My Favorite Formative Assessment

If you were to do a walk-through of my classroom you would likely believe my favorit formative assessment to be Fist to Five. Multiple times during a period I will poll students on their performance and affective status. That process is quite explicit.  It would take an exceptionally insightful evaluator to identify my favorite form of formative assessment. It is listening. Yes, of course it is important to really hear what students are asking and what their questions convey about their understanding when they ask direct questions of the teacher. But, I'm talking about listening when those students don't think the teacher is listening. Sometimes just after I've set them to a cooperative task I duck into the chemistry prep room and sit at my desk at the door to the classroom. I just listen. I find out if they really know what they are supposed to do. I hear students explain concepts and guide others through procedures. It tells me about both types of students simultaneously. I usually don't even have to hide for them to reveal themselves. I have found there to be a perception unique to teenagers. They seem to believe that when they are speaking to another teen they are conversing in a language foreign to those over 20. It is amazing what they will say within my earshot or even when I am working adjacent to their lab station.

Six Year Shelf Life

Just as a teacher fully ripens, generally five years into teaching, she leaves the profession. Sure, we can investigate why this is so, remove obstacles and increase incentives to try to give teachers what they need in order to keep them in place. So far not so good in making a difference. What if we sidestep it completely? What I propose accepts that there are few quality teachers suited to lifelong career commitment to education. What I am about to suggest has the potential to improve teaching (or what is usually referred to as teacher quality) immediately and surely.
What if we really had principals? -principal teachers. Small teams of teachers serving the same groups of students is not a new idea. But what if they were led by a consummate teacher? One with a grasp on pedagogy. This mentor would teach but also train, supervise and cooperatively work with a cadre of recent college grads. Those young, bright and committed souls that have the energy, passion and vision to give it their all. And perhaps vitally, they have been untouched by the current archaic system. Let them work under the mentor for up to four years. Then they can decide to make a career change or become as their mentor. These mentors I would not only consider teacher leaders but replacements for graduate school programs and professors that prepare teachers. They should be of that caliber and serve that function in situ.

Waiting for Superman

As one who has helped start and has taught in a charter school I have a few things to say about this movie. The final conclusion that we all must contribute to school improvement - to not accept the mediocrity we have now is warranted. The impression that charter schools may be the answer needs to be examined more closely. I agree that the methods of and commitment of those running the best charter schools are key. That we can meet our nation's needs through accelerating such school charters is putting too much faith in a fairly random and incomplete process. I hope that we can move beyond charter schools. For many the initial purpose of charter schools was not to offer alternative opportunities to a few (or even all) but to prove and showcase models and methods to be implemented widely in all schools. The blame for why this has not happened can, as presented in this movie, be placed at the feet of unions and the consequent culture they induce in public schools.
It might also be worth noting that the best charter schools generally are composed of young idealists who are willing to and can afford to give it their all. But even these dedicated souls burnout quickly. These schools do not have the teacher attrition problem beat. In fact, they generally don't address it at all.