Re: School Success In Strange Places

[SSHS KPHOX <kphox@MAIL.CCSD.K12.CO.US>]

PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu writes:
> Sorry to be pessimistic, but with my wife having both taught (special ed)
> and been in administration (Principal) in a city system (50,000 total
> population) with a broad range of ethnic backgrounds and social/economic
> situations, I can appreciate some of the pitfalls facing this kind of
> grandiose plan.

It is easy to be pessimistic and I, a 34 yr veteran with a wife in special
education,  can see the pitfalls as well. But what can we learn....I see
social promotion a happy victim here. I see a community that will say I
want my child to read and write enough to put aside false self-concept
problems that might arise if a student is "held back". If we eliminate
grades as such and replace it with competencies....Laptops will be a hard
sell but the reduction od administrative budgets is a worthy goal. That
might allow us to improve the student teacher ratio.

I agree that the model does not sclae up well, but waht can we learn?

Ken Fox
Science Department Coordinator
IB Physics Teacher
Smoky Hill High School
Aurora, CO
kfox@mail.ccsd.k12.co.us