My Saturday Rant

I probably shouldn't be writing this, but after reading Chaz's last post, I have to.

Schools are in serious trouble. Many of the kids are incapable of learning what we are required to teach them. Vocational and general education programs were eliminated because they were used as dumping grounds and were stratified racially.

The kids are not learning and not succeeding. My racially diverse school has kids failing, kids representing all ethnic groups. And, while vocational programs might have been segregated, lower level classes, repeater classes and advanced placement classes are segregated as well. We've done away with the programs but not with the racial issues when we did away with these schools.

Goals seems to be the new catch phrase that will help everyone succeed. A girl in the tenth grade, whose goal is to have an organized notebook, will never be able to master any levels of higher learning. The same is true about the eleventh grade boy whose goal is to come to class daily or even the ninth grader whose goal is to stop being a disruptive influence in class.

The kids are failing and someone must be held accountable. You can't blame the politicians. They sit in their ivory towers and only see the problems, not the causes. You can't blame the principals because they are busy sitting in their fancy offices coming up with plans that sound great on paper but have no hope of working. You can't blame the parents. Education is the job of the school, not their jobs. And you can't blame the child, that would be politically incorrect. Since teachers are on the main front, they must be the cause.

Yes, blame are the teachers. We are at fault. We are the ones dealing with these kids every day and if they are not succeeding, we are doing something wrong. The older teachers can't succeed because they resist change. They won't even try sitting the kids in a horse shoe. They resist the workshop model. They fight technology. And, since most ATRs are older teachers, why bring them back when they will only worsen the problem.

The young teachers, as Chaz says, are pliable. They only ask "how high", when told to jump. And, when they don't produce, they can be shown the door. Without tenure, they have no job protection.

The UFT and the AFT are some of the most powerful organizations around. By standing against education as it is today, they will be standing up for teachers. If the Principals did not have such pressure on them to keep their school an "A" and "well developed" they might be more willing to hire some of the more experienced teachers. These are the people that know how to teach,no matter what the data shows. There were always principals who refused to hire experienced teachers. Even under the old transfer system, they hid openings whenever possible.

The NCLB laws are not only being followed in the United States, they are being adopted all over the world. We as educators must take a stand against them. Not taking the stand is the same as taking a stand against education.

(and all I planned on posting today were my pretty red pictures from Ikea--oh well, ranting is more therapeutic)

White Flag

Some people that read this blog and read comments I write on other blogs label me as a burnt out, prejudiced teacher who has given up on children because I have written that there are kids that cannot learn. I have written that there are high school students with third grade reading and math levels that cannot compete and might never be able to.


I'm willing to admit I might be wrong about some of them. But, if these kids continue in a NYC school, they will never succeed. There is no way to help them, no matter what anyone says. It is impossible to differentiate learning when there are 34 kids in a class, many with attention deficits and learning disabilities. It is impossible to help them when they are required to pass algebra when they can barely add. I'll never forget the high school senior I taught years ago who could not count past 100 or the girl who asked her mother how much a nickel was worth when we were doing coin problems.


I know I am supposed to care. And, I do care, more than most. In a system like the one I work in, caring is not enough. In fact, caring does almost nothing. I've sat in on IEP conferences only to have my thoughts over ridden by a pompous psychologist who thought he knew everything. I've watched kids get programmed for special education and have seen how little those programs do to help the kids also. The special education classes are too big. Supposedly the curriculum is being taught differently, but it is the same curriculum nevertheless. Many of the special education teachers do not even know the material they are expected to teach as they have not been trained in the subject matter.


I have tried to institute tutoring programs where I team up an honor student with a struggling student. It has worked but the administration has done nothing to help. I requested a C-6 assignment that would allow me to run a program like this. I was turned down. The administration would rather have my name down as a library tutor. According to them, it is much better for me to give one kid one answer a period than to arrange for 10 or more kids to have a private tutor.

No one cares about kids. The administrators just care about collecting performance bonuses. They want to pass them along. It doesn't matter whether or not the kids know anything. The mayor and chancellor just want to be the big cheese and run everything although they know nothing about education. Then there are the teachers that don't care either. I tried to convince my AP that we needed honor classes in the new algebra class and in Math B 31. The really smart kids are being left behind in those classes. He said no. Some of my colleagues are opposed also. They don't want to be left with a class without these smart kids. They don't mind sacrificing the bright as long as their classes are still good. Even some of the blog commenters don't care. Sure they write like they do. They say every kid can be educated. I'd like to know what they are doing to promote education for all? Are they protesting for smaller class sizes? Are they trying to institute better remedial and tutoring programs? I bet they are just criticizing teachers and ranting that they teachers don't care.

I have been told by readers and commenters that instead of being pissed, I should try to change the system. I've tried. I've tried for over 30 years. I'm admitting defeat. The obstacles in my way are just too much for me to beat. I feel bad for the kids in my classes that cannot succeed but unless the system changes there is no hope for them.

Just like we can't all be beauty queens or great athletes or rock stars, we can't all be brilliant students. Even if the system changes, there will always be people out there that can't succeed. It is time to realize that and help them achieve in their own ways.