Yep, I’m away from the home site. Friday and Saturday (CST, and the “C” stands for “China,” not “Central”) I was meeting with faculty and students at National Taiwan Normal University to discuss evidence-based education. It was a 12-hour workshop spread over two days. The topics were
- Essential Dimensions of Studies of Effectiveness
- Way of Integrating Reserach about Effective Methods
- Some Methods are More Effective
- Single-subject Research can Contribute to Effectiveness
- General Principles of Effectiveness
I was awed by the competence, thoughtfulness, and engagement of the members of the audience. I spoke in English and they were right there with me. They raised many of the same issues one hears in the US (e.g., defenses of case studies against my argument that such research, though valuable, doesn’t permit strong inferences about what practices produce better outcomes than others), but the discussion was remarkably civil and reflective.
I’ll be traveling a bit soon. Tomorrow we’re away to Taipei, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. I’ll speak a couple of times while visiting. I’ll be checking on the blogs, to be sure, but the frequency of posting may lessen. There will be photos…probably on another location such as my Flickr and .Mac accounts.
Meanwhile, here’s hoping Erica Renee, over at SnazzyKat, has a happy and safe delivery of little Sammy.
From the sound of it, the Clayton County (GA, US) schools could use some practice with teaching effectively. According to a story by Heather Vogell, writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, students with disabilities are faring poorly on state tests.
In the report, the state Department of Education’s 11 evaluators found:
• Many Clayton special education teachers lack training and certifications to teach grade-level math to students.
• Disabled students are removed from regular classes, dismissed early or suspended often — costing valuable class time when other strategies for managing behavior exist.
• Teachers and administrators are failing to provide some disabled students the accommodations they need to learn at the fastest pace.
• Expectations are lowered for students placed in special education. Regular education options are not always considered when they should be.
The state will give Clayton up to $60,000 and about two years to improve. The district could eventually lose federal funding if it does not.
Assistant Superintendent Luvenia Jackson said Clayton will use the report to boost reforms already under way.
In her story, Ms. Vogell leads with a parent’s concern about math instruction. Mayhaps the powers that be should spend a bit of that $60K on buying my favorite practical guide to teaching arithmetic and mathematics, Designing Effective Mathematics Instruction by Marcy Stein and colleagues. It’s research-based, eminently sensible, and shows the scope of arithmetic and mathematics from K through 8th, illustrating each concept and operation with scripted lessons.
Link to Ms. Vogell’s story.
Ms. KP [name removed], a graduate of Illinois State University’s (US) special education program in 2005, is a teacher in a central-Illinois elementary school. She maintains a blog and parts of some of the entries are about her teaching experiences.
It’s interesting to me to track Ms. P.’s experiences. I can understand when she complains about in-service training, but I got a hint of more general discouragement, too. She noted in one entry that securing her first teaching job was “well worth the time and effort” and that her class is good, but in other entries she complains about some of the children and about having new ones assigned to her. In another entry, she indicates that she’d rather be working with older students.
I guess being a bit discouraged is understandable. I remember my first year of teaching. Although I had worked as an aide for several years, it was daunting to be responsible for the kids. Furthermore, I put in lots of evening and early-AM hours getting ready for the school days. I hope Kacie’s experiences are good in the long run.
The Aspen Institute has a deal with the US government (read $$ contract) to assemble people’s comments about the US “No Child Left Behind” law and its implementation. Go there and tell ‘em what you think! Please. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the law or its implementation, write to ‘em. Give ‘em data that they have to analyze. For serious.
Link for NCLB comments.
Effectiveness is the topic of some posts on other blogs discussing educational practices. If you’re interested, take a peek at these:
- Over on Let’s Get it Right—NCLBlog (the AFT site’s blog) there are notes by Michelle and John about what works in education.
- Over on The Life that Chose Me, a parent of children with disabilities who is also a special educator and identifies himself as Dick Dalton, provides his commentary on gold standards for research.
I have a lot to say about these topics, but am pressed for time right now…in fact, preparing to deliver several talks on the topics while abroad. More later….
Latest Comments