This past Friday, 35 people, including principals, assistant principals, teachers, and even the superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, were indicted in one of the largest school cheating cases in this country. Their crimes: falsifying standardized test scores, which resulted in increased pay for a number of individuals.
The allegations date back as early as 2000. This means that, over the past 13 years (at LEAST), there have allegedly been such illegal and unethical activities going on in APS. That's 13 years: a child's entire K-12 tenure. This means there are some children who were essentially failed from start to finish of their public school career, not by their parents, not by their environment, and not by themselves. They were failed by the group of individuals trained, prepared, and hired to ensure that they received the best education possible: the educators.
Living in the Washington, DC area, I witnessed the uproar that Michelle Rhee caused when she took over as Chancellor of DC Public Schools. Her arguments were that the teachers were responsible for ensuring students were adequately prepared. As a result, she also fired a number of teachers who weren't performing as expected. Suffice it to say, she was not well-liked.
I'm not saying I agree with Michelle Rhee. As a child of a retired K-12 administrator, I grew up listening to my father's stories about students and parents, and issues that he encountered. I remember him receiving threatening phone calls (at home), from suspended students. I also remember him holding teachers, staff, and administrators accountable for doing their part.....always.
What disturbs me about this entire APS scandal is that the people who were expected to do right by these kids, were so self-involved that they never once thought about the short and long-term ramifications of their actions. Instead, they were consumed with the immediate financial rewards they would receive.
In one article, a parent of a then-5th grader went to her school administrators and told them she had serious concerns that her child was not doing well in reading, yet aced the standardized reading tests. She was told by administrators her daughter was "just a good test taker." .....................................*insert blank stare*.............................................................................................
Really? In an era where we complain so much about how students, particularly African-American students underperform on standardized tests, a student who struggles during the school year aces a standardized tests? To the point her mother even argues this makes no sense?
Now, this child is a 9th-grader, reading at a 5th grade level. What chance does this girl have for succeeding in high-school? What are her chances of performing well on the SAT or ACT, and being admitted to college? If she is fortunate enough to go, how will she succeed in a university setting, where students are expected to have, at minimum, a basic high-school education and ability to not only manage their time, but also study and succeed academically? What future does this girl have, when she is 15 years old and reading at a 5th grade level? What kind of frustration and insecurities have you created in a child who, unknowingly, was socially promoted through school, just so the teachers, administrators, and superintendent could make more money?
In an era of technology, social media, and all kinds of information, we (myself included) are quick to discuss this generation of students in terms of the fast-food generation: those who want everything now, expect everything, are always "connected," unaware of their own mortality and the ramifications of their actions. Then there is the discussion about the parents: who are concerned about work more than their kids and their well-being. Those who are more concerned with having their own life than ensuring that their kids have the best one possible, or those who expect the teachers to work miracles and turn water into wine.
Yes, we've all discussed these types of students and parents. But let's now turn our attention to the most heinous and problematic of this story: the educators.
Disclaimer: this is not a judgement of all educators. Again, I'm a third-generation educator. I understand and appreciate everyone, ESPECIALLY K-12 educators for what they do. It is a thankless job.
However, for those of you in this APS scandal, and those who are unnamed, but are just as guilty in other parts of the country, I have this to say: shame on you. You were formally trained to prepare students to be able to complete not only high school, but enter college if they choose. You were blessed with the opportunity to not only complete your studies, but enter your field and succeed. You were afforded opportunities to climb in ranking in your field (Beverly Hall). Instead of paying it forward, the way each of us is expected to, you TOOK that opportunity from so many children. You stole their chances to excel academically, win scholarships to college, and for some I'm sure, graduate from high school and attend college. APS is 78% African-American, with approximately 75% of all students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Guess who was hurt the most by these actions.
You stole the innocence of so many children who trusted you to do what was in their best interest. For those parents who trusted your training and position, you stole their opportunity do what was in the best interest of their children at the time (complain to the school board, find better schools, or outside resources). You created more statistics instead of scholars.
While I don't agree with Michelle Rhee's tactics, I will say that the APS scandal has made me think more about how off (or on for that matter) she was in holding educators more accountable. As a college professor, we see the after-effects of K-12 education. We see the students who soared, and will continue to in college and beyond, to those who flew under the radar and are either doing the same or struggling with adjusting to college life, and finally those who barely made it out of college and can go in either direction. There are always those who simply didn't apply themselves in high school and now they flourish in college. However, I can't see how a college student reading at a 5th or 6th grade level will ever be able to flourish. Honestly, I don't see how a student could even be accepted to college reading at that level.
And here is the problem. The APS 35 have essentially destroyed these children's lives before they even began. They eliminated so many opportunities to soar, for selfish, greedy reasons. And yet, they aren't alone.
Showing posts with label teachers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teachers. Show all posts
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Today's iCan't Moment: Late Students and Expectations
Before I begin, I want to shout out my good friend, Ryan Goldman, for the inspiration to create my "iCan't" series. These were inspired by his "Things Nariah Says" blog, which follows random, hilarious commentary from his daughter, Nariah.
There are certain things that I've come to realize over the last 6.5 years in academia that will never change. However, they DO seem to ebb and flow in the direction of improvement or worsening conditions, based on the class of students enrolled at the time. I like to call these my iCan't moments, that instant where something happens and, instead of getting frustrated, annoyed, and irritated with the situation, you simply shake your head, grab your forehead while walking away, and say " I can't....I just...I can't..." We've all had them. If you are an educator or parent, you've had them all too often.
Today's iCan't moment of the day is dedicated to a student I shall refer to as the Third-Striker. This student has taken my class three times, and seems hell-bent on trying to find a way to ease past and continue his coursework. As a student enrolled in the same course, with the same professor, you should somewhat know that professor's teaching style and, more importantly, pet peeves, right?????
Wrong....
T.S. has a habit this semester of arriving 15-25 minutes late to class. Last week, after arriving late to class, he asked that I go back to a screen where students were to copy onto their computer. My response was "(n)o. You should've been in class on time." You would think that would be enough of a warning right?? Well, that PLUS I've warned students I give pop quizzes and, they are always the first 10 minutes of class, right?? RIGHT?!?!?
Wrong...
Today, T.S. arrived in class approximately 20 minutes late. By this point, I've returned a quiz, reviewed the answers on the board, created an extra question from the quiz (which was subsequently worked out on the board as well), and provided students with an example problem to work on in class for the first 30 minutes. Being 10 minutes late to class, of course T.S. doesn't know what's going on.
After being informed that again, when you are late to class, you WILL be confused so get here on time, T.S. attempts to provide the following excuses (in that order):
1. He was only a few minutes late...(my response-based on what constitutes a few, you were 20 minutes late).
2. He was looking for parking... (my response-how does this become my problem? In fact it's not, and you should've accounted for this, given the fact that class starts at 11:10 am).
3. He was trying to get here on time...(my response-we all were, including myself. Somehow everyone else succeeded).
The Lesson: I was told by my coaches and other educators along my life travels, "if you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. If you're late, don't even bother."
As a student, you are being prepared not only with information in the classroom, but also in developing "intangibles," those soft skills or things that aren't part of the curriculum, but are expected of any professional in your field.
Regardless of your profession, in life, there is a thing called accountability. This means that there are consequences associated with your actions: good and bad. As a result, You will be held responsible for the choices you make. I remember professors in college who locked their doors when class started. There are even those who deduct points from your grade for being late. And no, not just a homework grade, your FINAL grade. You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT expect to enter a professional career and do what you want to do, when you want to do it. That is, unless you are the boss. In most instances, you won't be. In that case, you must play by the rules. And if you are consistently late for your job, AND you can't get your work done, then guess what? You WILL be fired.
But wait, did anyone catch a key phrase from that paragraph above?? If not, I'll paste it here..."You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT expect to enter a professional career and do what you want to do, when you want to do it." Key word...EXPECT. There is an overflow of expectation from students about what they deserve. However, there is an inverse relationship between what they expect and what they believe they should be held accountable for. To put it simple, as expectations increase, it appears that accountability decreases in the eyes of many students. That must be new math, cause I don't remember that making sense.
But I digress. At the end of the day, there are expectations that you may have as a student or child, but that doesn't mean they are justified. Even moreso, there is an even more important word you must learn and practice daily. And yes, AI got it wrong...and FYI...AI=Allen Iverson...you DO need to practice, and practice it daily. It's called "accountability." It comes before "expectation" in the dictionary. Learn it first, practice it, and then see what positive consequences begin to overflow as a result of your efforts. Cause yes, AI, practice makes perfect. More importantly, you play how you practice (what I also learned from my coaches).
Or....you can just follow T.S.'s motto. Better yet, follow Iverson's motto. Let me know how that works out for you. We see where it got both of them.
Woosah!!!
There are certain things that I've come to realize over the last 6.5 years in academia that will never change. However, they DO seem to ebb and flow in the direction of improvement or worsening conditions, based on the class of students enrolled at the time. I like to call these my iCan't moments, that instant where something happens and, instead of getting frustrated, annoyed, and irritated with the situation, you simply shake your head, grab your forehead while walking away, and say " I can't....I just...I can't..." We've all had them. If you are an educator or parent, you've had them all too often.
Today's iCan't moment of the day is dedicated to a student I shall refer to as the Third-Striker. This student has taken my class three times, and seems hell-bent on trying to find a way to ease past and continue his coursework. As a student enrolled in the same course, with the same professor, you should somewhat know that professor's teaching style and, more importantly, pet peeves, right?????
Wrong....
T.S. has a habit this semester of arriving 15-25 minutes late to class. Last week, after arriving late to class, he asked that I go back to a screen where students were to copy onto their computer. My response was "(n)o. You should've been in class on time." You would think that would be enough of a warning right?? Well, that PLUS I've warned students I give pop quizzes and, they are always the first 10 minutes of class, right?? RIGHT?!?!?
Wrong...
Today, T.S. arrived in class approximately 20 minutes late. By this point, I've returned a quiz, reviewed the answers on the board, created an extra question from the quiz (which was subsequently worked out on the board as well), and provided students with an example problem to work on in class for the first 30 minutes. Being 10 minutes late to class, of course T.S. doesn't know what's going on.
After being informed that again, when you are late to class, you WILL be confused so get here on time, T.S. attempts to provide the following excuses (in that order):
1. He was only a few minutes late...(my response-based on what constitutes a few, you were 20 minutes late).
2. He was looking for parking... (my response-how does this become my problem? In fact it's not, and you should've accounted for this, given the fact that class starts at 11:10 am).
3. He was trying to get here on time...(my response-we all were, including myself. Somehow everyone else succeeded).
The Lesson: I was told by my coaches and other educators along my life travels, "if you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. If you're late, don't even bother."
As a student, you are being prepared not only with information in the classroom, but also in developing "intangibles," those soft skills or things that aren't part of the curriculum, but are expected of any professional in your field.
Regardless of your profession, in life, there is a thing called accountability. This means that there are consequences associated with your actions: good and bad. As a result, You will be held responsible for the choices you make. I remember professors in college who locked their doors when class started. There are even those who deduct points from your grade for being late. And no, not just a homework grade, your FINAL grade. You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT expect to enter a professional career and do what you want to do, when you want to do it. That is, unless you are the boss. In most instances, you won't be. In that case, you must play by the rules. And if you are consistently late for your job, AND you can't get your work done, then guess what? You WILL be fired.
But wait, did anyone catch a key phrase from that paragraph above?? If not, I'll paste it here..."You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT expect to enter a professional career and do what you want to do, when you want to do it." Key word...EXPECT. There is an overflow of expectation from students about what they deserve. However, there is an inverse relationship between what they expect and what they believe they should be held accountable for. To put it simple, as expectations increase, it appears that accountability decreases in the eyes of many students. That must be new math, cause I don't remember that making sense.
But I digress. At the end of the day, there are expectations that you may have as a student or child, but that doesn't mean they are justified. Even moreso, there is an even more important word you must learn and practice daily. And yes, AI got it wrong...and FYI...AI=Allen Iverson...you DO need to practice, and practice it daily. It's called "accountability." It comes before "expectation" in the dictionary. Learn it first, practice it, and then see what positive consequences begin to overflow as a result of your efforts. Cause yes, AI, practice makes perfect. More importantly, you play how you practice (what I also learned from my coaches).
Or....you can just follow T.S.'s motto. Better yet, follow Iverson's motto. Let me know how that works out for you. We see where it got both of them.
Woosah!!!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Excuses...And Our Love Affair with Them
So this week marked two important time periods in the lives of students across the country. First, it's the end of the semester for college students. Final exams are wrapping up and students are heading back home to their sponsors..oops..parents. Second, it was progress report (and parent-teacher conference) time for many K-12 students.
I've been fortunate enough to get my feet wet in K-12 education this year, in addition to my duties as a college professor. One of the things that always bothers me about this time of year on the collegiate level is the number of negotiators. Those are the students who didn't do what they were supposed to do throughout the year and now, because they need to pass the class to graduate, maintain a scholarship, or stay out of trouble at home, want you to provide them some "extra credit" to help boost their grade to an acceptable level. I personally loathe this time, as do a lot of colleagues I've spoken to. Instead of being accountable, students think that their under-developed negotiation skills are enough to influence a professor to take pity on them and give them a grade they didn't earn. It's even somewhat amusing at times (stay tuned, that's another forthcoming book).
The problem is there is always an excuse. An excuse about why they didn't come to class all semester (except the first week), why they never turned in a homework assignment (but deserve an 'A' cause they REALLY know the material..seriously..), and why you should understand that they have other things to do than just work for your class (like hang on the yard, go to parties, talk on the phone, and tweet and Facebook their friends..seriously, this class is a disruption to the bare necessities).
The one thing I love about college life is the FERPA. I don't have to interact with parent unless explicitly given approval by the student. So usually, I don't interact with parents. However, now that I'm experiencing a taste of K-12 education, I realize where the excuses originate..the parents. See, the kids usually don't have a lot of excuses about why they didn't turn in an assignment. I tell my middle-schoolers just like I tell my undergraduates, "if it's late, it's a 0, plain and simple. You have rules and you must follow them." Usually, the students will abide by this. They don't have homeworks and, when asked why, they simply respond "I just don't" or "I didn't do it." But my recent encounters during parent-teacher night have convinced me that there is a large subset of parents of this new "Generation Lost" that are making excuses for their children before the kids can even spell the word.
Let me share some of the responses/excuses I've received from parents:
1. You are NOT teaching college students. These are 7th graders. (My response: Ma'am, turning your assignments in on time is what you are taught in Kindergarten...it's called accountability).
2. My child was WELL aware of your deadline of 12pm today and has been working on the assignment since it was assigned. However, he was in an open house all day today and forgot to submit his homework. Can you please provide a 24 hour extension? (My response: The assignment was extended last week to this week, making a total of 2 weeks to submit...No)
3. Can my child make up the past due assignments or do extra credit to boost his grade? I'm just now able to view his grades online and am trying to stay on him. (My response: No, students have been aware from the beginning that I accept no late assignments. Your child must follow the same rules every other student does)
4. Student: I turned in my homework, I DIIDDDDD. Parent: Well, if she said she turned it in I believe her. I used to believe the teachers first but I've learned if she said she did it she is telling the truth. (My response: You mean like she was telling the truth that she turned in the homework that she just dug out of her bookbag that was never submitted???)
It doesn't take a genius to notice the running theme here. Parents are creating the monsters that K-16 educators have to deal with, a generation of students who not only don't do the work, but make an excuse about WHY they didn't do it and then EXPECT educators to provide them with a grade they didn't deserve. Parents, stop making excuses for why your child can't or won't do something. You are handicapping your kids before they even have an opportunity..more importantly, you're pissing off a world of educators in the process. We can only do our job when in the classroom. It's your responsibility to do your job at home.
See, these kids grow up into young adults who now make excuses for themselves, because they've been taught they don't have to earn anything. They can negotiate. When this doesn't work, they've been taught to complain and attack anyone who holds them accountable. These same young adults turn into employees who maybe can con their way into a career but won't be able to stay long because there is always an excuse about why they didn't get something done, why something went wrong, or why they juuuuuuust can seem to accomplish a task that a freshman in college should be able to complete. Again, it turns to finger-pointing and attacking..
So parents, do us all a favor and start teaching your child to be accountable for his/her actions both in and outside of the classroom. My dad is a retired public school educator and administrator. The BEST quote I've heard was from him this morning. "Don't making excuses for your kids. They already make enough for themselves."
And there you have it. Want to know more, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and my website!
Until next time!
I've been fortunate enough to get my feet wet in K-12 education this year, in addition to my duties as a college professor. One of the things that always bothers me about this time of year on the collegiate level is the number of negotiators. Those are the students who didn't do what they were supposed to do throughout the year and now, because they need to pass the class to graduate, maintain a scholarship, or stay out of trouble at home, want you to provide them some "extra credit" to help boost their grade to an acceptable level. I personally loathe this time, as do a lot of colleagues I've spoken to. Instead of being accountable, students think that their under-developed negotiation skills are enough to influence a professor to take pity on them and give them a grade they didn't earn. It's even somewhat amusing at times (stay tuned, that's another forthcoming book).
The problem is there is always an excuse. An excuse about why they didn't come to class all semester (except the first week), why they never turned in a homework assignment (but deserve an 'A' cause they REALLY know the material..seriously..), and why you should understand that they have other things to do than just work for your class (like hang on the yard, go to parties, talk on the phone, and tweet and Facebook their friends..seriously, this class is a disruption to the bare necessities).
The one thing I love about college life is the FERPA. I don't have to interact with parent unless explicitly given approval by the student. So usually, I don't interact with parents. However, now that I'm experiencing a taste of K-12 education, I realize where the excuses originate..the parents. See, the kids usually don't have a lot of excuses about why they didn't turn in an assignment. I tell my middle-schoolers just like I tell my undergraduates, "if it's late, it's a 0, plain and simple. You have rules and you must follow them." Usually, the students will abide by this. They don't have homeworks and, when asked why, they simply respond "I just don't" or "I didn't do it." But my recent encounters during parent-teacher night have convinced me that there is a large subset of parents of this new "Generation Lost" that are making excuses for their children before the kids can even spell the word.
Let me share some of the responses/excuses I've received from parents:
1. You are NOT teaching college students. These are 7th graders. (My response: Ma'am, turning your assignments in on time is what you are taught in Kindergarten...it's called accountability).
2. My child was WELL aware of your deadline of 12pm today and has been working on the assignment since it was assigned. However, he was in an open house all day today and forgot to submit his homework. Can you please provide a 24 hour extension? (My response: The assignment was extended last week to this week, making a total of 2 weeks to submit...No)
3. Can my child make up the past due assignments or do extra credit to boost his grade? I'm just now able to view his grades online and am trying to stay on him. (My response: No, students have been aware from the beginning that I accept no late assignments. Your child must follow the same rules every other student does)
4. Student: I turned in my homework, I DIIDDDDD. Parent: Well, if she said she turned it in I believe her. I used to believe the teachers first but I've learned if she said she did it she is telling the truth. (My response: You mean like she was telling the truth that she turned in the homework that she just dug out of her bookbag that was never submitted???)
It doesn't take a genius to notice the running theme here. Parents are creating the monsters that K-16 educators have to deal with, a generation of students who not only don't do the work, but make an excuse about WHY they didn't do it and then EXPECT educators to provide them with a grade they didn't deserve. Parents, stop making excuses for why your child can't or won't do something. You are handicapping your kids before they even have an opportunity..more importantly, you're pissing off a world of educators in the process. We can only do our job when in the classroom. It's your responsibility to do your job at home.
See, these kids grow up into young adults who now make excuses for themselves, because they've been taught they don't have to earn anything. They can negotiate. When this doesn't work, they've been taught to complain and attack anyone who holds them accountable. These same young adults turn into employees who maybe can con their way into a career but won't be able to stay long because there is always an excuse about why they didn't get something done, why something went wrong, or why they juuuuuuust can seem to accomplish a task that a freshman in college should be able to complete. Again, it turns to finger-pointing and attacking..
So parents, do us all a favor and start teaching your child to be accountable for his/her actions both in and outside of the classroom. My dad is a retired public school educator and administrator. The BEST quote I've heard was from him this morning. "Don't making excuses for your kids. They already make enough for themselves."
And there you have it. Want to know more, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and my website!
Until next time!
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