Documentary on DC METROPOLITAN Airing Tonight on PBS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

I don't feel obliged to have a ready-made solution to all the ills of DCPS, but I will say that we should first get rid of the present administration, that has completely failed. Replace it with a competent administration that understands that teachers alone can't solve all the problems of urban education. That's a start. If the admin is competent, it's practices will be based on common sense and empirical information, not a belief system and miracles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

I don't feel obliged to have a ready-made solution to all the ills of DCPS, but I will say that we should first get rid of the present administration, that has completely failed. Replace it with a competent administration that understands that teachers alone can't solve all the problems of urban education. That's a start. If the admin is competent, it's practices will be based on common sense and empirical information, not a belief system and miracles.

+1 with an AMEN!

[Anonymous]

Barack needs to see this film

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

One of great ironies of IMPACT is that many very good teachers who do a heroic job every day are being branded as minimally effective while some truly mediocre teachers who do very little have been labelled highly effective and given bonuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many of you are so ignorant to the issues facing our youth today- not only in our nations Capitol, but across the country. DC Met is just one of the many examples of schools that are failing our students that has gone ignored for so long. Ms. Minor was not an effective principal because her students didn't make growth. To blame the failure of our schools on our students is ignorant and racist. The fact is, the expectations that you set for students determine how successful they will be. We can't just keep putting a bandaid on the problem- teachers and administrators must prove they should be teaching by showing growth with our students- no matter what the circumstances are. Take some time to educate yourselves - especially if you have children in school.

DC MET is not failing our children, we are!!!! I don't know if you watched this documentary but DC Met was a school of last choice, when all the other option have run out. One of the students clearly stated all the schools he had been expelled from, including "Choice" and that is supposed to be an alternative school for children who cannot function in a regular school. If those young men and women, have been expelled from numerous public and charter (if they were ever let in), are teen parents, criminal records, learning disabilities, dysfunctional and non-existent families, substance abuse, mental health and health issues in general, are reading years below grade level, are truants, and have missed so much school that they are not performing at grade level, I think what they do is miraculous. Not only that, you do realize that passing the DC CAS has no impact on a child's grade or ability to graduate in DCPS (DCPS policy not schools); hence, a student has no incentive to take the test seriously. The only impact the DC CAS has, is on the school and the staff. You think that makes any sense at all???? Your comments make no sense, because despite the problems that these children had/have the staff continued to have high expectations for those children. The shabby building, lack of resources, and compassion showed that DCPS had low expectations for these children. Please go and volunteer at Washington Met., start with doing some home visits - they will be glad to have you.

Got it: make HS graduation contingent on a high CAS score. Sounds like a recipe for success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

I don't feel obliged to have a ready-made solution to all the ills of DCPS, but I will say that we should first get rid of the present administration, that has completely failed. Replace it with a competent administration that understands that teachers alone can't solve all the problems of urban education. That's a start. If the admin is competent, it's practices will be based on common sense and empirical information, not a belief system and miracles.

We should just keep firing DCPS leadership until gentrification reduces District poverty to the point where the public school system can actually function. Then we'll raise whoever's lucky enough to be sitting in the Chancellor's chair up on our shoulders and carry them around in a victory lap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

One of great ironies of IMPACT is that many very good teachers who do a heroic job every day are being branded as minimally effective while some truly mediocre teachers who do very little have been labelled highly effective and given bonuses.

By what objective, quantifiable, independently verifiable measures were they so heroic or mediocre?

[Anonymous]

The school they showed was fine and the principal looked like she was doing a very good job as were the staff.

Schools like this don't need better administrators, better teachers, because you can have the best and it still won't make a difference.

200+ students withe very serious family and home problems coupled with possible learning challenges would overburden any school. Most of the issues are social services issues that bleed over into school.

So what happens is those few staff available to deal with those issues in the school can give a little bit of time to each student but can never focus enough time and energy on any one student to make an impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's two sides to the coin - If there are kids who are a repeat behavior problem from class to class, regardless of teacher, it is that student who is the problem and addressing the student's bad behavior is where focus needs to be.

But at the same time, if teachers have inadequate classroom management skills, that's certainly also a huge problem - check for example YouTube for videos with teachers displaying completely ineffective or even completely inappropriate behavior - some teachers really really don't know how to manage students and classrooms effectively, and that's something that the school administration needs to diagnose and deal with effectively as well.

And with their zillion dollar IMPACT evaluation system, DCPS has surely gotten rid of all the teachers with poor classroom mgt skills.

What's your solution? Poor classroom management continues, and there are still lousy teachers. Rather than whining about IMPACT, or saying "get rid of IMPACT" the answer needs to be "what do we replace it with?" So... what is your answer?

One of great ironies of IMPACT is that many very good teachers who do a heroic job every day are being branded as minimally effective while some truly mediocre teachers who do very little have been labelled highly effective and given bonuses.

By what objective, quantifiable, independently verifiable measures were they so heroic or mediocre?

You could start by looking at how preps a teacher has per day.

[Anonymous]

You could start by looking at how many preps a teacher has per day.

[Anonymous]

Definitely consider whether the teacher is working in a high needs demographic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely consider whether the teacher is working in a high needs demographic.

Where a teacher is working is separate from how heroic or mediocre a teacher actually is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely consider whether the teacher is working in a high needs demographic.

Where a teacher is working is separate from how heroic or mediocre a teacher actually is.

You haven't watched the film. Watch it. You might just get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely consider whether the teacher is working in a high needs demographic.

Where a teacher is working is separate from how heroic or mediocre a teacher actually is.

You haven't watched the film. Watch it. You might just get it.

I saw Part I but wasn't impressed. Maybe there's some magic in Part II that I missed.
But what are you saying about whether where they teach matters? That even lousy teachers should be considered heroes and get kudos and accolades just for teaching in a challenging district?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely consider whether the teacher is working in a high needs demographic.

Where a teacher is working is separate from how heroic or mediocre a teacher actually is.

You haven't watched the film. Watch it. You might just get it.

I saw Part I but wasn't impressed. Maybe there's some magic in Part II that I missed.
But what are you saying about whether where they teach matters? That even lousy teachers should be considered heroes and get kudos and accolades just for teaching in a challenging district?

Not saying that. But the job that teachers do in high needs schools is much more difficult. And that should be considered when evaluating teachers.