A New School Year

A New School Year

Well, I checked my calendar this morning and I see that it is Tuesday, August 26th. In just two days my Walters JHS colleagues will return to school to begin three days of Staff Development or In-Service Training. I will not be with them because I am now retired! This is the time when the fact that I am retired will truly set in because my “vacation” will continue after Labor Day. I wonder how their year will progress.

I wonder if these three days of mandated staff development & training will be as mind numbing and the colossal waste of time that they have always been. I wonder if the new teachers will realize that they are truly alone when the bell rings and that they are a one person show? I wonder how many parents will allow their students to attend school three or four days a week and routinely excuse their weekly absences. I wonder how many students will spend more time on work avoidance, off task behaviors and disruptive behaviors than those who really want to learn. When will adults realize that ipods and cell phones are both a disruption and distraction in the classroom setting? I wonder if any of these topics will be discussed before the school year begins.

No doubt there are topics of concern; but more than likely these topics will focus on test results, identification of under achieving students, reasons for their underachievement and suggested remedies. Teachers know why some students are underachievers and administrators should know; but when the plan is launched to bring about change it will miss the mark. More than likely when the plan is launched it will identify parents as a vital part of this success plan; but they will not be held accountable or responsible for their students’ attendance, behavior, attitude, or completion of work.
Next, we have the under achieving student. As a possible new arrival to this country or as a possible refugee from one of our own urban war zones these students are thrust into a curriculum designed for the college bound and they do not possess the necessary prerequisite skills in reading, writing and computation to be successful. They are behind on day one and continue to fall behind as the year progresses.

Lastly, we have the end of the line service provider --- the classroom teacher. The experts with the power point presentations will enthusiastically demonstrate that by means of a more personalized teaching approach with heavy emphasis on cultural relevancy, increased concern for student self-esteem, and a more pronounced level of tolerance and acceptance of behaviors and attitudes not usually associated with main stream attitudes and behaviors that these teachers can turn under achievers into achievers.

This plan is the obvious result of the realization that the educational system has no power to affect change with either parents or students; but teachers can and will be manipulated. Consequently, if these under achievers do not achieve it will not be their fault or the fault of their parents; but the blame will be placed squarely on the backs of teachers.

This plan, like so many plans hatched outside the classroom with little or no teacher input truly stinks … and the stench will linger for a long time.