parents say things like this, I guess I shouldn’t blame them for doing things like using personal journals as the predominant method of teaching writing in elementary schools. This same parent would probably consider a poster project, instead of an old-fashioned book report, to be a suitable creative outlet for her child. With a poster project a fifth grader can then show her creativity with drawing, coloring, cutting and pasting images from the book. Forget about learning to write a well-crafted expository essay. That just takes the "fun out of it".
"Over the years, Victoria Woisin has noticed a change in the types of projects her children are assigned in school.
And it's not necessarily to her liking.
"The emphasis is more on writing correctly, without as much creativity," said Woisin, a stay-at-home mother of three girls in the White Plains schools. "It just took the fun out of it."
Hmm . . . . When the schools hear parents say things like this, I guess I shouldn’t blame them for doing things like using personal journals as the predominant method of teaching writing in elementary schools. This same parent would probably consider a poster project, instead of an old-fashioned book report, to be a suitable creative outlet for her child. With a poster project a fifth grader can then show her creativity with drawing, coloring, cutting and pasting images from the book. Forget about learning to write a well-crafted expository essay. That just takes the "fun out of it".
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Chocolate Pecan Pie & Fractions
I have been baking chocolate pecan pie almost every Christmas for over 20 years. Tonight my 5th grade daughter helped me with this recipe:
CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
1 pie shell, unbaked
Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup or sugar cane syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons bourbon or rum (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling: melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, remove from heat and let cool. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until frothy and then blend in the sugar. Stir in the syrup, vanilla, bourbon, salt, and the melted butter mixture until well blended.
Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the pie crust and carefully pour the egg mixture over them. Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, about 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a thin knife in the center of the pie, if it comes out pretty clean, you're good to go. Transfer the pie to rack and cool completely before cutting.
We made two pies because we’re having 15 guests for dinner on Christmas Day. My daughter instantly converted all the fractions to the quantities needed for two pies. She was faster than I was. It may not seem like such a great achievement to some, but to me it was wonderful.
Thank you, Kumon!
CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
1 pie shell, unbaked
Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup or sugar cane syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons bourbon or rum (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling: melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, remove from heat and let cool. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until frothy and then blend in the sugar. Stir in the syrup, vanilla, bourbon, salt, and the melted butter mixture until well blended.
Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the pie crust and carefully pour the egg mixture over them. Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, about 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a thin knife in the center of the pie, if it comes out pretty clean, you're good to go. Transfer the pie to rack and cool completely before cutting.
We made two pies because we’re having 15 guests for dinner on Christmas Day. My daughter instantly converted all the fractions to the quantities needed for two pies. She was faster than I was. It may not seem like such a great achievement to some, but to me it was wonderful.
Thank you, Kumon!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
US Students Do Worse in Science and Math
This just in.
U.S. students are lagging behind their peers in other countries in science and math, test results out Tuesday show.U.S. students ranked 24th in math.
The test, the Program for International Student Assessment, was given to 15-year-olds in 30 industrialized countries last year. It focused on science but also included a math portion.
The 30 countries, including the United States, make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which runs the international test.
I hate projects
My fifth grader came home recently with a “Global Warming” handout that included these proclamations:
Having watched my kids progress through the public school system being assigned numerous time-wasting projects that teach very little practical academic content or skills, I have developed an abhorrence for most of these. Additionally, I’ve observed the alarmist, unscientific message about global warming that seems to pervade much of the curriculum.
However, this particular example sent me over the edge a bit.
(Of course, I don’t fault the child or even the teacher in this case. In fact, my observation is that this student is unusually bright and probably completed this project without much parental help. Good for her!)
Do your share, show you care. . . .It turned out this was prepared by a fellow student as part of her project on the topic of global warming. All students have been assigned similar projects, and the theme seems to be environmental causes. I think we all know the drill. Take a huge topic. Assign an elementary student to research the Internet. Make a poster along with dioramas, poems, songs or puzzles. Present to class. Yuck!!
If you don’t do your part:
- everyone will die
- the Earth will burn
- there will not be any community in the world
Having watched my kids progress through the public school system being assigned numerous time-wasting projects that teach very little practical academic content or skills, I have developed an abhorrence for most of these. Additionally, I’ve observed the alarmist, unscientific message about global warming that seems to pervade much of the curriculum.
However, this particular example sent me over the edge a bit.
(Of course, I don’t fault the child or even the teacher in this case. In fact, my observation is that this student is unusually bright and probably completed this project without much parental help. Good for her!)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Newsflash – Middle-schoolers hate math homework
For Catherine, and all the other afterschoolers out there:
From Discovering the magic of math
A national Raytheon survey found that 84 percent of middle school students would rather clean their rooms, eat vegetables, take out the garbage and to go to the dentist than do their math homework.
From Discovering the magic of math
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Maybe this is spiraling?
Yesterday, my 5th grader came home with three multiplication quizzes that her class had done in class.
The first quiz was the three’s tables. 3 x 1 = ___, 3 x 2 = ___, 3 x 3 = ___, etc. up to 12. The next two quizzes covered the four’s and the five’s.
I wonder why these fifth graders are still being quizzed on the multiplication tables. Are these just quick exercises to practice math facts? Is it an assessment to see which students haven’t learned them yet? If so, why would they test the entire class if only two or three students were lagging in this area?
We are located in an affluent NYC suburb where public school spending per pupil is about $19,000. If our students aren’t fluent in their math facts by fifth grade, we’re not getting our money’s worth. However, at least our students probably possess “deep conceptual understanding” and can apply lots of “higher order thinking skills”.
I really don’t know what to think. However, I have given up on believing class time is being used efficiently to teach the most important fundamental academic skills.
The first quiz was the three’s tables. 3 x 1 = ___, 3 x 2 = ___, 3 x 3 = ___, etc. up to 12. The next two quizzes covered the four’s and the five’s.
I wonder why these fifth graders are still being quizzed on the multiplication tables. Are these just quick exercises to practice math facts? Is it an assessment to see which students haven’t learned them yet? If so, why would they test the entire class if only two or three students were lagging in this area?
We are located in an affluent NYC suburb where public school spending per pupil is about $19,000. If our students aren’t fluent in their math facts by fifth grade, we’re not getting our money’s worth. However, at least our students probably possess “deep conceptual understanding” and can apply lots of “higher order thinking skills”.
I really don’t know what to think. However, I have given up on believing class time is being used efficiently to teach the most important fundamental academic skills.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Proposal to get New York colleges involved in remediation of high school students
Governor To Bet Billions on SUNY reports The New York Sun.
Envisioning a dramatically greater role for universities and colleges in the remedial education of secondary students, the Spitzer administration is planning to pump billions of additional dollars into the State University of New York and the rest of New York's higher education system, sources said.
[snip]
The aim is to shift remediation to an earlier point — starting with children as young as 12 — so that more students are prepared for college by the time they graduate high school.
[snip]
In doing so, the commission is hoping to combat a persistent problem: More than half of students entering community colleges require math and reading remediation.
Apparently, the already planned $7 billion increase in K-12 funding over the next four years will not be enough to remedy the remediation problem. While the increased funding to colleges for this new proposal has not been specified, the newspaper reports that spending on higher education in New York is expected to increase by $1.6 billion over the next five years.
Mo money, mo money, mo money.
Here’s the silver lining, if there is one.
Commission members say they foresee assigning colleges and universities a greater role in helping to develop the curricula of public high schools and middle schools.
That in itself might be worth a few billion dollars. Oh wait, do they mean the education departments or the subject areas? I have a sinking suspicion it’s the former.
Envisioning a dramatically greater role for universities and colleges in the remedial education of secondary students, the Spitzer administration is planning to pump billions of additional dollars into the State University of New York and the rest of New York's higher education system, sources said.
[snip]
The aim is to shift remediation to an earlier point — starting with children as young as 12 — so that more students are prepared for college by the time they graduate high school.
[snip]
In doing so, the commission is hoping to combat a persistent problem: More than half of students entering community colleges require math and reading remediation.
Apparently, the already planned $7 billion increase in K-12 funding over the next four years will not be enough to remedy the remediation problem. While the increased funding to colleges for this new proposal has not been specified, the newspaper reports that spending on higher education in New York is expected to increase by $1.6 billion over the next five years.
Mo money, mo money, mo money.
Here’s the silver lining, if there is one.
Commission members say they foresee assigning colleges and universities a greater role in helping to develop the curricula of public high schools and middle schools.
That in itself might be worth a few billion dollars. Oh wait, do they mean the education departments or the subject areas? I have a sinking suspicion it’s the former.
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