Retired teacher: Make admins teach. Reduce testing. Eliminate gifted. Restore recess.
Retired Atlanta Public Schools teacher Scott Stephens — he taught English for 15 years at Grady High School and taught for a decade in Fulton County — sent me a list of reforms. I thought it was a great list and have his permission to share it here:
Courtesy of Scott Stephens:
1. All certified personnel at a school, including academy leaders, graduation coaches, instructional coaches, assistant principals and principals, should teach at least one class during the school year. This would be of benefit in two ways. First, it would help reduce class size and, most important, it would provide administrators with continued input from the classroom. I believe that when a number of people are at school, but not teaching, morale is adversely affected.
2. All students (K-12) need daily physical activity, both recess and structured physical education. Many students need to get rid of excess energy. Others need to lose weight and get in shape. Further, many discipline problems result from making children sit all day in a classroom. Physical education should be a part of all students’ (k-12) daily schedule. It should be demanding and rigorous, resulting in an elevated heart rate and some sweating. Only athletes get that kind of physical education now.
3. Students need models for behavior. To that end, teachers need to be present, on time and prepared for each class. There are far too many teacher absences on Fridays and Mondays. Stricter guidelines for absences around a holiday or weekend should be implemented.
4. There is too much standardized testing, particularly at the elementary level. At the high school level, I applaud the elimination (finally) of the graduation test as it is replaced by End-Of-Course-Tests (EOCT). However, the EOCT should reflect the curriculum taught in the classroom. The present 9th grade English EOCT, for example, does not test students on any of the readings from the textbook that we have done. It is a generic reading comprehension test that is so easy that many of my students fail to take it seriously. Another issue is the system’s emphasis on PSAT, SAT and AP tests. In many instances, these tests are given during class time. Even more troubling is that many school systems pay the Educational Testing Service for these tests. The Educational Testing Service has been criticized for profit making and high administrative costs. These tests should be paid for by students’ families with a few exceptions made for pupils on free or reduced lunch. Let’s stop subsidizing an out-of- state company.
5. Transportation to and from school could be reformed in several ways. First, school buses should be eliminated for high school students. Instead, all students in Fulton and DeKalb counties eligible for transportation should be given a monthly MARTA pass. This is similar to the system in New York City where students take the subway or bus to school. The present system duplicates already existing MARTA routes. Even worse, many days the buses arrive late to school because they have been used earlier for elementary and middle school routes. Having ridden both school buses and MARTA buses with students, I know that most of the discipline problems on the school bus would be eliminated if the students rode with the general populace on MARTA. Teachers and staff who choose to ride MARTA to school should be given incentives for doing so, eliminating the growing parking problem for school staff. Finally, students who choose to drive to school should be required to pay for a parking pass and park in assigned spots. This would help with the problem of unwelcome visitors to the school and would generate some much needed revenue. Atlanta taxpayers should not be providing free parking to students, especially where there are public transportation alternatives.
6. Struggling students and low achieving schools need the best teachers. In order to provide the best teachers for those students who need extra help, teachers who work in low-performing schools should receive incentive pay and be given reduced class sizes. Also, teachers who teach below-grade-level students should be paid extra for the tutorials they often provide.
7. We are suffering from grade inflation. There are several reasons for this. One is that a passing grade has been raised from 60 to 70. A passing grade should be dropped to a 50 or 60, giving teachers more latitude in creating challenging tests and giving teachers a greater range of numbers for use in evaluating students. Many students are receiving a 70, not having mastered 70 percent of the work. Second, the HOPE Scholarship program has resulted in many more “B” averages. Some students that qualify for HOPE based on their GPA have not been able to pass a graduation test or get a decent score on the SAT. Many more lose their HOPE after their first year in college.
8. Eliminate the challenge and gifted programs. Too many parents are having their children privately tested, resulting in a huge increase in the “gifted.” Even worse, gifted classes are kept at 20 or fewer students. Without an increase in the number of teachers, that means that the students who really need the smaller class size are actually being placed in larger classes. Meanwhile, the gifted students, who can be effectively taught in larger classes, are now in classes that should be reserved for those needing academic help.
9. We need to provide better alternatives for the non-college bound students and provide more practical learning experiences for all students. Classes in keyboarding, wood and metal shop, auto shop, carpentry, cooking, fashion design, sewing, first aid, gardening and personal finance among many others should be expanded or introduced.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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209 comments Add your comment
Lee
August 29th, 2012
1:27 pm
@Jarvis, we’re not talking about a “regional vice president” working the sales floor. We’re talking about a principal, which would equate to a second tier supervisor in business parlance. In smaller schools, probably a first line supervisor.
Unfortunately, our schools have too many administrators who were not worth a crap in the classroom and somehow got promoted into an administrative role – where they continue to demonstrate their incompetence.
DeKalb Teacher
August 29th, 2012
1:30 pm
Perhaps these facts will help alleviate some of the misconceptions regarding gifted students.
Funding – The state funds gifted students at 1.6 times the amount of a regular high school student. Schools without the pullout model can utilize differentiated instruction and lower the student-teacher ratio.
Gifted vs High Achiever – Gifted is designated to students that meet a very specific criteria. High Achiever students is much more arbitrary. I believe the High Achiever label was created for communities lacking Gifted students. If county programs use the High Achiever standards to get in then in theory all communities will have students that qualify for it.
Gifted Criteria – students must score on a nationally normed test in three of the following areas
minimum of 99 percent in at least one sub-test area (grades K–2)
minimum of 96 percent in at least one sub-test area (grade 3–12)
minimum of 90 percent on the total reading, total math, or complete composite
minimum of 90 percent on an assessment for creativity
minimum of 90 percent on an assessment for motivation (grades K–12)
Notes: Private test data may not be used to determine eligibility. A student may be socially inept or even have a learning disability, but can still qualify for Gifted if they meet the criteria.
reality check
August 29th, 2012
1:41 pm
You want to eliminate gifted programs? That is stupid.
Most of the rest of the civilized world emphasizes additional support for gifted students. In this country we emphasize support for less capable students. That is one of the main reasons the US has fallen behind in academic achievement.
reality check
August 29th, 2012
1:41 pm
You want to eliminate gifted programs? That is stupid.
Most of the rest of the civilized world emphasizes additional support for gifted students. In this country we emphasize support for less capable students. That is one of the main reasons the US has fallen behind in academic achievement.
Bernie
August 29th, 2012
1:43 pm
Like a Voice calling out from the Wilderness……..Mr. Stephens offers Pearls of Wisdom from ONE from who knows what works for the The Children of Georgia.
Results that have been Tested, Tried and Proven over many Years with verifiable Results.
We are about to begin the Task of re-creating the Wheel with Charter Schools. When the wheel we already have just needs a little cleaning and a little more air in the tires.
Those who Hear cannot Hear. Those who See cannot See farther than their own Noses.
Robert
August 29th, 2012
1:43 pm
KEEP the gifted program. The people in those classes will be the future leaders of tomorrow.
MiltonMan
August 29th, 2012
1:50 pm
“…NEEDS to know how to read so they don’t come to your North Fulton paradise and carjack you…”
Please, oh please send them my way. I would love to introduce them to my friends Smith & Wesson.
pleasebeserious
August 29th, 2012
1:50 pm
How very “Georgia” of him. Let’s just dumb down everyone.
Bernie
August 29th, 2012
1:50 pm
The gifted programs are nothing more than a Segregation of the Lucky Gene Pool Club Members, The politically connected, The socially connected, and The religious connected members of the community.
The so called Gifted program has very little to DO with any Students that come bearing any extra GIFTS of Wisdom, Understanding Intelligence or increased Capability. Lets start being honest with ourselves and the students if that is possible.
High School Parent
August 29th, 2012
2:00 pm
I’ve had children classified as “gifted” and I agree in part with the author’s suggestions. My experience was that the gifted designation in elementary school was a complete and total waste of time and funding. There was no “highler level” thinking. At this level it is all about the parents wanting the “label” and/or the smaller class size. I would have much preferred that my children be in accelerated math courses beginning about 4th grade as they excelled in this area.
I’ve also had children attend the DeKalb county high achiever magnet program. This is very worthwhile and I wish it was expanded to more students. Being immersed in all courses with students who are all achieving on a high level (and most have parents who support and participate in their child’s academic environment) was much more rewarding than any “gifted” designation. I do not believe my children would have received the same middle school education if they were in all regular ed classes where the teacher had to teach in a “differentiated” manner to 30 students with a huge spread of abilities. However, once students reach about 10th grade and start taking AP and advanced courses then there is no justification for specialized labels.
The state DOE needs to revise/eliminate the gifted program. I’d rather see the money used to reduce class sizes for all students. But I am a proponent of accelerated courses.
Dr. Monica Henson
August 29th, 2012
2:01 pm
With respect to Dr. Trotter’s insistence that administrators be required to teach full-time for a full year, I don’t think that’s realistic or particularly useful. I’d like to see a move toward the type of system that’s in place at teaching hospitals, where the senior physicians practice medicine while also supervising residents and taking them on rounds as a group, etc. If administrators in a building taught one class period per day, and had sufficient sub support for newer teachers that they could periodically accompany groups of them to observe talented veterans, especially with an opportunity afterward to debrief with the veteran, imagine how much more meaningful new teacher induction would be.
Dr. Monica Henson
August 29th, 2012
2:01 pm
With respect to Dr. Trotter’s insistence that administrators be required to teach full-time for a full year, I don’t think that’s realistic or particularly useful. I’d like to see a move toward the type of system that’s in place at teaching hospitals, where the senior physicians practice medicine while also supervising residents and taking them on rounds as a group, etc. If administrators in a building taught one class period per day, and had sufficient sub support for newer teachers that they could periodically accompany groups of them to observe talented veterans, especially with an opportunity afterward to debrief with the veteran, imagine how much more meaningful new teacher induction would be.
Maureen Downey
August 29th, 2012
2:11 pm
@High School Parent and all others, Education writers know that there is nothing nearer and dearer to the hearts of middle-class parents as “gifted” education. But that affection should not prevent us from assessing how these programs operate and whether they are worth it.
From my own experience, acceleration works better. My 8th grade son — the lone hope for an engineer in this liberal arts household — is in 9th grade math. (He is not alone; there are about 50 other kids in his grade there with him.) I think that works far better.
Also, I love the folks who have never worked in education dismissing the author’s views just because he has. Despite the fact that many posters in the past have explained what a top school Grady is, we still have commenters who reflexively criticize it.
If every high school in the state were as strong as Grady, we would be Finland.
I thank this retired teacher for offering us his expertise. And I am embarrassed for the posters here who can’t get beyond bumper sticker thinking and who hide behind aliases to take potshots at sincere commentary.
Maureen
Digger
August 29th, 2012
2:14 pm
Please. The louder mommie whines, the more chance for her child to be ‘gifted’.
Carl
August 29th, 2012
2:16 pm
Do we really want to model all schools after Fulton County or City of Atlanta public schools?
APteacher of the gifted and the struggling
August 29th, 2012
2:19 pm
I agree with Mr. Stephens to some extent. I have taugh both groups, gifted and struggling students. The solution is not to give the best teachers to either group, but to find out what type of teacher you have then place them with the group. Certain kids perform better with certain teachers. It takes a special type of teacher to reach the gifted students and anotherspecial type of teacher to reach the struggling students. Research has proven that the number one factor in student acheivement is the teacher. The teacher shapes the culture of the class. I know this personally because I know that there are struggling students who other teachers have problems with (both academically and discpline wise) that I have no problem with. I see a totally different student when they come to my clas. Sometimes its really about if the student feels that you truly care about them and they can connect or relate with you.
Carl
August 29th, 2012
2:19 pm
I agree … eliminate gifted and go with accelerted.
Maureen Downey
August 29th, 2012
2:23 pm
@Carl, There are many schools in both Fulton and APS that are models. Fulton has some of the highest achieving high schools in the state. In the southeast, for that matter. And Atlanta has some terrific schools as well. Grady’s mock trial team has gone to nationals year and year. Its journalism program is incredible.
Maureen
Maureen Downey
August 29th, 2012
2:30 pm
@To Pride and Joy/Good Mother/And too many other names to list here: You and I will need to have a phone conversation if you want to continue posting. You have never used a real email so I can’t contact you directly. Please send me a phone number so we can discuss.
mdowney@ajc.com
PT
August 29th, 2012
2:33 pm
Always love the fact that every teacher out there thinks he or she can run a school just because they can teach a class. Most wouldn’t stick with the job for a month truth be told. Sort of like how every parent and student know how to best run a classroom and teach a class just because they have been in one.
having a principal teach a class everyday is a bad idea for the students. They are always getting called to handle this or that emergency, irate parent, student injury etc etc. Students need a consistent teacher in the classroom every day as much as possible. Can’t happen with a principal.
Just an example of teachers who don;’t understand the actual job skills and time needed to effectively run a large operation such as a school. Teachers rarely see the big picture outside their own bubble.
PT
August 29th, 2012
2:36 pm
@Lee
“Unfortunately, our schools have too many administrators who were not worth a crap in the classroom and somehow got promoted into an administrative role – where they continue to demonstrate their incompetence.”
Got any data or facts to back that up?
Didn’t think so.
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:38 pm
Rush Limbaugh just referred to Atlanta as the school “cheating capital of the world”
yay! we’er number 1 in something
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:38 pm
Rush Limbaugh just referred to Atlanta as the school “cheating capital of the world”
yay! we’er number 1 in something
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:39 pm
stupid double posting – with spelling error no less.
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:44 pm
I strongly favor moving gifted and excelled out of mainstream education
provided, and this is big provided
charter schools replace them, and all students within the district have a real, fair, and honest chance to test into them
Lee
August 29th, 2012
2:45 pm
@Maureen, re “From my own experience, acceleration works better.”
Works for me. I’ve long advocated segregating, oops, bad non-PC word, er, grouping by ability, oops, another non-PC concept because we all know that EVERYONE is equal.
Ok, we’ll go with your moniker. We’ll just accelerate until the advanced students are placed appropriately and the slow, uh-oh, cant call a student slow, (hmm, have to work on a PC name for the non-accelerated students) are provided a level of instruction at a pace commensurate with their level.
All this will work fine until someone notices that the accelerated students are predominately Asian/white.
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:45 pm
@ PT
just wondering- where do you teach?
since you know how we think, you must have classroom experience
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:48 pm
@PT
short of a school shooting, there is nothing which goes on in a school which can’t wait an hour.
that’s we have little things like asst principals, clinics, security personnel, ect.
and its not like an actual teaching principal can’t be pulled out of class should something come up.
Lee
August 29th, 2012
2:50 pm
@PT, hit too close to home, did I??
Got any facts or data to refute what I said? Didn’t think so.
See how easy that is…
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:52 pm
one of the few things GPC got right in the aftermath of the professional assassination of 282 people is the requirement all administrators who are qualified, including Rob Watts, MUST teach a class.
bootney farnsworth
August 29th, 2012
2:57 pm
come to think about it, any principal which can’t cut an hour out of each day for day to day, non emergent activities, is a pitiful manager of time and really doesn’t need to be running a school
Dekalbite
August 29th, 2012
3:00 pm
Here are the DeKalb standards which are mandated by the state of Georgia:
“A qualifying score on a nationally normed test is required to meet the criteria in at least one area.
Any data used to establish eligibility in one area shall not be used to establish eligibility in another area.
Assessment scores are valid for two years.
Private test data may not be used to determine eligibility; it may be used as a referral for further evaluation.”
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/gifted-and-high-achievers
This is what the state of Georgia DOE says which in layman’s terms means you can’t use assessments or evaluations outside the school system (I.e. private testing):
“External evaluation data shall not be substituted for or used as the sole source of data the school generates during the initial eligibility process”
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/External-Affairs-and-Policy/State-Board-of-Education/SBOE%20Rules/160-4-2-.38.pdf
Perhaps the author of this post is referring to a high achievers program that is paid for by APS whereby the Gifted are mixed into the classroom. If APS is using private tests to meet one of the criteria to staff for Gifted thus collecting state Gifted funds for students wo are not classified as Gifted per the state regulations, they are not in compliance with state law.
Dr. John Trotter
August 29th, 2012
3:02 pm
Edmond Heatley finally resigns in Clayton County! Whew! I could have happened years ago, but some of the school board members were still clinging to some hope that he would be a decent superintendent. He was horrible!
Read all about here >>> http://www.georgiateachersspeakout.com
Dr. John Trotter
August 29th, 2012
3:05 pm
You can also read about it at http://www.theteachersadvocate.com where you can see that MACE has been fighting Heatley from the jumpstreet! I don’t think that this was a happy departure. Hence, the closed lips. But, like all of the other re-cycled superintendents, he too will land somewhere, and I pity the school system who gets him!
Maureen Downey
August 29th, 2012
3:06 pm
@Pride and Joy: No need to offer excuses. I had doubts that you would agree to a phone conversation because that would end the fictions.
Maureen
Al
August 29th, 2012
3:12 pm
Eliminating the Gifted classes is a stupid idea. Penalizing kids who actually come to school to learn is insane.
My wife who has taught in the public school for thirty years and college for almost ten years agrees.
Dekalbite@Maureen
August 29th, 2012
3:19 pm
“From my own experience, acceleration works better. My 8th grade son — the lone hope for an engineer in this liberal arts household — is in 9th grade math. (He is not alone; there are about 50 other kids in his grade there with him.) I think that works far better.”
Acceleration is what most Gifted students are in for middle school. I’ve never heard of a resource or pull out program for middle school. Primarily, the pull out/resource model that seves Gifted comes from elementary schools being too small to offer accelerated classes in specific subjects and/or elementary schools not being on set periods – it’s in part a funding issue. In middle school Gifted students are not considered Gifted in all subjects. Some Gifted students are Gifted in math, but not in Language Arts and vice versa so it is not assumed they need acceleration in all subjects.
Many states do not even provide Gifted services anymore. Massachusetts is a good example. They have no Gifted services. Of course, Massachusetts does have an excellent educational system with very good outcomes for most of their students. Georgia is not so fortunate, and that no doubt contributes to the pressure parents place upon keeping the Gifted program in Georgia and getting their children in it.
Perhaps if more of the suggestions Scott advocates for were in place, our overall educational system in Georgia would impfigs thereby decreasing the fight over scarce educational resources.
Mary Brown
August 29th, 2012
3:28 pm
These suggestions are coming from an individual who has every right to voice his opinion. He has seen first hand what the elimination of the activities/classes have done to the AVERAGE student population. Gifted classes are all find and good when there is an adequate amount of teachers capable to teach such promising students. I completely agree with bringing back physical education for the reasons listed. I rarely heard of ADHD and never heard of ADD when I was growing up having to wear those hideous gym cloths.
Dekalbite@Maureen
August 29th, 2012
3:31 pm
“Perhaps if more of the suggestions Scott advocates for were in place, our overall educational system in Georgia would impfigs thereby decreasing the fight over scarce educational resources.”
…should read…
Perhaps if more of the suggestions Scott advocates for were in place, our overall educational system in Georgia would “improve” thereby decreasing the fight over scarce educational resources.
IPads – arg
Sandy Springs Parent
August 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Both my daughters have met the top 3 categories of the Gifted Programs as Described by @ Dekalb Teacher. I had my 17 year old daughter’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Public School teachers all fight with Cobb County with why they would not let her in Target their Gifted Program. The most we could ever get for an answer was the creativity test. The teachers and I asked what we could do to help her. We were told that we couldn’t be told. All of her friends were being pulled out for Target, my daughter knew she was just as smart, if not as smart. At the time, I worked full time, 60 hours a week in my career. I still volunteered when I could. I am not a native Atlantan, and am not a member of the local Baptist or Methodist Church. Her teacher’s and I could not figure out what it was that she was admitted. I didn’t even formally reveal she had ADHD at this time. The teachers arranged for her to go and help a younger class during pull out time. Only when I went to pull her in the middle of 3rd grade to put her in Catholic School, did the head of Target come up to me and say it was her Creativity score and Creative was based on a creative writing. I then asked how could the child who had her 2nd grade writing assignment submitted as the schools creative writing assignment not get in to Target. This made it even crazier. I became injured, sick and unable to work when my daughter was near the end of 2nd grade, I volunteered to help teach two kids who could not read to read ( they would have read, if they had not been withdrawn). I held the begining of the year Parent Teacher Auction party at my house. I was helped the children make art project for the art auction. My child still did not get in.
My daughter had all A’s at Public Elementary, but she was distracted by underperformers. I moved her to Catholic School where there is discipline and you are kicked out even if your father is a Department head at St. Joe’s, if you miss behave. Classes are grouped based on ability, when they switched. My child excelled, unfortunatelly, I did not have the $16,000 for full tuition for Private Catholic School plus $8,000 for another child in Catholic School so we were forced back top puplic school due to my medical condition.
My daughter has taken IB/AP and Honors classes in High School she has never gotten below a B. She has a 3.92 GPA. I convinced her to do the Dual Enrollment so know she will take 5 real college classes this year and have 15 credit hours towards her degree. Meanwhile, her best friend from Elementary school who was in Target, struggled to be a C student at a Private School and is now back in Public School in on level classes. She failed Math III. and had to take summer school. Another for her friends from Elementary same deal, barely a C student at Private School, barely hanging on.
The problem is the criteria for the gifted programs need to be regulated to the top 3 areas. The other two are faux scanning criteria that are used to let in who the school wants.
The heart of the matter is schools need to group students by ability, or else we have kids like my other child who got a 99% on the IOWA tell me that in Science class these kids just talk and don’t pay attentiion, they are disturbing her. She thought she would tell the teacher last week, all he did was move her. She was mad, she wanted him to discipline the bad kids and make them learn. Then she says to me I don’t understand why their are these kids in my Spanish class that do not like Spanish and do not want to learn Spanish. I want to learn Spanish, and they don’t. Why don’t they take another language like French or Japanese.
She also told me that in Sept. they have the TAG testing. I told her well you have to get above a 4 on motivation to get in. How can a kid that was an Obama Outstanding Scholar the year before and had a 99% in one area and 90% and above overall only get a 4 on motivation. I am stumped. This kid wants to be a Vet. How can she be with no discipline in her classes.
Lexi
August 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
Kasturi Talukder :
Please tell me you were not really a teacher, unless this passage is satire: “Having being a teacher for 18 years I can relate to the many of the good points made in the article. To all respect to the good Adm. I would like to express my opinion what I have actually experienced in one particular school : The Adm. come to class just to evaluate the teacher, the person is disconnected to actual teaching in recent years.”
Bernie:
In a marxist world view all wealth, talent and intelligence is distributed according to random “luck”. Ever wonder why people who repeatedly engage in bad behaviors repeatedly have bad luck? And, even assuming that there in a strict correlation between intelligence and educational attainment, why does that mean high achievers should not receive special attention, encouragement and resources? Does it make more sense to keep throwing good money after bad and subsidizing bad behaviors? A large fraction of the kids in school, aiming to have taxpayers subsidize their secondary and post secondary educations, simply don’t belong in college or college prep programs. Many, after 13 years of public schooling, attain no more education than the average eighth grade student of thirty years ago.
old teach
August 29th, 2012
3:44 pm
I think that Mr. Stephens’ comments provoke lots of discussion. I mainly agree with Lee’s comments, too. I have long felt that one of the problems separating staff and administrators was an “us-versus-them” attitude. By having all assistant principals teach, there is common ground. This will promote empathy and lessen mistrust. Administrators will, theoretically, be less apt to adopt the “flavor of the month” ideas which may sound good in twenty words [but not have practical applications.]
I would also add more strict enforcement of an attendance policy. I would even like to see it enforced by class, not just by the whole day. I have had students sign out after lunch–or arrive after first period–so much that they fell behind in those classes. I have no problem with the (Police) SRO taking away the student’s driving license, or the Court holding the parents also accountable for a younger chronic absentee. Our school tried different ideas, including tribunals, and nothing worked great. But ignoring the problem is the worst thing to do. A student is not going to get the opportunity to learn if he/she is not there.
I also think that parents are not taking full advantage of one of the best community outreach programs that schools provide: parent-teacher night. Our school scheduled one before the school year started, and one after each of the first three nine-week grading periods. Concerned parents could meet with the teachers and get many questions answered. I was always glad to talk to the parents, especially those of students who were having trouble. I preferred it to the telephone or the internet. But we needed more parents to attend! (As I’ve said many times, “If we set up Parent-Teacher night at the stadium, we’d have the attendance we wanted!”)
averageReader
August 29th, 2012
3:50 pm
I don’t agree with everything listed, but I appreciate his suggestions. Everyone always complains and blames x,y and z. Not many people have solutions in mind. Nice job.
Bill
August 29th, 2012
3:54 pm
North Fulton,
Read the tone of your post. Then talk to me about social sensitivity.
NBW
August 29th, 2012
4:03 pm
@MiltonMan,,,my sentiments exactly!!!
Ole Guy
August 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
Mr Stephens has produced some excellent ideas. While we may agree, nod approval and raise our glasses in a hearty “HERE HERE!”, it all means nothing…absolutely nothing…unless/until…(you’ve all hears/read it many times) teachers start developing some professional spheroids. Does anyone, whose not drunk, high, or simply out of their skulls, really think these proposals are going to receive anything remotely resembling serious consideration?
Oh yea educators, the drum beat continues…take command/control of your chosen field of endeavour…ONLY if you really care, as many of you profess. Otherwise, all this pontification…as fine print as it makes…will only be relegated to the dusty bins of fiction. Like Asop’s Fables, they will make for some amusing reading; no less, and certainly no more.
catlady
August 29th, 2012
5:07 pm
Ms. Downey@2:30: Thank you.
gtd
August 29th, 2012
5:19 pm
Georgia has approved advanced content for elementary schools, but elementary schools get more funding from the state using the one day a week pull-out model. To me, that is the most funding for the least beneficial model. If Georgia closed that loophole in funding, a lot of systems would be able to provide elementary services that best meet the needs of their students.
Another thing I would like to see go away is the multiple criteria rule and go by mental abilities tests only. So many parents complain that the creativity test keeps their children from having the gifted label, when in actuality it is the mental ability score AND creativity. School systems spend a lot of money assessing in all four of thee area and could save money by just assessing in mental abilities. Because of multiple criteria we have some school populations with 20% gifted.
Melody Clarke
August 29th, 2012
5:44 pm
I cannot agree more with this article. Interestingly, I was surprised that parking was “free”. When I went to school in Michigan-we had to pay for a parking pass. As for the gifted program-this author is correct. Too many parents who specialize in overparenting their children persue this “gifted” malarchy for nothing more than bragging rights.
I propose we open our minds and change out the accelerated classes to something a little more worth it. Why not let these kids take college classes for REAL college credit at the local community college? I purposely put my son in a private school that has a arrangement with the local community college. He will be attending the community college the last two years of his high school part time. I would much rather pay for electives at the community college than the big expensive one he is dreaming of!
I am not a “gifted” *insert gag here* student. However I am a honor student who grew up working hard, paying for my own education, and building my own success.
Gina McNair
August 29th, 2012
5:58 pm
@hssped- some basic research will reveal that only 2.2% of the general population has an IQ over 130; only. 2% over 145. 50% of the population falls in the 90-110 range, making them average, 110-130 is above average, and 75-90 is below average. Below 75 is where cognitive functions become significantly impaired compared to 90% of the population. I am a product of public school gifted education, which I began in 3rd grade. As others have noted here, children in my 2% having highly unique ways of learning, processing, and applying knowledge.