Is Waiting for “Superman” anti-teacher?

This moving documentary follows 5 young children as it explores the public school system. The stories are heart breaking, but that hasn’t prevented the film from coming under attack. Some of the arguments I’ve heard have merit. Others, such as the claims that it is anti-teacher, seem absurd. Waiting for “Superman” isn’t anti-teacher. It’s anti- bad teacher. Although the movie over-simplifies the issue, Waiting for “Superman” is stirring a much needed sense of urgency around our underperforming educational system.

I fear that those who are criticizing specific statistics and nuances of this documentary are dismissing its basic message and risk throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

The basic take away of the movie is that test scores are low because of bad teachers. The bad teachers are still employed because of teachers’ unions. Unions don’t differentiate between a good teacher and a bad teacher. The argument is that test scores would be better if principals could fire bad teachers and hire excellent teachers, instead of the ridiculous lemon dance. The lemon dance is the common practice of schools trading their worst performing teachers at the end of the school year for the worst performing in another school. No one is fired. Just shuffled along.

Whatever path we take, I think everyone can agree that the public education system needs to be improved. If not overhauled all together.

Some alarming statistics:

• In America, a high school student drops out every 26 seconds.
• More than 1 in 10 high schools are defined as dropout factories. (12% of U.S. public high schools produce nearly half of the nation’s dropouts and 58% of African-American dropouts.)
• 60% of inmates are high school dropouts.
• It’s cheaper to send a child to private school for 12 years than pay for 4 years in jail.
• Public education costs about $9,000/year per student.
• Only 1 in 5 charter schools are successful.
• SEED ( a successful charter school featured in the film) spends $35,000/year per student.
• 50% of the current teaching core is eligible for retirement over the next 10 years. By 2014, the U.S. Department of Education projects that our nation’s schools will need to hire as many as 1 million new teachers.

Changing the teaching profession

Hopefully it goes without saying that improving the educational system begins by improving the education. This begins by improving the teachers. Right now an alarming number of adults go into the profession because “it is a part time job where you get the summers off”. However, I don’t know of a single teacher who works less than 40 hours every week. In fact, many teachers don’t even have the summer off. During summer “vacation” teachers seek professional development, enhance their classrooms, or work a second job to pay the bills.

It seems that adding more value to this profession is a critical shift to improve the system. Top performing countries recruit teachers from the top third of college graduates. It’s no surprise that in these same countries, teaching is viewed as a prestigious and well-respected profession.

Improving teaching in the US must begin by:

1. adding more value and prestige to the teaching profession by talking about teaching, and teachers, in a different way.
2. better screening for teachers.
3. better support.
4. higher salaries.
5. better training.
6. reduce the appalling rates of child poverty

There are many really good reads about this documentary and our educational system. Here are a few:

Does Teaching Have a Branding Problem?, by Lesley Chilcott

Building a Better Teacher, by Elizabeth Green

The Myth of Charter Schools, by Diane Ravitch

Why aren’t our teachers the best and the brightest?, by Paul Kihn and Matt Miller

How to fix our schools: A manifesto, by Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee and other education leaders

Sidenote:

I can’t help but mention that this preview was sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce. The movie was shown on Monday at 3pm, which obviously hinders most parents, teachers, or principals from attending. In attendance were many elected officials, including the city council and school board members, the superintendent and other DPS administrative staff, and businessmen and women. There was a lively conversation afterward that would have been better balanced had parents, teachers, and principals been in attendance.

I was certain the kids were well on their way to dreamland when BG called me into the bedroom.

I replied like I always do when there are bedtime theatrical performances, “Oh no, is there blood? Are you okay?” [A fairly recent bedtime rule is that after we say goodnight, they need to help themselves to the bathroom or to another drink of water. They can call for us if there is blood, or some other emergency.]

BG says, “Mom, how do you know how old a baby is when it is born?”

Me: “That’s a good question. Let’s talk about it in the morning.”

BG: “Please, please tell me. I really want to know.”

Okay, I’ll answer this seemingly simple and thoughtful question.

Me: “Even though the baby grows for awhile inside the mom’s belly, it is considered 0 when it is born. Then it becomes a few minutes old, a few hours old, eventually days and weeks and years.”

BG: “But, I mean, how do they know when it is ready to come out?”

Me: “Oh, it all has to do with the last time the mom had her period. Then it is about 40 weeks after that until the baby comes out.”

BG: “But can the mom decide when to have a baby?”

Me: “Sure.”

BG: “How?”

Me: “Well, once she decides then she can snuggle with daddy in a special way.”

BG: “What’s the special way?”

Me: “BG, I would really love to talk with you about this more, but this isn’t the time. Let’s talk in the morning.”

BG: “Please, just tell me quickly.”

I didn’t need much convincing. I knew this was important and not sure why it had to happen at that moment, but I also knew such a perfectly natural opportunity might not come around for awhile. I want to maintain the open environment that we have already established, where my kids know their questions are always welcomed and valued. I jumped on it!

Sex or Snuggle

Me: “Well, this special snuggle is called sex. It’s when the dad puts his penis into the mom’s vagina.”

BG: “To make it big enough for the baby to come out?”

Me: “No. To squirt something called sperm. If the sperm touches the egg that is inside of the mom, then it can grow into a baby, instead of just being an egg.”

BG: “Whoa!! Does it hurt?”

Me: “No. It’s nice.”

BG: “… ‘night Mommy.”

Me: “Goodnight love.”

5 Tips for Talking about Sex with Young Kids:

1. Start early.
2. Answer the question being asked. No more. No less.
3. Welcome comments and questions with patience.
4. Keep it simple and honest.
5. Create an open environment in your family and home.

When I walk into a school, I want to see:

• smiling children
• smiling staff
• respectful interactions
• creative expression

When I walk into a classroom, I want to see (in no particular order):

• all of the above
• calm children
• warm teacher
• positive, respectful language
• curious children
• purposeful activities
• lack of visual clutter

When I am observing a teacher, I want to see (in no particular order):

• a quiet presence
• an encouraging guide
• passion
• constantly learning and evolving
• someone in control (calmly and confidently)
• knowledgeable
• joy
• creating independence
• fostering creativity and ingenuity
• intrigue
• appropriately high expectations
• genuine interest in the children
• smiles
• good sense of humor
• consistency
• fairness
• good listening skills
• someone who can quiet the room with only the tiniest sound
• differentiates the curriculum to challenge every student

I’ve included a video of a fantastic poem – What do Teachers Make? by the great poet Taylor Mali. [Video includes a coarse but common gesture, in case you need the alert].

Related articles:

• Does Your Child Have Innovators DNA?
• The Stupid Trouble Maker

It’s that time of year when there is a lot of focus on school. At least here in the US. Certainly here in my house.

Most schools in the US still operate on the traditional school calendar. This allows us to really engage our children in the chores of home throughout the summer. They can harvest the wheat, plant the tomatoes, or paint the fence along the pasture. Oh, you don’t have a farm either? Well, then they can go to camp, swim at a pool, sit in front of the TV, and drift through pangs of boredom.

While summer may feel like a long time off (after all, spring just started this past weekend), schools are busy working toward the end of this school year and planning for the next. This preparation has added a heaping to-do list for me, as I’ve just completed the daunting task of navigating our local public school system. This took NIH level research and unanticipated hours observing in classrooms at various schools.

This diligent effort has paid off. My daughter will be attending an acceptable public school, which unfortunately is not a tax-payer right in our fair city.

I could take this school discussion in innumerable directions, as I have with my friends and neighbors. But, I’ll leave that for you in the comment section. I’ll just say that I am grateful to have the time, wherewithall, and resources to traverse our school district’s confusing website, conflicting school policies, to gain understanding of our few but precious unstated options.

This hoopla has me keenly watching President Obama’s Race to the Top school reform with which he hopes to tackle the widening achievement gap. He is proposing to reward teachers for “excellence in the classroom”, which hopefully will not be measured  solely by test scores. Test scores alone do not reflect the excellence of a teacher. (read Bill Maher’s piece, Let’s Not Fire the Teachers When the Students Don’t Learn — Let’s Fire the Parents and John Legend’s rebuttal, Bill Maher, You’re Wrong on Education)

All of this buzz has me wondering about your thoughts and situation. How do you recognize excellence in a teacher? What do you like to see in a classroom or school? Is it enough that your kids are happy in school, or are you looking for more?

Related reading:

• Building a Better Teacher
• The Stupid Trouble Maker
• Does Your Child Have Innovators DNA?

Unfortunately, over time (and a very short time at that!) this curiosity is dampened severely. By the time children are 6.5 years old, they stop asking questions. Why?

A recent interview with 2 professors in the Harvard Business Review titled, How Do Innovators Think?, offered some answers.  A six year study showed that there are five “discovery skills” that distinguish innovative thinkers from the rest. We are born with all of them. Unfortunately, without proper attention, the skills are all but extinguished by the time a child is just over 6 years old.

Kids stop being innovative thinkers once they learn that their teachers value correct answers over provocative questions. High school students rarely show inquisitiveness. And, we know what happens in the corporate world, unless you work in an innovative company (80% of executives spend less than 20% of their time discovering new ideas).

During this interview, Professor Gregersen stated:

We also believe that the most innovative entrepreneurs were very lucky to have been raised in an atmosphere where inquisitiveness was encouraged. We were struck by the stories they told about being sustained by people who cared about experimentation and exploration. Sometimes these people were relatives, but sometimes they were neighbors, teachers or other influential adults. A number of the innovative entrepreneurs also went to Montessori schools, where they learned to follow their curiosity. To paraphrase the famous Apple ad campaign, innovators not only learned early on to think different, they act different (and even talk different).

Innovation and creativity are the powerhouses of our economy and vibrancy. So, when your child is asking yet another question, please take the time to offer a thoughtful response and acknowledge her wonderful curiosity!

If you like what you see here, please take a moment to pass it along. Use the handy SHARE/SAVE button to email to a friend or post to Facebook or Twitter. Or, simply Stumble It. Thank You!

The three steps help  move your child from introduction of a concept to mastery while ensuring their comfort, confidence, and success. The three periods are:

1. Introduction/Naming – In this first period, you give the descriptor that you are teaching: “This is a cow.”
2. Association/Recognition – In this period, the child is asked to show the object within a larger group of objects: “Show me the cow.” This is the most important period and should last until your child is always successful. The next period is a bigger cognitive leap.
3. Recall – This is when you ask your child to name the object. Pointing to the cow you say, “what is this?“

This can be used with books, pictures, postcards, objects, etc.

Adults tend to rush this process. There is much (too much for this post) to be said about moving slowly and following your child’s zing. Your child will learn the quickest and be most successful not through pushing her at a fast pace, but through moving at her speed.

Take it slow to ensure success, rather than constantly correcting and starting over. Too much correction quickly leads to the child feeling frustrated, incapable, and giving up. Focus on each period for an extended time until you are certain of your child’s mastery. You will be amazed and delighted with how easily and painlessly various concepts and ideas can be taught.

There are many fun games that can stem from this to teach young ones (toddlers and preschoolers) basic concepts. I’d love to hear your ideas!