Without Algebra?

Can you have a life without Algebra?
I don't think so. I am not an engineer (performed horrifically in all science-based classes), a math teacher, or an economist, but I use Algebra every single day. Let's forget about what our careers are for a moment, and think about the Algebra that you need in your daily life. Good luck without Algebra. I could go on, but I'm not going to. Too many of the tasks that we do in daily life need Algebra that I find it unbelievable for someone to say it's unnecessary.

What is the purpose of going to school?
To learn all of the skills for the career path you plan to follow? Decidedly not. If it was, we would need to force 5 year-olds to choose a career path, and not change until retirement. Students are in elementary and secondary school to learn what they need to know in order to contribute to society. This could be by following a specific career path, but it is not necessarily so. I would be equally dissapointed with the high school graduate who does not know have a basic understanding of Algebra (remember, schools only ask that the students pass, not that they master the material, and for good reason) as I would be with the one who isn't able to write a cohesive paragraph.

3- Why ARE all of these LA students failing Algebra?
What are the expectations of the LA schools? Are they setting the passing bar too high? What are they doing to ensure success for the students? When such a large number of students are failing, it's time to look to the school and come up with some solutions. Now, I know that the LA schools have a lot going against them, but there's always something you can do.

The Most Difficult Job In A School

This post from The Education Wonks got me thinking about teacher/substitute licensure. My general belief is that in the balance between knowledge of content area and pedagogy, high school teachers lean towards content, elementary school teachers lean towards pedagogy, and middle school teachers have that perfect combination (completely unbiased, right?). More and more, I believe that a minimum of content area knowledge should be required for any subject, but that high school teachers (and even college professors) need to spend more time studying pedagogy, and ways to reach their students.

Relating this to substitute teachers, it's impossible to ask that a teacher never be absent, so something needs to be done to get replacements. Realistically, you're never going to always have substitute teachers who have the content and pedagogy knowledge that the full-time teachers have. So what should the minimum requirements be? A college degree. I think that's about all you can ask for. I'd love to say that you need a person with at least 1 year experience in a classroom (as an aide/teacher), but there aren't enough subs to go around already, so we really can't be expecting that much experience. This should be the place where aspiring teachers gain experience. As schools, what we can do is welcome substitutes into our building, so they want to return, already knowing some of the students. We can even invite substitutes to take part in professional development activities. If schools spent the time to train their substitutes, you might get more repeat subs, which helps them know the students. And that's half the battle.

State Testing

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, and now that it’s school vacation week, I’m getting a chance to sit down and write. Now that second semester has started, and schedules are in place, the next big task on my plate is state testing schedules and special education accommodations. There are still educators who feel that a boycott of the state tests is called for. What purpose would that have? Every issue in schools should boil down to one question, “What’s in the best interest of the students?” Now, there are ways to make changes and influence people, but boycotting the test is not one of those ways. Not that I don’t think the tests are flawed, because they are, however, there are benefits that the school can receive from state tests, if it so chooses (like instant data for analysis and program development).

Moving onto the special education piece of the puzzle always makes me wonder exactly how much the students actually benefit from all of the services that we are required to give versus how much the services unlevel the playing field. There are some obvious services (like scribing a test for a student with physical disabilities, or a smaller setting for a student who has a more serious ADD diagnosis), but others seem unnecessary, and at times would alter the results of a test. Check this document posted by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to find all the accommodations available.