tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post5271354705669314379..comments2024-03-26T11:07:03.496-04:00Comments on Ed Notes Online: Randi Bar Exam Proposal Raises a Bar to People of Colored notes onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-49129972823263313212012-12-02T12:05:10.095-05:002012-12-02T12:05:10.095-05:00You are wrong to make this proposal about ethnicit...You are wrong to make this proposal about ethnicity: "Randi Bar Exam Proposal Raises a Bar to People of Color". Such thinking leads to your appalling conclusion: "This is the final nail in that coffin and in essence reinforces the TFA whitening of the teacher staff as this truly extends the bar to the people from poor communities who can be great teachers (I've seen many of them) though not great test takers."<br /><br />This follows the "achievement gap" method of the corporate reformers which essentially blames people of color for not trying hard enough or being innately incapable of having high scores on standardized tests. Whatever disparities exist are because of an opportunity gap. (http://thenotebook.org/blog/125318/please-stop-using-phrase-achievement-gap) To say such exams place people of color at a disadvantage based on whether they can pass a test is the same misuse of test scores, taking them out of the social context, as the corporate reformers do with test scores. <br /><br />This proposal by Weingarten is an attack on the teaching profession as a whole. Your initial comment is spot on:<br /><br />"Weingarten continues her history of joining the "it must be the teachers' fault" parade with this proposal. Randi is so desperate to come up with an idea, any idea, that she can try to sell showing she is a willing participant in deform. Actually fighting back like the Chicago Teachers Union is not in her DNA."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-32959527913947199952012-12-02T10:28:04.921-05:002012-12-02T10:28:04.921-05:00Above was obviously not written by me.Above was obviously not written by me.ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-3538845508289582922012-12-02T10:27:34.528-05:002012-12-02T10:27:34.528-05:00We have been mentoring new Fellows since its incep...We have been mentoring new Fellows since its inception and I taught education courses at the college level.<br /> <br />As I see it, the challenge that new teachers face is not the curriculum or lack of teaching strategies or not being "smart", or having a low GPA, or even the kids - the challenge is dealing with the DOE, the demands of unreasonable paper work, lack of support, large class sizes, not enough time for planning and miserable administrations, and knowing that test prep is not teaching - not in any particular order. I witness brand new teachers being given extra assignments, and although being flattered, they do not have the time for nor are they prepared to do. It is obvious that it takes them from teaching. One of the Fellows that I mentor was asked to give PD on Election Day - 2 months into his career! <br /> <br />Schools often complain that the university is not preparing teachers for specific assignments. Offering PD is not the business of universities. Schools bear that responsibility - as programs change from school to school.<br /> <br />Many of our Fellows came from good schools, know what is important to teach, and have the passion for kids. Are they teachers yet? No, no amount of preparation can make one an excellent teacher. They often complain to us that they are not successful in one area or another. I have to remind them that they are only teaching 4 weeks, or 8 weeks or whatever. But they are rated as experienced teachers - managing a class, differentiating of instruction (if I hear one more complaint from a Principal that a Fellow is not differentiating in week 2 of the term!). Year after year we see them beaten down.<br /> <br />In law school, our daughter participated in "clinicals" - valuable and critical - yes, but even then Legal Aid had her "shadow" another lawyer for 6 months before taking her own cases. I know that she would tell you that passing the Bar was not an indication of her readiness for practicing law. Randi should know better.<br />ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.com