This is not something I normally do. No, this is something that my friend, Janette Fuller does. She reviews books you- or your children- should read. But, I am going to recommend a book for you today. One written by the child (Sorry, Ilana, you are younger than mine- so you will forever be a child) of my good friends. A woman (see, I can change) that I have known for most of her life.
Ilana Garon has written a wonderful book. If you are a teacher- you need to own it. If you are not a teacher, but are interested in education- you need to own it. The rest of us- need to, at least, read it.
I attended a “reading” (no, not phrenology) this morning (when the post was written). Where Ilana read parts of her book. And, explained why she wrote her book, her thoughts on education, etc. Those were the things that resonated with me. Not because I have ever taught high school in the Bronx (but I have taught college students in a similar socioeconomic strata), but hearing her observations.
To expect a teacher to transform a child that enters her (this is Ilana talking) classroom in one year is insane. Too many of these kids have been promoted three, four, or five times – without once mastering the material required for that year. And, given that administrators want teachers to raise the standards- while, at the same time, blame the teachers when 80% of their class is not promoted (if you can reconcile these demands, you should be exhibiting your halo for the rest of us)- it is not surprising how many unprepared students there really are in our classrooms.
(I have written many times about the unpreparedness of college students. Many simply believe they deserve a grade of C for showing up, a grade of B if they turn in a few assignments, and a grade of A if all assignments were turned in- even if they were incomplete.)
Ilana also described the plethora of administrators that traipse through her class unannounced, interrupting instruction, and basically making a pain of themselves. All of whom are paid more than her, but, via her observation, have little “real life” experience to merit administering an educational system. Her students and she have termed these folks “clipboard Nazis”.
Another thing Ilana taught me was about charter schools. I am a bit wishy-washy on their utility. But, she brought up one fact I had never considered. How it is difficult to teach pupils who don’t engage- if their parents are not engaged. Especially in areas like the Bronx (or Arlandria, here in Alexandria), the parents do not routinely become engaged in their children’s education. And, despite some prejudicial beliefs, this attitude is just as likely to be due to the fact that the parents are working at night, working two jobs, have familial duties for multiple children or aged parents, etc. Those parents are not going to be engaged enough to demand charter schools for their kids. As such, charter schools will be primarily for those children whose parents are already involved in the educational system.
And, now to her book. You will love the title… suggested by one of her students as a research paper…
“Why Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens”… Get the book and find out why.
Sounds like Ilana can speak well from experience about educational issues. So I am guessing that the answer to her question is that we taste more like chicken?
Ah, Alessa… I’ll never kiss and tell. You have to read the book!
I read her reviews on Amazon and it sounds like a very good read indeed!
Alessa:
I’m thrilled she has great reviews on Amazon. That is wonderful. Thanks for passing along that news.
Well this really resonated with me. As you know Roy I have been a teacher for some time, in many different types of places and ways. You say college kids don’t come prepared. True…but I have news. Many kindergarten children don’t start school prepared. The difference is astounding and creates a gap. That gap in learning only gets bigger and bigger unless something happens. In one school with very engages parents students show up understanding what words are, some are even already (sort of) reading. In another school I worked at most children had never even held a book. Part of the curriculum was teaching them how to hold it properly, turn the pages the right way and learn to label the parts.
I love that your friend is creating a discussion around how education really functions – or I should say doesn’t function.
Thank you for sharing it.
🙂
Bonnie Copeland recently posted..Coffee, a Book and Signs from the Universe
Bonnie:
Thanks for sharing those facts. We have gallons of lip service, a plethora of new administrators, old ideas reimaged as new, and that is not helping our children one iota.
I enjoyed reading your book review, Roy. It sounds like Ms. Garon has written a book that brings many of the problems in education to light. She speaks from experience and can explain the challenges that face educators each day. Children do not understand that getting a good education will open the door to opportunities that will last over the course of their entire life.
Thanks for the visit, Janette. Writing a book review is more your style than mine, but I thought- as you surmised- that Ilana offered some great reads for teachers, wanna-be teachers, those interested in education, and fun for the rest of us….
Roy, I never consider any of your blogs to be “normal”. 🙂 I agree with Ilana on all the points you present. In our small town we have seen a major change in education over the last 12 years (for as long as my oldest has been in public school), and it is not a change for the better. Way too much pressure is put on teachers in areas that really have nothing to do with educating our children. And parents absolutely have to be engaged. We are losing that as well. I will be sure to check out her book.
Well, Suerae, they are normal for ME! Each of us have our own “norms”. (No, not the guy on Cheers!)
Seriously, though, your observation of the changes as your child progressed through the system is what most of us have seen. And, we need to figure out a way to get more parents engaged. (Part of that is making it possible for more of us to earn living wages, so we can worry about more than where our next meal is to be found…)
Wow, what a title. I love it. I have been at odds over the school system for over 30 years. I saw kids who thought they were stupid. One kid told me an entire rap song that was probably longer than the Ride of Paul Revere. When I told him that was a sign of intelligence, he thought I was kidding. I am a firm believer in mastery and that all kids should be taught like they were homeschooled, using computers to keep track and keep them on track.
Ann Mullen recently posted..Happens in a Flash! Frozen in Time! Embedded for Life! Senior Care
Ann:
Thanks for that great addition to the discussion.
Our policy makers (OK, I am being generous, here) have all these little boxes into which they are trying to pigeon hole our students that they have screwed up (in my “humble” opinion) the system beyond recognition. They jump from idea to idea, like two year olds in a candy store.
I am not sure that teaching kids like they are home-schooled is any improvement, however. And, computers are not usually programmed to be anything than box-clickers, so we would continue to pigeon hole students. I, like Ilana, think a portfolio management system is what is required- the way we used to evaluate student progress.
Thank you for sharing this book Roy. I love the title. This is such an important topic. Education in America has deteriorated so much since I was in school, and I do not believe that the blame for this should not fall on teachers. They have no real support, very few resources and behind the scenes dumbing down of the curriculum. It’s going to take a revolution to set things right.
Julia Neiman recently posted..The Six Enemies of Greatness (and Happiness)
Dear Julia:
Thanks for the visit and comment, Julia…
I am totally in agreement with the last two sentences you’ve got there. And, we need to stop decided on new approaches every two years (most of which are like the ones we adopted two cycles ago…)
Ah, education! It is a difficult subject, isn’t it? When i was a student, I used to tutor some children to get some extra cash and also for a charity. The thing is, they were not eager to learn and basically thought I was here to do their homework.
There is only so much a teacher can do. At some point, a child has to want to learn. I understand Ilana when she mentions all the administrative staff coming unannounced in the classroom. It must be a nightmare.
MuMuGB recently posted..Driving On The Wrong Side
It is tough, Muriel. But, a good teacher should find a means to “turn on the student”, to have that Helen Keller moment saying “WaWa”. That is usually NOT the function of the tutor, because most tutors are employed to help the child through a rough patch. (But, often, what is needed is a motivator, anyway…)
And, yes, your commiseration with Ilana- and others of her ilk- will certainly resonate.
Thanks for the visit and the comment.
Looks like a very, very interesting read.
I try to link it to some pretty under-privileged (to say the least!) schools here (GR), but I don’t think we have something quite like Bronx.
Helene Poulakou recently posted..True Education Today
Not having something like the Bronx schools, Helene, would be a very good thing!
Thanks for the visit and the comment!!