Latest Bandwagon

[jennmcg72]

Here we go again....my district seems intent on jumping on every bandwagon that comes along. All in the name of "improving test scores." I'm so sick of being expected to embrace every scripted curriculum our district leaders happen across and integrate it into my already overcrowded day. This year alone we have been given four new "scientifically tested and proven" tools designed to improve learning for every child. What ever happened to just giving one program a chance to see if the efforts pay off before trying something else? When will anyone in charge realize that it takes TIME to make programs work? Anytime you implement a new strategy or program you are going to have a period when the children don't do so well, mainly because they are learning and adapting to the program itself. I feel like my head is spinning in a thousand different directions and I can't make any of the "experts" in charge in my district comprehend what life in the real world of the classroom is like. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Thanks, just needed to get this out. Hopefully someone out there can understand.

 

[lr kdg]

bandwagon

We might work in the same district! I love all of the "experts" we hire that have never actually taught, or spent one year in the classroom 20 years ago and so feel they are entitled to tell us what we are doing wrong. Gotta love it! I think that I should become a consultant - I would sure make more money.

 

[dkd1173]

Is it a NC thing?

I just looked at your profile and saw that you're in NC - I am too, and I couldn't agree with you more!!!

In my opinion, we need to go "back to basics," and stop throwing all of these programs (and money!) at the problem. I am in Wake County (Raleigh), by the way.

 

[pgal]

oh yeah

the problem with jumping on all the bandwagons is that they are so busy saying try this try this they don't give things time to work. we have also noticed how things seem to come back again. old school things keep coming back.


teaching in nc too.

 

[change2R]

scripted curriculum

I am not in nc but we have the same problems in mo. I am so sick of scripted programs!! I told my husband I go to school and read scripts all day. I feel like I am no longer a teacher but an actress that just reads scripts. I would love to go back to TEACHING.

 

[Roger]

ex spurts (poetic license)

My first principal had a similar disdain for experts. Ex stands for has been, and spurts (again, poetic license) stands for a drip under pressure.
-)

 

[maryteach]

Most of these dumb programs

are written by people who don't even have a degree in the area the program is in. This is especially true of reading and writing programs. These are overwhelmingly invented by people with degrees in curriculum development, for instance. A degree in curriculum development means a (master's) degree in no particular discipline--these are not the people who should be telling us how to teach reading and writing. It's the reason we have so many low readers and so many terrible writers. But teachers themselves FLOCK to these programs and proudly call them "research-based," because they don't know anything about credibility in research. Programs are killing education.

 

[GB]

Yes

Thank you maryteach! I totally agree that theory-based curriculum writers are not feasable in the classroom. They generally haven't taught and just can't make a reasonable approach to the real-life classroom. We teach with one hand holding the pre-set, laid-out little book. Just let me teach!!

I love doing science projects (so do the students) and we were actually told by our consultants to *take out* the science AND social studies blocks in the younger grades, and integrate them into our reading block. So, if we're supposed to teach reading, I guess we're not supposed to be doing experiments, maps, or anything else during that time. Unbelievable.

Research-based? As much positive review as they can find, there is also just as much of the negative review.

 

[maryteach]

It's really pathetic

to see how teachers go after this stuff, too. The latest is Basic Writing Skills, again, written by an administrator and curriculum development person. It's just worksheets and busy work and so silly, and there are teachers who insist it's "research-based"--yet the publisher did all their own research. Yikes. The woman who piloted this has a slew of letters after her name, and lots of degrees, but not a single degree that would qualify her to come up with a writing program--because if she was qualified to do THAT, then a program is the LAST thing she would have come up with.

Sigh.....and in the meantime, we have kids who are most certainly not being taught to write--but they can do worksheets like a champ.

 

[musicbug]

Please let us teach.

Scripts...get robots. The kids will reprogram them to play video games. It would serve these "experts" right. It's the spirit of the teacher that gets children to work. All the scripts in the world won't get these kids to meet standards. Parental and societal support of teachers will.

 

[apple annie]

And another thing...

We also seem to get every new program that comes down the pike. Before you know it, that one's gone and the next new thing is waiting in line to be tried. Makes it real hard for a teacher to get behind it or invest a lot of effort in it because we KNOW it's just temporary anyway. The endless implementation of new and "improved" programs to remediate poor reading and writing is like sticking a band-aid on a gushing artery. The more experienced teachers fake the programs and sneak-teach. Pretty sad commentary on how we are viewed as professionals.

 

[fun_friend]

I must chime in with agreement!!!

Our school is notorious for starting new approaches. We have Learning Focused Teaching. We have Writing to Win. We have Test Prep--but don't admit that you do it--but do prepare!!! We have some kind of program to share work with colleagues whose name I have forgotten. One of our new teachers is touting Gourmet Curriculum for next year, but I have my private reservations about another teaching thingy.

Sometimes I feel great pressure to use all these programs. Then when it gets right down to it, the programs aren't exactly what I want and need nor do they get the results that I need. Now I take in whatever training I have to get and do what I want in the class. (But I do perform the Learning Focused Strategies because it is mandated.)

 

[elizabeth Igr]

third grade teacher

Frustrated after 30 happy years of successful teaching, I am also fed up with the latest directives from the "experts". It's good to know that teachers at our school are not alone.
We have to follow the Open Court Program (including pacing) even though we have 67% second language learners, 98% of students on the free luch program, yes we are an "At Risk School". Teachers are frustrated, students are not learning to think.
Does any one know any credible research that debunks scripted teaching?

 

[change2R]

No

I don't know any research to discredit the scripted programs except for all the TEACHERS that use it. If you find research please let me know!!! I just gave up and decided to go to a school district that doesn't use scripted programs. I just hope they don't change their mind and jump on the scripted bandwagon!!!