Reply to Example of APE Astroturf tactics

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A lot of people complain about the lack of textbooks.  I don’t see why it’s better to have teachers pulling random worksheets from a “Teachers Pay Teachers” website.   What’s wrong with providing teachers with a curriculum and materials that support that curriculum?[/quote]

This.

So many teachers pull cutesy worksheets from this site and yes, they are cute but the content is often not that amazing. Remember, these are just random teachers across the US who are creating the worksheets- some are first year teachers, some aren't even teachers any more and they also know that cute sells.

1 - Textbooks across subjects would standardize curriculums across schools.  APS is big on equity as is many parents. This would help ensure it because a student in S. Arl is getting the same resource and textbook as a student in N. Arl.

2 - when teachers think they can do better, the result for students is a pile of worksheets that they have worked through at the end of a unit that they may or may not have kept track of but what do they do with them? When it's an elementary student, teachers don't spend any time helping students learn to study for a test so that means parents have to do it. So the test is coming up and the student hands the parents a mess of worksheets and then the parent has to try and figure out what exactly was learned, to what depth, and in what order.  If a parent can't figure it out, how could a student be expected to do this.

3 - Should a first year teacher be pulling together their own curriculum when they haven't even taught in a classroom for one month, 6 months, one year?  They have zero experience but you want them creating their own worksheets and making up their own curriculum to try and teach your child and figure out what works and what doesn't?  I don't. I don't want a second year teacher or a third year teacher doing it either. Maybe after 5+ years with experience and feedback they would have the ability to do this but right off the bat, no.

4 - Teachers complain that they have to do all their own planning and gather all their own materials and make copies. Textbooks with workbooks would alleviate some of that load. [/quote]

Very good points!  Even if a specific textbook isn't used, APS should still provide all of the materials for the basic curriculum so, as you say, all students across all schools in APS get the benefit of consistent instruction and resources.
That sums it all up.  There shouldn't be any need for further discussion or debate.  If teachers want to supplement and enhance what they're given, that's fine.  But there should be no need for every teacher to put together their own, unique combinations of materials to cover the course.[/quote]

Looks like the astroturfing has gotten to you![/quote]

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