The Year in Review for Educators

The year 2014 was a significant one for American educators. Many of the issues that came to the surface during the year are still unresolved and will continue to make headlines throughout the United States during the new year-2015. Here are some of the significant events of this year.

The Vergara V. California case highlighted the issues of teacher tenure and accountability. Nine students successfully sued the school system resulting in an historic decision that reaffirmed the fundamental, Constitutional right of every student to learn  from an effective  teacher.  (See http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/29/vergara-v-california-the-most-important-court-case-you-ve-never-heard-of.htmlfrom effective teachers and have an equal opportunity to succeed in school. )

Common Core State Standards Initiative is an educational mandate in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in English /language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and seeks to establish consistent educational standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or to enter the workforce.

Detroit Bankruptcy.  The financially ailing city of Detroit declared bankruptcy and as a result forced several of the municipal unions, including the teachers’ union, to make concessions to city. This has resulted in the mandatory reduction in pension benefits to retired teachers. No matter what state constitutions say about the sanctity of a negotiated public pension, federal bankruptcy law authorizes a city to restructure its obligations to restore financial  equilibrium . Because the U.S. Constitution says that the laws of the United States supersede other state laws," a city can be forced to reduce its pension obligations. It has done so in Detroit and other municipalities.

The November elections. The results of the recent elections will have a significant impact on education legislation going forward. Starting in January both the House of Representatives and the Senate will be under Republican control, a group that will try to reign in government spending. Additionally, a majority of the state governorships are also under Republican control.

Let us hope that the new year of 2015 will bring peace and security to our country and that the year will also be a positive one for our nation’s teaching profession.

Happy Holidays.

The December Dilemma Revisited

Dealing with What to Teach during the Holiday Season

The month of December can be a wonderful time for teachers. It provides them the opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of America and introduce students the joys of Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanza. It can also be a constitutional minefield sucking unwary teachers (especially first year teachers) into confrontations with parents, school official and religious leaders about what should be taught or expressed in the classroom. Is a Christmas tree a religious object? What about a Menorah? Can we sing Christmas carols and if so which ones are not too religious?

In most school districts such policies are dictated by the local school boards. There should be some rule of thumb for a prudent classroom teacher to use so as not to violate any student’s First Amendment Rights while still retaining the joy and educational values of the holiday season.

The state of California has come up with a litmus test of sorts that you may want to keep as a reference guide.

1)      Is the planned activity or event consistent with the educational mission of the school?

2)      Will the activity or event make students your students feel uncomfortable?

3)      Can a lesson be prepared that teaches about the meaning of a holiday without proselytizing for a specific religion?

The issue of appropriate music is also the subject for discussion at this time of year. The history of all music has its beginnings in liturgical and religious music, so leaving religious music out on purely religious grounds seems a bit extreme. Again, these are issues that should be discussed with school administrators prior to planning any holiday musical productions.

We would also like to recommend a book, especially appropriate for elementary and middle school grades. The Christmas Menorahs by Janice Cohn with illustrations by Bill Farnsworth (1995) is based on a true story set in Billings, Montana. Its message, so appropriate at this time of year, is that we should all stand up for intolerance and celebrate the similarities of diverse religious beliefs. We are all Americans and live in a country where religious freedom is a paramount right.

note; this article was originally posted in Dec. 2010

Time to Reconsider Technical Education

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to tour the Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology in Naples. Since I had not visited a technical high school for at least ten years I was amazed at the programs offered as well as the state of the art equipment that was available for the students to use. This high school had a program in aircraft repair with actual planes for students to work on. The same was true of the marine engine repair program.  Lorenzo Walker also offered programs in culinary arts, cosmetology and medical and dental assistant. Local residents are encouraged to visit the dining room for lunch or make an appointment for a shampoo and haircut. Local residents can also make appointments at the dental clinic. The programs at Lorenzo Walker are not only available to high school students, who must complete their academic work before transferring, programs are also offered to adults in search of a new career.

The take away from my visit and meeting with students was that technical education was a more certain path that would lead to a job upon graduation.

They also reiterated that college, such as we academics know it, is not for everyone.

For those of you who have students who are uncertain about their future or confused about a career path, tell them to make a New Year’s resolution and consider technical education.

c.2014  J. Margolis

Carrots fort Charlie is Back!

The lovable cavalier king charles spaniel and his friend Max are romping through Naples Florida. This book, enjoyed by hundreds of school children in Florida and New Jersey is available for purchase for the holidays. This inspirational story about friendship as well as the importance of good health, exercise and nutrition makes the perfect holiday gift. Hundreds of copies

of “Carrots for Charlie” have been donated to children’s organizations and hospitals around southwest Florida.

Now is your chance to purchase a copy of this endearing book. The cost is $10 plus shipping. If you are interested in obtaining an autographed copy guaranteed to arrive for the holidays, please leave your name and email address in the message portion of this blog.

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Reading is Fundamental for Teachers

There have been dozens, no make that hundreds of books written about education in this country. Some discussed what was right with America’s education process while others wrote about all that was wrong with it and how our nation has fallen behind other developed nations in educating their students. A number of books proposed new theories and revolutionary ideas as to how to change the course of America’s public education. There were those authors too that examined the way that we prepare teachers in this country. Still other academicians dissected the curriculum, arguing about what should or should not be taught . About the only thing that the authors could agree upon was that something needed to be changed.

A recent article in “Educator”, the publication of Temple University’s College of Education in Philadelphia, examined several new works published by its faculty.

One book, “The Bilingual Mind” by Aneta Pavlenko, explored the dominant theories of language and how it affects thought. Another book, “Uncommon Core,” by Michael Smith, Deborah Appleman, and Jeffrey Wilhelm, delved into the Common Core State Standards and noted the importance to retain pre=reading and pre-writing lessons in the curriculum. A third publication “Reading Unbound: Why Kids Need to Read What they Want- and Why We Should Let Them,”(Jeffrey Wilhelm and Michael Smith) brings home the importance of getting students to read and to like what they read. It is just as important have students read the Harry Potter books, as it is to have them read great American classics. The fourth both mentioned in the article is entitled “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Adolescents and Adults,”(edited by Matt Tincani and Andy Bondy). This book is a compendium of current research of how to give support to adolescents and adults who have been diagnosed with autism and related disorders.

You certainly might find a title here to place on your Christmas wish list, but like the topic covered in “Reading Unbound,” it is extremely important to keep up with your professional reading and to gain an understanding of what is trending in American education today.

c.2014  J. Margolis

A Veterans Day Story for Teachers

A story crossed my desk the other day that I would like to share with the education community and is appropriate for Veterans Day. This story is about David Oclander, a West Point graduate and a veteran who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.  When he returned home, Oclander decided to pursue a career as a classroom teacher. He felt that he had a great deal to contribute to the community and his leadership skills would serve him well in the front of a classroom. There was just one problem- he did not have a teaching credential. Fortunately for Oclander and the school district of Chicago, the state of Illinois does not require teaching credentials to teach in a charter school. So after a three month crash course he wound up at a Noble Network Charter School in one of the worst neighborhoods of Chicago and began to make a difference. Oclander began to take a participle interest in a young man who had said that he was considering enlisting in the army after graduation. He suggested to his student that he should consider applying to West Point, a goal well beyond his imagination. As  you might have guessed, the student, with his teacher’s help, is now a cadet at the United States Military Academy ( West Point.) For teachers- you never know who is sitting in your classroom and who you can help succeed. For students, stay in school and don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help.  They want to help you success in school and in life.

To all of our veterans-  Thanks for your service. America honors you.

c.2014 J. Margolis