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Mistakes Administrators Make

           I am an administrator trapped in the body of a teacher. I know, that sounds weird. The fact is, as much as I like teaching, I would prefer to be an administrator. Many teachers consider administration to be “the Dark Side” and I have felt this way myself, at times. Why is it that some people can work as a teacher for 20 years, then suddenly forget about what it is like to teach 5 minutes after they are made an administrator?

            In an effort to be better organized I have been keeping a work-related journal for the last couple of years. I write things that I feel work and don’t work for my students. It has been helpful in lesson planning. However, I have also been writing down things that my administrators have done that have helped or hurt our school. My goal wasn’t to have something to point at and say, “look how stupid you were!” No, I just want to learn from others mistakes. After looking at the journal, I have found three major mistakes administrators make that they probably don’t even know about.

#1 = Evaluation Fails. Teachers have to be evaluated just like any other employee. Unfortunately, these evaluations are often just plain silly. Often in administrator school, they teach that you need to find three good things a teacher does and three things to improve on. The point is to balance the good with the bad so you don’t seem like you are attacking them. However, many administrators think that means you have to have exactly 3 of each even if you really have to stretch it. I had an administrator tell me once that the posters on my wall were too old. Really? When they do this it cheapens the whole process. Also, if you are going to suggest that an improvement is necessary you had better be able to explain to the teacher HOW they can improve it or else you just look nit-picky.

#2 = Keeping Secrets. I halfway understand why administrators need to play things close to the vest. However, when decisions are made and you don’t fill your teachers in, it looks like you are hiding something from us. Have you ever noticed how often big decisions at your school are made in the summer? I understand that teachers complain about everything. It is our nature for some reason. That is not a reason, though. If you drop a program, change administrators at a site or hire new teachers, there is no reason you can’t send out a group email and let the staff know. Wouldn’t it be nice to get all the questions and complaints out of the way during summer instead of hearing it for the first month of school? BTW, teachers are smart. They might have a better idea for you and you could change things before school starts?

#3 = Telling Staff They Are Equals, but Not Demonstrating It. How many of you have heard at your school site that you are all “partners” or “family?” I’m so tired of hearing it. How can we be partners when you make all of the decisions and don’t ask for our input? I have no problem with the employer-employee relationship, but don’t tell me we are equal. It makes you look disingenuous.

            There are more tiny issues, but I don’t want to rant too long or seem like I am unhappy with my administration. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has room for improvement. These are just three of the biggest issues I have noticed over the last few years.

What Does it Take to be Proficient?

      This week we started our CA Standardized Tests at my high school. There is a major push this year because we dropped a few points in API last year. It was expected because we have really skyrocketed for the last 7-8 years. Falling back a tad was inevitable. So we have been working like mad to get the students ready for their tests.

     When it comes to these standardized tests, the students scores determine their ability. Generally, they are scored/labeled as Far Below Basic, Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced. For purposes of API accounting, we want every student to be at "Proficient" as a minimum. Sure, for all of our students to be labeled "Advanced" would be great, but not likely. 

     What would you expect "Proficient" to mean in terms of the actual percentage of correct answers? 75%? 80%? Nope, it is 58% give or take a few points. Exactly. If you get a little over half of the answers correct on the state test covering an entire school year of science, the state says you are proficient at it. You would flunk any class with that percentage, but the politicians are happy with it. Tells you a lot about politicians, doesn't it.

What would you expect Advanced to be? 90%? 100%? Try 65%. Yes, my friends, a "D" is considered "Advanced" in the state of California. That is how much education is valued. A "D" is not just good enough, it shows mastery.

That is the bang you are getting for your buck.

Next Generation Science Standards Are Out!

            After months of waiting, the final draft of the Next Generation Science Standards is available. What this means is that these national standards have been released so that the individual states can chose to adopt or not adopt them. Although it is not mandatory to do so, in the end most states will likely adopt them. Why? In a word: Uniformity. If a student moves from one state to another, there needs to some continuity between what they were learning in their old school and what they will learn in their new school. [I've heard the conspiracy theory about the government wanting to brainwash our children using CC and NGSS and I think it is silly. There are far easier ways to do that using television.]

            Despite what many are saying, there is nothing ground breaking in the new standards. In fact, science students in CA are going to be responsible for learning less than they were before on most topics (except possible climate change). The idea is to go deeper into each concept, which I am all for.

            My only real beef with the standards are the assessments. They have not been created yet, but it is expected that there will be less multiple choice and more writing and possibly Lab Practicals involved. I don’t see how the state of California can afford to do score these types of tests. Multiple choice tests are easy with their bubbled–in forms that can be quickly scanned by computer. But scoring something as subjective as an essay or diagram or expecting the schools to pay for Lab Practical materials does not make good sense.

            So, we wait on pins and needles. The states will spend the next school year creating their own Standards and assessments based on the NGSS. They will ask for public comments (and possibly listen to them). There will be no end-of-course (CST) tests for high school next year in CA and only pilot testing the following year. That should help.

Increasing Science Literacy!

           It takes a lot to get me excited, but I am very excited about our newest product. It is our first product SPECIFICALLY geared towards the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. I know, right? Very cool!

            As you know, the NGSS and CC science addendum bend towards the analysis of concepts to increase understanding.  In that vein, we have created a simple form for helping students learn how to analyze a science journal article. It includes a form for lower-level science and upper level science courses. It is also useful for middle school science as long as you can find suitable journal articles. Perhaps you could create your own “faux articles” in place of actual journal articles. We may be releasing a middle school version in the future that does this for you.

Check back for more exciting new products in the future!

Implementing The Next Generation Science Standards

     About a month ago I emailed the contact person for the California Department of Education Testing website asking some questions about the NGSS. I wanted to know when the new Standards would be implemented and how were they planning to test our students based on these Standards. It took a full month to get a reply. I had forgotten I had emailed her.

     Her answers were odd. She told me the CST's, our current testing scheme, would be "sunsetting" at the end of the next school year.The Standards are not even officially out yet (in fact, the drafts were removed from their website) and they already have a firm date on when they will no longer use the old test? That means that once the state gets the Standards (they are a lead state in their creation, so they will adopt them), they only have a year to develop tests for Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics. Does that sound like something the STATE could do quickly? And how about Integrated Science? How about the 10 grade Life Science test? What are your plans for those? I'd like to plan for the future, but I can't.

     There was also no answer about the testing format. Many people assume they will change the format of the test to include a writing portion.There are 6 million plus students in public schools in CA. How can you effectively grade the writing of 6 million students in a matter of a few months (test scores come out in the summer)?

     The NGSS are supposedly geared towards the student being able to demonstrate proficiency in science. Why do they need to have a writing portion? The likelihood is that the new standardized tests for CA will look just like the old ones. But CA is not saying anything now.

     Come on, CDE! We need information! If I am going to "completely change the way I teach science," you need to give me a heads-up. I can't completely change my way of teaching the summer before school starts. I'd like at least a year to plan.

How Will the Next Gen Science Standards Be Tested?

     I have been wondering for a while how these new national science standards would be tested. The Common Core Standards, for Math and English, are supposed to be tested in more of an essay format and the push seems to be there to do the same thing for science. (I don't know what some people have against multiple choice, but I have never had a problem with them.) Still, the question was there.
    
     I noticed this week that the testing portion would be left up to the individual States. So, CA will write the test for my students based on the new standards. I took a little trip over to the California Department of Education - Testing website. There is nothing new. No mention of new Standards (they aren't official yet, anyway). No mention of their possible approach. No call for teacher input.

     The timeline states we should begin implementing changes next school year and be fully committed to the NGSS by the following year, yet we have no idea how our students will be tested. On top of that, we have to wait for our state (CA in my case) to make that decision. Crazy.

     BTW, looking at the names of the people involved in creating the new science standards, I did not find a single, current high school science teacher. Lots of college professors and a few former high school teachers, but not one current high school science teacher listed as an author. I suppose they will say they consulted, but should we have been involved in the authorship? Wouldn't that have given the standards more credibility?

 If you wanted to know what it was like to fight in the trenches during WW2, would you ask a Vietnam veteran or a WW2 veteran?

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Apply, Apply, Apply!

The Common Core and Next Gen Science Standards are going to require some big changes for teachers. It's not enough to memorize any more. We have to focus more on helping students to apply the knowledge we are giving them.


Soldier on, my friends. You are going back to school!

Examining the New Standards

     My biggest gripe so far with the Next Generation Science Standards is that I really don't see how they plan to test the students. Here are some of the ways the Standards begin:

"Critically read scientific literature and produce scientific writing..."
"Design and conduct an investigation to..."
"Use a model to support the explanation of..."

Are the new Standardized tests going to be essay questions only? What does that mean for those that can't write well (SPED, ELL, etc)? Are there laboratory practicals involved? How feasible is that? I don't see the point of the language used in the Standards if our goal is for students to understand a concept. Shouldn't they all begin "Students will understand that.....?"

     Don't get me wrong. I actually like the Standards in practice for the most part and can see myself using them. However, I fail to see the link between them and a useful, national Standardized test.  

Next Gen Science Standards

The second draft of the Next Generation Science Standards are out and open for feedback for the next few weeks. If these Standards are formally adopted, it will completely change the way we teach Science. Some of the integrated aspects of these Standards worry me a bit and I'm not sure how they will be able to test these Standards adequately.

Cautiously optimistic.

Prayers for Newtown

Another school shooting. What can you do?

1. Examine your school's Disaster Preparedness Plan (parents and teachers).

2. Hug your family a little tighter and Thank God for their continued safety.

Remember, you can't legislate crazy people away.

Please take time out of your day to pray for the town of Newtown, CT.

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Parents!

This specifically for the parents. It is nearing the end of the calendar year. Please, please, PLEASE contact your children's teacher if you have been putting it of. No matter how young or old they are, it is always a good idea to chat withe their teacher about them. Don't expect the teacher to contact you all the time.

On top of it just being a good precaution, the school year is nearly half over. Now would be a good time to ensure your kids doing well and not on the verge of flunking. Christmas Break is a great time to catch up on any reading or math skills they are behind on.

Remember, it is you that is ultimately responsible for your childs' education.

Apps for Common Core?

"There's an app for that." There's an app for everything, so why should education be different? I've come across some decent apps for the Common Core Standards. Oh yeah, they are free.

Common Core by MasteryConnect for Android.

Common Core by MasteryConnect for iPod, etc.


Feel free to try them out and you can have copies of the Common Core Standards wherever you go.

Integrated Science

I teach a course called Integrated Science. It is a college prep level course in CA that is tested during the CST’s in the Spring. While it doesn’t satisfy the A-G requirement for a Lab science (it should), it is a great course to teach high school freshmen. 

Our department had noticed about 4 years ago that a lot of freshmen coming into high school lacked an acceptable science background. Some of it had to do with a large migrant population, some of it was language issues and some had to do with the quality of their Elementary school education. We began looking for a course that would fill in this gap in their science education.

Integrated Science I (there are 4 different courses recognized by CA) requires you to teach 1 quarter of Biology, 1 quarter of Chemistry, 1 quarter of Physics and 1 quarter of Earth Science. It is a challenge to be sure, but I absolutely love it. After spending a few years developing the curriculum for our site, it has shown itself to be an incredible investment.

The way we structured it was that all freshmen not taking Honors or GATE level science must be enrolled in Integrated Science. We have “integrated” the scientific method, Lab Reports, outdoor education and many other concepts into this course. We have seen a marked improvement in the upper level science courses such as Chemistry and Biology since we expose the students to many of their introductory concepts so early. For example, instead of “introducing” the Periodic Table during their Chemistry course, they “review” the Periodic Table. Much, much faster.

The course is working out very well for us and I encourage you to investigate further if would like your students understanding of science to increase. Just how the Next Generation Science Standards will affect is not known, but it has been absolutely worth it for my school.

Problems With Standards in High School Biology

            The current CA Biology/Life Science Standards have some very large “gaps.” While I have always been a big proponent of having Standards, the gaps have been a big problem for me. Perhaps no bigger gap exists than the lack of proper Standards that deal with plant anatomy and physiology.

            I have a degree in a plant-related subject and have studied plants a great deal in my prior career and I am an avid gardener. I admit to being very biased on this subject. They are an absolutely vital part of our existence. Still, the only Standards we’ve had in CA that specifically covers plants deals with photosynthesis. [OK, you can make the leap that genetics can cover plants, but it is not specific to them.] So when the Next Generation Science Standards Framework came out, I was excited to see how such an important concept would be handled.

            Sadly, my excitement was short-lived. Though it reads like stereo instructions, I cannot find much material covering plant science during the high school years. There are some minor plant concepts covered in the lower grades (some already exist, too) but nothing too deep or meaningful. 

            This year, my department chair and I have been discussing how we can get more plant material into our curriculum. Many of the students in our small community will spend the rest of their lives working in agriculture. Our plan is to integrate plant anatomy and physiology into our Post-STAR test curriculum. It should make for a good research project and an insightful Lab Report activity (as required by the new Common Core English Standards). 

            By the way, you may be under the impression that Agriculture classes would be picking up the slack as far as plant education goes. Nope. Many high schools don’t even have an Agriculture department. Those that do tend to focus on animal husbandry, etc.