Part I: Teaching, post-Charlottesville
By Julie Rine, Minerva Education Association
If we haven’t already, many of us will soon be giving a lecture about the importance of being respectful to others, following the rules, and being nice. We are going to discuss how name-calling is not appropriate, and how we should all stand up for anyone who is being bullied or intimidated or hurt. During that first day of school lecture, I often tell my high school students that we can’t control what happens in the world outside of our school, but we can control the atmosphere in Room 201. I emphasize that it will be a place where we can all expect to be accepted and valued, a place where we can feel safe and free from violence or harsh words.
This year when I give that talk, it will mean more than ever. For just at the time when school is beginning for most kids and teachers, our country has seen powerful scenes of breaking those rules in full technicolor, complete with torches and clubs and shields, chants and profanity and ethnic slurs, and in the end, murder.
Sitting in our classrooms listening to our rules and expectations are going to be students of various ages, backgrounds and beliefs. It’s not our place to raise those kids or instill our values in them. That job belongs to their families, but teachers can have a powerful impact as well. What exactly is our role when it comes to teaching values? Certainly the concepts of respect, tolerance, and fairness are not strictly liberal or conservative values. Teaching our children that it is not acceptable to label, judge, or mistreat someone based on their skin color, religion or nationality should not be an area of disagreement between Republicans and Democrats.
A former teacher of James Fields, the driver of the car that plowed into the protesters in Charlottesville, said that he felt he had failed as a teacher.* I do not think he failed; he did everything in his power to expose his students to the atrocities of the Nazis in Europe and to relate his lessons to current events. However, his comment did make me reconsider my own decisions as a teacher.
When teaching To Kill a Mockingbird or Maus (a book about a Holocaust survivor’s experience), I try to fit in current articles about the issues of race and prejudice that arise in the books. But when I first started teaching those texts, I did more than squeeze in those connections. My students used to engage in a plethora of activities to help them further analyze how the ugliness of the past can still influence the events of today.
So what changed? High-stakes standardized testing came along. Each year I have left out more and more of the meaningful extension activities in order to allow extra time for test prep. What if my actions have had more dire consequences than I thought? Maybe it’s time that test prep falls into the “squeezing in” category. Maybe it’s time to stop worrying about growth measures and keep or even expand the material and activities that help grow decent human beings.
To be clear, the overemphasis on testing has not lead to a bumper crop of racists and white supremacists, and the teachers who drop time-consuming but worthwhile material to make room for test prep are not to blame for any future abhorrent actions of their students. But could we be doing more to teach tolerance and acceptance?
The ACLU, who went to bat for the organizers of the recent Charlottesville event after their permit was revoked, argues that freedom of speech should be defended for everyone, even those whose views are repugnant to most people. Ideally, everyone gets a voice, and then everyone can form his or her own decision, after “reasonable discourse and debate.”**
Isn’t it part of our job to teach how to engage in reasonable discourse and debate? We can do this while analyzing topics other than politics, of course, but maybe it’s time to stop backing away from political topics when they arise within the context of our lessons. When students start discussing their political views in our classrooms, maybe we should guide those conversations instead of shutting them down to avoid a heated discussion. After all, it is possible to disagree with someone without espousing hatred for others or inciting violence, and we should be modeling that. Furthermore, there is a difference between those who advocate for the right to dominate or subjugate others and those who stand up for the rights of all people to live peacefully without fear of unjust oppression. We need to make that distinction clear to our students, now more than ever.
A few weeks ago, teachers across the country recognized the faces of white supremacists carrying torches on a hot Friday night in Virginia, and they remembered them not as men, but as kids, sitting in their classrooms on the first day of school listening to the Rules and Expectations lecture about respecting others. I can’t imagine seeing one of my students, past or present, at one of those rallies as a participant. But if I do, I don’t want to feel that I could have done anything differently to elicit a better outcome in the forming of his beliefs.
When there is a back-to-school lecture on rules and expectations, let us mean it and let us enforce it, even if it means having some uncomfortable conversations. When there is a way to incorporate current issues while studying the difficult lessons of the past, let us connect the two. When there is hate speech, let us not be weak-willed and call it a mere difference of opinion. Let us be clear that it is a despicable opinion that is not acceptable in our schools or in our streets. When there are teachable moments relating to political issues, let us embrace them. Let us model civil discourse, but when there is racism or prejudice, blatant or subtle, let us confront it without ambiguity.
Debates about freedom of speech, whether or not statues should stay or go, and what to do with the Confederate flag in public places will keep cable news shows busy for a long time to come. But there is a clear right and wrong when it comes to hate speech, a definite line that should not be crossed, and that line must not be erased in our classrooms.
Read Part II: Teaching, post-Charlottesville
*”Teacher says suspected Charlottesville driver James Alex Fields Jr ….” 13 Aug. 2017, http://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2017/08/13/James-Alex-Fields-Charlottesville-killing-driver-car-crowd-white-nationalist-rally/stories/201708130175. Accessed 21 Aug. 2017.
**”Why the ACLU defends white nationalists’ right to protest – Vox.” 12 Aug. 2017, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/12/16138326/aclu-charlottesville-protests-racism. Accessed 17 Aug. 2017.
June 2017 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- OEA student members and new educators join together to “Fuel the Fire to Inspire”
- why local involvement in school board elections matters
- Trump-DeVos budget includes devastating education funding cuts
- In Memoriam; Legislative Update, Association news, and more
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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OEA applauds Governor’s vetoes of cap on Medicaid expansion and charter school measures, but is disappointed by other actions
COLUMBUS – July 1, 2017 – “The legislature’s attempt to put a cap on Medicaid expansion would have had a profoundly negative impact on our students and their families,” said Becky Higgins, President of the Ohio Education Association (OEA). “We strongly support the Governor’s veto of this provision. We urge House and Senate lawmakers to oppose any effort to override this veto. Jeopardizing access to health care for 500,000 Ohioans is unacceptable.”
“We also thank the Governor for holding firm on charter school accountability by vetoing provisions that would have weakened standards for charter school sponsors,” said Higgins.
“At the same time, we are disappointed that the Governor and legislature missed an opportunity to improve the Resident Educator program by eliminating the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA),” Higgins added, “but we appreciate the maintenance of mentoring support for new educators.”
“Lastly, it is unfortunate that the Governor chose to veto the paper testing option for local school districts,” said Higgins. “Without this option, some students will be measured not only by their command of the subject on which they are being tested, but also by their ability to master technology in which they are not always proficient.”
The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 123,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities
Follow OEA @OhioEA on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Statement from the Ohio Education Association on the House budget
COLUMBUS – April 25, 2017 – “We appreciate the addition of $90 million in education funding in the House budget given the tight revenue situation, and we are glad the House listened to the voices of educators and removed the unnecessary and unworkable teacher ‘externship’ proposal,” said OEA President Becky Higgins. “We look forward to continuing to work with members of the House and Senate to ensure equitable and adequate funding for all students, no matter their zip code or family income.”
“We also encourage the House and Senate to address Ohio’s looming graduation crisis by incorporating the recommendations of the Graduation Requirements Work Group and State Board of Education in the budget.”
The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 123,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities
Follow OEA @OhioEA on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
April 2017 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- Lancaster educators advocate for student success by making sure kids have breakfast at school
- Huron County locals join together to host a booth at the fair to connect with the community, each other, and to support public education
- Legislative update, Association news, and more
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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February 2017 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- Sylvania EA’s story of community collaboration
- Coverage of the OEA 2017 Advocacy and Organizing Institute, and a look at opposition to Betsy DeVos
- OEA President Becky Higgins’ message; Ohio’s national education rankings; Legislative update, Association news, and more.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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Your Career ABCs: Demystifying Acronyms and Abbreviations
Click here for a printable PDF.
Acronyms-
| EMIS | Educational Management Information System |
| eTPES | Electronic Teacher Principal Evaluation System |
| HQT | Highly Qualified Teacher |
| HET | Highly Effective Teacher |
| MRM | Multivariate Response Model |
| OAA | Ohio Achievement Assessments |
| OPES | Ohio Principal Evaluation System |
| OTES | Ohio Teacher Evaluation System |
| PARCC | Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College Careers |
| RTTT | Race to the Top |
| AIR | American Institute of Research |
| SGM | Student Growth Measure |
| TSDL | Teacher Data Student Linkage |
| SLO | Student Learning Objective |
| SOAR | Schools On-Line Achievement Reports Project |
| TIF | Teacher Incentive Fund |
| TOR | Teacher of Record |
| URM | Univariate Response Model |
| VA | Vendor Assessment |
| VAM | Value Added Method |
| IEP | Individualized Education Program |
| EVAAS/SAS | Education Value Added Assessment System-Statistical Analysis System |
| TGRG | Third Grade Reading Guarantee |
Definitions-
| Educational Management Information System | The Education Management Information System is a statewide data collection system for Ohio’s primary and secondary education, including demographic information, attendance, course information, financial data, and test results. |
| Electronic Teacher Principal Evaluation System | The Ohio Teacher and Principal Evaluation Systems (eTPES) is an online educator evaluation system for statewide use by Ohio districts and schools.
Evaluators can* collect and store growth and improvement plans, evidence and documented observations to determine educator performance based upon defined rubrics. The electronic system will follow the framework* for educator evaluation as adopted by the State Board of Education. |
| Highly Qualified Teacher | The actual definition and teacher requirements of highly qualified teacher can be found in §9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), otherwise known as NCLB.
Requires all core academic teachers and instructional paraprofessionals especially those whose positions are paid by Title I targeted assistance funds to meet requirements designated by ODE to meet federal standards. Starting in 2016-2017, intervention specialists of students eligible for the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Grades 7-12 will need to comply. Shift to HET with ESSA* |
| Multivariate Response Model | Multivariate Response Model (MRM) is used for tests given in consecutive grades, like the OAA math and reading assessments in grades three through eight. |
| Ohio Achievement Assessments | The Ohio Achievement Assessments for grades 3-8 measure students’ achievement levels in Reading, Math, Social Studies, and Science.
Previously known as OAPs, OATs, and proficiency tests. Replaced by PARCC in Spring 2014-2015. |
| Ohio Principal Evaluation System | ODE suggests the following model-
Two components, each weighted at 50 percent: 1. Principal performance rating, determined from:
2. Student academic growth rating 3. Reported via eTPES |
| Ohio Teacher Evaluation System | Standard 50/50 Framework–
Two components, each weighted at 50 percent:
New Alternative Framework– optional (effective 9/11/14)
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3319.111v2 and http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3319.112v2 |
| Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College Careers | One of two consortiums which developed online K-12 assessments in English and math. Will also supply assessments for Science grades 5 and 8, Social Studies grades 4 and 6. End-of-course tests to meet Ohio high school graduation requirements. They are ELA 1 and 2, algebra I, geometry (or integrated math 1 and 2), American history and American government and physical science. All will begin administration in Spring 2015. |
| Race to the Top | Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), provides funding to States to
|
| Student Growth Measure | Measures student growth which Ohio requires within teacher evaluation, principal evaluation and district grade card reports. Ohio law allows three types: Value Added, Approved Vendor Assessment and Local Measure (s). |
| Teacher Student Linkage | An online process which ‘links’ teachers to the students to whom they have provided instruction. Also known as Roster Verification (RV) |
| Student Learning Objective | A student learning objective is a measurable, long-term academic growth target that a teacher sets at the beginning of the year for all students or for subgroups of students. |
| Teacher of Record | The teacher to which student learning is attributed. However definitions differ based upon procedure, purpose and politics. |
| Univariate Response Model | Univariate Response Model (URM) is used when a test is given in non-consecutive grades, such as OAA science assessments in grades five and eight or any End-of-Course tests. |
| Vendor Assessment | A commercial product used to assess student growth. Law requires ODE to select and approve vendor assessments. If a local uses the vendor’s product, the data must be used within student growth measures. |
| Value Added Method | Value-added analysis, which originated in economics, is a statistical method which purports to measure the impact schools and teachers have on students’ academic progress rates from year to year. Various models exist. |
| Education Value Added Assessment System (SAS) | EVAAS and SAS builds on methodology developed by Dr. William L. Sanders, and provides software, data analytics and management to a wide variety of industries including education, government and insurance. |
| RANDA | “ RANDA acquires, manages and utilizes data providing a variety of education intelligence: Student Data (student identification, student demographics, assessments, student growth, course completion, and college readiness), Educator Data (educator identification, educator demographics, professional development/continuing education, Teacher/Student Data Link (TSDL), value added assessment alignment, and teacher effectiveness), and third-party data (community demographics, school climate, early warning data).” |
| Local Measures | Provided for student growth measure purposes. Currently SLOs and shared attribution have been provided via ODE and eTPES. |
| Shared Attribution | Teachers ‘share’ student assessment results for purposes of evaluation. |
| AIR | Replaces PARCC for Online State Assessments in 2015 |
| EOC | End of Course Exams |
| ESSA | Every Student Succeeds Act (law) |
| OSA | Online State Assessments |
| OIP | Ohio Improvement Plan |
| CCIP | Cycle of Continuous Improvement Plan |
| CHPT | Consistently High Performing Teacher |
| IPDP | Individual Professional Development Plan |
| CTC | Career Technical Courses (sometimes CTC is used for Career Technical College) |
| LPDC | Licensed Professional Development |
December 2016 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- stories of Ohio educators working together to improve student health and achievement, celebrate diversity, and build professional connections
- Know Your Charter report finds local taxpayers have subsidized charter schools at a cost of more than $1 billion since 2012
- OEA members provide valuable input on federal Every Student Succeeds Act
- Educators focus on ways to support GLBT youth at OEA GLBT Issues Conference
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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Ohio Learning Standards
Ohio’s students are instructed on learning standards that were adopted through the legislative process. Students are also assessed according to these standards. To find out more about the Ohio’s Learning Standards, please visit our coalition partnership page with The Ohio Standard at: http://www.theohstandard.org/ Questions and resources regarding the Common Core Standards, Ohio Learning Standards, and developmentally appropriate standards can be found on this site.
Content areas and grade level bands which have identified and articulated standards can be found on the Ohio Department of Education page: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards
Ohio’s Learning Standards are currently in a revision process. OEA has identified members to serve on the Ohio Learning Standards Advisory Committees for Social Studies, Science, and Financial Literacy. It is important that throughout the revision process, educators and OEA members who work most closely with the content and with students learning the content are acknowledged for their expertise in both teaching and learning.
To provide your feedback on Ohio’s Learning Standards, please select your area of interest on the Ohio Department of Education Standard Revision Overview page at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards/Standard-Revision-Overview
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Remember that the sole purpose of a conference is to allow the parent and teacher to understand more fully the student’s performance in school and ways to enhance that performance. Communicate this purpose to parents. Keeping this in mind keeps the focus of discussion efficient and productive and discourages extraneous issues.
A note to parents suggesting issues to think about before the conference can be helpful in making the conference productive and setting the scene for mutual information sharing and problem solving. List some possible questions the parents may want to ask such as:
- What are my child’s areas of strength and weaknesses?
- Is my child involved in any special instruction?
- What mathematics or reading group is my child in?
- What method is used to evaluate or grade school work?
- What is teacher’s policy on homework?
- Are there any special problems relating to discipline or socialization?
- What can I do at home to help my child improve in a difficult subject?
- How well does my child communicate?
- Is my child motivated?
- What are the learning objectives for each subject during the current report card period?
- What specific suggestions for improvement does the teacher have for my child?
Encourage the parents to discuss the planned conference with the child, asking of there is anything the child would like the parent to see or discuss. Point out that it is a good idea for parents to confer with the child after the meeting, relating to the student any appropriate information learned in the conference and reinforcing the idea that the teacher and parents are working together in the child’s best interests.
In preparation for the conference, gather any information pertinent to the student’s performance: grades, sample work, standardized test scores, attendance reports, and other pertinent data. It is also wise to have on hand information about rules and procedures that parents have received prior to the conference. Be prepared to discuss each child in terms of:
- Ability to do school work,
- Grade levels in reading and math,
- Special interests and abilities,
- Relationships with other children,
- Level of self-esteem, and
- Behavior in and out of class.
As the conference begins, greet the parents in a warm, friendly manner so they will be comfortable in asking questions and sharing in the discussion. As you talk with the parents, keep in mind these four principles:
- Speak in an everyday language. Avoid the use of education jargon that tends to confuse the message and to distance the parents from the purpose of your conference.
- When describing student behaviors, describe the circumstances and conditions surrounding the behavior. This allows the parents to understand their child’s behavior in the context of the situation when it occurs.
- Throughout the conference, invite questions and comments from the parents, responding with positive comments about their contributions. Communicate your understanding of any difficulties they are experiencing with the child, yet maintain a focus of student performance.
- Avoid emotionally charged words that alarm parents and prevent them from objectively exploring their child’s progress. Labels such as “hyperactive” or immature” are detrimental to parent-teacher communication, as are polarizing words such as “humanism” and “permissive.”
As you begin to conclude the conference, summarize important topics of discussion, checking with parents for mutual understanding of important issues and plans of action. As the parents prepare to leave, encourage them to get in touch with you later if they wish. Convey your appreciation for their interest and involvement in their child’s schooling.
Write a brief anecdotal record on the conference for future reference.
Some additional tips for successful meetings with parents or guardians:
- Don’t wait to make contact until it’s time to schedule a conference. Send parents/guardians a memo or newsletter when the school year starts or even prior to the start of school.
- Start an anecdotal record for students with serious behavioral or learning problems.
- Schedule adequate time. Remember to allow yourself enough time to write notes after one meeting and before the next conference begins.
- Try scheduling your conferences at unconventional times and places to accommodate the differing needs of today’s families.
- Consider creating a fact sheet about your classroom to give to parents at the conference. Make clear to parents your expectations and important due dates as well as your policies on late homework, absences and makeup work.
- Make parents or guardians feel welcome. Post a sign outside the room with your name, the room number and your conference appointment schedule clearly marked. Try to arrange conference-style seating, rather than sitting behind your desk.
- Arrange for special assistance in advance. If, for example, the parents of a student have difficulty with English, you might arrange for someone who speaks their native language to be present at the conference.
- Set a positive tone. Open with a positive statement about the child’s work habits, interests or abilities. Wherever possible during the conference, include good news about the student.
- Be specific. When commenting on positive or negative aspects of a student’s work, use specific examples.
- Take a problem-solving approach. Focus on the child’s strengths throughout the conference and frame any difficulties as “areas of need.” Ask for the parents’ or guardians’ opinions.
- Stress cooperation. Let parents know that you want to work together to help their child succeed.
- End on a positive note. Summarize the actions each of you will take. Offer to meet again. Be sure to thank the parent(s) or guardians for coming in.
- Keep a record of the conference. Keep notes that summarize your conversations. Include specific suggestions for improvement that were discussed during the conference.