Critical race theory in education

I was reading a summary of an article on critical race theory in education about black teachers. I think 5 people were interviewed and from that the author, Michelle Jay who is black, concluded, "The study confirms several tenets of critical race theory including the assertion that racism is not aberrant, but endemic and permanent in American society, and routinely exists in public schools."

This is always the theme in critical race theory which is taught from the highest levels of government and military (reeducation camps) to first graders (get 'em while they are young and parents are clueless). Racism according to critical theory is endemic and permanent, so therefore society must be destroyed and rebuilt. That in a nutshell is BLM.  The talking heads on TV, including Fox, look pretty silly searching for logical, historical, rational reasons for the riots. It has nothing to do with police, or with George Floyd--they are just tools. This author was writing about this stuff 20 years ago.

If there’s a bright side the the house arrest virtual learning, it’s that parents are getting a look at what’s going on in education.

Christians—please reject further lockdowns and closing—for the children’s sake

At the K-12 level, the risk of Covid to children is low. The Wall St.  Journal’s Andrew Duehren and Alex Leary report today: The Trump administration is pressing the nation’s school systems to educate children in-person this fall, preparing to offer safety guidelines for reopening, as lawmakers on Capitol Hill search for an agreement to provide schools the federal aid they say they need to do so. Team Trump is encouraged by a recent statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics which notes the negative impact of lockdowns as well as the relatively small Covid risks faced by children. The organization says it “strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020.” The statement adds: Lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for schools to identify and address important learning deficits as well as child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance use, depression, and suicidal ideation... Policy makers must also consider the mounting evidence regarding COVID-19 in children and adolescents...Although children and adolescents play a major role in amplifying influenza outbreaks, to date, this does not appear to be the case with SARS-CoV-2. Although many questions remain, the preponderance of evidence indicates that children and adolescents are less likely to be symptomatic and less likely to have severe disease resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, children may be less likely to become infected and to spread infection. Policies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within schools must be balanced with the known harms to children, adolescents, families, and the community by keeping children at home.

Mr. Smith goes to sixth grade

A certain man in my life (for his protection I’ve made up a name) decided he’d try substitute teaching in his school district. We’re about the same age, so right away, you know he’s too old to take on such a dangerous assignment. It reminds me of the years my father was taking temporary jobs in his retirement, such as night watchman at a prison or driving a school bus.  The bus driver job was the tougher one he said.

Things are different these days, Smithy told me.  He first logged on to his computer at home and entered a password, and found the list of available spots for the day.

“Ah, that one looks good for a first try.  Only half day, and at a near by smaller school.  Sixth grade math.  I should be able to handle that.”

When he found the school he was buzzed in (all doors were locked) and Smithy says the look on the receptionist’s face when she saw a 78 year old should have clued him in there was trouble ahead. He walked about half a mile down the hall to the classroom. The regular teacher was probably late-20s and had a well prepared lesson plan for the afternoon.  She  met with him about 15 minutes and explained that at 11:57 he would open the door (to the outside) where the students would be lined up.  At the correct time he opened the door and led the students in, and they all started to run to different locations, but most took seats in his classroom.

Smithy hadn’t taken “Education” courses in college like I did (he had taught college level), but I remember the first instruction in Education 101 is “Don’t smile until Thanksgiving” or they’ll think you’re a push over.  Yup. He smiled.  Immediately 5 or 6 boys began to act out and take advantage of the old dude, fresh meat. There was a boy in the class who was “mainstream” and had an IEP and wanted a pass to leave. All was lost after that. He completely disrupted things and the other boys began with the smart aleck remarks teasing the challenged student. 

One boy was so disruptive Smithy decided to escort him back to his seat (they were running around the classroom).  Smithy didn’t know the rules, but the students did. “You can’t touch me—take your hand off my arm,” the little snot told the man old enough to be his great grandfather.

That class was 12 to 1.  Then the 2nd period was about 25 minutes, time to prepare.  At 2:02 there was a time period called “Social Emotional Learning, SEL.   During this time they were to concentrate on the book, “Who moved my cheese.” Not sure how that applies to math, but apparently  it is something about anticipating change and time management. The book was published over 20 years ago and has sold over 26 million copies in 37 languages.  The main characters are two mice and two quasi-humans called Hem and Haw.

The third period was 2:30-3:11 (school dismisses at 3:11, teachers stay until 3:30) and Smithy only had about half a classroom. This seemed to be a time out/study hall period for people who were in trouble.  Some one had quit band, and someone else had been kicked out of choir, and so forth.  The librarian saved the day.  The kids were so disruptive that she entered the classroom and told them they were being too loud and to quiet down.  Smithy was stunned.  The class came to attention immediately and were quiet when she showed up.  They were angels.

And through it all, one little Asian boy worked diligently on his studies. Nothing the rowdy gang did distracted him.  Smithy said, “He’ll be the class valedictorian.”  The boys were the disrupters, the girls mostly tried to help. They provided directions to the correct locations, but to the boys, he was just fresh meat.

Smithy was so thankful it was just 3 hours, but he still had a fairly long evaluation to complete.  He offered his advice on how the day could have gone better, like more time with the classroom teacher, and who had been helpful.  He asked if he could come back as an observer and watch how the regular teacher handled the discipline and instruction.

But he particularly wanted to shadow that librarian and see what her tricks were.

Update: January 19, 2022.

Mr. Smith remembers that day as yesterday. When he went in to talk to the Principal about the situations he faced that dreadful afternoon, and he was given a facial expression of "heard this all before". The reason was given that the school district, upon consolidation with another district, had to accept students (poor white trash) from the trailer court just outside the city. OH MY, WHAT LOGIC!!!

The other memory of that fateful day has been finally put to bed with my check for $6.47 from the TRS (teacher retirement system) and the State of Illinois. Yesterday, after 2 years on my part to save that system $$ by not sending out reports and other correspondence quarterly, I was allowed to close my TRS account. It took numerous phone calls (the first informed me I could not close this wonderful cushion for retirement) and other negative comments about why I would be foolish to "CASH" out and the last being an 8-page notice regarding what the IRS is going to do to me if I took a "LUMP SUM DISTRIBUTION". The final threat was that if I pulled out of the union, I would never be allowed to re-up again!!!! PRAISE THE LORD

Mr. Smith holds a Substitute Teaching License through 2025 through the Regional Office of Education #47 for the Counties of X, Y, and Z after submitting and passing the following:

• 1-9 Employment Eligibility Verification,
• Illinois teaching certificate, 
• College Transcript,
• Mandated Reporter Status for Child Abuse,
• Physical exam,
• TB Test,
• Fingerprint based criminal history,
• Successful check of the Illinois Statewide Sex Offender Data Base,
• Successful check of the Illinois Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Crimes Against Children Data Base.

MY-O- MY, them times are a changing!!!! Last night on a local TV channel they spoke about the dire need for SUBS, but the requirements are down to a high school education now. Maybe a few of those Trailer kids (poor white trash) can now try to escort the unruly boys back to their seats!! But thanks to WOKE, I'm sure the same rules hold fast.

SMITTY

Joan doesn’t agree with today’s philosophy of reading—guest blogger Joan Turrentine (former teacher)

“Recent educational philosophy has been that it doesn't matter WHAT children read as long as they DO read. I am glad I grew up and went to school in a day when schools believed that it matters WHAT students read. My mind and memory are full of quality literature, classic poetry, thought-provoking stories and poems. I became familiar with and developed a useful and precise vocabulary and a familiarity with proper English language syntax. I observed in countless realistic situations (in reading assignments) how real people act and how people interact with other people and build happy and successful lives. I read the thoughts of some of the greatest thinkers of the past and learned how they organize their thoughts, thereby learning HOW to think and reason. Because of this background, I often read FB posts, have conversations, or read other media and recognize cultural references, recognize faulty/logical reasoning strategies, understand some of human nature.

I feel bad for many of today's elementary school kids who only read about teachers who are aliens, students who are wizards, and other such imaginary life situations. What preparation for real life does that provide? What thought processes does that develop? How does that help them discover their own values in life? And then in post-elementary school they read such dystopian literature as the Hunger Games series, the Unwind series, or numerous other books with unrealistic settings which provide no opportunity for observing how people might handle real life situations and what consequences might be expected to result from actions. There's nothing wrong with any of this literature if students want to read them on their own; but I believe the schools owe them better than that. These students won't be culturally literate as adults - recognizing references to the classic literature, philosophy, or history of the ages. They won't have had the opportunity to develop their own sense of how to live successfully in this world. What they have read will not have helped them develop values to help them live successfully and happily. I so strongly believe that it DOES matter WHAT children read.”

I  agree with Joan’s concern and philosophy, I just don't think I had all that much "quality" reading material--at least my mother used to complain it wasn't as good as what she had in the 1920's.  All I cared about as a child was horse and dog stories. I enjoyed reading from encyclopedias and preferred to write and illustrate my own stories. My grandmother gave us subscriptions to Jack and Jill, hardly sophisticated or difficult information.  We had a lot of magazines and the local newspapers (and maybe one from Chicago). Mom belonged to the “Book of the Month” club, which was definitely considered “low brow,” but I enjoyed looking through her fiction.  I learned the names of the classics, by playing the card game "Authors" , and by high school, the literature text books were just excerpts grouped by era or genre. In college I was a foreign language major, so I had NO American or British literature. I was definitely a forerunner for today's poorly educated students!  Today I belong to a book club, and I’m grateful for my well educated reading friends—but I’m still not educated in the type of literature Joan recommends. And of course, not having grandchildren (she has many), I haven’t even heard of the series she writes about.

Don’t install Bible study in our public schools

I was in elementary school in the 1940s--they weren't "teaching" Bible then, although it was read occasionally. It's a bad idea--we've got 35,000 protestant denominations and groups, many called "Bible churches." We've got 6 rites within Catholicism with another 21 under that. We've got Orthodox, Mormons, and Jehovah Witnesses, plus some spiritualist types, unity affiliated, Swedenborgian, and those are just the ones in the big tent of Christianity. Then there is a buffet table of other religions who also have their own sacred scriptures. Teach religion at home or send your child to a religious school. We've got lefties who say we can't say "Western Civilization" or use certain pronouns. Can't imagine what they'd do with the battles and ceremonies of the Old Testament.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-boosts-bills-teach-favorite-book-bible-public-schools-220638186.html

There is no shortage of ways to learn or read the Bible.

Recommended blog on education

Robin S. Eubanks, an experienced corporate attorney from Georgia  authors an insightful blog entitled “Invisible Serf’s Collar” (www.invisibleserfscollar.com) dealing with evolving events in the realm of education and social reform.

See her January 9 column, http://invisibleserfscollar.com/systematizing-human-nature-via-internalized-marxian-standards-of-truth-goodness-and-beauty/

“The idea that the Commission pitched “practices to help students develop a growth mindset” as a solution to school shootings when its creator, Carol Dweck, was originally a Vygotsky scholar seeking to implement his theories on using new classroom practices to create the transformed mindset needed for a new kind of Soviet Man, would be funny in an ironic way if it was not so ridiculously ignorant of these practices. Tragedies like Parkland and the rule of law get used to force poisonous collectivist ideas down this nation’s throats and into our children’s minds and hearts. https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/we-can-no-longer-ignore-evidence-about-human-development/ from November 29, 2018 from Professor Immordino-Yang involved in both the US and UNESCO’s neural redevelopment efforts via education is at least honest about the intentions to use new practices to”support the development of our full humanity.””

Ms. Eubanks writes about herself: “A background in Law is also excellent preparation for determining precisely what the terms commonly used actually mean. Especially in an industry that is consciously using language to hide the actual intended goals. My experience allowed me to recognize that education in the US and globally has been, for decades,  engaged in a massive Newspeak (as in George Orwell’s 1984) campaign that creates a public illusion on what is being promised and what is coming to the schools and classrooms that are this country’s future. I know what the words and terms really mean to an Ed insider and how it differs from the common public perception. I have documented what was really behind the reading wars and math wars. I have pulled together what the real intended Common Core implementation looks like. And it is wildly different from the PR sales job used to gain adoption in most of the states.”

Cursive writing--is it good for children to learn?

 
A new bill proposed in the Tennessee state legislature says that cursive handwriting should be taught in all Tennessee school districts in the third grade. Supporters say it helps motor skills, reinforces learning and it's an art form.

I'm not sure if cursive does all that, but I know since I use it less these days (keyboard mostly) my motor skills are weaker , I'm gaining more weight, the house is messier and I'm not as smart as I used to be. But then, I'm 76 and I didn't used to be that either. Also, the sentence should be "jumps," not "jumped" so you get all the letters to practice.

Tutoring program only for children of color

What a dumb thing for a principal to do--he's just told minority children that they are the only kids in the school with academic problems, and the white kids can get a pass! It may not have been his intention to either discriminate against white children with learning problems or black kids with low self-esteem, but I believe he succeeded.  His excuse after the complaints rolled in?

“This is Andre Pearson [voicemail to upset white parent]. It’s focused for and designed for children of color, but certainly, if we have space for other kids who have needs, we can definitely meet those needs,”

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/02/13/parents-complain-about-school-ad-for-colored-only-tutoring-program/

So why would a tutoring program only be designed for children of color in the first place?  Could it be that they’ve been subjected to lower/different expectations all along?

Are you smarter than a third grader in Ohio?

Today I was looking at a Standards Guide for Families, What is Expected in Grade Three. Some schools have a pdf to print at their website, but you can see it at www.OhioAcademicStandards.com, and select the grade you're interested in.

I found some of the questions overwhelming, and here are two examples:

1) Explain the major functions of the government. Right now we have major political parties and grass roots movements like the Tea Party trying to figure that one out. Does a third grader have the experience and the vocabulary to understand the question let alone answer it? Do they know their school is a function of the government? The snow plows? Not sure I did.

2) Describe the changes in religion in your community. Now that was part of a long list, which included among other things, architecture. Again, I think when I was in 3rd grade I knew that our little town (Forreston, IL) had a Lutheran Church (we weren't Lutheran but attended there), a Reformed Church and something across the street from the school that years later became part of United Methodist after a few mergers (I've forgotten its name), and that during Bible School, kids from country churches came that we didn't usually see. I knew our Pastor's name and that at school we each had a little Bible in our desk and took turns reading it aloud. But that's about as much as I knew and we were regular attenders. Kids today? I don't think a lot of them are even aware there are churches.

I also found some terms I didn't know. "Using a compass rose and cardinal directions. . ." What's a compass rose? Not sure I would know what a cardinal direction was either.

Are these tests written to explain to adults what children should know? The vocabulary doesn't seem very kid friendly to me.

4102

How to stomp out artistic talent in children

Backstory: Some teachers from our local Wickliffe Progressive Elementary school went to Harvard this summer to attend Project Zero Classroom 2007 (usually zero means worthless, but perhaps I'm behind the times). They studied with Melissa Rivard and Mara Krechevsky for a week, which the participants called "a great opportunity." Upon returning, the participants shared what they learned at an in-service day, and it was reported in our local SNP newspaper.

Here's the technique that caught my eye, and I hope the journalist got it WRONG!

"I'm excited to use the thinking routines, where children are making extensions or connections," she said.

Instead of a child creating a drawing, then explaining to the other students what the picture means, the other students will talk about what they see in the drawing.

"This leads to discussions," she said. "Instead of just telling the information, the kids are creating it by thinking about it."

Oh yuk! I suppose it depends on the age of the artist, but if Johnny has worked very hard drawing his dog and her puppies playing in the kitchen, and the other kids decide it is a cow and her calves entering a barn, I think it's the last time he'll be willing to try his hand at drawing.

None of these techniques sound new to me--my kids were getting this "let's have the children discuss their own ideas" instead of telling them things so they have meaningful content from which to draw even in the 1970s. My children graduated from high school not knowing which came first, WWII or the Vietnam War (both were ancient history by the time they finished). It wasn't popular to teach facts or time lines, but I'm sure they had fascinating discussions filled with their own fluffy ideas.

This was drawn by a 10 year old Chechnya child. It says, "Family" at the top, and Mama, I, and Papa at the bottom. It's from a war site, but I hope no one tried to get the child to draw pictures of bombs or torture. The drawing ability, balance, design and use of color are wonderful, and show that this child had some traditional art training and didn't waste her time in frivolous discussions of her classmates' drawings.