No excuses
The book everybody in Mississippi education ought to rush out and buy. Book Description
Too many educators make excuses for the failure of most public schools to teach low-income children. But across the nation dozens of high-performing principals have identified those effective practices that allow all children to excel regardless of income level. In this new report, Samuel Casey Carter, a Bradley Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, examines the common practices of twenty one principals of low-income schools who set the standard for high achievement. The lessons uncovered in these case-studies provide an invaluable resource for anyone interested in providing increased educational opportunities for low-income children.
Labels: Mississippi education
posted by Matt Friedeman at
7:40 PM
14 Comments:
Making excuses is easier than making an effort. While there are many teachers that care about the "product" they are turning out, quite a few care only about getting to summer (or Christmas)vacation to get a break from "those" kids. More money is not the solution; better leadership and accountability are needed.
Modeling is always a good method of doing something. If it is proven to work in some areas at least try it. I see that as being a better, more comprehensive solution than the propositions that would only be directed as a small number of kids. I also think that there are a shortage of teachers and people do not want to admit that. Both my parents were teachers, they got in the fight. But a good majority of people that complain and criticize think teaching is beneath them and would not make that sacrifice. Teaching use to be held up as a much more prestigious profession.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE AGAINST ALL FORMS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND NOT BE IN THE FIGHT.
I HAVE CALLED YOUR PROGRAM BEFORE AND CHALLENGED YOU ABOUT THIS BUT WITH YOUR CHILDREN BEING HOME SCHOOLED YOU DON'T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON. I LIKE YOUR PROGRAM BUT WISH YOU WOULD CONSIDER A SUBJECT YOUR WILLING TO BE ENGAGED IN. HOW DO YOU FIGURE THE AVERAGE TEACHER'S PAY TO BE OVER $42,000 A YEAR?
Bobby:
PUBLIC education means my tax dollars at work (or, as the case may be, my tax dollars loafing). Therefore, yes, I will have a voice in how those dollars are being used (or, not used).
Perturbing? Get used to it.
$42,000 average comes out by averaging teachers both young and old. Barbour stated that in his press release. Nobody has challenged it. And that is to say nothing for all the weeks off during the year they get.
I still think that good teachers aren't paid enough. Poor ones are paid way too much. And as it is, they are paid the same. Pity.
Matt
bobbylake, your attack is flawed. if matt home-schooled and didn't say anything, that would be out of the fight. after trying public schools and witnessing the dumbing down of america, my state, my town and this particular public school, we chose private christian education. and bro, we're in the fight. i'm for school vouchers and have written everyone i can. stay in the fight matt!
mm from SC!
Matt, since you have all the answers, why not get off yor butt and run for office and actually try to benefit the people of this state? Oh, that's right. Sitting behind a mic and moaning abotu other people who are trying to do something is so much easier than actually putting yourself out there. So much for being in the fight.
Once again, making comments such as "Sitting behind a mic and moaning abotu other people..." shows your probable world-view. While I usually agree with Matt, when those who have disagreements express them with facts, he will at the minimum agree to disagree. Let's see if we can suggest action instead of hurling insults.
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Matt, you said:
"I am a wife of one beautiful and smart women and father of six homeschooled children."
Did you just come of the closet? Wife of a beautiful woman? Wife? Ummm...okay?
As for the rest of your post, what you do many be good and make you an authority on ministry, but it does not make you an expert on civic matters.
You may not stoop (such arrogance!) to hold public office, but you seem to have no problems in telling others how to do their job. Maybe it's because they have "stooped" so low and King Matt must be their shinning example of all t hat good and holy?
it's easy to be a critic of others when you sit on the sideline and do nothing but running your mouth.
If you want to criticize the work our public officials do (and in such a public manner) then have the guts to get in the system and put your ideas side by side with those you criticize. Don't just complain about the system and laws and work others do; get in there and fix it. In otherwords, put up or shut up.
But somehow I really doubt you will.
If sitting behind a "mic" was all I did...point well made. It is not the only thing I do, not the most important thing I do, not the most interesting thing I do.
I do agree that it is probably not necessary but it may well be important for accountability purposes that I review for people who take seriously our "in the fight" challenge to know what I do and find out more about my position on the battefield, so to speak.
I am a husband (yes, an edit...ha!) of one beautiful and smart women and father of six homeschooled children.
I am a full-time seminary professor training students to go all over the world (over 40 countries right now) to fulfill the Great Commission.
I am a church planter and senior pastor of a church that reaches into some very needy places in the Jackson Metro Area and around the globe.
I am the Hinds County Detention Center chaplain and weekly take students and church members with me to minister there.
I stand in front of Mississippi's lone abortion clinic every week with students and church members. We typically save, by God's grace, 1-2 babies a week from abortion (that we know of, hopefully more we don't know about).
I visit the sick at the nursing home a couple times a month with church members.
I host a daily radio talk show that occasionally changes the direction of public policy and across the years have interviewed presiential candidates, governors, senators, congressmen, state legislators and elected officials and others in elected capacities.
I write a regular column for OneNewsNow and an occasional column for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
I coach two little boys' soccer teams.
And other stuff.
I do not run for office because when God calls you to the ministry it is important not to stoop to become even the president of the United States. And if he calls you to be mayor, don't stoop to go into the pastorate, either.
If you have other ideas about how I should "put myself out there" I am open to listening. But by any fair appraisal I think that perhaps I am culturally "in the fight" at least in some marginal capacity.
Wish I had more time, more energy and more wisdom to do the better job than I am doing, to be sure.
Matt
Nice edit, haha!
As for the rest of your post, what you do many be good and make you an authority on ministry, but it does not make you an expert on civic matters.
You may not stoop (such arrogance!) to hold public office, but you seem to have no problems in telling others how to do their job. Maybe it's because they have "stooped" so low and King Matt must be their shinning example of all t hat good and holy?
it's easy to be a critic of others when you sit on the sideline and do nothing but running your mouth.
If you want to criticize the work our public officials do (and in such a public manner) then have the guts to get in the system and put your ideas side by side with those you criticize. Don't just complain about the system and laws and work others do; get in there and fix it. In otherwords, put up or shut up.
But somehow I really doubt you will.
Matt,
I read your comments on all the areas where you are in the fight and I am thankful that you are. Please don't misunderstand me if you feel I am critical of you as a individual I highly respect you for who you are and as a pastor preaching Jesus Christ. I pray for you daily as I do all of Gods servants.
I am sure you can tell public education is a subject that I have a passion for, my dear wIfe and lovely daughter-in-law are both educators in the public arena.Yes the system has many flaws that desperately needs improvement,I guess the best way to be in the fight for our public education system is to pray for it daily,
Amen.
Bobby:
Thank-you. For the record, I have a Ph.D. in education (curriculum and instruction) from the University of Kansas. I attended public schools from grade school through high school through bacheleor's, master's and doctoral degrees.
I have been trained by public schools, for public schools. (That and five bucks will pay for part of a latte at the new fancy coffee shop down at the strip mall!)
I have a passion for public education, too. I want it to be the best it can be.
It is not...thus my criticism.
I think Matt cares about public education, I just do not think he is open minded. I can also say that for a lot of people that are diehard public school supporters. Solutions require honesty. Neither side is willing to be completely honest. Home schoolers and private schools do not have to deal with a lot to the things public schools do, therefore they can not be used as a template. We can get ideas from them in certain areas, but it will not apply across the board. I have not agreed with Matt on a lot of subjects, but there is no room for personal attacks. He is opionated and often unfair to people that express opposing views, but I think he is a good guy. This is exactly part of the reason that a lot of complex issues can not be addressed.
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