WCP article on Watkins

[Anonymous]

And go ahead and name the teachers who have been there 3 or more years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

I see racist anti-gentrifier troll has found this thread.

[Anonymous]

I see one of the main questions here as: why should a principal pay so much attention to the achievement gap when it's clearly not going away. Why not just leave it to the teachers to teach as best they can and let the students achieve to whatever level they can. I wonder if principal Bell has found that dithering over the achievement gap is a great way to please the higher-ups in order to keep her job, while her failing managerial skills cause teachers to leave in droves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

I see racist anti-gentrifier troll has found this thread.

I see the person who bizarrely thinks that talking about racism is racist is still here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I sense [detractors] think that somehow those [achievement gap] efforts harm the outcomes for white students or other students,” says one parent who supports Bell. “Maybe they think if you’re focusing efforts on the achievement gap, you can’t achieve for all students.”

I think that this is a real concern. Do Watkins families feel that children doing above grade level work are pushed to reach even farther? That is not the sense I have come away with after speaking with Watkins parents.

Do Watkins family think their kids are MORE important than some other Watkins family kids? The reasonable, community-minded approach would be to work to serve both sets of students, particularly since you chose to live in a city and neighborhood that you know is beset by income inequality. Not to take over the school for your own personal benefit.l

No, but they certainly think their children are equally important.

By the way the Watkins neighborhood is not beset with income equality. The income equality comes from OOB. Doesn't make the kids any less important, but you should get your facts right.

The idea that the UMC kids at Watkins are somehow being harmed by attempts to address income inequality is just ludicrous.

When the attitude of some teachers is that your child is already ahead and therefore it doesn't matter if they make progress during the year, then yes, they are being harmed.

Yeah, I don't believe that's the case. Even if it is, sounds like it's one bad teacher -- and also that there's no evidence that NOT helping the kids at the bottom would help the kids at the top.

Preventing (or at least, not encouraging) the further advancement of the advanced kids will help reduce the achievement gap. Helping the advanced kids excel increases the gap. It's not "ludicrous," it's common sense.

That sounds like a really intense conspiracy theory, and I seriously doubt it's true.

the school isn't the reason advanced kids are advanced and conversely they can't them back academically. This is just stupid tin foil hat trolling from PP

np here. I don't think this is so far off the mark. Look at what is happening at Wilson next year with the Principal putting all students, regardless of ability, in honors classes. I think DCPS understands that it is next to impossible to meaningfully raise the scores of low performing students without serious, costly social interventions. So, lets make that achievement gap lessen by slowing the propulsion of higher performing students. You really think an "honors" class that has students both below and above grade level is going to serve higher performing students? How much more advanced will they really become when the teacher spends the majority of her/his time trying to get students several grades behind just to grade level? I am all for helping these students but suspect DCPS has decided to do it at the expense of high performing students.

so you're comparing a HIGH SCHOOL curriculum with an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL curriculum? That's ridiculous

No, she's comparing a philosophical approach with another philosophical approach and suspects they both have the same political aim and strategy.

[Anonymous]

Yep. It's expensive to strongly support excellence and equity at the same time. Unless you think about it rigorously from a management perspective and make strategic choices in support of both aims, its easier to sacrifice one for the other. Without admitting that's what you're doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

I see racist anti-gentrifier troll has found this thread.

I see the person who bizarrely thinks that talking about racism is racist is still here.

PP, you brought up race in the first place. I'm not the PPP, but I personally know reverse racism and racism is racism no matter how you cut it, reverse or straight-on. Go get a mirror and do some self-reflection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

I see racist anti-gentrifier troll has found this thread.

I see the person who bizarrely thinks that talking about racism is racist is still here.

PP, you brought up race in the first place. I'm not the PPP, but I personally know reverse racism and racism is racism no matter how you cut it, reverse or straight-on. Go get a mirror and do some self-reflection.

How is it reverse racism to say that privileged white DC parents might not be in the best position to make judgments about black DC parents and "generational poverty"? are you one of those people who thinks that talking about racism at all is racist?

[Anonymous]

Well, if you've got some explanation for DC's achievement gap other than generational poverty, I'm all ears. Maybe you have some insight that others don't have. Make a list for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, if you've got some explanation for DC's achievement gap other than generational poverty, I'm all ears. Maybe you have some insight that others don't have. Make a list for us.

Obviously generational poverty (caused by racism btw) is part of the achievement gap. But not all poor black kids have awful families, and many of them do well and care about their kids and school. My objection is to the screed by the OP basically declaring all black families and kids in her child's school as ignorant and abusive and uneducable alongside her own child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if you've got some explanation for DC's achievement gap other than generational poverty, I'm all ears. Maybe you have some insight that others don't have. Make a list for us.

Obviously generational poverty (caused by racism btw) is part of the achievement gap. But not all poor black kids have awful families, and many of them do well and care about their kids and school. My objection is to the screed by the OP basically declaring all black families and kids in her child's school as ignorant and abusive and uneducable alongside her own child.

It is very eye opening for white liberals to be all for equality and equity UNTIL they see some of the things that go on at drop off and pickup at schools like Watkins. Really makes everything seem hopeless because that white liberal doesn't dare approach anyone to talk about solutions to what they have witnessed. And then they are called racist and elitist when they pull their students out to avoid the bad examples are stressful environment around them. Childhood is short. What is the solution?

Too bad they don't make people take a class or pass a test before having children. Doesn't mean you won't screw it up, but at least you would be familiar with generally accepted rules of the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if you've got some explanation for DC's achievement gap other than generational poverty, I'm all ears. Maybe you have some insight that others don't have. Make a list for us.

Obviously generational poverty (caused by racism btw) is part of the achievement gap. But not all poor black kids have awful families, and many of them do well and care about their kids and school. My objection is to the screed by the OP basically declaring all black families and kids in her child's school as ignorant and abusive and uneducable alongside her own child.

It is very eye opening for white liberals to be all for equality and equity UNTIL they see some of the things that go on at drop off and pickup at schools like Watkins. Really makes everything seem hopeless because that white liberal doesn't dare approach anyone to talk about solutions to what they have witnessed. And then they are called racist and elitist when they pull their students out to avoid the bad examples are stressful environment around them. Childhood is short. What is the solution?

Too bad they don't make people take a class or pass a test before having children. Doesn't mean you won't screw it up, but at least you would be familiar with generally accepted rules of the road.

what a load of crap you just wrote, ending with a lovely suggestion of eugenics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

there was no mention of race. I am pretty sure the poor white folks the WaPo have been profiling in their recent series have no concept of these parenting tasks either. these are serious issues and need to be addressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has to be huge stress on a Principal when the "achievement gap" is front-and-center within the school itself. In contrast, most of the time, the "gap" exists between schools, which allows critics to say that one school's services are better than the other; but that can't happen here when the same school is supporting dramatically opposite results, within the same classes. In a word, Watkins represents a cauldron where the problem -- "the achievement gap" -- is on clear display.

In my opinion, the Watkins example shows that the lower-performing kids need support, starting very early in their lives, that no public elementary school has the resources to provide. I'm no expert, so I don't know exactly what wrap-around services these kids need, but part of it is probably tutoring and creative support at the nursery school level. In short, the "achievement gap" is a problem that cannot be solved by any principal. Ms. Bell would be in a real tough spot even if her management skills were the best in the world.

the problem is the parents, they are the ones who need massive support. Starting with basics on parenting-like read to your child every single night, even when they are babies. Don't scream or curse at your kids, do not hit them or curse at them. Don't get them soda or juice before school. Don't let them have any violet video games or watch or listen to violent music. I am appalled at what I see at my Title 1 school EoTP. All the parents "love" PK but we don;t have blinders on for K and higher. The poor kids. And the poor teachers who will never have the time or resources to undo the damage the parents are doing every single day. And thats the fucking truth that DCPS won't face. So they can keep on building shiny new buildings but that makes no difference.

wow. so all black parents have no understanding of literacy, scream at their kids, and HEAVEN FORFEND feed them JUICE before school? You are also terrible.

Denying the realities of generational poverty isn't going to help anyone.

Forgive me if I don't think the average white, gentrifier DCUM poster obsessed with the success of their advanced learner snowflake in school is an expert in the "realities of generational poverty" based on a minute of experience at an urban school.

there was no mention of race. I am pretty sure the poor white folks the WaPo have been profiling in their recent series have no concept of these parenting tasks either. these are serious issues and need to be addressed.

no. the pp was obviously talking about race.