Last week’s article responded to feedback I’ve gotten from parents concerned about the high-stakes testing required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Generally speaking, I’m in favor of the intent of the tests: holding schools accountable for the quality of education they provide. As you can probably tell, however, I’m no fan of NCLB.
Research has already revealed several unintended negative results of high-stakes testing. Most obvious is that schools are focusing most of their efforts on improving test scores, or as teachers like to say, “teaching the test.” This causes a narrowing of curriculum. Schools tend to stop teaching the whole child. Subjects that are not tested are neglected. This fosters a two-class society. Children from more affluent families are exposed to the arts and other aesthetic aspects of American culture at home, but the children of less affluent parents, children who used to discover these things at school, are indeed “left behind.”
Perhaps the most distressing unintended result of NCLB is what researchers call “educational triage.” Until hurricane Katrina I’d never even heard the word triage. I learned it’s a medical term that doctors use in emergency rooms, on battlefields, etc. to see which patient should be given priority. Basically, doctors separate patients into three groups: those that are not in too bad shape and don’t need priority treatment, those that can be saved if given top priority, and those who are so far gone that treatment wouldn’t save them anyway.
Because of NCLB high-stakes testing our schools are beginning to triage students. Teachers are told to classify students into three groups: those whose grades are high enough that they don’t need any help in passing the tests, those whose grades are on the borderline and will likely pass the test if they are given top priority, and those whose grades are so bad that they have little chance of passing the test no matter what a teacher does. The logic is that by concentrating on the middle group, schools can get a higher percentage of students passing the test and improve the school’s state performance level rating. Educational triage may improve a school’s rating, but it strikes me at best as contrary to the purpose of public schools. At worst it is un-American and bordering on immoral. Our best students are not challenged to excel and our most needy students are “left behind.” Our goal should not be to raise test scores. Our goal should be to provide the best possible education we can to all of our children regardless of their God-given ability.
Another unintended result of NCLB high-stakes testing is the detrimental effect it has had on teacher morale. Good, resourceful, creative teachers resent being told to abandon what they know are good instructional techniques in order to “teach the test.” Researchers have found that more teachers are leaving the profession, fewer top college students are entering the profession, and many who are persevering in classrooms report higher levels of job dissatisfaction.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Schools around the world, across America, and right here in Mississippi are experiencing high levels of student achievement (evidenced by high test scores) without “teaching the test.” A few years ago I was lucky enough to win a Fullbright Fellowship to travel to Japan and study their school system first hand. Japanese schools are widely regarded among the world’s best. Their test scores go through the roof. Like most people, I suspected they were obsessed with test scores and made their students drill, drill, DRILL! I was wrong. Their philosophy is to teach the whole child. They concentrate on curriculum integration, problem-based learning, classroom projects, and other student-centered learning strategies.
These strategies work because they make learning relevant to students’ lives and (more importantly from the kids’ perspective) fun. Let me give some specific examples.
The year that I returned from Japan I used what I had learned to design a school-wide, curriculum-integrated project: a Medieval Fair. In August I presented the plan to my principal and got permission to hold the fair nine months later in May. I should note that I got my administrator’s permission, not support. There were no school funds allocated to buy materials, there was no directive to other teachers to participate, there was no anything except a verbal, “Sure, do whatever you want.” In fact, when the event which was scheduled nine months in advance took place, the principal failed to attend citing another commitment.
Over the next eight months I planned and worked. I talked up the project to other teachers and parents. I spent every penny of my own classroom money to buy resources other teachers could use. I got the PTO to kick in $100 for supplies. In the end about half the staff came onboard. The event was held on the playground. Mrs. Wright had math students build a display on Medieval mathematicians and their accomplishments. Mrs. Coleman had Weir and Ackerman students use puppets to stage Medieval morality plays. Mrs. Weeks had her music classes perform Medieval songs. There were re-enactments of the King Arthur legends, architectural displays of Gothic cathedrals, a display of Medieval illuminated manuscripts, performing court jesters, innumerable booths featuring medieval foods and more. One parent gave lessons in calligraphy. The fair was a tremendous educational success. In addition to local newspaper coverage we were featured on the Columbus television station’s evening news.
Elaborate events like this are not the only way to go. Problem-based learning is a technique that is very effective. As always the teacher begins by checking the state framework for the standards and objectives to be taught in that particular area of study. The teacher then thinks of a problem or project whose completion will require learning those standards and objectives. Student achievement is not measured solely with a typical multiple choice and true/false test at the end of a unit. Tests of this type tend to find out more of what a child didn’t learn than what he did learn. Instead, the project becomes the evaluation, providing a learning experience that takes place throughout the unit.
For example, in an English class we studied Shakespeare for nine weeks. I split the class up into five groups and had each pretend to be an entertainment promotions company. They were told that a touring company was coming to Choctaw County to put on a play. Each group had to pick a Shakespeare play and devise a plan for staging the play at a profit. They had to write and produce newspaper, television, and radio ads. They had to find suitable locations and dates. They had to design and produce playbills. They had to set ticket prices, estimate attendance, and predict profit margins. In short, they had to do real life activities in an educational setting. During this one unit we covered nearly every standard and objective in my state framework.
Good, experienced teachers (and new or struggling teachers with good instructional leaders helping them) can come up with problem-based instruction for almost any unit of study. When my kids studied the King Arthur legend, groups acted as advertising agencies hired to create a multi-leveled campaign to recruit knights for the Round Table. When we studied the Diary of Anne Frank student groups had to come up with a complete plan to successfully hide and sustain a family like the Frank’s somewhere in Choctaw County. At the end of one year of English literature I had student groups act as travel agencies that put together a “Literary Tour of England” that included sites relevant to all the authors we studied. They created maps showing the logic of their itinerary. They submitted detailed budgets covering food, lodging, transportation, and admission fees. Moreover, they used advanced thinking skills while researching and completing a complicated, relevant, real-life project.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m the only local teacher who uses these effective instructional strategies. For years Carol Wright, one of the finest teachers I’ve known, had her math classes build scale models of their bedrooms. At Ackerman Elementary students have used higher-level thinking skills to solve a mystery after investigating a “crime scene” that teachers set up. Over the years I have seen many good teachers go the extra mile to design lessons that are effective, student-centered, and fun.
My point is that this type of teaching should be the rule rather than the exception. Unfortunately, as school districts feel increasing pressure to improve test scores these strategies are being neglected in favor of worksheets and drills, drills, drills. No wonder kids don’t like school.
I am currently finishing my doctorate in Educational Leadership with a dissertation studying the Pierce Street School in Tupelo, Mississippi. The Pierce Street School focuses on curriculum integration, problem-based learning, and other student-centered classroom instruction. Pierce Street’s state performance level rating has been a level five every year since Mississippi adopted the rating system. I believe our kids are every bit as smart as Tupelo’s kids. If we will teach them using the best available instructional strategies their test scores will be as high as any in Mississippi.
If you’re supporting other candidates ask them what they will do to improve test scores. If they intend to keep on doing what we’re doing now, it’s time to look for another candidate.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
High-Stakes Testing
In last week’s article I asked for feedback and input on the educational issues that have, and as of yet have not, been addressed during this campaign. I appreciate all the feedback I’ve gotten and I continue to encourage you to let me know what other educational issues you are concerned about. Call, write, or email me for straight answers (my number and address are in the previous article). I firmly believe that the parents and taxpayers of Choctaw County need to know where each candidate stands. Simply saying, “ I love kids,” “we must put students first,” and “the children are our future” is not enough. We need to elect a superintendent that has the courage to identify problems in our schools and has the expertise to fix them.
The feedback I’ve gotten so far makes it clear that people are concerned about the high-stakes testing our kids are subjected to as part of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation that comes out of Washington. As I said in a previous article, the premise behind the testing is reasonable: since the federal government provides local school districts with federal tax dollars, the federal government tries to hold local schools accountable. Simply put, the feds require us to test our kids to prove we’re using all that money to provide the public with effective schools.
The problem is that our concern with test scores has come to define how we do school. We have become so obsessed with improving test scores that most of what we do revolves around that end. In effect, the test that was intended to measure how we are doing has become what we are doing. That’s crazy! Testing cannot improve student achievement anymore than weighing a hog more frequently will fatten him up better.
The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) is America’s best means for evaluating education across the nation. The NAEP tests students from all over the country so we can get a national report card. Their data for 2002-2005 showed that reading scores for fourth graders were unchanged and actually went down markedly for eighth graders despite all these tests. Worse yet, the testing required by the NCLB legislation has led states to construct charades of window dressing to make unsuccessful schools look successful. The legislation allows states to set their own standard for success. A Rand Corporation study showed that there is a huge gap between state test scores and NAEP scores. In other words, states are making their tests easier so the scores will make it look like their schools are doing better than they really are.
For instance, the Rand study showed that our 50 states reported that fourth graders required to take subject area tests passed at a rate of 21% in the lowest state and 90% in the highest state. When you look at the NAEP’s unbiased national scores, however, the lowest state’s fourth graders passed at a 10% rate and the highest state’s kids passed at a 43% rate. The gap between state reported scores and NAEP scores was highest in Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi. Unfortunately, Mississippi’s gap was the largest at about 68%.
No Child Left Behind is here and we have to deal with it, but our strategy of making improved test scores the highest priority is misguided at best. That strategy misses the point. The goal is not to improve test scores. The goal is to improve education. When that occurs, test scores will go up. Instructional techniques that accompany high-stakes, one size fits all testing programs undermine rather than improve the quality of education.
So what do we do? We improve instruction. We use instructional strategies that have been proven to work elsewhere: instructional strategies that motivate children and make their studies relevant. We do what successful schools are already doing. We concentrate on curriculum integration, problem-based learning, classroom projects, and other student-centered learning strategies.
In next week’s article I will explain how to do that and give specific examples of these proven instructional strategies. Fixing our schools is not easy. It takes more than saying, “ I love kids,” “we must put students first,” and “the children are our future.” Fixing our schools requires taking specific action to improve instruction. If you’re supporting other candidates ask them exactly how they intend to fix our schools. If they can’t give you specific, workable answers, find another candidate.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
The feedback I’ve gotten so far makes it clear that people are concerned about the high-stakes testing our kids are subjected to as part of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation that comes out of Washington. As I said in a previous article, the premise behind the testing is reasonable: since the federal government provides local school districts with federal tax dollars, the federal government tries to hold local schools accountable. Simply put, the feds require us to test our kids to prove we’re using all that money to provide the public with effective schools.
The problem is that our concern with test scores has come to define how we do school. We have become so obsessed with improving test scores that most of what we do revolves around that end. In effect, the test that was intended to measure how we are doing has become what we are doing. That’s crazy! Testing cannot improve student achievement anymore than weighing a hog more frequently will fatten him up better.
The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) is America’s best means for evaluating education across the nation. The NAEP tests students from all over the country so we can get a national report card. Their data for 2002-2005 showed that reading scores for fourth graders were unchanged and actually went down markedly for eighth graders despite all these tests. Worse yet, the testing required by the NCLB legislation has led states to construct charades of window dressing to make unsuccessful schools look successful. The legislation allows states to set their own standard for success. A Rand Corporation study showed that there is a huge gap between state test scores and NAEP scores. In other words, states are making their tests easier so the scores will make it look like their schools are doing better than they really are.
For instance, the Rand study showed that our 50 states reported that fourth graders required to take subject area tests passed at a rate of 21% in the lowest state and 90% in the highest state. When you look at the NAEP’s unbiased national scores, however, the lowest state’s fourth graders passed at a 10% rate and the highest state’s kids passed at a 43% rate. The gap between state reported scores and NAEP scores was highest in Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi. Unfortunately, Mississippi’s gap was the largest at about 68%.
No Child Left Behind is here and we have to deal with it, but our strategy of making improved test scores the highest priority is misguided at best. That strategy misses the point. The goal is not to improve test scores. The goal is to improve education. When that occurs, test scores will go up. Instructional techniques that accompany high-stakes, one size fits all testing programs undermine rather than improve the quality of education.
So what do we do? We improve instruction. We use instructional strategies that have been proven to work elsewhere: instructional strategies that motivate children and make their studies relevant. We do what successful schools are already doing. We concentrate on curriculum integration, problem-based learning, classroom projects, and other student-centered learning strategies.
In next week’s article I will explain how to do that and give specific examples of these proven instructional strategies. Fixing our schools is not easy. It takes more than saying, “ I love kids,” “we must put students first,” and “the children are our future.” Fixing our schools requires taking specific action to improve instruction. If you’re supporting other candidates ask them exactly how they intend to fix our schools. If they can’t give you specific, workable answers, find another candidate.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Fourth of July Lull
Happy Fourth of July! You may have noticed that I didn’t run any political advertisements in this week’s papers. My intention was to take this week off to recover from a whirlwind month. My wife Anna and I spent two weeks in London visiting more historic sites than we could count. We returned to teach Vacation Bible School during the third week, and we had a great summer revival at New Zion in week four. Today Anna and I are celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary and babysitting our grand daughter, and tomorrow the rest of the clan is coming over for a July 4th cookout.
I thought all that was excuse enough not to post anything this week, but then I got a phone call from a supporter who was disappointed that I hadn’t written a new article. Well, I wouldn’t want to let anyone down so here I am at the keyboard.
The Fourth of July is traditionally when many Choctaw Countians decide whom they will vote for in August. At the family cookout, over ribs and burgers, talk just naturally turns to the election around the corner. A lot of people vote for friends, family, or whoever put up the most signs and shook the most hands. In the superintendent election, I hope you won’t do that. The superintendent of schools could be the most important position being voted on. The results will have a very direct bearing on our children’s futures.
That’s why I have tried to make this election about the educational issues facing our schools. That’s why week after week I have written an article that addresses one of those issues that gives specific, detailed solutions to problems that must be solved. No other candidate has done that; not now or in the previous five superintendent elections I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve served the Choctaw County School System. (To give credit where credit is due, however, Donna Nail has addressed issues, albeit with less specific solutions.)
Now I need you to do something. I need feedback. I need to know if you think I am on the right track. I need to know what other educational concerns you have so I can address them this month. To that end I’m asking you to contact me by phone, mail, or email. Write to me at 2385 Weir-Salem Road, Weir, MS 39772. Call me at (662) 285-3633. Email me at churchart@excite.com. I appreciate the calls and emails I’ve received so far, but I need to hear from more citizens who truly care about our schools.
In closing, let me say how much I appreciate the many kind and supportive comments I’ve received during my campaign. One thing I’ve heard over and over is that you wish more people could read my articles, people who don’t have the internet or, like me, are stuck with a dial-up connection that makes it difficult to download what I’ve written. Therefore, I encourage you to talk about these things to people you meet. Better yet, print them out and hand them a copy. Also, if you contact me I’ll be happy to mail anyone a copy of every one of the articles.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
I thought all that was excuse enough not to post anything this week, but then I got a phone call from a supporter who was disappointed that I hadn’t written a new article. Well, I wouldn’t want to let anyone down so here I am at the keyboard.
The Fourth of July is traditionally when many Choctaw Countians decide whom they will vote for in August. At the family cookout, over ribs and burgers, talk just naturally turns to the election around the corner. A lot of people vote for friends, family, or whoever put up the most signs and shook the most hands. In the superintendent election, I hope you won’t do that. The superintendent of schools could be the most important position being voted on. The results will have a very direct bearing on our children’s futures.
That’s why I have tried to make this election about the educational issues facing our schools. That’s why week after week I have written an article that addresses one of those issues that gives specific, detailed solutions to problems that must be solved. No other candidate has done that; not now or in the previous five superintendent elections I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve served the Choctaw County School System. (To give credit where credit is due, however, Donna Nail has addressed issues, albeit with less specific solutions.)
Now I need you to do something. I need feedback. I need to know if you think I am on the right track. I need to know what other educational concerns you have so I can address them this month. To that end I’m asking you to contact me by phone, mail, or email. Write to me at 2385 Weir-Salem Road, Weir, MS 39772. Call me at (662) 285-3633. Email me at churchart@excite.com. I appreciate the calls and emails I’ve received so far, but I need to hear from more citizens who truly care about our schools.
In closing, let me say how much I appreciate the many kind and supportive comments I’ve received during my campaign. One thing I’ve heard over and over is that you wish more people could read my articles, people who don’t have the internet or, like me, are stuck with a dial-up connection that makes it difficult to download what I’ve written. Therefore, I encourage you to talk about these things to people you meet. Better yet, print them out and hand them a copy. Also, if you contact me I’ll be happy to mail anyone a copy of every one of the articles.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Parental Involvement
It is very common to hear educators complain about the lack of parental involvement in our schools. They complain because they know that when parents are involved with their childrens' schools their childrens' grades improve. In the 20 years I have served Choctaw County’s schools I’ve heard a lot of talk about increasing parental involvement. Unfortunately, a lot of talk does not produce results. We must take concrete steps to increase parental involvement.
I know that what I am going to say next will raise some people’s blood pressure. So be it. The truth will set you free, but first it may make you mad. The truth is this: while we say we want parental involvement in our schools, what we actually try to produce is parental support and approval for what we have already decided to do. These are not the same things.
My first college degree was in communications with a minor in public relations. Anyone who knows the first thing about public relations will tell you that the way to get people involved in an enterprise is to empower them. In other words, allow people to have input before decisions are made rather than try to get them to support your decision after the fact.
Fortunately, we already have a vehicle to facilitate parental involvement: the PTO. Unfortunately, most of our parents are not members of the PTO. This will not change as long as our PTOs function only as support groups rather than groups whose input is sought and valued. This will not change as long as PTO meetings revolve around what parents can do for our schools and ignore what our schools can do for parents. Typically, PTO meetings devolve into discussions as to how parents can raise money for the schools. While there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, this is not enough. Asking parents to raise money time and time again without ever offering them anything in return inevitably discourages PTO involvement. Our PTOs need to offer programs that will equip parents with tools they can use to help their children do better in school.
In the past, there have been times that we have actually thwarted parents who want increased involvement in our schools. For example, a caring and dedicated PTO member at one school volunteered to write a periodic newsletter to keep parents informed about the school and its programs. This is a simple, cost effective way that nearly all good schools use to increase parental involvement. Apparently, administrators felt the newsletter told too much about the school and censored it so heavily that the parent was discouraged from continuing. In a separate instance, administrators discouraged “Homeroom Parents” from meeting outside of the school to explore ways they could help their childrens' teachers be more effective. Apparently, administrators felt they would have too little control over meetings held off school property.
This last incident is indicative of the over-riding problem with our schools. Many administrators believe they must control every aspect of our childrens' educations. It’s time we recognized that America is a democracy, not a monarchy. No public educator should exercise the divine right of kings to make decisions that affect our children’s lives without our input. It is time for the public to take back our public schools. If I am elected Superintendent I will make parental involvement and parental input a priority. I will never discourage parents who take the initiative in improving our schools. If you are supporting other candidates, ask them if they’ll pledge to do the same. If they won’t, find another candidate.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
I know that what I am going to say next will raise some people’s blood pressure. So be it. The truth will set you free, but first it may make you mad. The truth is this: while we say we want parental involvement in our schools, what we actually try to produce is parental support and approval for what we have already decided to do. These are not the same things.
My first college degree was in communications with a minor in public relations. Anyone who knows the first thing about public relations will tell you that the way to get people involved in an enterprise is to empower them. In other words, allow people to have input before decisions are made rather than try to get them to support your decision after the fact.
Fortunately, we already have a vehicle to facilitate parental involvement: the PTO. Unfortunately, most of our parents are not members of the PTO. This will not change as long as our PTOs function only as support groups rather than groups whose input is sought and valued. This will not change as long as PTO meetings revolve around what parents can do for our schools and ignore what our schools can do for parents. Typically, PTO meetings devolve into discussions as to how parents can raise money for the schools. While there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, this is not enough. Asking parents to raise money time and time again without ever offering them anything in return inevitably discourages PTO involvement. Our PTOs need to offer programs that will equip parents with tools they can use to help their children do better in school.
In the past, there have been times that we have actually thwarted parents who want increased involvement in our schools. For example, a caring and dedicated PTO member at one school volunteered to write a periodic newsletter to keep parents informed about the school and its programs. This is a simple, cost effective way that nearly all good schools use to increase parental involvement. Apparently, administrators felt the newsletter told too much about the school and censored it so heavily that the parent was discouraged from continuing. In a separate instance, administrators discouraged “Homeroom Parents” from meeting outside of the school to explore ways they could help their childrens' teachers be more effective. Apparently, administrators felt they would have too little control over meetings held off school property.
This last incident is indicative of the over-riding problem with our schools. Many administrators believe they must control every aspect of our childrens' educations. It’s time we recognized that America is a democracy, not a monarchy. No public educator should exercise the divine right of kings to make decisions that affect our children’s lives without our input. It is time for the public to take back our public schools. If I am elected Superintendent I will make parental involvement and parental input a priority. I will never discourage parents who take the initiative in improving our schools. If you are supporting other candidates, ask them if they’ll pledge to do the same. If they won’t, find another candidate.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Ineffective Administrators & Teachers
During the May 17th public meeting with four of the five candidates for superintendent, the following question was asked: “How will you handle ineffective administrators or teachers who have lost the respect of students, parents, and the community?” In the two minutes allotted for the answer that night each candidate present did his or her best to deal with the question. This is, however, a very important question and I’d like to answer it more fully here.
The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” applies. I believe that the vast majority of educators enter the field wanting and expecting to do a great job. Unfortunately, not all of them are successful. There are many reasons this is so.
First of all, make no mistake about it; teaching and supervising teachers is a difficult job. Most of us will admit to being pretty sorry for the first year or two. Therefore, it is essential that individual improvement plans be the rule rather than the exception.
Currently, most teacher and administrator evaluations are an end unto themselves. What I mean by that is once an individual has been evaluated a copy of the evaluation is put into that person’s file and that’s usually the end of it. In the best school districts that is the beginning rather than the end. The evaluation is used as more than a measure of performance; it is used as a tool to improve performance.
To insure this, the evaluator sits down with the person that was evaluated a few days after the fact and together they weigh the individual’s strong and weak points and devise a plan to enhance the strengths and correct the weaknesses. The plan needs to be specific with attainable goals for improvement. The plan should include resources the individual can use to achieve the goals. Then, when the individual is evaluated the next time, the evaluator pays special attention to the areas the person has been working on. This process should be repeated year after year.
It should be noted that this evaluation and follow-up process should not be used only with new teachers and administrators. No matter how long someone has been in education, there is always room for improvement. It is easy for seasoned public school veterans to get complacent and fall behind in the latest best classroom practices and innovations. If you’ve ever used the phrase “kids these days” you should realize that instructional practices that worked when we were kids won’t necessarily work today. Proper evaluation and follow-up of all certified personnel is the best way to keep us all up to date and on our toes.
That said, what do you do when teachers and administrators are doing a poor job and have lost the respect necessary to be effective? You begin by finding out what went wrong in the first place. You do this by talking to people (on both sides of the issue) who have first hand knowledge of the situation. You spend time at the particular school and observe the situation for yourself. You study all available written records and documentation pertinent to the situation. In short, you make certain you understand the problem.
The next step is coming up with a plan to solve the problem. It would be foolish to give specific solutions here since the question didn’t cite a specific problem. It is, however, imperative to keep the best interests of the students in mind. Ideally, a plan of action can be devised that can turn the situation around. In a case where the students’ best interests are in immediate jeopardy, reassigning the teacher or administrator to a different position may be necessary. In my view, termination would be a last resort. When the ineffective teacher or administrator’s livelihood and the well-being of his or her family is at stake, that teacher or administrator should be given every opportunity to correct the problem.
In closing, I feel it’s important to go back to where I started my campaign. We can prevent ineffective teaching and administration by hiring the most qualified people available. In the case of teachers, recruitment is the key. In the case of administrators, recruitment and common sense are the key. I’m all for promoting our own teachers to administrative positions when qualified teachers are available. In doing so, however, teaching experience and educational credentials must be the measuring stick. Until we begin promoting our most experienced, most highly qualified teachers to administrative positions, we can’t expect much improvement in our schools.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” applies. I believe that the vast majority of educators enter the field wanting and expecting to do a great job. Unfortunately, not all of them are successful. There are many reasons this is so.
First of all, make no mistake about it; teaching and supervising teachers is a difficult job. Most of us will admit to being pretty sorry for the first year or two. Therefore, it is essential that individual improvement plans be the rule rather than the exception.
Currently, most teacher and administrator evaluations are an end unto themselves. What I mean by that is once an individual has been evaluated a copy of the evaluation is put into that person’s file and that’s usually the end of it. In the best school districts that is the beginning rather than the end. The evaluation is used as more than a measure of performance; it is used as a tool to improve performance.
To insure this, the evaluator sits down with the person that was evaluated a few days after the fact and together they weigh the individual’s strong and weak points and devise a plan to enhance the strengths and correct the weaknesses. The plan needs to be specific with attainable goals for improvement. The plan should include resources the individual can use to achieve the goals. Then, when the individual is evaluated the next time, the evaluator pays special attention to the areas the person has been working on. This process should be repeated year after year.
It should be noted that this evaluation and follow-up process should not be used only with new teachers and administrators. No matter how long someone has been in education, there is always room for improvement. It is easy for seasoned public school veterans to get complacent and fall behind in the latest best classroom practices and innovations. If you’ve ever used the phrase “kids these days” you should realize that instructional practices that worked when we were kids won’t necessarily work today. Proper evaluation and follow-up of all certified personnel is the best way to keep us all up to date and on our toes.
That said, what do you do when teachers and administrators are doing a poor job and have lost the respect necessary to be effective? You begin by finding out what went wrong in the first place. You do this by talking to people (on both sides of the issue) who have first hand knowledge of the situation. You spend time at the particular school and observe the situation for yourself. You study all available written records and documentation pertinent to the situation. In short, you make certain you understand the problem.
The next step is coming up with a plan to solve the problem. It would be foolish to give specific solutions here since the question didn’t cite a specific problem. It is, however, imperative to keep the best interests of the students in mind. Ideally, a plan of action can be devised that can turn the situation around. In a case where the students’ best interests are in immediate jeopardy, reassigning the teacher or administrator to a different position may be necessary. In my view, termination would be a last resort. When the ineffective teacher or administrator’s livelihood and the well-being of his or her family is at stake, that teacher or administrator should be given every opportunity to correct the problem.
In closing, I feel it’s important to go back to where I started my campaign. We can prevent ineffective teaching and administration by hiring the most qualified people available. In the case of teachers, recruitment is the key. In the case of administrators, recruitment and common sense are the key. I’m all for promoting our own teachers to administrative positions when qualified teachers are available. In doing so, however, teaching experience and educational credentials must be the measuring stick. Until we begin promoting our most experienced, most highly qualified teachers to administrative positions, we can’t expect much improvement in our schools.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Monday, June 11, 2007
School Safety
When four of the five candidates for superintendent met with the public to discuss the issues on May 17th, the following question was asked: “In light of the Virginia Tech tragedy, what are your plans for making each campus safer? I’d like to use this space to expand on the two-minute answer I was allowed that night.
Several years ago, as a teacher at Weir Attendance Center, I was very alarmed one morning when I heard about the latest school shooting. I’m not sure now which shooting it was. There have been so many of them. I think it was either the murders in Pearl, MS or Columbine, CO. In church that Sunday we prayed for the victims and the hurting communities involved. I also mentioned that we, just because we lived in a quiet and beautiful country community, should not be unconcerned about our own schools’ safety.
Apparently, other parents felt the same. Some of them organized a meeting a few nights later in the school cafeteria. I’m not sure how much they accomplished, but everyone got to air their concerns and seemed to have felt better for having done so. The principal, who has long since gone, was very upset with me. He seemed to think that I had caused the meeting to take place. He was giving me more credit than I deserved. Ironically, he was annoyed with what the school’s parents and I thought was a good thing. Had I been principal I would have called the meeting myself.
A few years later I heard about another school shooting. This one was in Florida, I believe. A student murdered his favorite teacher, a male, 10th grade English teacher. This upset me to no end. While I may have my faults (my wife would be happy to provide a list), I can honestly say that I have gotten along extremely well with the vast majority of my students. Some still visit me, even as adults. On top of that, I am male, and was the only 10th grade English teacher at Weir! That latest shooting was getting a little too close to home for my comfort.
I say all this to let you know that school security has been a major concern of mine for over a decade. Our schools in Choctaw County are especially vulnerable due to the physical make-up of our campuses. As our campuses have grown over the years we have had to add buildings, and more buildings mean more doors.
As superintendent, the safety of our children would be a top priority to me. Realistically, there’s just so much we can do with the money available. Therefore, I would pursue whatever grant money is available to increase security. Beyond that, there are some things we can do right now that would cost very little.
First of all, we should do what other districts all over the state are doing. Keep all doors on every campus locked and install an intercom at the main entrance. In between classes, when students must pass from building to building, a teacher who would normally be posted in the hall by his or her classroom door, should be posted at the building entrances to allow students access. While this would be inconvenient, the safety of our kids should take precedence over convenience.
I’d also do the following: I’d also make sure that every classroom has a working two-way intercom. I’d see to it that a least one person in the district became an expert in the calibration and use of the sophisticated metal detectors that we already have in some of our schools, and require that they be used. I’d see to it that all staff are informed about and trained in procedures already in place for crisis management, and review and fine-tune those procedures periodically.
In addition to these and any other steps we can come up with, I’d make it my policy to be open and honest with parents on safety issues. It’s time we stop sweeping incidents under the rug and pretend they never happened. When we do that, we cause rumors to start flying around the community. Instead of making parents feel more secure, which I assume is the intent of covering up an incident, we actually make parents feel less secure because the rumors are always much worse than what really happened.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Several years ago, as a teacher at Weir Attendance Center, I was very alarmed one morning when I heard about the latest school shooting. I’m not sure now which shooting it was. There have been so many of them. I think it was either the murders in Pearl, MS or Columbine, CO. In church that Sunday we prayed for the victims and the hurting communities involved. I also mentioned that we, just because we lived in a quiet and beautiful country community, should not be unconcerned about our own schools’ safety.
Apparently, other parents felt the same. Some of them organized a meeting a few nights later in the school cafeteria. I’m not sure how much they accomplished, but everyone got to air their concerns and seemed to have felt better for having done so. The principal, who has long since gone, was very upset with me. He seemed to think that I had caused the meeting to take place. He was giving me more credit than I deserved. Ironically, he was annoyed with what the school’s parents and I thought was a good thing. Had I been principal I would have called the meeting myself.
A few years later I heard about another school shooting. This one was in Florida, I believe. A student murdered his favorite teacher, a male, 10th grade English teacher. This upset me to no end. While I may have my faults (my wife would be happy to provide a list), I can honestly say that I have gotten along extremely well with the vast majority of my students. Some still visit me, even as adults. On top of that, I am male, and was the only 10th grade English teacher at Weir! That latest shooting was getting a little too close to home for my comfort.
I say all this to let you know that school security has been a major concern of mine for over a decade. Our schools in Choctaw County are especially vulnerable due to the physical make-up of our campuses. As our campuses have grown over the years we have had to add buildings, and more buildings mean more doors.
As superintendent, the safety of our children would be a top priority to me. Realistically, there’s just so much we can do with the money available. Therefore, I would pursue whatever grant money is available to increase security. Beyond that, there are some things we can do right now that would cost very little.
First of all, we should do what other districts all over the state are doing. Keep all doors on every campus locked and install an intercom at the main entrance. In between classes, when students must pass from building to building, a teacher who would normally be posted in the hall by his or her classroom door, should be posted at the building entrances to allow students access. While this would be inconvenient, the safety of our kids should take precedence over convenience.
I’d also do the following: I’d also make sure that every classroom has a working two-way intercom. I’d see to it that a least one person in the district became an expert in the calibration and use of the sophisticated metal detectors that we already have in some of our schools, and require that they be used. I’d see to it that all staff are informed about and trained in procedures already in place for crisis management, and review and fine-tune those procedures periodically.
In addition to these and any other steps we can come up with, I’d make it my policy to be open and honest with parents on safety issues. It’s time we stop sweeping incidents under the rug and pretend they never happened. When we do that, we cause rumors to start flying around the community. Instead of making parents feel more secure, which I assume is the intent of covering up an incident, we actually make parents feel less secure because the rumors are always much worse than what really happened.
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
School Uniforms
One of the questions asked at the May 17th candidate forum was, “Do you think uniforms should be worn? Why or why not?” We were given only two minutes to answer on Thursday, and we only had room for three sentences in the follow-up article that the Plaindealer was good enough to print the next week. I promised I would answer the question more fully on this blog.
Personally, I don’t think our students should be made to wear uniforms. If I recall correctly, only one candidate, Terry Stacy, strongly favored school uniforms. He said that in the past he had actually asked the school board to require our students to wear uniforms. He felt that uniforms would make it easier for teachers to identify intruders, and he inferred that it would eliminate the problem of students being beaten up for their Nike footwear. My views differ significantly.
First of all, unless we also required standardized shoes, I think many students would continue to wear Nikes. Moreover, I’m not aware of any Choctaw County student ever being beaten up in order to have his shoes stolen off his feet. I know such things happen in Los Angeles and New York City, but most of us choose to live in Choctaw County because that type of thing doesn’t happen around here. If ever it does, swift and severe disciplinary action will put a stop to it.
In regard to identifying intruders, I guess uniforms would help spot someone who was improperly on campus with innocent motives. An intruder who was on campus and planned to do harm to our students, however, could surely obtain a uniform from the same source that our own children got theirs. Evil doers have a long history of obtaining police uniforms, military uniforms, pilot uniforms, etc. in order to commit their crimes. I just can’t believe that it would be harder to get a Choctaw County school uniform than to get a policeman’s uniform.
During the candidate forum I pointed out that requiring uniforms would add extra expense to family budgets already strained by rising gas prices. Mr. Stacy said that wouldn’t be the case because parents had to buy clothes for their children to wear to school anyway. That only makes sense if you think our kids are going to wear their school uniforms around the house, hanging out with their friends, and to church on Sunday. Parents are still going to have to buy the clothes kids like to wear at these times in addition to school uniforms. Also, how many teenage girls do you know who are willing to wear the same blouse two days in a row without washing it? Moms are going to be washing clothes every night or else they’ll have to buy several uniforms per child.
Perhaps the biggest reason I wouldn’t require school uniforms is because I take Jesus’ admonition to do unto others as you would have them do unto you very seriously. I would have hated wearing a uniform when I was in school. Clothes and image are important to our kids, and I don’t think we should take that aspect of their childhood away from them just to make our jobs a little easier. I feel that an effective, enforced dress code can take care of any problems that students’ clothing might cause.
That said, the major theme of my campaign is to give the public more say in how our public schools are run. Therefore, if the majority of parents wanted uniforms, I would not oppose them. But if I got to cast my one vote on this issue I’d say, “No, let the kids be kids.”
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
Personally, I don’t think our students should be made to wear uniforms. If I recall correctly, only one candidate, Terry Stacy, strongly favored school uniforms. He said that in the past he had actually asked the school board to require our students to wear uniforms. He felt that uniforms would make it easier for teachers to identify intruders, and he inferred that it would eliminate the problem of students being beaten up for their Nike footwear. My views differ significantly.
First of all, unless we also required standardized shoes, I think many students would continue to wear Nikes. Moreover, I’m not aware of any Choctaw County student ever being beaten up in order to have his shoes stolen off his feet. I know such things happen in Los Angeles and New York City, but most of us choose to live in Choctaw County because that type of thing doesn’t happen around here. If ever it does, swift and severe disciplinary action will put a stop to it.
In regard to identifying intruders, I guess uniforms would help spot someone who was improperly on campus with innocent motives. An intruder who was on campus and planned to do harm to our students, however, could surely obtain a uniform from the same source that our own children got theirs. Evil doers have a long history of obtaining police uniforms, military uniforms, pilot uniforms, etc. in order to commit their crimes. I just can’t believe that it would be harder to get a Choctaw County school uniform than to get a policeman’s uniform.
During the candidate forum I pointed out that requiring uniforms would add extra expense to family budgets already strained by rising gas prices. Mr. Stacy said that wouldn’t be the case because parents had to buy clothes for their children to wear to school anyway. That only makes sense if you think our kids are going to wear their school uniforms around the house, hanging out with their friends, and to church on Sunday. Parents are still going to have to buy the clothes kids like to wear at these times in addition to school uniforms. Also, how many teenage girls do you know who are willing to wear the same blouse two days in a row without washing it? Moms are going to be washing clothes every night or else they’ll have to buy several uniforms per child.
Perhaps the biggest reason I wouldn’t require school uniforms is because I take Jesus’ admonition to do unto others as you would have them do unto you very seriously. I would have hated wearing a uniform when I was in school. Clothes and image are important to our kids, and I don’t think we should take that aspect of their childhood away from them just to make our jobs a little easier. I feel that an effective, enforced dress code can take care of any problems that students’ clothing might cause.
That said, the major theme of my campaign is to give the public more say in how our public schools are run. Therefore, if the majority of parents wanted uniforms, I would not oppose them. But if I got to cast my one vote on this issue I’d say, “No, let the kids be kids.”
Until next time, may God bless you and your children.
Bob Mamrak
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