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Click here to find the comments for this topic
Comment left by Anne:
Excellent. On all counts.
Irvington redux
Now that I know we have one person from Irvington reading the site, I figure I'll engage in a bit of spaced repetition on the Singapore Math in Irvington front.
personal narrative:
micromanagement I have been told, by a board member, that our Superintendent has a tendency to micromanage. When Ed heard what was going on — for the uninitiated, Ed is a longtime professor and university administrator — he said, "The superintendent shouldn't even know about your course. This should be way below her level of vision. If this is what she's spending her time on, we're in trouble." I'm sure he's right.
some questions
one more question The administration's thinking, I gather, is that under the new policy the PTSA cannot offer after-school courses that cover the same material taught in Irvington schools. The PTSA can offer enrichment courses — knitting, cooking, all-sports. The PTSA can offer academic courses not offered by the district — Chinese, for instance. The PTSA is free to offer after-school courses in Chinese. This means that I cannot teach a writing course in the after-school program. Irvington parents are actively distressed by the quality of writing instruction in the middle school, and the district acknowledges the problem. I taught writing to middle-school students for Johns Hopkins CYO; I have a Distinguished Teaching award from the University of Iowa for my teaching. I am a professional writer, author of a well-reviewed book that spent 6 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. [3-31-2006: 10 weeks on the paperback list and counting] I would probably agree to teach writing to middle-schoolers in an after-school PTSA program as a service to the community. Is the administration acting in the interests of Irvington children? I can think of a dozen parents from whom I'd want Christopher to be able to take an after-school course, and that's just off the top of my head. All of these parents would be teaching core academic subjects. Math, English, history, science. I would like to see our administration foster such opportunities for our kids.
Irvington mission statement: The mission of the Irvington School District is to create a challenging and supportive learning environment in which each student attains his or her highest potential for academic achievement, critical thinking and life-long learning.
-- CatherineJohnson - 05 Feb 2006 Back to: Main Page.
Comment left by Anne:
BTW, my Math Booster class has seemed to strike a nerve with parents. One of the parents on the PTO at one of the elementary schools is going to speak to her principal about having the PTO sponser my class. I would love to be a fly on the wall at that meeting!!! Politics being what it is in a school district, I don't see it happening.
Excellent. On all counts.
Irvington redux
Now that I know we have one person from Irvington reading the site, I figure I'll engage in a bit of spaced repetition on the Singapore Math in Irvington front.
personal narrative:
- I co-chaired the PTSA after-school program at the Main Street School for two years.
- During my second year as co-chair, I taught an after-school course in Singapore Math. The principal approved the course, asked me how it was going, borrowed the books to show his wife (a high school math teacher), and told me NY state was moving toward a 'Singapore' model (fewer topics taught in more depth) in state standards. Christopher's teacher helped me out with advice and materials.
- This fall I taught the course again. One teacher asked me for materials to give to the parent of an especially bright child in his/her class. Another teacher told a parent that he/she was eager to learn more about what I was doing.
- Our assistant superintendent in charge of curriculum contacted the president of the PTSA. He told her that 'teachers' and 'parents' had called to complain about the course. He said, too, that I was using my course to undermine TRAILBLAZERS.
- Our assistant superintendent in charge of curriculum did not contact me at any point. Instead, acting in his professional capacity, he chose to make anonymous charges against one parent to another parent in private.
- The PTSA president contacted me. We talked. I met with the PTSA Executive Committee.
- Last I heard, the Superintendent planned to draft a formal policy, to be submitted to and voted on by the School Board, giving her authority to approve and disapprove all parent-run courses.
- 3 out of 5 or 6 students who had been placed in Phase 3 math moved to the accelerated track after taking my course. In all 3 cases, the parent told me the move happened because of Singapore Math. update 8-4-2006: I learned this week that a 4th student from my class has tested into the Phase 4 track.
- In the same year, Irvington Middle School, according to figures I was given, cut 21 students — 35 percent — from the Phase 4 track going into 6th grade (scroll down). (Seven students moved up from Phase 3 to Phase 4, which raises another set of concerns.)
- UPDATE 10-4-2006: Ralph to Yorktown
micromanagement I have been told, by a board member, that our Superintendent has a tendency to micromanage. When Ed heard what was going on — for the uninitiated, Ed is a longtime professor and university administrator — he said, "The superintendent shouldn't even know about your course. This should be way below her level of vision. If this is what she's spending her time on, we're in trouble." I'm sure he's right.
some questions
- This is a small community. I wonder whether my reputation has been harmed by the assistant superintendent's decision to make anonymous accusations against me, in private, to another parent.
- This is a small community. I wonder whether the assistant superintendent has talked to other parents, administrators, teachers, and community members about me.
- This is a small community. I wonder whether the assistant superintendent maybe ought to pick up the phone and give us a call. We're in the book.
one more question The administration's thinking, I gather, is that under the new policy the PTSA cannot offer after-school courses that cover the same material taught in Irvington schools. The PTSA can offer enrichment courses — knitting, cooking, all-sports. The PTSA can offer academic courses not offered by the district — Chinese, for instance. The PTSA is free to offer after-school courses in Chinese. This means that I cannot teach a writing course in the after-school program. Irvington parents are actively distressed by the quality of writing instruction in the middle school, and the district acknowledges the problem. I taught writing to middle-school students for Johns Hopkins CYO; I have a Distinguished Teaching award from the University of Iowa for my teaching. I am a professional writer, author of a well-reviewed book that spent 6 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. [3-31-2006: 10 weeks on the paperback list and counting] I would probably agree to teach writing to middle-schoolers in an after-school PTSA program as a service to the community. Is the administration acting in the interests of Irvington children? I can think of a dozen parents from whom I'd want Christopher to be able to take an after-school course, and that's just off the top of my head. All of these parents would be teaching core academic subjects. Math, English, history, science. I would like to see our administration foster such opportunities for our kids.
Irvington mission statement: The mission of the Irvington School District is to create a challenging and supportive learning environment in which each student attains his or her highest potential for academic achievement, critical thinking and life-long learning.
-- CatherineJohnson - 05 Feb 2006 Back to: Main Page.