Certainly my schooling was regular. I have taken a few courses and done some reading and my view on "regular" schooling has definitely changed with new information. I had the opportunity to take a course titled Students At-Risk and Their Families and I was lucky enough to have 2 alternative education teachers in the course. The class took on many discussions about traditional or "regular" schools versus "alternative" education. We discussed why "alternative" education seems to help those students who are most at-risk. What is the "regular" system failing to do?
There are certainly better ways to organize many schools. I believe the regular system does severely hinder higher level learning. We seem to put students through fact factories instead of engaged, meaningful, learning zones. I teach at an elementary school and I could think of a few ways to help the learning experience. First, interruptions to the day are always interrupting learning. We constantly have a stream of announcements and dismissals coming over our PA system. What is the necessity of this? Couldn't announcements be better saved for the daily bulletin or e-mail if they are non-emergencies? Couldn't student dismissals be called directly into the classroom instead of to the whole school? These constant interruptions disrupt the flow of learning within the classroom. Then there are the specials that occur at random times that you stop learning for no matter how meaningful or wonderful. It also changes the routine of each school day. This makes consistency difficult. Make the specials at the same time everyday or at the beginning or end of the day, not randomly scattered through the middle.
Then there are the separate subjects. Writing and reading are pretty well mixed and flow as one big block with a snack break somewhere in the middle to refuel their brains. It's connected and meaningful. Reading and writing is student directed with student's choosing what they want to do with each of these. After that it is a mess. I have a math program and science units to teach with a limited time to do each and it is just a conveyor belt of information so I can get them done and get the assessments done. I'd love for them to become more meaningful, more project based, more higher-level thinking. I think this is a productive change. Learning information doesn't have to be an unconnected array of small bits of information to say that you taught those things. Make long-term meaningful projects that teach those same skills in a real-world way.
The school I teach in is definitely "regular." I think it strives to be different, but finds the task of changing overwhelmingly large. I also think the task is daunting in the face of NCLB as well. I think many schools may face this same problem, and in the face of these problems, would rather leave it as is for now. Save the headache for someone new.
I personally would like to know more about curriculum development and such. With that knowledge I am sure these things will change above with my new knowledge. I hope this wasn't a rambling mess and it answered some questions. With the start of the course my mind is always a jumbled mess of thoughts that slowly organizes itself to some degree by the end into more coherent thoughts.
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ReplyDeleteI can see how dismissing students over the PA system throughout the day could be annoying. Where I teach everything is called into the classroom except during breaks and lunch at the middle and high school. I am not sure about the elementary school where I am there at the end of the day, but what I have seen dismissals are done through calling the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWhere I am a specials teacher and my schedule for the elementary school goes around the high schools block schedule I have art from 1-2pm at the end of the day every other day. I know at times its hard cause sometimes the teachers do not know that they have me because the elementary, middle and high school run on different schedules and when I say red or white days they are not used to block scheduling.
I also think that you make a really good point about the NCLB and many schools would rather leave and let someone else deal with it later.
Audrey...lots to think about. Thanks! One of the ideas you get at is really something along the lines of—who wants to see schools change? Maybe we do (sometimes) but one of the reasons that schools are essentially the same no matter where you are is that the general public has an idea of what they think schools—and learning—should be and they aren't comfortable outside that rather narrow set of parameters. Ironically, lots of people complain about schools, but when pressed don't really want them to change. Strange, huh?
ReplyDeleteI think that the issue of interruptions and how time as a resource is spent or mis-spent is a problem for almost everyone in the public school system, from what I hear, see and read. In my school the faculty listed these points amongst the most nettlesome on our list of nettles! This lead to adjusting the way that announcements are made, and to considering the academic program carefully before inserting "extra" stuff that could be considered an interruption. Part of that involved adopting a norm that when planning an activity that will affect more than just your class, it must be posted to the master calendar, and emailing all staff notifying them at least two weeks in advance. Ideally the email is a request for any concerns or problems with the arrangement being proposed, not just a "this is what is happening" notification. So I feel that in my school a sense of the importance of uninterrupted academic blocks is pervasive. However, there is one aspect of this attitude or way of thinking which I am not comfortable with, and that is the narrowing of what is considered legitimate, or worthy as experiences for learning to strictly the core content areas and unified arts (art, physical ed., health, family & consumer sciences, music appreciation, foreign languages), and a real resistence to experiences like the International Day organized by the foreign language teacher, or the Health Fair, or Walk In Someone's Shoes Day, organized by the guidance counselor.
ReplyDeleteAs for the role the community/general public plays in keeping our schools in the traditional 'regular' zone, I think there is a lot of pressure there. However, I think that effective communication of ideas to the community and asking for two way communication: community involvement in curriculum development could go a long way toward allowing for more innovation in how we do school. Several years back our middle school shifted to having two smaller teaching teams in each grade level instead of having 5 or 6 teachers of core academics for each grade (6-8) who worked separately in their own domains. I wasn't there at the time, but I think this was perceived as a mysterious thing and maybe with some trepidation by some parents, but now it is an accepted part of our structure, and I imagine a good deal of communication went into smoothing the way. Besides communication, positive learning results should be persuasive in gathering support from the community for innovations in the structure of how we do school and in the curriculum.
Audrey, Seems like many schools are trying to make changes within the structures already in place, rather than shaking things up. Teachers have to make the best with what they are given, and this can be frustrating. Some problems seem like it would be easy to fix (interruptions) others daunting. Budget cuts are going to create even more changes, hopefully shaking things up with positive results. Nice meeting you! Deb
ReplyDeleteThe idea of school needing change and knowing they need change is difficult for me to wrap my head around. Unless a school is performing poorly or can point to an area of need, I find it hard to believe that school boards, faculty members and upper administration would even sense a need to change. It appears that unless a school has a few good teachers and/or a knowledgeable administrator pushing the agenda, many attempts at change (mostly due to NCLB) would be hard to get off of the ground.
ReplyDeleteI teach in a "regular" school just like this. We strive to meet the needs of the students at their individual levels but at times it seems like a triage center in a hospital. Some children are lost in the shuffle because they cannot be brought up to 'level' and more time is spent on those that can increase the classroom averages on standardized test scores. As far as streamlining goes, we are constantly interrupted with changes in a schedule, special events, children coming and going. Who sets the priorities, and when do we make up for lost time?
ReplyDeleteI had not thought to look back at my blog and read any comments until today. What was I thinking? You all have provided some valuable knowledge and thinking. I feel the need to work to make changes at the school I am at, however, I know my time there is limited as I am leaving it at the end of this school year. I know that should make it easier because I don't have to worry too much about ramifications, but at the same time I need the recommendations. Rebekah and I took a course last semester that centered on the desire to be the change and the ramifications of trying to be the change. How can we feel comfortable enough to take on the challenge of being the change when we know our job is potentially on the line?
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