I'd like to start with a few questions. I know we'll come up with more, but we have to start somewhere.
1) What are the purposes of public education?
2) How do those differ from the purposes of private education?
3) What are some of the problems with public education (aside from lack of money)?
4) If you teach, what one thing would you change about your classroom?
5) Why (honestly) do you teach?
I think it may be appropriate to talk about a couple of these, but I'd really prefer to start a discussion.
I've heard a lot of people talk about how public education suffers because of tenure/unions. Having taught at schools both with and without unions, there are differences, but I don't know if those differences are the things that cause problems. (Admission - I have never been a member of any union at any school I've worked at).
At one school, by contract, students were not allowed to use faculty restrooms or to be in teacher prep rooms. Can't tell you how many times I had to stop a student from using a teacher rest room. I guess that the sign on the door was a challenge.
But more importantly, does tenure/a union stifle performance in a classroom? Affect it in other ways?
I know that students at my current school have discussed this subject as part of their discussion about Charter School lotteries (another subject for another time).
Thoughts? Opinions? Please?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Change
I know - one post in and he's changed the blog name already? I've let things stew in my head for a while and after thinking and thinking I've decided to change the focus of my blog onto the one topic I actually know something about. Therefore, the name change.
First - a quick review for those of you who may not know my background.
I have a B.S. degree in Economics/Management Information Systems, earned in 1982 from Southern Connecticut State College (now University). I've been teaching/working in education since the fall of 1985. My first year, I served as a teaching intern at West Haven (CT) High School while working on my masters. In June of '86, I completed my M.S. in Education from the University of Bridgeport. In February of 1987, I started teaching at St. Luke's School in New Canaan, CT. During my tenure at St. Luke's, I taught geometry, middle school computers, computer applications, desktop publishing, geography, and leadership. I was also at times the school's community service director and publications director. I left St. Luke's in the summer of '98 to go into commercial web development. After the dot com bust, just before September 11, I returned to education at an ITT Technical Institute near Philadelphia, where I served as Chairman of the Information Technologies department. I taught programming, database development, web design, operating system development and networking. In May of 2004, I moved to Florida to be the Technology Specialist at Harmony High School, near St. Cloud. It was my job to help teachers integrate technology in their classrooms. After several years, the school district eliminated the position district-wide and I was asked to return to the classroom, teaching psychology, digital design and TV production. While at Harmony High School, I taught part time at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Orlando, teaching web design and development. In August of 2011, I became the webmaster at Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY.
OK - resume mode off.
While I don't claim to be an expert in education, I do have more than 25 years of experience in the field. Many of the things I've seen and heard would make for an interesting book, but that's not the point of this (although, some may surface in the future.)
There's no question that the state of education in this country is unhealthy. I'm not looking to change the world, but I do hope that my many friends in education, will contribute to this discussion and maybe together, we can create something worthwhile.
I've worked in both public and private (independent) settings -- both have value and I think that it's important to remember that no one school can serve all possible students. More on that in another post :)
What do you think? Are you interested in talking about this? Willing to share? If we can each change one life, think of the good that will do. Walk with me.
First - a quick review for those of you who may not know my background.
I have a B.S. degree in Economics/Management Information Systems, earned in 1982 from Southern Connecticut State College (now University). I've been teaching/working in education since the fall of 1985. My first year, I served as a teaching intern at West Haven (CT) High School while working on my masters. In June of '86, I completed my M.S. in Education from the University of Bridgeport. In February of 1987, I started teaching at St. Luke's School in New Canaan, CT. During my tenure at St. Luke's, I taught geometry, middle school computers, computer applications, desktop publishing, geography, and leadership. I was also at times the school's community service director and publications director. I left St. Luke's in the summer of '98 to go into commercial web development. After the dot com bust, just before September 11, I returned to education at an ITT Technical Institute near Philadelphia, where I served as Chairman of the Information Technologies department. I taught programming, database development, web design, operating system development and networking. In May of 2004, I moved to Florida to be the Technology Specialist at Harmony High School, near St. Cloud. It was my job to help teachers integrate technology in their classrooms. After several years, the school district eliminated the position district-wide and I was asked to return to the classroom, teaching psychology, digital design and TV production. While at Harmony High School, I taught part time at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Orlando, teaching web design and development. In August of 2011, I became the webmaster at Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY.
OK - resume mode off.
While I don't claim to be an expert in education, I do have more than 25 years of experience in the field. Many of the things I've seen and heard would make for an interesting book, but that's not the point of this (although, some may surface in the future.)
There's no question that the state of education in this country is unhealthy. I'm not looking to change the world, but I do hope that my many friends in education, will contribute to this discussion and maybe together, we can create something worthwhile.
I've worked in both public and private (independent) settings -- both have value and I think that it's important to remember that no one school can serve all possible students. More on that in another post :)
What do you think? Are you interested in talking about this? Willing to share? If we can each change one life, think of the good that will do. Walk with me.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
A beginning
So, a place to post my mind. I know -- I'm only a few years behind the times on this one, but the idea of speaking my mind while before now was kind of scary. Since I'm now living and working in New York, I am less afraid of offending people. Must also have something to do with my age.
What will I talk about? Well, I think I should say something about the title of my blog. I apologize if anyone is offended by the title. It wasn't intended to be a racial statement of any sort. It's merely a comment on the fact that I may occasionally say something that's either politically incorrect, insensitive or offensive -- or all three!
Where to start?
How about the current state of the union? Who has the best ideas for creating jobs? I'm not convinced that any of the interested parties actually know what they're talking about. Our president is too weak, and many of the other principals are compromised because of allegiances to either corporate or extremist politics.
What do we do? I think we need to change the corporate mindset that looks for new employees outside of the country. I think that American citizens need to be a little more realistic in their desires for material goods. I think we need to train people to take on the new jobs that will develop as the 21st Century continues to unfold.
Not sure if this makes sense, but I wanted to say something while my mind was still focused.
What will I talk about? Well, I think I should say something about the title of my blog. I apologize if anyone is offended by the title. It wasn't intended to be a racial statement of any sort. It's merely a comment on the fact that I may occasionally say something that's either politically incorrect, insensitive or offensive -- or all three!
Where to start?
How about the current state of the union? Who has the best ideas for creating jobs? I'm not convinced that any of the interested parties actually know what they're talking about. Our president is too weak, and many of the other principals are compromised because of allegiances to either corporate or extremist politics.
What do we do? I think we need to change the corporate mindset that looks for new employees outside of the country. I think that American citizens need to be a little more realistic in their desires for material goods. I think we need to train people to take on the new jobs that will develop as the 21st Century continues to unfold.
Not sure if this makes sense, but I wanted to say something while my mind was still focused.
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