DCPS "Whole Child" marketing campaign: A waste of money

[Anonymous]

https://twitter.com/DCPSChancellor/status/1616176070197133325?s=20&t=QlCZNkVujjy0DNKKYJ9CiQ&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Does anyone else think that DCPS should be focused on actually getting the majority of this city's kids up to the national standard for reading/writing/science, not focusing on nurturing all of their "identities"?

This whole child stuff is costing a lot of instructional time and taxpayer money.

[Anonymous]

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here - agree. We are being told that making eye contact and developing relationships with students & families is important. As if none of us already realized this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here - agree. We are being told that making eye contact and developing relationships with students & families is important. As if none of us already realized this.

Unfortunately, many teachers have not realized this. I am a classroom teacher and an SEL lead and the amount of students I talk to who don't trust, respect, or feel supported by their teachers is staggering. I'm sure you are a great teacher and implement many of these practices already, but the truth is that in many DCPS schools, particularly those where the students are majority black and teaching staff majority young and white, there are serious tensions that hinder learning. That is why there is such a focus on whole child. It may seem unimportant to the demo on this forum, but it's essential

[Anonymous]

I can’t comment on this particular program, but my kids went from a school with very little SEL to one that heavily emphasizes it. It has made an enormous difference in their approach to attendance and learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here - agree. We are being told that making eye contact and developing relationships with students & families is important. As if none of us already realized this.

Unfortunately, many teachers have not realized this. I am a classroom teacher and an SEL lead and the amount of students I talk to who don't trust, respect, or feel supported by their teachers is staggering. I'm sure you are a great teacher and implement many of these practices already, but the truth is that in many DCPS schools, particularly those where the students are majority black and teaching staff majority young and white, there are serious tensions that hinder learning. That is why there is such a focus on whole child. It may seem unimportant to the demo on this forum, but it's essential

Agreed. I’ve seen teachers yell at students in a way no one should be yelled at for something inconsequential (like tapping on a desk). I think some teachers need to realize when they are not in the emotional place to be a teacher, and leave. And I’m a former teacher and a parent, so I can see things from both perspectives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://twitter.com/DCPSChancellor/status/1616176070197133325?s=20&t=QlCZNkVujjy0DNKKYJ9CiQ&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Does anyone else think that DCPS should be focused on actually getting the majority of this city's kids up to the national standard for reading/writing/science, not focusing on nurturing all of their "identities"?

This whole child stuff is costing a lot of instructional time and taxpayer money.

Let's remember this waste next time DCPS says "we don't have any money!"

[Anonymous]

BUT - what you are explaining is not "Whole Child" - it is expectations of being a teacher.

When I hire someone, I do not need a special marketing program to teach them how to respond to email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BUT - what you are explaining is not "Whole Child" - it is expectations of being a teacher.

When I hire someone, I do not need a special marketing program to teach them how to respond to email.

This. I thought this was why hiring and salaries favor masters in education?

I'm a random businessperson and I know about the whole child concept for teaching. If people are getting hired with this as a mystery, then there's a problem in the pipeline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BUT - what you are explaining is not "Whole Child" - it is expectations of being a teacher.

When I hire someone, I do not need a special marketing program to teach them how to respond to email.

I think you may be misunderstanding, or I'm mis - reading this statement. Teachers need to be trained in how to care for and educate the whole child. We can't keep doing things the way we've been doing them and feign shock it only works for some kids. This isn't just telling teachers "be nice to kids" or "instead of yelling, do this". It's about completely shifting our cultural expectations and the way we communicate with our students to set them up for success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BUT - what you are explaining is not "Whole Child" - it is expectations of being a teacher.

When I hire someone, I do not need a special marketing program to teach them how to respond to email.

This. I thought this was why hiring and salaries favor masters in education?

I'm a random businessperson and I know about the whole child concept for teaching. If people are getting hired with this as a mystery, then there's a problem in the pipeline.

There is a problem in the pipeline. TFA shoved a whole generation of teachers into the system with six weeks of training.

Additionally, older teachers do things the way they've always done them. It's a relearning process.

[Anonymous]

Everything in education, and particularly urban education, is cyclical. A heavy focus on attending to the needs of the whole child and social-emotional learning is not new. However, after 20+ years of high-stakes accountability and testing ad nauseam, the system is churning out grads who get to college or the workplace and are maladjusted/ therefore not performing optimally and/or quickly dropping out. Whole-child/SEL work is an evolution of government and philanthropic efforts centered on persistence-- not just getting kids to college but through. Those who complain about infusing this into a child's educational program likely have the resources and awareness to socialize this at home and/or within other engagements (sports, faith-based activities, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BUT - what you are explaining is not "Whole Child" - it is expectations of being a teacher.

When I hire someone, I do not need a special marketing program to teach them how to respond to email.

This. I thought this was why hiring and salaries favor masters in education?

I'm a random businessperson and I know about the whole child concept for teaching. If people are getting hired with this as a mystery, then there's a problem in the pipeline.

The pipeline is broken. Enrollment at teacher prep programs is down 20% nationwide.

[Anonymous]

So far, my kid's teachers seem to acknowledge this is the kind of sht they have to pay lip service to while continuing to focus on academics.

[Anonymous]

I reject that this is either/or. Wanna focus on the "whole child", fine. But also teach math. Wanna make sure kids feel good about themselves, ok. But also teach writing and grammar. Slogans are not the problem. The fact that kids aren't actually learning is the problem. It is a perfect storm in DC. We've got SJW arguing that homework is against equity and honors classes and advanced work are unfair to low performing kids At the same time we have a bunch of entitled white folks from UMC homes who think because they took a grad school class they are qualified to say Larla shouln't be given homework because it interferes with her "me" time.