The news for the tiny Jefferson Township district was good- they got an “A” on K-3 Literacy improvement. They are the only ones locally – at least that’s the way the Dayton Daily news reports it. But, let’s be real- the entire district is 450 students- split that up by 13 grades- and you get 19.5 students per grade- or 78 students you are rating. There shouldn’t even be a Jefferson Township school district.
When it comes to Dayton, the DDn reports:
Dayton Public Schools was the only local district to receive an “F,” and it trailed most of the state’s other large urban public districts.
Source: Jefferson Twp. leads way in reading [1]
It’s real easy to say that Dayton Public Schools is failing. Point the blame at teachers, principals, superintendents and the school board- or on standardized testing, state funding, or poverty.
That’s pure horseshit.
Let’s blame exactly who is failing little J’onee, Otis, La’quarius and LadonnaMae- the parents, or in most case, single parent. It’s the parents responsibility to teach their kid to read. Not Sesame Street, not “My little professor” or some other educational toy.
If your kid can’t read. shut off the TV. Cancel your cable. Get a library card- and get books for FREE, every week and read with your kids. Problem solved. Unless of course the problem is that the parents can’t read either- because, well, they went to Dayton Public schools as well.
Every single preacher in this city needs to have an after school literacy program at their church (if their flock can’t read the bible, they aren’t going to keep their job very long). Every neighborhood needs to organize reading circles. Instead of the Mayor being on TV at ribbon cuttings- start doing what Mayor La Guardia used to do- reading to kids on the radio [2]. The NAACP needs to start worrying about illiterate kids just as much as they seem to be worrying about black on black crime.
The schools do need to take action as well. Every single student who is failing reading- there should be a home visit- and the first question should be, “where is the bookshelf in your house” and the second should be to get them a library card (most Dayton Public Schools don’t even let kids bring home their text books anymore btw). The home visit should include directions to the nearest library, the hours, and a lesson in how to check out books and return them on time. If the parents are unable to get to the library, it’s time for the schools to partner with the library system for home delivery of books. And, a reading buddy should be identified for every kid that’s failing- this can be a relative, neighbor, or even older kid in the schools- who can stop in and discuss the books the failing reader is working on.
There is no excuse for getting an F in reading that can be assigned to any one entity. If it takes a village to raise a child- the whole city flunks when a kid can’t read. That we don’t hold parents responsible and provide them with support mechanisms to fix this- is our fault.
This problem can be solved. But only when we all work together.
Esrati for State Board of Ed!
I told you one time in the parking lot you should run for school board, and you should. This is one thing you can help with.
That about says it all David. They get Big fat red F but do not fail.
Did you know, of course you know obviously, that scores of F or A really cannot be authenticated because criteria to use these scores becomes political football for the legislature and other agencies of education that decides to change, manipulate and bypass for a desired outcome which is the norm for education today. Look at all the layers of bureaucracy that is supposed to help the students but is mostly an illusion disguised to help districts get money and ratings for a paycheck for staff. It is all political nonsense so the teacher cannot do his or her job. Instead what happens the teacher gets blamed.
Let’s stop this game now and start letting teachers do their jobs without fear of losing it!
In fact let’s start asking questions about our children’s education.
Of course, Our problems need to start locally as each district should be involved and people need to be asking why all the inconsistencies with testing, scores, evaluations, you get the picture; if you have students in public education you should be real concerned when one hand does not know what the other is doing and keep changing the teacher’s job in the first place to be able to teach and students might be able to learn or have everyone swim in a sea of paper not knowing what to make of any score. That is why they make it confusing. There is only one problem we are not confused by the confusion created; no one is kidding anyone.
Go for it Dave, run for State Board of Education perhaps we can get honest responses for our teachers so students can learn and teachers teach!
On the money here David. I have a close associate who used to visit students in DPS at their homes to tutor. The reasons ranged from illness to injury to behavior to pregnancy, and it was her job to tutor these “stay at home” students. Rarely, if ever, did they have books or newspapers or magazines in the homes. It’s the culture. It’s wasnt a black and white thing, it applied to all her visits. Poor people just don’t care. They have money for smokes and Monster and Pizza, but not books. Heck, libraries provide this services through taxes they don’t pay. Change the culture and you change the student.
“Welcome to Costco. I love you.”
Interesting studies about correlation between reading skills of kids and the reading skills of their parents.
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ResearchRpts/parlit.html