PHSprincipalBLOG

Video - What does it mean to be literate in the 21st century? - Dangerously Irrelevant

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:28:00 PST

via dangerouslyirrelevant.org

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Let it Snow covered by PHSprincipal....this is Jake's (my son) fault!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:26:00 PST

Better hurry this one will not be here forever!

Christmas Reprise

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:59:00 PST

This is one of the toughest times of the year for our high school staff. They are trying hard to finish up the final unit of the semester, preparing final exams as well as trying to catch up on the mountains grading. There is so much to do it can be downright overwhelming! Throw on top of all that the fact that all of the students are anticipating being away from school for two weeks and the effect of the Christmas rush and I believe that the faculty can feel as though it's burden is unbearable. I, like all of the other staff, get immersed in my job and what I consider important and sometimes miss opportunities to help where help is needed. As a high school principal I am focused on data and PSAE results, school safety issues, staff evaluation, our across the curriculum literacy agenda, staff development, recruiting new staff, budget development and problem solving what seems like a million day to day questions from students, staff and parents. I spend a lot of my time thinking about how to integrate technology into instruction, how to motivate students and how involve the community in improving our program. I am always looking toward the future and trying to learn new things.

.....But it never fails, a situation will occur or a conversation will happen that causes me to take a step back and consider what is really important. Several years ago, around Christmas time, a student came into the office and asked for withdrawal papers and informed me she was going to drop and get a job. As always, whether it is me or the assistant principal, we try to take the time to discuss this decision with the student and try to reason them into considering all options rather than dropping out. At first the student did not want to discuss her decision with me. Her mind was made up. She was of the age that she did not have to have parental consent and she seemed determined to carry out a plan that did not include finishing high school. I knew this student fairly well because I had been her elementary principal and had developed a rapport with her to where we would talk to one another when we saw each other and tease each other about our favorite sports teams. On this day, however, she was not in any mood to talk to me and refused to tell me the reasoning that had led her to this decision. I knew this student had developed a good professional relationship with a teacher on staff, and as a last ditch effort I called this teacher in to talk with the student. What unfolded as I witnessed it was a remarkable conversation between a teacher who cared for her students and a student who both liked a respected her teacher. I could tell that their relationship had become one in which the teacher had a vested interest in the student and that the student felt cared for in her presence. I will not divulge the content of their conversation, but suffice it to say, the student remained enrolled, graduated, and went on to a two year technical school. Last I heard, she was married raising a child and gainfully employed in a good job!

Sometimes you will never know the affect you have had in the way that you deal with your students. Sometimes, like in the example above, you will see the positive results. Even though this time of year can be very tough for us, it can be even tougher for our students for various reasons. Our staff does a great job of doing what is important....and that is keeping students our number one priority!

I think this is a repost....but well worth the time!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:06:00 PST

A day with Will Richardson, Part 2 - Dangerously Irrelevant

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:48:00 PST

The world is about networks right now (how can I get the answer I need when I need it?), it's not about textbooks and memorization

via dangerouslyirrelevant.org

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A day with Will Richardson, Part 1 - Dangerously Irrelevant

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:38:00 PST

Alvin Toffler: if you're a cop with a speed gun, the car going by at 120 mph is business, the car going at 5 mph is education

via dangerouslyirrelevant.org

Posted via web from phsprincipal's posterous

The Blue Skunk muses about the future of school.....after lunch! Let's Get Going On This Revolution Already!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:51:00 PST

I had a teacher take me to task today about always talking about change and pointing out that the school does not look much different today than it ever did. She is right! Another teacher says pick quantifiable changes and push them, then measure them! Good idea! I guess I have to quit worrying about the those who are in denial and run from the room screaming something like "but that is my duty free lunch!" Doug Johnson writes of his frustration with the change speaker's (and blogger's) bureau in his response to a call for a speaker to inspire his audience with visions of how things will look in 40 years....he states:

As much fun as speculating what education might or ought to look like in 2050 (I'll only be 98 years old, after all), I'd suggest energies are better spent in realizing the potential of the technologies and opportunities we have available to us - TODAY. These would be my questions for Will (Richardson) ...

Why don't we now have an IEP for every child (and every teacher), with tech facilitating this today?

Why doesn't every child have a laptop or netbook with 24/7 access to tutorials, information, and productivity tools for all learners with genuinely differentiated approaches and resource for each student TODAY?

Why is not every teacher taking advantage of challenging/engaging game environments and MUVEs TODAY?

Why is every teacher not taking advantage of a nearly unlimited number of resources to allow the creation of relevant assignments based on personal interests for every child TODAY?

Why do teachers and students not have 24/7 access to information professionals (librarians) TODAY?

Why do there only seem to be a few teachers in every school that make creativity, problem-solving and global interactions a priority TODAY?

Why are these things not the norm, but the exception TODAY? It would take no extra funds, no revolution, no scientific breakthroughs, no visioning. Just work.(And I'll bet these things are not universal even in the districts of the administrative geniuses Scott describes.)
My grandson is in school TODAY, so quite frankly, I want to know how education can be different when he walks into his classroom after lunch TODAY - not in 2050.
2050? - my grandkids may well have grandkids in school by then!
Oh, my 2050 bold predictions:

Polar bears will be extinct.

The rich will be getting richer and the poor, poorer.

Computers will be smaller, faster and cheaper - but not a damn bit smarter.

Educators will be worried about 2100 instead of 2050

via doug-johnson.squarespace.com

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Those Who Believe Change Needs to Happen Will Deal With Denial. Here is How You Fight It!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:50:00 PST

Unassailable facts. Change advocates must make sure the evidence they marshall is beyond reproach, which often means from multiple sources. A setback occurred in the U.S. Congress's first pass at health reform legislation when the Congressional Budget Office presented cost figures higher than the administration's numbers. Oops. Small flaws discredit the case for change.

Counter-arguments. Supporters watch how leaders handle skeptics and critics. Each counter-attack must be answered. Change advocates must know the other side as well as their own. They must confront, not deny, alternative explanations and respond with compelling arguments, sometimes incorporating grains of truth in skeptics' positions.

Big Picture. Significant change rests on beliefs, not just facts; the future is inherently uncertain, facts only a starting point. Change leaders must cultivate fired-up stakeholders by identifying long-term benefits valuable to many. Leaders must inspire belief that they stand with and for stakeholders' values and goals. In Australia, former opposition leader Turnbull thought it would be enough to have facts on his side, but when climate-gate exploded, he lost both the facts and constituents who had grievances with him.

Pressure and repetition. When pressure for change is in deniers' faces every day, they often succumb. RBS and Goldman Sachs became recent converts to reduced bonus schemes, despite worrying that they'd lose talent, because multiple media repeated public outrage amplified by public sector regulators. Staying on message and communicating often can sometimes defeat denial.

via blogs.harvardbusiness.org

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From the Blog: Mobile Home on Main Street

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:13:00 PST

1. WE ARE LIVING THROUGH SOME EXTRODINARY, DYNAMIC TIMES IN EDUCATION AND HISTORIANS WILL REMEMBER THIS PERIOD AS THE START FOR HOW EDUCATION BEGAN TO CHANGE.
2. WE ARE CHOOSING TO IGNORE THE FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC PICTURE OF OUR NATION AND THE IMPLICATIONS ON FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
3. MOST SCHOOL PERSONNEL, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, ARE STILL IGNORING NUMBERS 1 & 2 ABOVE, AND FAILING TO EMBRACE CHANGE AND HOLDING ON TO “THE OLD GUARD AND STATUS QUO” WHICH WILL LEAD TO COLOSSAL FAILURE IN OUR SCHOOLS.

via mobilehomeonmainstreet.blogspot.com

Would love to read what you think? If you have the time, navigate over to the mobilehomeonmainstreet blog and read the whole post!

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So I Have That Going for Me, Which is Nice!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:42:00 PST

For those of you who look at me stangely when I say this.........

You have to read this post from Van Meter Iowa!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:17:00 PST

Deron Durflinger- Van Meter Secondary Principal Blog: Why Doesn't the System Adapt to the Student Instead of the Student Adapting to the System

Shifting to a New Education Framework

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:08:00 PST

These days we are awash with ideas about educational reform. Not since the days of Sputnik have we seen such a concentration on the way things are being or not being done in schools. We are moving from Leaving No Child Left Behind to a Race to the Top as we continue to look for the magic fix for the schools that are supposedly dooming America, its people and its economy to be second rate as compared to the new world powers of China and India. So what are we going to do to fix our schools? Test? Make schools and their employees more accountable? Give them bonuses based on student achievement as measured by tests? “Counsel” teacher to find a different profession due to the lack of achievement by their students? Now don't get me wrong, accountability and transparency are important. We spend too much money on education not to demand the best teachers and achievement for our students. But when I hear that we need to cancel field trips to explore science concepts, or skip going to a museum because the teachers need the time to prepare the students for the high stakes exam, I know that we are losing focus on what is important! We are not teaching students to ask questions that produce a deeper understanding of materials. We are not creating enthusiasm for subjects by allowing students to soak up experiences that they find engaging. We are simply allowing our students to have shallow learning experiences that cover a set of standards that have become increasingly broad and so far reaching that any attempt to cover them is superficial at best. What we need to reform is what we expect our students to know and be able to do. From my point of view, we ask students all too often to work only one way with information. That is to store it and to regurgitate it in the same form it was given to them on a test. A skill that has little value outside of the classroom except for maybe on Jeopardy! We must work to shift expectations in education! We must realize that learning can and must take place outside of the time and place constraints put on in the traditional school! That learning is not dependent on the institution or the set of standards set arbitrarily by some committee. Learning must be more independent and self-directed. Literacy has to become more than just reading and understanding the content, it is learning to learn, to use information to solve problems and collaborate. We need to inspire our students to be less dependent on the teacher and more self-directed, motivated by an understanding that learning is a lifestyle not something you do while you go to school. (Loosely inspired from a blog over at David Warlick's 2 cents worth)

Chicago IASA,IASB,IASBO Conference Part II

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:30:00 PST

I am not one that is usually impressed with keynote speakers. So many times they are dry and could make their point in a much shorter time. The keynote addresses at the Triple I were a stark contrast to my expectations! Day two's key note speaker was Mark Scharenbroich. He was fantastic, funny, and carried a strong message. He had the audience rolling with laughter and wiping away tears. He talked about the human side of things and how we all need to feel accepted and valued. He told a story about the best way to make a Harley rider feel good. All you have to tell them is "nice bike" and mean it! Everyone knows that we all have the need to feel valued, yet so often we neglect to value people, especially those we teach and work with everyday. I think Mr. Schrenbroich, of all the things I saw in Chicago, had the biggest affect on me. It is so easy to take people and what they do for granted without telling them "nice bike". Knowing people by name and acknowledging them for who they are and what they are good at is something we all need to do more often. I think our mentoring program is a great step in the right direction. We are building positive relationships with our students. Remember, we cannot take those relationships for granted. We must work on them every chance we get ( I know, I know....lets see if he practices what he preaches). Take the time every day to try to make someone feel special. It will pay big dividends for all of us! Remember to say "hey, nice bike" every once in awhile! This video is a brief taste of Mark's address to us. If you have seven minutes to spare, you will enjoy this little anecdote!

Chicago IASA,IASB,IASBO Conference Part I

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:28:00 PST

Jason Ryan Dorsey was the opening keynote speaker for the 2009 Triple I Conference. An incredibly witty presenter with a story about how generations differ and the affect of that difference on interactions in the workplace. As I reflect on what he had to say, I find that we truly do have to consider how to today's students are different. They do have different values. Values that come from the way they have been raised and the cultural influences they have experienced. We cannot change those values and if we are going to reach our students we must understand where they are coming from and teach them to capitalize on their strengths. We must also teach them about the values and expectations of our generation(s) (we have multiple generations on this staff). One of the ways we can do this for them is to create real world expectations here in school and get them ready for a "Baby Boomer" boss that is probably in their future. We need to hold our students to the expectations that we have. It starts as simple as being on time to following through on committments (hint: ENFORCE TARDIES!) I bought one of his books while at the conference entitled "Fifty Ways to Improve Schools for Under Fifty Bucks". You may borrow it any time. It has a lot of good ideas! Below are some of the highlights of his presentation. If you have ten minutes to watch this video, I believe it will be worth your time.

RT @rvoltz Top Ten Things High Schools Can Do To Improve Achievement

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:26:00 PST

Top Ten Things High Schools Can Do To Improve Achievement NOW

by Dr. Douglas B. Reeves

1.         Start a WIN – Work in Now! – Program. The reason many high school students fail is missing homework. Some schools are dramatically reducing course failures by requiring SAME DAY after-school detention for ANY missing homework. Students quickly find that it’s more convenient to get the work done.

2.         DOUBLE the time devoted to literacy and math. When students are struggling in 9^th grade English and math classes, they are very likely struggling in every other class as well. Schools that have doubled time in these subjects significantly reduce the failure rate. Sometimes, this means moving a science and social studies sequence from grades 9, 10, 11 to grades 10, 11, 12. Increasing time on literacy reduces the dropout rate because it reduces grade 9 failures.

3.         EXTEND the time when grades are due from teachers to the administration after final exams. One high school reduced 9^th grade course failures from over 1,000 to fewer than 400 when it gave teachers four weeks after finals to turn in grades. During that time, students facing failure were able to complete missing labs, finish term papers, or do other projects. If they were missing only a single major project, it did not make sense for them to repeat the entire class.

4.         TEACH project management, time management, and self-discipline. One recent study found that these skills are significantly more influential on high school success than IQ in predicting high school grades and post-secondary education participation.

5.         RESTRICT student choice for any student reading below grade level. Students do not have a constitutional right to electives. In fact, the best way to increase electives is to decrease choice for students who are risking failure. After all, students who drop out of school are not taking electives in 11^th and 12^th grade.

6.         Require NONFICTION WRITING in every class. One high school developed a simplified rubric for nonfiction writing and required every class – no exceptions – to have at least one nonfiction writing assessment every semester.

7.         INCREASE student feedback, providing daily or weekly feedback. The typical 9-week report card is too late – an educational autopsy. If students are to use feedback to improve performance, then the feedback must be immediate.

8.         COLLABORATE among teachers for the evaluation of core skills. If teachers do not agree on what the word “proficient” means, then students will get mixed messages about what level of quality is acceptable. Only when teachers look at the same piece of anonymous student work and collaboratively score that work will there be a true professional learning community.

9.         Create COMMON ASSESSMENTS at least once per quarter. Certainly teachers can have freedom and flexibility in many areas, but the core expectations of a class must be consistent. It is the only way that students have an equal and fair opportunity to be prepared for the next level of instruction. Curriculum mapping is not enough. Teachers must have Power Standards and common assessments, agreeing on the most important standards and agreeing on what they will assess.

10.      BAN ADMINISTRATIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS in faculty meetings. Time in meetings is too precious to waste on announcements that could be made by e-mail or delivered in writing. Use every second of meeting time for professional collaboration.

via leadandlearn.com

I do not see any reason not to do everything we can to implement the above!

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Quote from Meet the Press on Sunday, November 15, 2009

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:14:00 PST

GREGORY: Parents matter. Parents have to say, "We have expectations for you."

SEC'Y DUNCAN: Absolutely. We all have to take responsibility: parents, teachers, principals, school board members, students themselves, most importantly. We all have to step up. Parents matter tremendously. Parents are always going to be our students' first teachers, and they're always going to be our students most important teachers. That's never going to change. Parents have to be full and equal partners with teachers. When that happens, great things happen with children. When that doesn't happen, when the adults fight, when there's adult dysfunction, guess what, children lose.

For a complete transcript go to http://tinyurl.com/ygdtj2s

Veteran's Day

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:11:00 PST

I can remember school assemblies when I was in grade school about Veteran's Day. They were really special because every year we were able to see the same veterans and they told us intriguing stories about their experiences. One of the veterans that came to speak to us year after year was a very old gentleman that was a veteran of WWI. I can distinctively remember the gleam in his eye and the way he whistled, snapped his feet and fingers as he came to attention. To a kid of eight years of age he seemed really cool and very "with it" for an octogenarian. Sadly, he died shortly before Veteran's Day when I was in the fifth grade. That year we got to hear the real story behind his service during WWI. With tears in his eyes and breaks in his voice, the post commander told us of the old vet's experience in the Argonne Forest in 1918. I do not remember all of the detail of the stories he told us that day, but I do remember watching a grown man in uniform cry before an entire school of children. After that Veteran's Day I think I was better able to relate to sense of loss that many Americans deal with every day because of either their service to the country or someone close to them sacrificed their life serving this great country of ours. I had an uncle that I never met who died in the Korean War. The family had a hard time dealing with the loss of their brother. His loss created a wound that left a large visible scar. He and another brother, Bill, were both in Korea when Bob was killed in action. My Uncle Bill escorted Bob’s coffin home from Korea. As a non veteran, I have no way of knowing the true sacrifice made by those who have served this country both in wartime and in peace. I do know this; I am thankful and know that there is no way for me to individually pay back all those I owe a debt of gratitude to. I am determined to “pay forward” and try my best to do all I can to honor today’s veterans as well as do what I can to make America a better place. I implore our students to talk to their families about their history of serving this nation in the armed forces. You may find out things you never knew about your family and make connections that were never there before. You will also get a chance to say thank you!

2009 Halloween Math Class v2

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:14:00 PST

via youtube.com

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An unpublished draft....Why do I (continue to) Blog?

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:26:00 PST

I found this blog while look at some of my old posts. Even though I wrote this nearly two years ago, I think it still states clearly why I took up the practice of blogging and continue to do so!

Why do I blog?

1. I have found that the practice of putting my thoughts together about our school, how we impact our students, involve parents, incorporate technology, and attempt to change in what I consider to be revolutionary times (in education) allows me clarify where I stand on many issues. It is as much about self examination and professional growth as it is trying to move our institution forward.....if those two things can be seperated. I will have to admit when Ms. Hill challenged our faculty to examine the aspects of Web 2.0 and she told us many teachers as well as administrators were blogging, I was very apprehensive about it and even thought putting my thoughts into words for public consumption could be dangerous (how I do not know, but it sounded like a good excuse!), but now that I have tried it, I must say I really like it!

2. It is a great way to communicate. As many of you know, I am not the greatest communicator. (I heard that!) By forcing myself to "address" our staff, students and community stakeholders I do believe I have been able communicate more effectively. I know I still have a long ways to go, but blogging is allowing me to grow in this area.

3. I am hoping to encourage our staff to use this medium to engage students, parents and the community. We have seen a few examples in this school how blogs can be used. We have only scratched the surface. If you are truly interested in seeing how a blog can be used as a "virtual" extension of your classroom, see me. There are some great examples. Blogging is the first step in moving towards what I believe is a shift educators must make in order to reach students. Teenagers are spending lots of time online on social networking sites sharing thoughts, ideas and creating some fantastic stuff (and some not so great stuff too!) on places like Facebook and MySpace. They will naturally gravitate and become engaged if we incorporate the best features of the everchanging information age in how we engage our students!

4. I have become aware of one of our greatest shortcomings. We do not communicate well enough or often enough with parents. Right or wrong, many of our parents perceive us as not wanting their involvement, that we do not welcome their input, thoughts or ideas. I think our web presence can go a long way to ameliorate our communication "gap" with parents. In a recent poll, (on this blog) a majority of readers identified Classroll.com as our best innovation in recent years. Classroll has greatly increased the amount of information we provide parents and it leaves them wanting more. We need to view parents as our best ally in motivating and reaching our students. I think a classroom blog that is kept up to date with student input will only increase our "visablity" in the community (We are no longer using Classroll.com, we have begun to use the MMS teacher a parent portals this school year).

Please realize that although I talk a lot about change and the need to do things differently, by doing so I am not saying that teachers have been doing it wrong or that I do not value the way you teach your students. I think the mediums by which students communicate and are entertained have advanced to the point where we must consider those influences and change our pedagogy accordingly!

What Makes Us Effective?

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:09:00 PDT

To be effective we need to continue to work to be:
•Professionals who care about students first, student growth second, and our subject matter with the time we have left.
•Professionals that are willing to take risks, willing to admit we do not have all the answers and never lose the yearning to keep learning.
•Professionals who are willing to look in the mirror when there is a problem as opposed to out the window.

Our school will need to continue to strive to:
•Consider each student individually and help each student find their PASSION.
•Build an educational plan and career plan for each student based on their needs and their PASSION.
•Throw away conventional methodology when it no longer works and do what it takes to affect, engage, and change students to meet individual and societal needs.

To continue to make our school community more effective we will:
•Reach out to parents to help them keep their student(s) engaged in and ready for school.
•Seek resources and start conversations to affect change in the community that will bring about more support for education.
•Continually seek out best practices, use current research, and always believe that education can get better.

Please share your ideas!......"We get what we will settle for!"

What is it we are doing here anyway?

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:15:00 PDT

As I observe students and teachers go about the business of school on daily basis, I am quite aware of how hard both groups are working to get a lot of different goals accomplished. Many times people who have not been in school since they have graduated will look at what goes on and ask what exactly is going on here? What are they working towards? Does what appears to be chaos really have a function that is driving towards some greater goal? People judge schools on many things: Where do the graduates go? How do the test scores look? How did the (insert one of various sports teams here) do in the game the other night? How many students look like they are up to no good standing around the school before it starts? In other words, people use various ways of judging a school based upon their frame of reference. The real outcomes of what a school sets out to accomplish are sometimes difficult to measure. It is my hope that all students will learn to:
•communicate well, read well, and have good number sense

•be ready to take risks

•be able to find, use and distribute accurate information for problem solving purposes

•offer service to their community and have a spirit of giving

•build endurance to do the things that need to get done despite their difficulty

•look at things differently

•have integrity, self respect and respect for others

•be lifelong learners

To me, these are the most important things for our students take from their educational experience!

What would you add to the list?

One Size Fits All?

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Imagine walking into a shoe store where all shoes were the same. Size, shape, color, and function were the same for all choices. Every customer walks out with the exact same shoe as the customers yesterday as well as shoes that will leave the store again tomorrow. Of course shoe stores do not work this way. People have different shaped feet and need shoes that function for different tasks. Apply this to education. Do schools do a good enough job of "sizing up" each student and finding the right programs for them? Unfortunately, most of the time we are guilty of a "one size fits all" approach to how and what we teach our students. We must learn to start with our students and not the subjects or classes. An effective school must build relationships with its students, their parents, and the entire community. We must design our approach based on each individual student and the unique needs we have here in Paris. We need to concentrate on the nurturing of the unique strengths and energies of each student. Everyone has a passion. In order to make learning relevant, we must tap into those passions. A curriculum needs to based on the needs of the students and the community as a whole. The one size fits all aproach makes education an assembly line that tries to force parts for unique machines into a standarized product. It is a system that just does not seem to work as well as it should.

Comments for One Size Fits All....join the conversation!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:55:00 PDT

Ms. Franklin said...

I agree 100%. But how can we do this when the state mandates what classes must be taken by our students?
Dave Meister said...
We need to get creative. Some thoughts.
Dual enrollment classes.
Teacher created online classes.
Jr. High/Middle school Dual credit??????

Mr. Ogle said...
How about less generic classes, meaning students could choose to learn content within the context of something that interests them. For example, instead of Eng9L, we could offer Detective Literature or Music As Literature. We would still cover the same concepts and learning standards, but the texts would be specific to an interest. It would mean teachers having more preps (Who threw that?), but I think it would increase student interest.

Ms. Franklin said...
I've wanted to do what Mr. Ogle suggests for YEARS. I think we could do away with LD English if we had electives instead of English 9, 10, 11 - IF we made sure we just didn't offer electives for our college bound students. Non-college bound students should have the chance to take academic electives, too!

Dave Meister said...
Do you have any samples from other schools?
Mr. Ogle said...
No samples from other schools, but that is because none of them are as forward-thinking as we are. They will be using samples from us.

Mr. Ogle said...
The only references I could find to high schools offering a full battery of academic electives were for charter schools.

Ms. Franklin said...
My high school had English electives 1,000 years ago!

Staci said...
Between state mandates, time constraints, and lack of funding(?)we are going to have to be VERY creative!!

I don't like drawing the line between college bound and non-college bound, because at some point one of the "non" may realize that there is a post-secondary program that appeals to them. I personally feel that everyone is not made for college, but college is available for (almost) everyone.

Establishing tracks such as "Health and Science" "Industrial Technology" "Business Tech," etc, would allow students to work towards a career goal from an early onset. Mandated classes could still cover necessities, but cover subject matters pertaining to their area of interest.

This is do-able, and from a guidance counselors standpoint, imperative to developing highly motivated, engaged, successful students!!

Dave Meister said...
Staci,

You have hit on something I have been trying to get across for sometime. Drawing a distinction between college and non college students severely limits some and unfairly labels others. I agree that we could create the tracks if we wanted to. What does everyone else think?

Jordon DuCharme said...

Mr. Meister, if you don't mind me getting in on this, I'd like to give a little bit of a students opinion. I think new courses and a wider variety of studies would be great, but without specific requirements such as grade point average. For example, I am extremely interested in becoming a nurse, and believe Health Occupations and Chemistry II would have been wonderful classes for me to take, but the requirements of having a B average overall was a problem for me. Students shouldn't be turned down just by judging their grades from other classes. Maybe if they are truely interested in the classes, a test could determine if they shall be let into the program. With kids not having classes they'd like to take, they lose motivation to try, rather than having a class they like and want to try in.

This may not completely follow along with your blog so far, but I just wanted to share my opinion with you.

Dave Meister said...
Welcome to the conversation Jordan! Your input is very valid! Encourage you classmates to join in!

Ms. Franklin said...

I love Mrs. Skelton's suggestion. I wish my own children would have had this option.

Ms. Franklin said...
(I was interrupted mid comment!) I think the elective idea ties into Mrs. Skelton's idea. Why not offer electives in required classes that tie into career interests?

Mr. T said...

What if we offered classes that met criteria across the board. Would it be possible to offer a class that a student could get 1/2 credit for math and 1/2 credit for english? I like the idea of having 'majors' in high school. I also like the idea of giving students more on-line possibilities.

We are the first cooperative high school in Illinois. That means that we could also be the first school in Illinois to do things a certain way. The only limits we will face will be the ones we impose on ourselves.

Ms. Franklin said...

I was thinking about this on my drive home. Could a drafting or construction class also count as a half math credit because of the "applied mathematics" used in those courses?
Mr. Meister, just exactly what will the state let us do?

Mr. Aydt said...

We come back to those career paths that we developed then let go. They are probably still around in someone's file if they will dig a little. We have been "tracking" in math for a long time, in spite of efforts by some over the years to say it isn't good. It does help students to be more comfortable with the material they get and the level of understanding required and to feel like they have what it takes to succeed.

Ms. Franklin said...

I am monopolizing the comments, and I am sorry. But I SOOOO believe that this is what we need in Paris! Here's a dream school: http://www.go-cte.org/index.php

Mr. Ogle said...

Mr. T's suggestion is very similar to a comment a posted on here awhile back. I would love to have cross-curricular classes to offer our students. I read an article last year about the rise in fiction novels being written by professionals in various fields that contain content area information within the story. For instance, we could have a semester class studying a novel built around economic concepts. The class would be taught by and English teacher and an Economics teacher. Students would meet standards for language arts and business or whatever the case may be. This wouldn't have to end with novel-based studies, either. A math teacher could easily create a class with someone in industrial technology, or a science teacher teaching with an ag. teacher. Basically, the same principle as the co-teaching we met about earlier in the year, except the class would be created for that specific purpose and students would recieve credits for both areas. Now, I think this would work best in a block schedule, which would mean switching yet again, but nothing says we would have to do it immediately. Maybe a pilot program of a couple of classes could be arranged. I'm sure we could manage to schedule the two teachers back-to-back and allow them to have one class for two periods. Just spit-balling.

Dave Meister said...
Jim-- You are so right...here we go again. Maybe we were not ready a few years ago. Do you remember why those were shelved? I have a confession to make. This post originally appeared on the blog two years ago. I think things have changed a lot. Attitudes have changed a lot.

Pam--You keep commenting! Your opinion is valued. That is why you need to be in these discussions.

Nathan--You need, as well as everyone else here for that matter, to come to what are called department head meetings. We need to change it to a steering committee. If we (I) let this die this time, we may never find the inertia to get it going again.

Roger-- You keep thinking about things. You are going to help us get to where we need to be!

Gary said...

Team teaching, co teaching, whatever you want to call it has always interested me. There are so many things we could do with American Literature and American History. However, it is a matter of getting classes and grade levels aligned.

I also like Nathan's idea of more specific English studies. We could truly make our English department more real-worldly by offering several electives instead of just the basic English 9,10,11,12. We have started to do that in Sophomore, Junior, and Senior level classes, but we still have a long way to go. It is my vision to have some novels classes, technical classes, and others in the future, and it looks like I have teachers willing to make those changes.

My theory is if it is not on the books it can't be offered. Next year we'll have to sit down as an English department, yes that means you too Pam, and work on these changes.

Staci said...
This is the school one of our students just transferred to. They are on a block schedule, too!
http://www.lake.k12.fl.us/erh/site/default.asp

What can we achieve if we work together?

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:23:00 PDT

Can you imagine how much cooperation it took to make this happen? I do not play guitar and am in awe of this accomplishment! The hours spent have created a wonderful example of cooperation. Can we work together, parents, teachers, students and community, to make a school community where the only barrier to achievement is where we set the limits?

Comments from the last post....join the conversation!

meisterd@paris95.k12.il.us (Dave Meister) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:29:00 PDT

Ms. Franklin said...

I heartily agree with the reading aspect. The daughter is not an avid reader, but whenever she DOES get interested in something, I make a point of reading it myself and talking about it with her. The son has pretty high-tone literary tastes that have forced me to reread some books that I read in college. I try to talk about their reading interests even now - and they are 18 and 22!
October 18, 2009 8:25 PM
Mr. Aydt said...

I also think this is right on the money. Nothing we do can replace the thought that parents know and care what's going on. I also tried to read all the books my sons read in high school, although I have to admit I can't keep that up now. I always found it very enjoyable.
October 19, 2009 6:43 PM
Dave Meister said...

Thanks for joining the conversation Jim! We have made a lot of changes at PCHS in the last few years. I think our next hurdle is to begin a conversation with our parents and do the best we can to help them help their students! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
October 19, 2009 11:41 PM
Mrs. P said...

I have even read some of the books the students here at PCHS have read. I enjoy quizzing them. They can't believe I will read the same book just to be reading it (not for a grade). I also enjoy reading what my girls read. Audrey hooked me on the Twilight series which I read this summer; however, I could not get into the Harry Potter series. I just wish I had more time during the school year.
October 20, 2009 5:09 PM
Dave Meister said...

I am the same way Mrs. P. I could not read the Harry Potter books. I like to read non fiction. I have always enjoyed reading to my kids. I even read part of an American History chapter to my 7th grader tonight. What do you do to help your kids do well in school?
October 20, 2009 9:27 PM

Mr. Ogle said...

I don't remember the exact statistic, but at one of the sessions I attended in Atlanta on the subject of Freshmen Academies, they pointed out that attendance during the first 90 days (at least I think it was 90, it could have been some other number) is the most accurate indicator of whether or not a student will graduate. They stated that it was more accurate than grades earned in middle school, scores on standardized test, socio-economic status, parents' level of education, you name it. According to them, and it seems logical to me, if we can get these kids to attend every day at the beginning of their freshman year, we will get them through to graduation. It basically comes down to establishing a solid base with them. If they are able to begin a pattern of truancy early on, it is nearly impossible to change it. This is where establishing a relationship with parents becomes critically important. We need parents to partner with us to get these kids through our doors. I think a Freshmen Academy and extensive orientation process, which includes parents, could make an incredible difference in attendance and achievement in our school.