Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week
Michelle Rhee
The House Education Committee and Gov. Nathan Deal will meet with former DC chancellor and education reformer of the moment Michelle Rhee next week.
Rhee now heads StudentsFirst, a group dedicated to education reform beginning with “evaluating teachers based on evidence of student results rather than arbitrary judgments.” With Georgia poised to reform its teacher evaluations as part of its Race to the Top commitment, Rhee will likely be talking about how best to do that with legislators.
Just received this formal announcement:
In lieu of our regular weekly meeting next week, the House Education Committee members are invited to a luncheon to meet Michelle Rhee, the former Chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools and leading proponent of education reform in the United States, on Thursday, February 10, at noon at the Capitol. Prior to our luncheon, Ms. Rhee will be meeting with Governor Deal at 11:00 a.m.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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92 comments Add your comment
catlady
February 3rd, 2011
11:25 am
“Education reformer of the moment”–I love it. The personification of cure du jour.
oh dear god
February 3rd, 2011
11:37 am
if the signs of the apocalypse haven’t appeared to you yet, then I’d say this is the big one.
Old Time Educator
February 3rd, 2011
11:40 am
Brilliant, This is just what we need. (NOT!) If I had to name one person that would be at the top of the “do not waste your time with” list, it would be Ms. Rhete. What a waste of time, money, and effort. How clueless can they get? (Please don’t answer that!)
catlady
February 3rd, 2011
11:45 am
OoH! Ooh! Maybe Erin Hames will be there, too! Too much in one room!
atlmom
February 3rd, 2011
11:46 am
I wish she would come in and reform the Atlanta public schools. we certainly need it.
Maureen Downey
February 3rd, 2011
11:48 am
@catlady, Erin Hames is appearing today at 3 in front of a joint House and Senate session to talk about RTTT.
Maureen
HStchr
February 3rd, 2011
11:52 am
I read an interview Rhee did with Time mag, I think it was, and she openly admits that she should have done a better job of communicating the passion for reform and done the job more positively. I wonder if she’ll share that bit of wisdom with the ed. committee. A lot of the reform ideas, which may or may not work, will depend on getting the support of educators, not just public approval.
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:53 am
@atlmom how would she reform ATL Public Schools?
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:55 am
Rhee is a disaster. Next!
Lynn43
February 3rd, 2011
12:01 pm
I certainly hope that those to whom she speaks will let her folly go in one ear and out the other. If she is so “sold” on her brand of reform, let her go into the classroom for about three years and then let us know if it works.
WHAT IS
February 3rd, 2011
12:05 pm
SHE SELLING?
Lynn43
February 3rd, 2011
12:11 pm
I’m sure she has come up with a plan to earn her a little extra pocket change just like Apple and their I-pads are going to rescue our schools.
Math Maestro
February 3rd, 2011
12:11 pm
The problem with evaluating teachers on student results is that any teacher can be made ineffective with increased student loads.
A high school teacher with 100 students with 1 prep will look more effective than a teacher with 200 students with 4 preps with the same level of students. It is a common practice among administrators to increase the load on the teacher that they don’t want and wait for them to quit.
Bullfrog
February 3rd, 2011
12:18 pm
Unlike many teachers, I am in favor of many of the reforms Rhee represents. While her communication skills and relationship with teachers was lacking, her belief that teachers can make all the difference shows a tremendous respect for the power of teachers. We teachers need accept the responsibility that the greatest thing we can do each day is impact student learning, and we need to stop whining about how our students can’t learn.
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February 3rd, 2011
12:29 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kevin P. Chavous, Ramiro Garcia. Ramiro Garcia said: "@asoutherngirl: @m_rhee to meet with Georgia governor, lawmakers next week http://t.co/9xhzyHn // YES!" @kevinpchavous @CharterStarter [...]
Tweets that mention Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com
February 3rd, 2011
12:33 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheParentsEducator, Adam Hall and PolitiFact Georgia, Maureen Downey. Maureen Downey said: Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week http://bit.ly/frdYR3 [...]
Fericita
February 3rd, 2011
12:43 pm
“Evaluating teachers based on evidence of student results rather than arbitrary judgments”
The CRCT is not exactly a well designed test. In fact, one might call it an arbitrary judgment.
chris
February 3rd, 2011
12:46 pm
The blind leading the blind. We will move from low to last in education in USA, with her. She could not be more clueless. She made a nice living off the backs of DC students and teachers. She most love going on all those shows like Good Morning America and such. This is the kinda reform that is for the special kinda stupid. Make the test the end all be all. Just clueless.
James
February 3rd, 2011
12:54 pm
One thing I know for sure. Teachers and administrators don’t like this woman. A close friend in DC works for the NEA she almost spit fire when I mentioned I looked at the Student First website. I learned early in life when the masses are charged up about one individual you probably should listen to that individual for yourself.
GA Teach
February 3rd, 2011
12:56 pm
Really…..If she did such a great job in DC then tell me why Obama did not send his kids to DC schools?
Stop blaming the teachers and look at the problem through a bigger lens. We need POLITICIANS, parents, teachers, admins, and students to work together. The funny thing is people want one person to blame because it is easier that way. There are many things that test fail to measure……mainly success…..How many of you take multiple choice and essay tests to measure your success….Few if any. Just wondering?
ATLShawty
February 3rd, 2011
12:59 pm
All the media (including you Ms. Downey) sees is this smart, pretty, Asian American woman – ha – she must be smart and must know what she is talking about. Well she doesn’t. Ask just about any teacher what they think of Rhee and her policies and they will tell you that it’s all BS. Shame on you Governor Deal for meeting with her. He’s probably just trying to show that he supports diversity by meeting with her.
Fayette Teacher
February 3rd, 2011
1:23 pm
Hang on to your jobs! Here it comes!
GA Teach
February 3rd, 2011
1:29 pm
The questions should be how can we best educate a population so large? We are the 3 largest country in the world by population. We also mandate that all school age children attend school. Most countries have not such mandate…that is paid for by the tax payers, which means they do not provide an advanced education for all their children. Just wondering….I guess we would be the best country in the world if we could choose the students we wanted to tested…Hmmm. I wonder if military dictatorships pick who is tested and even let accurate scores leave their country so they can be measured against the rest of the world.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
1:33 pm
And yet…no call for teacher feedback and involvement. She is a voracious supporter of Dr. Hall and her brand of ‘reform’ yet we still continue to hear from her. Never mind…
historydawg
February 3rd, 2011
1:46 pm
Rhee only considers quantitative data legitimate. Too bad schools are about people, rather than numbers.
Linda Johnson
February 3rd, 2011
1:52 pm
I hope these people are smart enough to ask some questions, such as:
How much of the StudentFirst money will you keep for yourself?
Why do you use unprofessional and offensive language such as “suck?”
Why did you hire inexperienced teachers from The New Teacher Project when you had the opportunity and the money to hire fully qualified, experienced teachers for the District of Columbia schools?
Why is it that you and all other “reformers” refuse to teach, except maybe for two or three years?
If your students went from the 13th to the 90th percentile on standardized tests, why don’t you share your methods with other teachers?
Michelle Rhee is part of a huge educational hoax being foisted on a public distracted by the recession. She is to education what Sarah Palin is to politics. Soon, I hope, everyone will know.
catlady
February 3rd, 2011
1:57 pm
And what about the continued travesty that makes the rest of us pay taxes to cover the amounts individuals and corporations “give”, on a dollar for dollar basis, to scholarships to private schools instead of supporting the infrastructure of the state which they use. If you redirect $48 million out of tax receipts and into private school scholarships who makes up that money? The common people, who are taxed more to pay for the roads, dept of agriculture, prisons, water treatment plants, etc.
Let the legislators make up, on a dollar for dollar basis, the missing tax money out of their pockets and businesses!
EnoughAlready
February 3rd, 2011
1:58 pm
I believe most of you would be satisfied if school systems went back to the days when you didn’t know anything about how well students were performing. FYI…. the good old days aren’t as GOOD as you would like to believe.
What if
February 3rd, 2011
2:08 pm
Maureen, you sure know now to ruin someone’s day – - -. Let’s let them bring her in to replace Ms. H. – At least we’d know how it CAN get worse. Sad part, @Enough, is that the CRCT/EOCT/GHSGT/ETC. tests DON’T tell us anything about how well students are performing. But the big low-bid testing company contractors certainly have you buffaloed into thinking we do. (BUT, you’re right – the good old days weren’t!)
What if
February 3rd, 2011
2:11 pm
wow – @Linda, well done, except you have the expectation that we’ll be smart enough to see the hoax. I fear that the emperors will never face the reality that they have no clothes.
2 cents
February 3rd, 2011
2:25 pm
@bloggers
I believe Rhee has exactly THREE years teaching experinence. It takes longer to become a plumber or electrician than she took to become an “EXPERT”. The business model she attempted to apply to public education cannot and can never work in public education.
Firing your way to better test scores is a farce. The Teach America has a turnover of something like 90% after 3 years if I remember correctly.
“reformer of the moment” is dead on. its like what was stated earlier: the blind leading the stupid
Dr NO
February 3rd, 2011
2:46 pm
I love Rhee. Bring her down and let her clean house. Fire some people the fire some more of them.
Question
February 3rd, 2011
2:54 pm
“Make the test the end all be all.”
I read only yesterday that Rhee has proposed that 25% of a teacher’s evaluation be based on standardized tests, which, of course, is nowhere near 100%. Was what I read wrong? Can someone provide a link or cite?
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
February 3rd, 2011
2:57 pm
Hope that House Education Committee Chair Coleman invites his senate counterparts, Dr. Barge and a representative sampling of seasoned, effective classroom teachers to the luncheon with Ms. Rhee.
EnoughAlready
February 3rd, 2011
3:03 pm
What if
February 3rd, 2011
2:08 pm
Actually the current test do tell us something; whether or not you agree is your problem.
However, one thing is consistent on this blog and that is teachers complaining about someone who actually has a suggestion for improving education. If you don’t agree with Rhee, Duncan and others; the least you could do is come up with a counter suggestion for improving education in this state and/or country. I keep hearing that she has only 3 years of classroom experience; doesn’t sound like much. But, all you experience 10 years or more educators don’t seem to have the initiatives to put together a strategic plan to improve education. You have the best network in the education business (your co-workers); all you need to do is start putting a plan together.
If a group of teachers (elementary, middle and high school) came together and put forth a plan to improve education; I’m sure the rest of us would be all ears. Yet, I continue to hear silence. We are waiting…… you have my support.
Penny
February 3rd, 2011
3:28 pm
To be honest, I do not have an opinion on this one today.
Monica
February 3rd, 2011
3:29 pm
From the StudentsFirst website: “…Specifically, governors in Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada and New Jersey have recently called for the elimination of tenure. Not coincidentally, StudentsFirst is working closely with several of these governors to ensure that when state legislatures meet later this spring, tenure reform bills gain not only momentum, but passage.”
Gee, I wonder what’s on the agenda for the meeting with Rhee and Deal?
d2
February 3rd, 2011
3:30 pm
I have a counter suggestion–WHY NOT MAKE THE CRCT COUNT 25% of the students total grade–then lets see what happens! They are doing 20% for the EOCT why not the CRCT–And those of you who think that the CRCT is easy–How do you know since teachers are not allow to see the test?
d2
February 3rd, 2011
3:33 pm
I love reformers–they ruin schools when they do something then get hired by a so called education company–There is a saying when you fail at something turn to a brief case, travel and call yourself a consultant.
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
February 3rd, 2011
3:36 pm
d2,
Students do need “to have some skin” in the testing process.
catlady
February 3rd, 2011
3:39 pm
Enoughalready: Teachers DO have ideas, ideas that would work. We have no POWER to see that the ideas we have are implemented, however.
Courtney
February 3rd, 2011
3:46 pm
Yes, Let’s bring in people who have failed everywhere they went. This Governor is a failure!
dd
February 3rd, 2011
3:57 pm
Why are so many teachers afraid of being measured using student tests scores. You all know fellow teachers who are awful, and yet continue to both hang on to their jobs, and damage students. And nothing is done, year after year.
Good teachers clearly add value to their set of students, and this value has got to be reflected in better scores. Otherwise, they haven’t truly added value. Whether we like it or not, the SAT is key to getting into college. Bar exams, medical exams, and other professional certifications all require passing a test. “Motivating a student to learn” is valid, and should without fail result in improvements to test scores (across the population of a teacher’s students).
If you are a good teacher, you won’t be afraid of this approach to measuring teacher value add. The teachers on this blog seem to be VERY afraid of this approach. Draw your own conclusions…..
rightofcenter
February 3rd, 2011
4:02 pm
An NEA official in DC didn’t like her? Well, that’s about a good as endorsement as I can imagine. It’s interesting that all of you teachers are distraught because the governor and the legislators are going to listen to this woman. What’s wrong with trying to get as much information as possible? My problem with most of those who post on here is that you seem to think the status quo is acceptable. Well, it is not. So come up with a plan to get better results and I’m sure the governor and others would be excited to talk to you about it.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:04 pm
EnoughAlready:
I think you are well-intentioned, but have VERY little idea how the education bureaucracy works. A teacher who is vocal and creative, pushing the boundaries and requiring results from students places themselves in an often precarious position. Many administrators have little interest in the type of innovation that many teachers suggest, not necessarily because they don’t care but because it puts their own positions at risk.
Teachers unions are hyped for their power, but for the most part it is only at the negotiating table. Everyday teachers around the country successfully teach a plethora of students from multiple backgrounds and those students go on to be productive citizens. Those crux of those techniques in many cases is holding both students and parents responsible for their part in the educational process. Reformers don’t like that notion, because as stated by many it requires EVERY stakeholder to have some skin in the game.
I thought a lot like you until I was unfortunate enough to have a behind-the-scenes tour. The consultants make MEGA bucks providing strategies that MAY work with a few students, but in classes of 30-40 with varied learning styles and intellects, are just not very feasible
Bruce Kendall
February 3rd, 2011
4:04 pm
@dd and others like dd who just do’t get it or don’t want to.
Teachers do not want to be measured based on student scores because they know what the parents are like, and their children. Considering some of the parents I know, I would not want to be measured based on them either!
JB
February 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
I am so surprised by the comments here. Rhee is not a failure. She recruited thousands of new teachers, improved test scores and graduation rates and expanded early childhood education and arts programs in DC. She did have to ruffle some feathers – firing lackluster teachers and administrators to do it. On one interview she was asked about this and she said “This is the age old question. Do I do what’s best or do I do what will please people so I can keep my job and continue to do good things. I chose to do what was best for the kids, whether it cost me my job or not.” If we had more administrators and school board members with that attitude, we’d probably have great schools.
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
February 3rd, 2011
4:08 pm
You know, our family is very pro-teacher. We’ve embraced every teacher our child has had and provided them with anything they asked for–and lots of stuff they didn’t. But I have to say–too many teachers who show up on this blog are really unimpressive thinkers and writers. Talk about the don’t-move-my-cheese crowd!
Michelle Rhee is a great teacher’s ally and a lousy teacher’s enemy. If you’re scared of her, or if she annoys you, I’ll bet you’re the latter. She doesn’t have to win any Miss Congeniality awards. Bev Hall is a cupcake, but she has (according to the AJC’s Kyle Wingfield) robbed half a generation of Atlanta schoolchildren of a good education. Give me demanding and abrasive over mediocre and unprincipled any day of the week.
Bullldog and Enough, at least you two get it. But that’s a sad ratio. The rest of you–you’d better start to realize that many parents are not with you on this one. We need a Rhee precisely because we just had a Hall.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:10 pm
To posters who say come up with other plans:
Many of the teachers on this blog have tried to contact their local representatives and state officials to offer alternatives to the status quo. They have been met with contempt and and dismissed like children. And because the general public has little real-world knowledge of the current state of education besides what the mass media publishes (and the information that led to those conclusions) it’s easy to write the entire system off as a failure.
And firing teachers IS NOT HARD (at least in GA). Write-up, PDP, counseling, termination. Not very different then what takes place in most of corporate America.
Bruce Kendall
February 3rd, 2011
4:12 pm
@ Tonya C. You know the deal. From a Parent who volunteered in the classroom as a aid. Some of those angles aren’t.
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
4:14 pm
dd-
It is a fair question that deserves an answer. I will answer for myself and do not attempt to represent all teachers.
I am afraid not for myself, but for public schools in general. I fear that public schools will become test-taking mills with little time for critical thinking.
If my pay is tied to a test, what incentive do I have to teach anything other than what is on that test? Why have my students read novels? They won’t have novels on the test. Why have my students study Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar?” They could only fit a monologue or two on the test. Why not just have them read a monologue or two and move on?
Then there is the fact that standardized tests DISCOURAGE complex thought:
“A kid raises his hand during the drill-and-kill test. “I’m supposed to find the main idea of a book that is about the desert, but the options are Cactus Heat, By the Ocean and Mountain Drought and Shrinking Ice Caps. All of these will work. Chile has a desert that’s nestled right up against the ocean. Mountains have deserts, too. And one of the largest deserts is freezing cold. Hasn’t the test-maker ever heard of Antarctica? See, a desert isn’t simply hot and flat. It’s about precipitation.”
On another test, he asks, “I’m supposed to say how many people will be at the party. If I’m not counting myself, this works out just fine. But if I’m not then it won’t work. The test question doesn’t ask, but I think it’s rude to not attend your own birthday party.” He’s right. The correct answer could be 12 or 13, which is B or C.
He raises his hand five times when the question reads, “Which is the best question for . . . ” and says, “They’re making the subjective into something objective. Why can’t they just let me write my own question and judge that instead?”
No one asks him to defend his answers. No one gives him a chance to clarify a question. Given his special education accommodations, I can re-read a question but I can’t explain it. The system is set up to efficiently measure critical thinking and few people seem to question whether higher order questioning belongs with a low-order format (multiple choice).” ~borrowed from a fellow teacher
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:14 pm
Springdale Park Parent:
Dr. Hall is a fat Michelle Rhee. If you don’t believe that you’ve never met her. She is just as demanding and abrasive, and also cold and domineering. It’s this attitude and disposition that led to the APS cheating scandal in the first place. So many people will scream bloody murder about a child fearing an adult but is an adult fearing an adult any better?
Good teachers know Bad Teachers...
February 3rd, 2011
4:16 pm
All it takes is for the Good Teachers to make Bad Teachers accountable. Peer to Peer impact works for any group! We all seek the approval of our peers. Welcome to Atlanta Ms. Rhee. Some of us teachers actually get it and it looks as though our Governor might get it too!
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
4:24 pm
Last thing then I will shush:
There would be time for novels, critical thinking, and questioning as opposed to answering in HIGHER INCOME schools where kids would have more access to testing tutors. The high income schools don’t have to worry about drill-and-kill because many of their students come with homes with books, so they can read more proficiently. Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley, child psychologists at the University of Kansas did in depth research on this and found:
*By age three a child of poverty already has only half the vocabulary of a middle income child, that is, 525 words compared to 1,100.
*By age six the child of poverty has been exposed to a mere 25 hours of picture book reading, compared to 1,350 hours for a middle income child. That’s 50 times the picture book reading experience.
*By the end of second grade kids who have a vocabulary of 8,000 words will become honor roll students by 7th grade. Kids of poverty, with 4,000 words, will be failing by 7th grade.
That means that teachers in high poverty areas are trying to compensate for these deficiencies. Use test scores to raise their pay, and they have little incentive to focus on anything but the most basic, testable skills. Whereas, teachers in high income areas can count that their students will come in with those skills so they can focus on more innovative, abstract concepts.
My biggest fear? All of this emphasis of test-taking will create a permanent underclass.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:24 pm
Good teachers know Bad Teachers:
How do you do that? What if the principal LOVES the bad teacher despite complaints up the yin yang? What if the bad teacher knows somebody in the central office? What if the bad teacher has been complained on by peers by the administration is to lazy or scared to document for fear of a lawsuit?
Not everyone seeks the approval of their peers. I work in corporate America and have enough empirical evidence to blow that hypothesis right out of the water.
dd
February 3rd, 2011
4:26 pm
JK, a good teacher will always improve the test scores of their students as a group. The process that you describe sounds like an excellent one, that will result in improvement of said test scores. There is no better way to measure teacher effectiveness. None. The “watch you teach twice a year”, “doesn’t ruffle feathers”, “Kids like them”, etc is not effective.
Again, my wife was a HS math teacher, who semester after semester had parents move their kids into her class, since she was known as one of the best (and toughest) teacher in the department. Meanwhile, the awful teachers (and yes, there are awful teachers at each HS…..amazes me, but for some reason the administration does little about it in spite of parents bringing it to their attention semester after semester….destroys that idea of “how easy it is to fire a bad teacher in GA”).
She left in part because not only was she not rewarded for being one of the best, but was in fact penalized (higher workload), while the awful teachers workload was reduced. How does that make ANY sense, and yet every teacher on this blog knows it’s how things work.
So, again, anything that objectively points out the awful teachers, and leads to them being removed from the classroom, is a good thing for the better teachers as well. IMO, once outstanding teaching is truly appreciated and rewarded, and awful teaching leads to dismissal, we’ll have the quality schools that we want.
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
4:26 pm
For anyone who would like to read the research to which I refer:
http://www.treehouselearning.com/pdf/The_Early_Catastrophe__The_30_Million_Word_Gap_by_Age3.pdf
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:33 pm
dd:
You just explained why bad teachers are where they are, “Because despite complaints to administration they were never dealt with.” Whose fault was that? The system exist and CAN be used by those willing to use it. I’ve seen it take place with principals with a backbone in the course of six months.
My biggest fear is the kids who need the best teachers still won’t get them, because there isn’t enough money in the world for many teachers to risk their certification to teach the lowest and most needy of students. And that despite promises, this money will never materialize to pay people as promised and that is a very real risk.
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
4:34 pm
dd- I absolutely agree with what you are saying, but I think we arguing different sides of the same coin.
I think there should be recognition for good teachers.Your wifeand other good teachers deserve recognition. I don’t even think there should be a problem with tying pay to it.
Sadly, I don’t think GA, especially when consulting Rhee, will base evaluations on anything other than those test scores. The result? Cheating and test-mill factories. The students will suffer.
My solution? Why not reward good teachers by recognizing advanced, LEGITIMATE degrees, National Board Certification, community involvement, innovate curriculum development, and some small portion of a national test like the NAEP?
Why would GA not do that? It’s simple. Money. We don’t have the money to do it. So what will they do? They will punish wonderful teachers like your wife by gauging her payscale on her newly increased workload and multiple classes. I don’t trust GA to do it right.
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
4:36 pm
*innovative not innovate….burnt my finger this morning making Romeo and Juliet costumes….
dd
February 3rd, 2011
4:36 pm
Tonya, I hear you. My hope (OK…….hope is not a strategy, I know….) is that as the awful teachers are removed from the classroom, they’ll be replaced by teachers who are effective. Maybe a pipe dream, I know. But has to be tried.
Realist
February 3rd, 2011
4:45 pm
DC is certainly the model I would be looking to. Highest per-student spending in the nation and pretty much the worst performance. Who says throwing more money at a problem won’t fix it?? (Hint, everyone who has seriously looked at government school performance).
How long will the history of failed experiments continue before everyone wakes up and realizes the true root cause and the true solution? The free market.
dd
February 3rd, 2011
4:46 pm
JK, you might have been in the school system, but if so, I’m surprised you aren’t more concerned about how the awful teachers just aren’t removed, but allowed to stay and teach. My kids(3) have gone through public schools, and my wife taught. And it has always amazed me how the awful teachers just stay around year after year.
IMO, this is more destructive to the morale and attitude of the good teachers than any lack of recognition and reward. And my hope is that “value add” quantified by test results will finally be the objective proof that requires administrators to do something that is very hard…….and takes way too much effort…..to remove the awful teachers.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:55 pm
dd:
I had hope before working in the central office of an Atlanta school system. Now…not so much. My husband is a teacher, and understand your frustration. He is loved by staff and students, but I am encouraging him to leave the profession. Not just the crappy money, but the lack of respect and now the risk of losing his license for test scores (especially working with at-risk kids) is NOT worth it. Good and even great teachers are not afraid of VAM, but fear how changes in student population from year-to-year could end their careers forever. Especially those who work with low-performing or special needs students.
Tonya C.
February 3rd, 2011
4:58 pm
I actually think Michelle Rhee coming here is not an issue compared to the fact that I would like to see current teachers represented at a function of this nature. The lack of presence of even the individuals nominated for teacher of the year in various school districts around the state speaks volumes to the level of respect these politicians have for the soldiers on the ground so to speak.
Ed Johnson
February 3rd, 2011
5:09 pm
Here are the people to protest to, the House Education Committee members…
kathy.ashe@house.ga.gov, rick.austin@house.ga.gov, paul.battles@house.ga.gov, tommy.benton@house.ga.gov, amy.carter@house.ga.gov, david.casas@house.ga.gov, valerie.clark@house.ga.gov, brooks.coleman@house.ga.gov, tom.dickson@house.ga.gov, mike.dudgeon@house.ga.gov, terry.england@house.ga.gov, hugh.floyd@house.ga.gov, wayne.howard@house.ga.gov, jan.jones@house.ga.gov, mkaiser2@comcast.net, edward.lindsey@house.ga.gov, howard.maxwell@house.ga.gov, rahn.mayo@house.ga.gov, alisha.morgan@house.ga.gov, randy.nix@house.ga.gov, ann.purcell@house.ga.gov, barbara.reece@house.ga.gov, ed.setzler@house.ga.gov, willie.talton@house.ga.gov, rashad.taylor@house.ga.gov, sam.teasley@house.ga.gov, brian.thomas@house.ga.gov, andrew.welch@house.ga.gov
Dave
February 3rd, 2011
5:34 pm
And just how many years of teaching experience does Wonder Woman have?
yikes!
February 3rd, 2011
5:47 pm
Read this blog:
http://supportpubliceducation.blogspot.com/2011/01/un-rhee-sonable-approach.html
Pete
February 3rd, 2011
5:51 pm
I don’t have a problem with Michelle Rhee or her ideas, but having her pitch to the legislature? These folks will be positively dangerous with a little knowledge gained over a few hours listening to Ms. Rhee.
Common Sense
February 3rd, 2011
5:59 pm
As far as Rhee is concerned, I think people need to look at what the benefits show long term. The Washington D.C. crowd, thus far, can’t find any. Read the local newspapers in D.C. Her success was all talk and very little progress, if any progress at all.
Lesson: Parents must be involved. Famous doctor Ben Carson’s mother had a 3rd grade education. As her sons got older, she could hardly read their homework assignments BUT she made sure that they completed their homework or “you know what” would happen.
We are also nation that’s lacking in community. For example, if the neighbor saw you doing something stupid, you would be in serious trouble. But now, neighbors get cursed out for telling parents about what their kids are doing…what in the world is going on?
Parents, we don’t have eyes in the back of our heads, so we need all the help we can get. We must stop easily providing our children with numerous toys. Make them clean the kitchen, scrub the walls, mop, clean the yard, clean the bathroom, etc. Stop them from talking back because if they do it at home, they will do it at school. They have responsibilities and “we” (the parents) are the reason why our kids aren’t rising to the top.
Unfortunately, I do realize that some parents WANT their kids to be guinea pigs and thus a person like Michelle Rhee or whoever else is the flavor of the month, will continue to prosper ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.
Lastly, what are our kids going to do when they get 18. Have we prepared them? Will they progress enough to be able to feed themselves or will they live with us, FOREVER?
Mine already know that now is the time to get the tools you need to feed yourself because I don’t feed grown people. I remind them EVERYDAY!
No Teacher Left Behind
February 3rd, 2011
6:05 pm
Despite the hard economic times, we will soon begin to see extreme teacher shortages in Georgia and the rest of the nation. There is a limit as to how much nonsense we have to put up with. Waiting tables is beginning to look more and more appealing to me.
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
6:19 pm
dd- I’m teaching at a public school (Centennial High School) and went to Walton High School. I got very, very lucky in that then and now I have had very little contact with bad teachers. I know they exist, but I can’t attest the damage they do because I haven’t seen it first hand.
L- a History Lesson in APS!!!!!
February 3rd, 2011
6:49 pm
I would love to see the APS supporters shake it up!!!!! Redistrict!!! I say!!!!!! @Springdale Park Mom! Send your kids to school on the Southside of Atlanta why don’t you! If student achievement and quality teachers are prevalent then it wouldn’t matter where you send your child to school!!! Ask your glowing PTA if their willing to have our kids bussed to the Northside of town and see what the response will be!! I don’t think these teachers are lazy or whiny,I just think they see things that others don’t see. No parental support, dwindling budget, no money from the parents at all!!!! I think the cheating scandal was like “Ding Dong the witch is dead!” Now everyone wants to unveil what they were forced to do to try to make the impossible, possible. Give me a break!!!!!!!!!! You guys have no clue!!!
News India | News Hind » Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
February 3rd, 2011
7:09 pm
[...] the original post: Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Tags: atlanta-journal, education, ideas-as-new, jewish-exponent, journal, news-articles, problem, [...]
ScienceTeacher671
February 3rd, 2011
8:22 pm
Repeat after me: “There are NO magic bullets. There are NO magic bullets.”
Toto: Exposing naked body scanners...
February 3rd, 2011
9:01 pm
Thank you Valerie Strauss. Your blog (Washington Post) “What Rhee’s comments about her children say about her” is superb. She reveals a few “inconsistencies” with Rhee’s public rhetoric and and private Korean convictions. All teachers should read it.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/michelle-rhee/what-rhees-comments-about-her.html
Jordan Kohanim
February 3rd, 2011
9:19 pm
Toto: Thank YOU for posting this! Great link!
Dr. John Trotter
February 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Michelle Rhee, like Arne Duncan, doesn’t know her butt from deep centerfield when it comes to public education, and our politicians of Georgia (and other states) continue to look to these false messiahs of education, hoping that urban education will improve. Not.
Ridiculous
February 3rd, 2011
10:09 pm
Another chance for Erin Hames to take credit for Race to the Top.
ScienceTeacher671
February 3rd, 2011
10:25 pm
I’ve come to the conclusion that we can have as our goal that all the students finish school in the same amount of time, or we can have the goal that all finish with at least the same minimum level of skills, but we can’t have both at the same time, since some learn more quickly than others.
What is it that we want?
Allison Adair
February 3rd, 2011
11:55 pm
First of all Maureen’s blog didn’t mention anything about Rhee and APS. But since every one keeps mentioning that, let me tell you a few facts about Rhee. She doesn’t report to a school board. She will only report to a mayor (or maybe even a govenor!?!). And, the first and only mayor she has ever reported to – Mayor Fenty – lost his re-election bid this past Fall solely because of Rhee. Look it up in the Washington Post! That doesn’t look like such a great vote of confidence. Past performance is present performance indicative.
Also, if you look into her test scores you will find out that there are some test anomolies that suggest a little skull-duggery such as the kind that occurred in APS under Dr. Beverly “Superstar” Hall and APS BOE. In fact, if my memory serves me right, Rhee actually said that she modeled herself after Dr. Hall. Don’t think we need a Dr. Hall mini-me.
Velian Hill
February 4th, 2011
12:16 am
I agree with the comments above that Georgia’s schools are fantastic, our kids are getting the best education possible so why consider any new ideas? Who needs Michelle Rhee? We don’t need to listen to anyone, especially some outsider.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it I always say and Georgia’s schools are just fine thank you very much.
Jordan Kohanim
February 4th, 2011
7:54 am
@Velian— if you wish to use verbal irony to make your point, at least have a point. No one on this blog is arguing that GA schools are without need for reform. We are simply questioning the wisdom of consulting someone who has repeatedly failed to apply school reform successfully.
Surely you can understand the logic of our concern. Then again, perhaps you can’t.
Midtown Teacher
February 4th, 2011
9:12 am
Bullfrog and Sprindale Park parent – your posts on page one was fabulous. I can’t say it any better than what you wrote. I am a teacher and I completely agree.
@Question
February 4th, 2011
9:18 am
Michelle Rhee implemented a teacher evaluation in DC Public Schools, known as IMPACT. 50% of teacher’s evaluation was based on test scores. 5% based on the total school’s performance. The rest on other stuff like department head, APs, other administrative evaluations.
Dr. John Trotter
February 4th, 2011
4:54 pm
WARNING: Michelle Rhee will be a disaster like Beverly Hall has been. You heard it here first. Ha!
Bob Anjo
February 5th, 2011
1:29 am
Michelle Rhee, Too Will Pass – She didn’t last long in DC – long enough to screw things up.
SSTeacher
February 5th, 2011
10:40 am
It would be cool if someone took some masking tape and covered Rhee’s mouth because she was talking too much. Oh, wait – that’s what she did to her 8-year-old students during her lengthy 3-year stay in the classroom.
My guess as to why she did it … her students told her she was wrong, and that there was more to learning than taking a test.
http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2010/09/audio-michelle-rhees-masking-tape-story.html
Spacemom
February 5th, 2011
1:26 pm
I’m glad the education committee and the Governor are willing to listen to Ms. Rhee. Something must be done to get children to study hard, learn to identify and solve problems, etc. Then children will become interested in science, technology and mathematics.
Top School
February 5th, 2011
8:49 pm
Sounds like the leader at Jackson Elementary School…TALK ABOUT TAPE OVER THE MOUTH…This was a deposition…ANSWER YES, NO or I DON’T REMEMBER…Reich is also proud of her unethical words…from segregation to age discrimination. These crude leaders end up hanging themselves…
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta?feature=mhum
I guess she’s in the right company…the governor’s not all that either.
EmpowerED Georgia
February 6th, 2011
5:01 pm
http://empoweredga.org/rhee-action
Michelle Rhee to meet with governor, lawmakers next week « Loan Marketplace
February 10th, 2011
6:12 am
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