tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post7595430953461921037..comments2023-07-20T03:10:07.458-05:00Comments on Bluebird's Classroom: A Rant - Casting Off Accessories, Teacher Accountability and the Reality of Our WorldUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-38095856784357384012009-03-27T23:40:00.000-05:002009-03-27T23:40:00.000-05:00Yup.Yup.Ahistoricalityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004964192885891003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-66288318797433273892009-03-27T16:09:00.000-05:002009-03-27T16:09:00.000-05:00Amen Sister!!!Amen Sister!!!Stephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137457597489577415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-2255329362937644462009-03-18T12:16:00.000-05:002009-03-18T12:16:00.000-05:00Amen!Amen!Teachahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08067893917869707719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-15238520440555514222009-03-17T16:30:00.000-05:002009-03-17T16:30:00.000-05:00You hit the nail on the head. Kids who are absent ...You hit the nail on the head. Kids who are absent 27 days in a quarter? Parents should be held accountable. I can't teach them if they are not here.Mrs. Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17730747441676219265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-27421912174615694762009-03-17T11:22:00.000-05:002009-03-17T11:22:00.000-05:00I totally agree. I am tired of working harder towa...I totally agree. I am tired of working harder toward the success of children than their own parents do. If the parents do not check homework (or even check to see if they had homework) or require their kids to study or even attend school, how is it my job to fix that? How is it my job to overcome the fact that even though it has been recommended that a child repeat a grade (often several times) and the parent refuses to allow it? Why do I have to care more than the parent?<BR/><BR/>As far as accountability, is a standardized test really the right benchmark for this? Am I supposed to compare my students (77% subsidized lunch, 43% public housing, 3 students that have carried weapons in my class, 2 pregnancies (I teach 8th grade) and 14 kids with probation officers) to kids in upper-middle class with 2 college educated parents?Peach Podhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12319765116240485041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-9819628986485268162009-03-16T21:23:00.000-05:002009-03-16T21:23:00.000-05:00Parents giving up on their kids is simply not okay...Parents giving up on their kids is simply not okay - I completely agree. But I think that President Obama feels that way too. He's referred several times to the need for parental involvement and responsibility. In the third presidential debate, he said, "But there's one last ingredient that I just want to mention, and that's parents. We can't do it just in the schools. Parents are going to have to show more responsibility. They've got to turn off the TV set, put away the video games, and, finally, start instilling that thirst for knowledge that our students need." (http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/debates/transcripts/third-presidential-debate.html) <BR/><BR/>And I also agree with him about getting rid of bad teachers. If someone is bad at their job, they shouldn't get to keep that job. I know a teacher at my school who leaves the room during class to make personal calls. The kids text rather than do any work. I've never seen him voluntarily talk to a student; every time I've seen him teach (which is repeatedly, because of the room he's in), all he does is talk on the phone and sit on the computer. That's bullshit, and he should be fired. I hope Obama does "reject a system that rewards failure and protects a person from its consequences." I do too.teachin'https://www.blogger.com/profile/01780582962091700533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-34570902571390063122009-03-16T18:52:00.000-05:002009-03-16T18:52:00.000-05:00AMEN, my sister. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!AMEN, my sister. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!Snippety Gibbethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00271129879408530904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-2061116791325430742009-03-15T14:23:00.000-05:002009-03-15T14:23:00.000-05:00Those of us who would kill for our children, we ju...Those of us who would kill for our children, we just don't or can't understand those who would give up on their children.<BR/><BR/>BUT<BR/><BR/>How different a parent would I be if my child were out of control, through no fault of mine at all? What if my kid were a bad seed? How long would I, could I, hold out? They shouldn't, but thoughts like that keep me awake some nights. I'm thankful for the child I have, IEP and all.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-21686988418845888012009-03-15T14:00:00.000-05:002009-03-15T14:00:00.000-05:00But, you are probably told, as we are, if you were...But, you are probably told, as we are, if you were a better teacher, your students would be doing better and the parents would want to be involved. We just don't encourage them enough. I am so fed up with this constant barrage.http://dkzody.wordpress.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13685733471410144224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-55683242805103174772009-03-14T19:46:00.000-05:002009-03-14T19:46:00.000-05:00Well said Bluebird. We get alot of ignorance here...Well said Bluebird. We get alot of ignorance here when it comes to parenting and it seems parents pick and choose whichever battles they're going to win due to screaming discrimination, but these same parents change their phone numbers like they change underwear.The Bus Driverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04259280794473075615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-66960414490707277072009-03-14T11:42:00.000-05:002009-03-14T11:42:00.000-05:00Is this it?http://epicpolicy.org/files/PB-Berliner...Is this it?<BR/>http://epicpolicy.org/files/PB-Berliner-NON-SCHOOL.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-37017289143071686802009-03-14T11:08:00.000-05:002009-03-14T11:08:00.000-05:00I'm waiting for the follow through on the Presiden...I'm waiting for the follow through on the President's words. Right now that's all they are - a bunch of pretty words. I'm waiting to hear how he's going to get those parents off their butts and to parent teacher conferences. I have 110 students and NOT ONE parent showed up for conferences last month. Not even the 20 we sent personal invitations to. That's beyond disgusting.<BR/><BR/>I'm waiting. But I'm not holding my breath.Mrs. Bluebirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10283080212189118357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-76639131985604707282009-03-14T10:53:00.000-05:002009-03-14T10:53:00.000-05:00I'm hoping that our President understands the chal...I'm hoping that our President understands the challenges you've outlined. The below quote from his speech to Congress back in February was the most hopeful thing I've heard from a politician in ages--a recognition that it's not all us as teachers. But, of course, the follow-through remains to be seen.<BR/><BR/><I>These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a parent -- for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father, when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home. That is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. That's an American issue.</I><BR/>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/24/politics/main4826494.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_4826494Kristie Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04307514462144293640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-46606979502065388792009-03-14T10:48:00.000-05:002009-03-14T10:48:00.000-05:00*applauds* Ditto. I've been asking myself a simi...*applauds* Ditto. I've been asking myself a similar question since the President released his statement on education (I, too, saw it fraught with buzzwords with very little actual "this is how we do it"). Really, I could rant about it for awhile, but I won't here. I've been asking this question, though, as for student accountability. I teach 10th grade - in two more years, these kids will be out in the real world where sometimes life isn't fair. Still, we continue to cut corners for them, for example if they fail a six-week grading period, they can complete "grade recovery" to pull it up to a D. When are we going to teach them personal responsibility by making them face consequences for their actions? Teacher incentives have good intentions behind them, but ultimately that takes responsibility away from the students, yet again.<BR/><BR/>As you stated, I too have expressed a wish that there were some sort of "reality check" for people wanting to make decisions on education policy. *sigh*R2P2https://www.blogger.com/profile/00736765844197785820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-67766697428508649312009-03-14T10:18:00.000-05:002009-03-14T10:18:00.000-05:00And then do all that work after you've been pink-s...And then do all that work after you've been pink-slipped, because apparently they don't really need you. I'm with you on this one.vrgnamgntahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17424000000249773663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-9522698667042838802009-03-14T09:27:00.000-05:002009-03-14T09:27:00.000-05:00I'd love to read Henry C. Berliner's article, can ...I'd love to read Henry C. Berliner's article, can you send it to me? I did a quick Google search but only found a for pay site. If it's a site that you pay for, no worries I don't expect you to send it. But if it's something available for free, I"d love to be able to read it. :)<BR/><BR/>Thanks!<BR/>Tammy (a future teacher)CozyStitcheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17931445351395256427noreply@blogger.com