A string of comments in the previous posting revealed a rather insidious direction taken by the district. Whether on purpose or by accident it reeks of creepy.
Springboard, a College Board product, has been put on fast-track. Please hit the link and check out the curriculum info. Shades of "Voyages".
Teachers drained from teaching extra period.
Some start to show strain. Absenteeism rises.
Substitute teacher pool unable to cover absent teachers.
Teachers must now cover class for absent coworkers, leading to burn out and additional absences.
District takes control of exam grades via district enforced curve.
Springboard, a program of prepackaged lesson plans, resources, and tests makes its appearance for the English, Math curriculum.
Will the teacher component be marginalized?
Now to the abbreviated comments:
***"...Any wonder moral is so low? And with Springboard coming, most of the math and English teachers aren't really pushing their own curriculum much. Might as well just teach the semester exam along with FCAT and make us all "look" good. Of course the students will suffer, but "they" stopped caring about what the students really need long ago."
***"The SpringBoard instructional system combines rigorous course work with assessment and professional development in five synergistic components. Each course centers on classroom-tested Model Instructional Units that prepare students for AP® and college-level work.
Sounds like SRA for high school."
***"With SpringBoard... we won't need college educated individuals anymore... just really great trained monkeys... Is this what we want to do to our teachers and students??????"
***"Hey just think (we won't have to think) no making up lesson plans, or adjusting presentations, or updating supporting info, etc.
No explaining methods to parents, just refer them to the APC or the college board.
There is an UP side to this: we can actually get our conference stuff done during our one measley conference!!!!
New hires won't have to be vetted because anyone can "sleepwalk" thru it.
The teacher crisis will be over because anyone can be hired and "covering" classes will be a thing of the past."...
There ya have it. So far.
By the way, Ms. Faliero, we patiently await your resignation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
11 comments:
Thank you for covering this topic... As an English teacher, if SpringBoard is forced down my throat, I am walking away.
No matter how bad things are in this county, I know I can cling to my creative lesson plans, content, and relationships with students. But with SpringBoard even those delights will be stolen from my students and me.
Schools will be conveyor belts... and student will be little products built simplistically with a one-size-fits-all approach… teachers will be forced to become unskilled workers because the very experiences and knowledge that makes them professionals will be revoked of stifled…watch...
This does it. I'm gone.
Thanks Maryellen. Your making my job easier and easier every day. I have now decided that I support every district policy in its fullest capacity... hey makes my life easy. I just show up to work and slap prepackaged lesson plans on my kids desk and sit back and enjoy!
McLessons!
I haven't seen anything in the news... has anyone else? I wonder how much parents would like knowing our county sold its educational system to the highest bidder. I know some of my students who've caught wind of this change are really unhappy about it.
We need to fix this somehow before we lose actual teachers and our students really start to suffer. We have an obligation to help them since their superintendant and her cronies seem to be in bed with College Board.
How do we affect change??? What do we do!!!!!!!! I have emailed newspapers about other issues... they paint things in a positive light no matter what... it's all politics, and I am feeling helpless...
Pasco's 2 miles up the road. Pinellas is about 20 good minures and Polk's about 25. On the road, again.....
I'm an English teacher-- 20 years and a MEd--- I pride myself on creating interesting approaches and lessons to pique interestand encourage participation. What I've seen does not look like "teaching" to me. How tragic for our students.
Hello Pasco county...
Could imposing SpringBoard violate our contract? I don't know... I am desperate here...
Could an educator refuse? Would they be able to keep their job? If this happens, really, what is the point of getting certification and degrees? We seriously could hire someone with secretarial skills and a high school diploma.
I fear for the students… they already go comatose when an FCAT packet from the state is placed on their desk. I perceive an increase in dropouts, an increase in misbehavior, and a decrease in academic achievements, creativity, and morale. How could Elia and the SB possible think that “one-size-fits-all” prefabricated lesson plans will be best for the classroom? This moment shows just how ignorant and out of touch they are. All they can see is the dollar signs attached to it, since the district is getting millions and millions for adopting the curriculum.
Pissed Off,
BULLSEYE!
I can just see the district setting up a series of inservices on how to deal with the "student revolt" that follows.
More importantly though: SHOW US THE DATA!
The fact that this has NOT been introduced to the public indicates that once again COMMUNICATION falters.
Post a Comment