Re: Radical School

[Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM>]

On Tue, 03 Sep 2002 13:53:33 -0700 Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>
writes:
> Courtesy of UnderNews:
>
> http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/09/01/loc_radical_school.html


Report says: West Clermont last week opened the doors to its
 restructured high schools, believed to be the first attempt by a
 suburban district to convert both its large high schools into
 smaller schools of interest.

***  WRONG.  Many high schools have already tried this
type of restructuring.  In most cases, it has failed.

Report says:  Educators nationwide are watching the bold
 initiative, which could very well change the landscape of American
 suburban education.

*** WRONG . The above statement implies that thousands of
educators are anxiously watching "the bold initiative".  Actually, it
is doubtful that more than a dozen have started watching. In all
probability these "educators" are relatively inexperienced and have
not heard of the many previous attempts to establish mini-schools,
almost all of which have dismally failed.


Report says:  Its two primary goals are:

 Greater academic achievement for all.
More personalized schools where every student is known well by at
least one adult.

*** WRONG.  Given the previously records of student failure it is
most unlikely that "ALL" of these students will have "greater academic
achievement".  Setting up such an unrealistic goal will make a laughing
stock
of the "educators" and "administrators" who ought to know better.
The failing students who are troublemakers and long-time truants
require a great deal more than a mini-school organization to succeed.

Report says:  Reasons behind restructuring of West Clermont high schools
West
 Clermont's small schools:

 o The district's graduation rate is 80.9 percent.
 o 36 percent of the freshman class failed one or more classes.
 o 30 percent of the total high school population failed 2,100 courses.
 o 1,075 suspendable incidents resulted in high school students missing
2,012 days.
 o 56 percent of the district's students feel they are not treated  with
 respect by their teachers.
 o 55 percent of the students feel students who get high grades are not
respected.
 o 73 percent of the teachers do not feel that students treat each other
respectfully.
 o 60 percent of teachers do not feel that students treat them
 respectfully and are subject to verbal abuse.
 o 58 percent of parents reported teachers do not contact them with
 news about their child's progress.

*** Anyone who believes that students with such poor records can
be transformed into 100% achievers by this minor change school
organization must also believe in Santa Clause and the tooth fairy.

Report says: o 290 students took the ACT; average score was 21.3
(slightly below
 the state average of 21.4).

*** MISLEADING STATISTIC?  Out of several thousand students in
two high schools what does it imply when only 290 students took the
ACT examinations and their average scores were slightly below the
state's average?

Report says:  "West Clermont is absolutely in the lead of suburban
districts in
 the United States in recognizing they're doing some things very well,
 but also that some things need to improve," said Joe Nathan, director
 for  the Center for School Change, a program at the University of
 Minnesota that helps educators to increase student achievement. "As an
 educator in public schools for more than 30 years, I'm deeply impressed
by what
they're doing there. They are courageous people." And admittedly nervous

*** Dr. Nathan is to be commended for his realistic appraisal
of the reorganization effort.  However, his enthusiasm seems to
be greatly diminished by his being "admittedly nervous".

*** QUESTIONS:

How much more money is being allocated for additional supervisors,
administrators, and supplies that will be required?

Will additional guidance personnel be required for each mini-school?

Will teachers be required to spend additional time evaluating students
and
writing long reports every day?

Herb Gottlieb  from New York City
(Where the "radical" mini-school experiment was tried and discarded
twenty years ago)






> . . .
>
> The two high schools, Glen Este and Amelia, are each home to five
> small
> schools that include core curriculum and specific classes centered
> on a
> theme. For example, Glen Este has the School for Scientific Studies
> and
> the School for American Studies. Amelia has the Business &
> Technology
> School and the International Baccalaureate program. (Seniors at
> both
> schools will finish in the traditional program.)
>
> Among ways small schools will differ from traditional schools:
>
> o One team of teachers will teach the same students throughout high
> school.
>
> o Work will involve more hands-on projects, although lectures won't
> disappear.
>
> o Students will see more integration of subjects. For example,
> they'll
> do an experiment for science class, but will write about the
> experiment
> in English class.
>
> o Students have to make some hard choices. No longer will they be
> able
> to take just any class or extracurricular activity.
>
> o Students will have fewer classmates - less than 300 in each small
> school.
>
> "They won't find themselves one of 1,400 kids," said Michael Ward,
> a
> 33-year educator and West Clermont's superintendent since 1999. "One
> of
> our goals is to have more involvement in a personal way."