CDC and Safe Opening

Last week, the CDC updated the recommendations for social distancing in schools.  Originally the social distance measure was 6 feet however, the new guidelines have reduced that number to 3 feet.  I guess they have figured the COVID virus doesn’t travel more than 2.5 feet.

All kidding aside, the scientists at the CDC have had the most thankless job throughout this whole pandemic.  Their guidance is what State health departments build local guidance upon.  As the CDC learns more about the virus and the patterns of people, they issue updated guidance.  As a school, it becomes frustrating because things are constantly changing.  From the CDC to the California State Department of Health (CDPH) and then the local County guidance, there is quite a bit to not only follow but to figure out.  

Educators all across the country are really trying to do what is best for kids in the safest environment possible.  We don’t want to get in the middle of the political battles fought over the guidance.  We simply want to make our school the safest we possibly can and provide our students with opportunities that will not get them sick. 

As more people are vaccinated, the positivity rate is dropping.  Hopefully, the numbers will continue to drop so schools can begin to bring students back to school.  Ideally, we would like to see schools go back to ‘normal’ but that is still going to take awhile.  In the meantime, we can all settle for 3 to 4 days a week.  The more kids are in school, the less time parents have to spend out of work. This benefits everyone however, we need to make certain we are doing it safely. With a safe plan to open, that is measured, we can see more success with our students.  

Sooner than later is my hope. Until next time...  

Profound Loss

This year has been a difficult year.  Not only have the students suffered an extreme loss of programs and privileges due to the pandemic, but the learning loss has been extreme. I would not be truthful if I said the education our students receive in the ‘distance’ model remotely is equivalent to the learning that happens in the classroom.  Due to this, educators will be playing catch-up for years to come in order to get students back on track. The challenge ahead is going to be much greater than any challenges we have already faced. 

Added to the significant learning loss, loss of co-curricular and extracurricular programs, the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives to this horrible virus. Some of our students have lost a loved one during the past year. Yes, the loss has been profound.

This is the reason it is incumbent upon educators to acknowledge the losses. We need to not sweep it under the rug and act as if everything is fine. Everything has not been fine however, we have a path to better days. Things are getting better and life will soon return to ‘normal’.  Though this is the case, we must look to pick up the pieces that are broken, find the best fix, and move forward.  The students need it.  The staff needs it.  The community needs it.

The best we can do is continue to support each other throughout this time of profound loss, prepare ourselves for the future, and hope a pandemic never comes again.

Until next time...

Family-School Relation and Student Performance

The importance of family-school relations is well documented over the years. Additionally, it was often speculated as to how important that relationship is to student performance. In one research study, a sample of American households were used to examine the relationship between parent involvement in the school and the student performance. This research study sampled 179 households to investigate 3 hypothesis: “(1) the higher the educational status of the mother the greater the degree of parental involvement in school activities; (2) the younger the age of the child the greater the degree of parental involvement; and (3) children of parents who are more involved in school activities do better in school than children with parents who are less involved.”

The data supported all 3 hypotheses. The first regarded the educational status of the mother. Since this is related to overall parent education level, the data showed the parents with a higher level of education are generally more actively involved in the school. Secondly, the younger the student, the more the parents were involved. Lastly, parent involvement in school activities are an indicator of success.

This study is significant, because it confirms what educators know to be true about parent involvement. When students first start school, parents are actively involved. They walk them to class and pick them up daily. As children grow, schools begin to see less and less of parents. Once a student reaches High School, parents are rarely seen, unless called for a meeting on campus. This type of meeting is certainly not the best for building community support.

This study simply shows that the data supports parent involvement and the positive impact on student performance at all grade levels. Bottom line is that a great school is one that welcomes parents on campus and finds ways to incorporate them into the fabric. Until next time...

Citation:
Stevenson, D. L., & Baker, D. P. (1987). The family-school relation and the child's school performance. Child development, 1348-1357.

Collaborative Processes

When we talk about collaboration in schools, we must include the strategies for parental involvement and parent engagement. It is a fact that is well known in the public schools that as students rise in grade, the parent involvement decreases. That is actually opposite to what should be happening. Students and the schools need more parental involvement as students get older and schools should develop an engagement strategy to involve families. When schools do, they are seen as more culturally responsive, collaborative, and equitable.

Collaborative processes can benefit the student in many ways, but are much more efficient when all stakeholders are involved. Open communication is vital to student success and the school leader that has authentic quality communication with all stakeholders, including parents will ultimately be more successful. By including everyone in the communication, a school will be able to close the achievement gap much quicker than without. Once open lines of communication have been established, proper planning is needed. The quality of the overall program and equity with all learners should be evaluated. If change is warranted, systemic change should be implemented along with a system of evaluation. This will anchor any change to the learner and what is best for them.

Until next time...

Blended Learning

In public schools today, there is not a single formula that will transform schools. Effective schools sustain improvement strategies by focusing their efforts on improving teacher instruction and focusing on student learning. By hiring high quality teachers or giving professional development for those on staff, instruction can improve. Teachers that have identified improvement needs, should be scheduled for focused professional development. Additionally, in order for the classroom teacher to be successful, the school and district have to support by creating a safe environment. The support continues by implementing a curriculum of a higher rigor, providing a bell schedule that is conducive for learning, and preparing students for school with sound policy.

According to research, there are 7 best practices to support the blended learning model such as: 1) Integrating computer peripherals, 2) Incorporating interactive games, 3) Check for understand with short quizzes, 4) Continue to use face to face lectures to cover challenge concepts, 5) Implement a technological or otherwise classroom response system, 6) Divide students into groups to collaborate, 7) Utilize the internet to archive notes and lectures. Seeking a ‘best practice’ is a way to assist students in maximizing their achievement. The challenge lies in choosing the correct practice. Since students all learn differently, a blended model incorporating several strategies would be the most successful, however it is not the model that will provide the most benefit. 

Teachers that develop a regular practice of reflection about their teaching strategies are found to be more successful. Therefore, the reflective teacher that utilizes a blended strategy will be more successful over the long term and be able to reach more students. Additionally, teachers need to respect all learners and their cultural identities. They must be socially responsive and utilize responsible teaching tools to encourage learning. As teachers expose students to educational experiences, they must encourage participation in language, literacy, and life while crossing traditional boundaries.

Until next time...

Diversity in the Classroom

The challenges in American public schools can be vast due to the demographic design of America itself. Many of the challenges can be faced and remedied easily while others are deeply ingrained in our system. Unlike other countries, our system of education is compulsory for all minors allowing no provision for tracking of students into careers. In other words, since education in America is compulsory, we take all comers.

Our public school system is based on the premise that all students can learn at high levels and they need to be college and career ready upon graduation from high school. With the design of our system comes the challenges of fitting the needs of every student. Understanding the dynamics of our system is imperative to define the essential challenges we face with diversity. 

In the classroom, teachers need to develop best practices to address diversity. By being aware of the cultures present and the diverse needs of all the students, the teacher will be better suited to serve their needs. When the teacher can embrace the diversity, the students will develop a better understanding of cultures. Teachers that are culturally responsive, share five characteristics: 1) They develop a culturally diverse base, 2) They design lessons that are relevant, 3) They demonstrate a caring attitude toward cultural diversity, 4) they develop cross-cultural communication techniques, and 5) They utilize culturally respectful instruction. The need for teachers to design lessons that embrace diversity is greater than ever. Teachers that not only embrace diversity in the classroom, but work to incorporate them positively into their curriculum are more successful.

Diversity in the classroom is not only indicated by race. Diversity can involve class, gender, and sexual orientation as well. With each of these forms of difference, students come to the classroom with hosts of experiences, world views, cultural contexts, and sets of experiences.

Additionally, students not only have diverse needs, come from diverse backgrounds, but they have diverse ways of learning. Some learn through visual means, other by auditory, and some through kinesthetic touch. These differences increase the challenges in developing lessons. Teachers need to develop ways to adapt the curricular content to and delivery to meet the needs of the students’ individual and cultural differences.

Educators all have the responsibility to provide a quality education for all students. Part of that is preparing teachers with proper professional development that increases self-awareness; cultivates an understanding of diversity; increases cultural competency; prepares teachers to work with diverse parents as well as students. Multicultural education is more than just an ethnic issue. It is vitally important for everyone to understand it is a universal issue that should be shared by all. 

Until next time...

Governance

The local public school system in America is vitally important to the community that it serves. The connection to a higher standard of living is anchored in a well-educated workforce. That relationship is so important that many studies have been prompted linking the benefits of education and economic performance. Knowing the benefits, governments from around the world keep formal education funding as a large portion of their budget.

As the government focus has become much greater, politicians and business leaders call into question the global competitiveness of American schools. This sentiment is due, in a large part, to schools not graduating students more skilled in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). According to the National statistics, STEM jobs increased over 24% from the ten year span of 2004 and 2014 requiring over 6 million jobs, yet schools are not training enough students to fill the need. This comes down to the direction from the State Department of Education and not the local school Districts. Though the State publishes curriculum standards for Districts to comply, the funding for programs is less than adequate. School Districts all around the country struggle to fund exceptional programs that are needed in the STEM areas as many times, they are costly. The challenge is often that with the onset of technology, the need for devices is constantly changing and upgrading at a particularly high cost. This constantly changing environment found in the business world is not necessarily conducive to the educational world.

Though the education system is transforming to include more STEM in the State of California, there are certain consistencies that hold true. The more local the control, the better served the student can be. The locality will have the best idea how to serve the students and that is what it is all about. The profession of education is a service industry. Though we are faced with challenges, serving the students in the classrooms transcends all hurdles lending hope to the idea that people make the difference, not programs. Taking that ideal and employing a service learning environment can build a community of people that look to help other people with learning about their world.

Until next time...