tag:blogs.edweek.org,2011-06-29:/teachers/urban_teacher//145 2014-08-29T20:52:15Z Ilana Garon (@IlanaGaron) is an English teacher at a public high school in the Bronx, N.Y., and holds masters degrees in both English education and fine arts. In the past 10 years, she has taught every level of high school English, including ESL and AP, SAT Prep, and even math in emergency situations. In addition to Education Week Teacher, her writing has appeared in Dissent Magazine, Huffington Post, PresenTense Magazine, The Guardian and Business Insider. She is the author of &quotWhy Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens?&quot: Teaching Lessons from the Bronx. Movable Type Pro 5.2.7 tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.41476 2014-08-29T20:37:27Z 2014-08-29T20:52:15Z

Oh, seemingly intractable social inequalities: Fewer than 15% of undergrads at the top colleges come from the poorer half of American families. At specialized high schools in New York City, only 5-7% of attendees are students of color. Chronic absenteeism and poverty are correlated. And, I'm putting this blog to rest.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Oh, seemingly intractable social inequalities: Fewer than 15% of undergrads at the top colleges come from the poorer half of American families. At specialized high schools in New York City, only 5-7% of attendees are students of color. Chronic absenteeism and poverty are correlated. And, I'm putting this blog to rest. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.41268 2014-08-20T03:49:07Z 2014-08-20T18:20:31Z

Creating a "home" at school, a safety net for kids who may have limited parental supervision or positive role modeling, creates the best chance for students to succeed. For teachers, this represents an added layer of responsibility, one for which we can't expect recognition within our formal evaluations, but which is nonetheless a vital component of doing our jobs well.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Creating a "home" at school, a safety net for kids who may have limited parental supervision or positive role modeling, creates the best chance for students to succeed. For teachers, this represents an added layer of responsibility, one for which we can't expect recognition within our formal evaluations, but which is nonetheless a vital component of doing our jobs well. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40973 2014-08-05T21:42:09Z 2014-08-05T21:46:47Z

Both liberal and conservative approaches to poverty treat recipients of social mobility programs as "hollow men," shaped only by economic structures, as opposed to individuals surrounded by certain values and attitudes. These programs tackle only the economic underpinnings, and not the social ones. What role can character education play, and how does it work at the school level?

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Both liberal and conservative approaches to poverty treat recipients of social mobility programs as "hollow men," shaped only by economic structures, as opposed to individuals surrounded by certain values and attitudes. These programs tackle only the economic underpinnings, and not the social ones. What role can character education play, and how does it work at the school level? tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40896 2014-07-31T19:40:43Z 2014-07-31T19:46:45Z

Rather than thinking of oneself as a "bad" or "good" teacher in a macro way, simply focusing on best practices that have succeeded (and on the ones that have not) in our recounting of our work in the classroom is the most surefire way for us to improve our pedagogy, and to better inform each other's.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Rather than thinking of oneself as a "bad" or "good" teacher in a macro way, simply focusing on best practices that have succeeded (and on the ones that have not) in our recounting of our work in the classroom is the most surefire way for us to improve our pedagogy, and to better inform each other's. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40705 2014-07-22T02:41:18Z 2014-07-22T13:15:49Z

Teacher turnover nationwide is 15% per year--and 20% in high-needs schools. Almost half of teachers leave within their first five years. With all the perks--free or subsidized health care, union representation, and all that vacation time--why are so many teachers "dropping out" of the profession?

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Teacher turnover nationwide is 15% per year--and 20% in high-needs schools. Almost half of teachers leave within their first five years. With all the perks--free or subsidized health care, union representation, and all that vacation time--why are so many teachers "dropping out" of the profession? tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40634 2014-07-17T16:47:58Z 2014-07-17T16:56:41Z

I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the teachers and principal who participated in this cheating scandal, despite its inherent dishonesty. The students in this middle school were learning, as one of the teachers interviewed in the article points out; however, they simply came in without requisite skills to meet certain scores on these tests. By changing the kids' answers to boost scores, the school was able receive extra funds and grants to provide students with a variety of clubs, trips, enrichment opportunities, and most importantly, avoid closure.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the teachers and principal who participated in this cheating scandal, despite its inherent dishonesty. The students in this middle school were learning, as one of the teachers interviewed in the article points out; however, they simply came in without requisite skills to meet certain scores on these tests. By changing the kids' answers to boost scores, the school was able receive extra funds and grants to provide students with a variety of clubs, trips, enrichment opportunities, and most importantly, avoid closure. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40428 2014-07-08T05:44:39Z 2014-07-08T15:41:21Z

A study by the Annenberg Group showed that in fact, overwhelmingly, these late-enrollers are placed almost exclusively in failing schools, perpetuating the intractably low graduation rates, and thus giving Department of Education higher-ups seemingly air-tight reasons to close down the "Big Schools" for low performance and create new "Small Schools" to replace them.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ A study by the Annenberg Group showed that in fact, overwhelmingly, these late-enrollers are placed almost exclusively in failing schools, perpetuating the intractably low graduation rates, and thus giving Department of Education higher-ups seemingly air-tight reasons to close down the "Big Schools" for low performance and create new "Small Schools" to replace them. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40233 2014-06-26T03:21:32Z 2014-06-26T20:25:52Z

Ultimately I think the work of fostering good social behavior is equally important to endowing kids with good academic skills, and that schools--for better of worse--are responsible for both.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Ultimately I think the work of fostering good social behavior is equally important to endowing kids with good academic skills, and that schools--for better of worse--are responsible for both. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.40100 2014-06-19T02:56:04Z 2014-06-19T03:23:41Z

When the test on which teachers will be evaluated simply offers no incentive for students to complete it, it's hard to imagine a worse indicator of teacher efficacy.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ When the test on which teachers will be evaluated simply offers no incentive for students to complete it, it's hard to imagine a worse indicator of teacher efficacy. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.39959 2014-06-12T02:30:59Z 2014-06-12T02:33:25Z

What struggling students most need is time one-on-one with teachers, or at the very least, time with a teacher in small groups. But when class size is capped at 34, as it is in high schools under the NYC Department of Education, it's nearly impossible for these students to get their needs met.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ What struggling students most need is time one-on-one with teachers, or at the very least, time with a teacher in small groups. But when class size is capped at 34, as it is in high schools under the NYC Department of Education, it's nearly impossible for these students to get their needs met. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.39832 2014-06-06T03:53:17Z 2014-06-07T03:50:44Z

As an English teacher, what I appreciated most about the book "The Fault in Our Stars" was that it pushed the kids to contemplate "deep questions" in an enjoyable manner, without relying on the promise of a plot "payoff" in the form of sex, violence, or mythical beasts.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ As an English teacher, what I appreciated most about the book "The Fault in Our Stars" was that it pushed the kids to contemplate "deep questions" in an enjoyable manner, without relying on the promise of a plot "payoff" in the form of sex, violence, or mythical beasts. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.39665 2014-05-29T02:36:50Z 2014-05-29T02:45:25Z

Discipline ends up being a sort of "zero to 60" system, wherein students' negative in-school behaviors are either not addressed at all, or dealt with in such a draconian manner as to have life-long repercussions. This needs to change.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Discipline ends up being a sort of "zero to 60" system, wherein students' negative in-school behaviors are either not addressed at all, or dealt with in such a draconian manner as to have life-long repercussions. This needs to change. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.39521 2014-05-21T03:48:22Z 2014-05-21T03:52:35Z

Removing policies that place poor kids at a disadvantage when applying to elite colleges, and instituting ones that will afford them better chances to graduate, will certainly yield long-term dividends in the fight against systemic social inequality.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ Removing policies that place poor kids at a disadvantage when applying to elite colleges, and instituting ones that will afford them better chances to graduate, will certainly yield long-term dividends in the fight against systemic social inequality. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.39283 2014-05-08T19:12:52Z 2014-05-09T21:05:00Z

In inner-city schools such as ours, Advanced Placement courses and exams bring many challenges--but that makes our students' successes that much sweeter.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ In inner-city schools such as ours, Advanced Placement courses and exams bring many challenges--but that makes our students' successes that much sweeter. tag:blogs.edweek.org,2014:/teachers/urban_teacher//145.38939 2014-04-22T21:19:04Z 2014-04-22T21:23:17Z

I had not thought to ask what my students believed a teacher's role actually was, or whether they questioned the validity of the negative attitudes they heard articulated about the teaching profession. It turns out they're pretty thoughtful on the subject.

Ilana Garon http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/ I had not thought to ask what my students believed a teacher's role actually was, or whether they questioned the validity of the negative attitudes they heard articulated about the teaching profession. It turns out they're pretty thoughtful on the subject.