Wed, 27 May 2026 01:03:40 -0700WeeblySat, 05 Oct 2013 01:09:00 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/bully-prevention-throughout-childhoodThe past few years we have seen a consistent number of young teens,
especially girls, committing suicide after suffering consistent bullying from
peers. Sometimes it comes as a result of behavior on the teen’s part, but this
essay is not about victim-blaming. It is, however, some suggestions based on the
work of Erik Erikson and his ideas on human development that might help young
people get through the juggernaut that is middle and high school social life.



Erikson and psychosocial development


Erik Erikson believed in the influence of one’s surrounding on their human development. He believed that we resolve crises based on how we pass
through those stages of development. I have a pretty solid, albeit not comprehensive, knowledge of Erikson’s perspective and surmise that we did not pass through them once and then forever and always our crisis in this area of
  development is over; rather, we continue to move through them and resolve them throughout our lifetime.


Trust versus Mistrust


Erikson believed that as infants we look to our caregivers for support
and for meeting our needs. Those needs can be emotional or even more basically, food, trauma, basic help and so forth. The individual develops a sense of trust that a caregiver will come to their aid. For the teen, it is the basis for
trusting those around them to meet their needs. Parents must ensure that they
have established a strong foundation for being there unconditionally for their
children early so when it comes time to share their most vulnerable events –
when they are being picked on – they feel they can come and talk to their
caregiver.


Autonomy versus Self-Doubt


This stage begins at about 2/3 years of age. There is a reason why some
children become ornery at this age. Imagine having all these wants and ideas and opinions but caregivers aren’t always prepared to fulfill those wants and needs and certainly cannot entertain all the opinions of a three year old. However, giving selections from which the child can choose will instill the idea that they can make their own decisions and think about their choices. 
If their choices are always made for them or they are consistently
corrected for their choices, a sense of self-doubt develops and, later on in
their childhood, the teen will doubt themselves, their judgment and their
choices – and possibly look to others to make choices for them. The child who is
allowed to make choices herself and can count on the caregiver to be there,
without judgment, to support her through the bumps and bruises of bad choices
will develop a sense of strength and not be easily led astray. 



Initiative versus guilt


At 3-5 years of age, after successfully resolving the autonomy crisis,
the child takes the initiative and makes decisions on his own. The caregiver can
reinforce this behavior by providing instances where choice can be made and then acknowledging and valuing the decision made by the child. However, if the child is made to feel bad about making decisions on his own, a sense of guilt and
doubt can result. For the teen, this stage sets the foundation for being given
opportunities to make decisions and then having those decisions respected and
rewarded with acknowledgement and praise. They won’t always make the right
decisions but that is why we have established a sense of trust in the child
early so that guidance and re-direction aren’t seen as criticism but rather,
wisdom out of a place of love and support. Having initiative might ensure that
the teen will make their own decisions and not be led by others into negative
behavior. It also means that the teen will not be made to feel guilty over
decisions, good or bad, that they have made because they are the ones who made them and will stand behind them. This stance also instills in the teen that the decisions they make will be decisions for which they will be held accountable. 
 
Industry versus inferiority


Some students who have been in psychology courses with me have
identified this stage as the most important in developing a healthy adult. I am
on the undecided – I think they are all equally important – but I appreciate
their logic. If you feel like you have the support of a caregiver and they
create an environment where you can make decisions on your own and those
decisions are honored and valued, then you are more likely to make decisions on
your own and feel confident in them. Whether it is being pressured into sex or
teased relentlessly, the child who feels supported, makes decisions on their own
using common sense and stands behind those decisions and actually makes
decisions that might not be popular because they feel strong in their choice, is
more likely to withstand bullying – even cyber bullying for which there seems to
be no safe place to hide. The child who is made to feel bad about the choices
they have made, including statements like – “see, I told you so. Just do what I
say and it will be fine”- will feel inferior and not make their own decisions
and certainly will not stand behind the decisions they make.



Identity versus Role Confusion


Here is the crucial time for teens. At this stage in Erikson’s model,
the individual develops a sense of who they are, or they resolve the crisis
negatively and do not establish the kind of person they are going to be and may
flounder for a while. But that is the crux of the decision. Those who flounder
may very well be led astray because they have no sense of who they are and what they believe in so they may not base their decisions on a sense of integrity to their character but more so to the character for which they are receiving
attention.



What this means for the teens who are being bullied or, especially,
young ladies who are bullied and feel there is no way out is this: we have to
instill in them from a very early age that they can come to us for anything and
we will listen without judgment and not undervalue their perspective. I have
personally heard parents say that their teen is “so dramatic.” That may very
well be true but that is the level at which they are thinking. This belief has
been referred to as the adolescent fairy tale and adolescent egocentrism when
they cannot understand why their caregivers cannot see how important and life
changing an issue is to them. I recall a scene in, The Breakfast Club, when the
group is in a circle and Allison (the head case) tells the group that, “it’s
inevitable. When we grow up, our hearts die.”


Bu we also need to teach our children to take criticism and harassment
with a grain of salt. I have an adage that some might argue isn’t worth even a
grain of salt but I believe it is true. There is a reason why I don’t get upset
if someone bets me to the basket when playing basketball, or steps on my shoes
on the Max or even says bad things about me or “my mom.” Because I don’t need your respect – I bring my own. The reason my students do what is expected isn’t their respect for me personally, it is because they will not pass the class if they do not do the things that the University and the state of Oregon have
decided they need to do to demonstrate their proficiency. And I don’t treat them
with respect because they have “earned it” – it is because I understand for my
students to do well I need to create a plan, teach to that plan and then assess
fairly to determine if they have retained enough to meet the aforementioned
state and university standards. I play a small but important role in
facilitating that progress but I don’t need my students to “respect” me.



Having said that, I hope my son won’t be misguided by “friends” or
harangued to the point of giving up because he longs for their respect. He has
his own and he will have strength of character and pride in himself and his
family that will surpass any hurtful names or pernicious gossip that may be
headed his way.  When I was I high school, there was a rumor I was gay because the clothes I wore were hand-me-downs and sometimes quite tight. 
If I didn’t have a family who loved me, a small circle of real friends
  and pride in myself – it may have hurt me greatly. This was early 80’s and we
  didn’t have LGBT communities and pride groups on campuses – if you were gay, good luck.


If he is maligned for whatever life choices he makes, he will have the
strength of character and support of his parents to stand behind his decisions.
That seems to be a common thread among several of the young ladies who have made bad choices and then were shamed or embarrassed by their school chums’ response. Liam won’t be. He will own his decision and stand behind it. But he won’t stand alone. I wonder how many of the young ladies especially didn’t go to their families because they didn’t think they could. 
 

I don’t have all the answers; not even sure the answers I have are the
right ones. But I know that the tragedy that unfolds day after day needs lots of
voices to chime in so that we can have a discussion and solve the problem as
best we can.


 ]]>Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:14:41 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/sawyer-rosenstein-bully-victim-millionaire-advocate1Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:14:37 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/sawyer-rosenstein-bully-victim-millionaire-advocatehttp://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/19/11289813-42-million-settlement-for-student-paralyzed-by-bully?lite&GT1=43001

    My hope is that you wont be sure if I am serious or not by using that title. I am serious. Believe me when I tell you that this case and the young man involved are going to be a pivotal turn in the abolition of bullying and peer victimization. It doesnt matter in the least that the district, "[makes] no admission by the Board or by any of its employees of a violation of any law or duty owed to the Plaintiffs..." Or that they will never get a dime from the actual bully. The repercussions are going to sound all over the country.

    This case will be the precedent for future civil and criminal cases against school districts and the families of bullies. Provided you are willing to take a beating to document the victimization you are suffering at the hands of a brazen bully and an apathetic school (and district).

    Sawyer had written emails [good thinking Sawyer] advising the school and administration that the harassment was continuing and in one email told the administrator that it was getting worse and asked the person for coping strategies for dealing with the bully (pretty good terminology if it wasnt his parents). Unfortunately, no one did anything of substance and, despite what the "district spokesperson" says, I seriously doubt any policy was enforced because Sawyer and his family have shown that NOTHING CHANGED!

     So one day, the bully punches Sawyer in the stomach - it resulted in a blood clot that moved to his spine - and burst. He is now paralyzed and wheelchair bound. 4.2 million dollars isnt enough if it is my child - but he isnt so they settled. In court, while it would have cost more and you are taking a chance - i think a jury punishes the district very hard. I am guessing the insurance underwriters for the district have a cap and they knew they werent getting anything from the bully's family, so they settled. But they arent ready to settle the advocacy.

     Here is a statement from the defendant:"The board denied allegations that it or its employees had “failed or compromised its responsibility to develop and to implement effective policies and procedures to protect the safety and rights” of the school community, the statement continued, noting that the district "prides itself for the role which it has played in recognizing and developing an awareness of the dangers of bullying, intimidation and harassment in the school setting." 

 

    This is not a case of the district not having a plan in place or a policy forbidding bullying. This is about the enforcement and USE of the policy(ies). This is the situation for a multitude of school districts. A recent survey of principals around the country showed that they report not having the resources, time or training to implement anti bullying policies and practices. This is the sad state when an issue that has been prevalent since people got together in groups is suddenly thrust into the spotlight and catches everyone who has turned their head from the issue are forced to pay attention and FINALLY be held accountable.

    So, good on ya Sawyer - make them pay and maybe they will listen. Though I doubt it!  You will be a news broadcaster and youll be able to hold your head up while the bully may grow up to be successful but has to live with the fact that he inspired you to be even more outspoken - though the cost was dire, the benefit is to society and thats even better than being a millionaire.

:-)

]]>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:29 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/oregon-is-doing-it-righthttp://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/state-data-repository/children-in-the-states.html

The Children's Defense Fund, honorably headed by Marian Wright Edelman, has released the State of Children in the States data factbook (see the above website). It gathers statistics from various sites to inform people how their state is doing in terms of relieving those living in poverty, but mostly children and their condition in the United States. Of course, I am concerned with the states of Washington and California since I have family in both - but it is Oregon and my own son that interests me the most. The news is encouraging and today's article will present some data and my response.

Out of 50 states, Oregon ranks 3rd in newborns "low birthweight." Translated, that means that 47 other states have higher rates of low birthweight. Low birthweight has been associated with learning difficulties, lower immune systems and other associated correlations like limited prenatal care, poverty and future health concerns. Evidently, Oregonian expectant mothers take care of themselves and the stars align well for them.

Oregon ranks 6th in infant mortality; 44 other states have higher infant mortality rates - which means that Oregon's newborns stay alive. We had our son in Washington so I hesitate to speak to the quality of the birthing practices in Oregon but if it is anywhere near the care, sensitivity and professionalism of the birth process we went through - I am not surprised Oregon ranks high in preventing infant mortality.

Child Hunger is another category I want to point to when I speak of the proactive, positive stance by the Oregon legislature and its officials. Of the applicants who receive assistance via food stamps, 92 % of the possible recipients receive the assistance (SNAP). Pretty impressive statistic when you think there is a minute amount of fraudulent claims and claims that are made for college students and single individuals.

In 2010 there were 535,000 children in Oregon public schools. Consider there were slight fluctuations in the 2011 number and the percentage of children receiving free and reduced lunch (which is an indicator of poverty since the qualification includes being below the federal poverty line - that's somwhere below $15,000 a year for a family of three), is 52%. The actual 2011 number is 328,000 children are served by the federal free and reduced lunch program. While this is a sign of the times, I have visited schools and talked with principals who provide free breakfast and lunch simply because the percentage of children who qualify for the program is so high. I believe there is actually a policy in place for Portland Public schools that allows schools to provide free and reduced breakfast and lunch for all children if the total percentage of kids who qualify exceeds 65%.

At any rate, Oregon cares for its children more than most other states as illustrated by its proactive stance and positive practices - in my experience, they err on the side of human and that is a good message to send to your citizens. ]]>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:18:39 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/we-are-role-modelsAll adults are role models. We can get that out of the way in case you vehemently object, so you can stop reading. If you are on the fence or agree, then continue reading so you can find out some of the theoretical and affective reasons why we are all role models for young children.

It is important to know that I believe I am a role model for everyone, including the adults with whom I work. These are some of the reasons why I believe I am a role model:

1) Social Learning Theory. Albert Bandura found that children watched and imitated the behavioral choices of other people in similar situations. For example, with the Bobo doll, children who did not choose to bop the doll did so after they observed adults and other children bop the doll. It does not mean the models "taught" the other children to bop the doll - rather, they gave them another choice; one they had previously not thought to use. In other words, it didnt matter whether the "models" meant for the other children to learn the behavior, they did learn it and that is that.

2) Erikson's psychosocial development. As young children move through the stages of Erik Erikson's theory they are using role models at various points throughout the process. For example, during the autonomy v. shame and self doubt stage, children may be watching their parents and siblings to begin shaping their response to problem-solving. In a classroom, some teachers call this "thinking aloud." As parents and siblings talk through their decision making process, younger children are listening to this process and potentially using it themselves later on.

3) Behaviorist theory. When children see a behavior, and it is rewarded - it is not outside the realm of possibility the child will use the behavior - and will continue to do so if they are rewarded. A good example is when professional athletes behave badly and yet get a high salary, notoriety and MVP awards.
 
Charles Barkley once said he isnt a role model - parents should be a child's role models. I dont completely disagree. But the concept of role model doesnt mean the individual who is looked up to CHOOSES to be the role model - the fact is the person is looked up to by young people and is therefore, a role model. Not by their choosing but by the choice of the young person. ]]>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:40:41 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/martin-weptMany anniversaries have come and gone. The 50th of Brown v Board of Education, 40th of JFKs assassination, the death of Rosa Parks and, of course - the 40th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King's assassination on April 4 1968. When the date of his assassination was upon us, I remember hearing people on talk shows ask what Martin might think if he was alive today. They asked Al Sharpton - a circus ringleader of racial conflict. They asked Jesse Jackson, friend and comrade of Dr King - and an opportunist if I ever saw one. They never asked me.

I would tell them that Martin would weep. Not only has it taken 50 years for a black man to become president - even he was a target of racially motivated cartoons and ridicule. Let me repeat that, a PRESIDENTIAL candidate was a target of racially motivated cartoons and ridicule. Also, the last year that comprehensive numbers were collected, 38 million Americans live in poverty. Further, America is at war. Finally, racism is still a constant in the American landscape.

What is wrong with us?

Im not upset that a presidential candidate is drawn in caricature - politics has been that way for 200 years but the racist vitriole that was present in political cartoons even in the mainstream - was shocking. I believe Martin would turn the other cheek, and weep.

38 million Americans living in poverty - that is, a family of three living on about 14,000 a year - in the richest country in the world. Martin would try to unify the business world, social assistance and general public - but in private, he would weep.

Martin was an outspoken opponent of the Viet Nam war. He felt it was an odd hypocrisy to employ military means to kill people who oppress and kill other people. I think Martin would talk with Obama - take a moment to imagine that picture! - clench his fists, and weep.

Inequity, and I know about schools so I will use schools as the example, still exists. But the inequity isnt so closely tied to race anymore. It is still associated with race but it is more like the associative propoerty in math. Inequity exists for poor people, by percentage of the population and not numerically - there are more people of color living in poverty - therefore, Inequity in education still exists for people of color. It doesnt have to be this way, this Educational Apartheid as Jonathan Kozol calls it, but it is this way due to ineptitude, greed and ignorance. Martin would see a consistency in the number of brown students not being successful in school, he would put his head in his hands, and Martin would weep.

And yet, I believe he would espouse hope. In his autobiography, Martin said that, only when it is darkest can you see the stars shine. I look to the sky hopefully, and wait for the stars to shine.
]]>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:54:42 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/mike-tyson-is-a-role-model“I think that’s why people, like myself, become more assertive in life, more aggressive, become more outgoing in life because they fear, they don’t want that to happen no more and they don’t want to be humiliated in that particular fashion anymore – and that’s why I believe I'm the person that I am. People have a misconception that I'm something else but im just afraid of being that way again. Of being treated that way again. Of being physically humiliated in the streets again.”
                                          - Mike Tyson, from the movie, Tyson.

Mike Tyson was undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world. He was a street thug, volunteering to help old women into the elevator with their groceries then punching them out and stealing their food. He was a despicable young man. How many of us know children who are either on the verge or have leapt over the line between "good" kid and bully? The testimony by Tyson should serve as a warning to teachers because if we just heard the quote above without the information that the person saying it has been a violent, angry, abusive human being, you might feel protective of the person.

Tyson illustrates what I have been saying for almost four years now. Most efforts initiated in elementary and middle schools that deal with bullies have focused on comforting the target and punishing the bully; we have to extend the compassion to the bully as well. Tyson embodies a common, but often de-emphasized, trait among bullies: they are fearful, they are protective of themselves and the usually do not trust adults or authority figures. When the bully is just punished, we miss the opportunity to allay fears, provide the support of another protector and the chance to trust an adult again. I propose that bully prevention programs have, at their core, a system for supporting, guiding and showing compassion for bullies.

In many of my teacher preparation programs, when I talk about classroom dynamics or developing curriculum for a diverse student body I tell my students that they are there for the gifted learner but they are getting paid to be there for the struggling students. Along the same lines, the target needs your support but the bully needs your support even more because the target probably has not been maligned throughout his or her life as it is very likely, according to research, that the bully has been victimized.

Tyson suggests with the right influences earlier on, influences like Cus D'Amato, he may have turned out differently. If Tyson thinks that influences may have changed his life; there is no reason to believe, if we notice the signs early and switch up our paradigm about the treatment of bullies, more Tyson's may be avoided.]]>Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:56:37 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/grades-who-needs-emStephen Krashen wrote a response on his blog about a statistics he had read, I believe, from the Washington Post. In the blog, Krashen shares his thoughts about the article author's findings that more students are graduating from high school but not in four years; it is taking them longer to graduate. He cites his own memories about a family member who, during the Great Depression, alternated between a year of high school and a year of work in order to help his family survive the financial crisis.

Do you think the system would crash if we did away with grade levels? What about grades on assignments? What might happen? What effect would that have on teachers? Parents? Schools? Tests? The Federal Government? Let's briefly examine the possible effect(s), as I see it.

Imagine a scenario where children come into a school and are authentically assessed for their strengths and weaknesses and then have a learning program created especially for them that will use their strengths to make progress on their weaknesses. Teachers in the classroom would have to be knowledgeable about a broad span of information, always be willing to learn more and work even more collaboratively with their students to provide meaningful, challenging curriculum for all students in the class. When a student falters, they don't "repeat third grade" because it isnt about grades - they would continue to move on with their cohort, requiring the next teacher (or you could even move on with the original class) to provide the challenging, engaging curriculum to result in progress - even with the struggling student who would have been left back in the traditional classroom. However, the student's affect wouldn't be negatively influenced and a sense of family would continue to be strengthened.

...and that is the next level of my proposition - to do away with assigning grades. I have been in brainstorming sessions at the university level about assigning grades. I know some of the concerns and questions that arise when discussing "grades." Think of the assessment cycle: pre-assessment, formative assessment and post-or summative-assessment. The reason for pre assessment is to inform the stakeholders (teachers, parents, learner). It gives the stakeholders an idea of the level of proficiency in relation to the lesson or unit objective. Formative assessment gives stakeholders insight into the learner's progress during instruction. Finally, summative assessment indicates the level of progress the learner made relative to the objective(s) of the lesson. So the question becomes, if assigning grades are necessary, WHEN are they necessary? Or are there different levels of "necessary"?

Assigning a grade for a pre-assessment isnt necessary because no one is comparing it to anything in particular - unless you compare students to one another or performances by former students - don't do that. You should be using that information to inform your practice. If you don't use it for pre assessment, then it is only slightly more effective to use as a post - since you are comparing performances, not letter grades because the letter grades represent levels of proficiency. So I say to that, show or tell the students how they progressed - or better yet, let the learner tell you what they learned and how much they progressed by informing them of the objective so they can tell you how close they got to the objective. It takes more time and organization but by doing this, and emphasizing a personal approach, it will make all that time preparing for federally encouraged testing to be obsolete.

It is possible for all grades. If you tell a kindergartener that the objective is they learn to write their name using the capital letters of the alphabet then you can show them their performance on the task and ask if they have met the objective. You can avoid saying that is a 5, or an A, or "acceptable" and the two of you can agree that it has all the characteristics of the objective and the learner has reached the goal.

I will say, and this conclusion came from the meetings at the university level, as a summative assessment when you are no longer going to instruct this skill, a grade or score may be effective because it informs the stakeholders of their final level of proficiency. (Evergreen College in Washington state still uses narrative reports on their grade transcripts for graduates, nice approach) My only opinion on that is, when learners leave a university class - it may be the last time the teacher will see the learner, so a final summation is necessary. At the elementary level, it isn't that way until the end of fifth grade. So the practice of assigning descriptions of the learner's performance might also breed more collaboration between teachers and grade levels.

Just a final note on grades and grade levels. I have 40+ year old friends and colleagues who remember the feeling of being held back in first grade. Simply removing the "grade level" would eliminate this memory. Learners would learn skills, concepts, etc. and after mastering them, would move on to the next level of skills and so on. Teachers would have to know their stuff across several levels of proficiency and allow the learner to take over more of their learning; both end results would be a positive step toward making education more effective.]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:53:41 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/bullies-need-love-tooI have been remiss. I just noticed that November has no post - so, maybe today you will get two? Maybe.

Today I read about a Mr. Clemmons. He walked into a coffee shop in Tacoma, Washington as four police officers were completing paperwork before their shift started. He evidently, pulled out a gun and shot all four in cold blood. One officer was able to wound him but was also killed. I mourn the four police officers because they are among our bravest citizens.

The controversy began because Mike Hukkabee (sp?) apparently gave clemency to the perpetrator some years back. Between then and now, the assailant continued to rack up criminal charges of abuse toward police officers, domestic partners and children. I do not bemoan the fact that he was let out of prison. Hukkabee allegedly cited Clemmons' childhood as a reason why he should be granted clemency and released from his 104-year prison sentence for armed robbery. Apparently, he had a tumultuous childhood which resulted in a grown man with little or no empathy. A lack of empathy, or the ability to stand in someone else's shoes and feel what they might feel, is a common characteristic in a traditional bully.

Peer victimization expert Daniel Olweus has described different types of bullies. I am not suggesting to know what kind of bully Clemmons was but one kind of bully is the "bullied bully." This bully is the one who has been bullied him or herself and bullies others to, "get some relief from his own feelings of powerlessness and self-loathing" (Coloroso, 2007, 89).  He has had a long connection with law enforcement, clearly blames them for his circumstances and was actually out on bail, facing charges of assaulting a police officer and sexual abuse of a child (MSN home page, 12/01/09) when the shooting occurred.

I absolutely do NOT blame the Seattle police officer who, when faced with a "cop killer," shot and killed him today. My own brother is a police officer and if it is between him going home to see his wife and sons and some low-life who would take my brother's life, my brother should shoot first and I hope your aim is true! 99 percent of police officers are good, caring, brave men and women who regularly put their lives on the line for total strangers. Having said that, I wish we could have heard from Clemmons. He is not alone in his victimization and role as violent bully. But they can change.

Hukkabee must have known that this man had a violent upbringing and committed interpersonal, violent crimes before granting him clemency. Here is my problem with that decision (and I believe it is standard operating procedure), they just released him with no mandatory ongoing therapy as a condition of release or even delaying his release upon completion of in-custody therapy. Either way, this bully and others like him may not need to be put in prison but they need someone to collaborate with them to work out the issues that have resulted in their identity as a bully.

Our young people are the same way. A large majority of the instances of bullying in schools will occur outside the vision of teachers and paraprofessionals. It happens in the bathroom, between buildings of the school during recess, or in the path to and from school.  Still, when it is obseved, most schools will send a bully to the office without understanding the underlying issues that resulted in the bullying behavior. They are then expelled or punished without any ongoing work to support the bully's development of alternative responses to feelings of inadequacy, superiority, or animosity. Bullying left unexplored in young children can result in adults with unexplored bullying behavior and we have workplace shootings, abusive parents and impulsive interpersonal violence occurring in society.]]>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:30:38 GMThttp://www.healthyenvironmenthealthychildren.com/opinions/gates-obama-and-duncan-as-education-expertsResponse to the article featured on MSN Education featuring Microsoft founder, Bill Gates:

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33469415/ns/us_news-education//



I’m not sure what brings Bill Gates to the level of education expert or how his technological advances have given him the power to hire folks who are influencing Secretary Duncan and President Obama. I am very thankful for philanthropists like Mr Gates but their influence should stop with the money they give and allow people with more child – centered and –oriented philosophies to decide where the money is spent.

 

Both of these points/concerns are validated, affirmed and bolstered by one statement by Mr Gates: “It’s no secret U.S. education system is failing.”

 

Given the vast diversity of children who come to our classrooms, the sheer number of students, the neutering of talented teachers by ridiculous and myopic standards and constant pressure by the general public and outspoken billionaires to go higher up the NAEP ladder over Slovokia on science tests; I believe the American educational system surpasses what one might expect it to do. 

 

We have millions of children living in poverty who come to school without food in their bellies or even look forward to food in their bellies when they get home at night. They walk through violent, dirty, decrepit neighborhoods where getting home safely is the toughest test they will mother works two or sometimes three jobs. Is this the same in many countries? No. In some countries, children walk through the rubble of American forces’ and insurgents’ bombs. In some, fathers are in battle, dead or just leave. In some, there is no formal schooling and in others schooling is for the males only and religion-based. Furthermore, some countries have abject poverty Americans can only imagine in their worst dreams. But I think the United States may be one of the few western countries where ALL of those factors influence a large group of children. For example, do some children in large, urban environments face these challenges? Hmmm…





1)      Children walk through rubble?                     Yes

                    

2)      Children of single parents?                            Yes

3)      Children have unequal education?                 Yes

4)      Children live in sub-par 
       socioeconomic conditions?                            Yes

 

Any program, like No Child Left Behind (NCLB), that uses carrots and sticks as the incentive for – as the article says – cooperation with the program, should realize its strategy as well-worn and ineffective. We all need to realize that every city, every school, every classroom and every child, are not the same and one set of practices or standards or even incentives will be effective or necessary for every school. Examples of children who are empathetic and giving make the newspaper every so often and ought to be an example for Gates, President Obama and Secretary Duncan; children know that there are people in their world who need more to help them get along. Take the example and give to the schools and communities who actually need it - not the ones who can afford to pay a professional grant writer.

The fact that the administration is using money to get schools to do what they want is neither helpful nor ethical. Take the lead of children and give money to schools that need it based on a few, very simple characteristics: 1) they are low performing, 2) they are surrounded by poverty, unemployment and strife and, 3) teachers there work twice as hard for two-thirds the salary.

 

Low Performing schools.

This label should be determined by assessments made by the teachers and staff of the school. We don’t need to compare children in Brooklyn with children in San Francisco – we need to compare each child’s performance with their previous performance. Every assessment authority will tell you that comparing pre-assessment scores with summative assessment scores is the only way to measure real progress; using normative scores to determine a child’s performance or worse yet, their intelligence, is unethical and ineffective. Without the stick of punishment, we might have less teachers and principals cheating.

 

Unemployment, poverty and strife.

In my opinion, these are the three horsemen of the apocalypse. Lack of opportunity for uneducated, untrained school dropouts who start families and live in poverty with very little chance of their children having the ability to leave the world of poverty and then both generations fall into strife, anger, frustration, crime and violence are what will cause the United States to fall short of any goal to advance in the international test standings. We fix that by using Gates, Obama and Duncan’s billions to create job training and jobs so that parents (single or not) can provide a healthy start for children. Communities will not be scarred by violence because disillusionment will subside and people will be working (not everyone but EVERYONE isn’t the problem). When we have put most of the members of a working community into jobs, we can begin to bring back those who have left the fold because of their anger and frustration at being excluded from the American Dream. When communities are lifted from unemployment, poverty and strife – children’s performance will improve in the schools.

 

Teachers who work twice as hard for two-thirds the salary.

Teacher merit pay is the most short-sighted, ineffective program the Obama administration could possibly devise in their Race to the Top incentive program . BUT, if school physical plants are improved, the surrounding communities are improved and the lives of the people in those communities are improved – teachers will be able to focus on academics and student performance will increase. It’s true. That’s what will happen. Let’s try it and if I am wrong, at least the communities, community members and schools will be improved. But to connect teacher merit pay to student performance on national standardized tests is just ridiculous. I believe 98% of teachers work very, very hard – well, maybe 90% - but it is a challenging lifestyle so I will give the benefit of the doubt. But I am POSITIVE the work and effort necessary to be successful and mentally fit in some of America’s urban, poverty-stricken neighborhoods push the limits of even the best intentioned person (and there are myriad books to read that can attest to this, see: any of Rene Esquith’s books, Teacher Man, Kozol books). Research studying who gets hired by the most difficult schools in the country suggest that it is often the lesser qualified/talented of the new teachers. Whether or not they start out as the most talented – I believe they are among the heroes in our society. I say this mostly because, like police officers and firefighters, when others are running away from the danger, urban teachers are moving toward it. Anyway, merit pay for teachers in schools that hardly need ANY incentive to succeed and perform well on tests is inherently unequal and unethical because the challenges are not the same or even on the same level.

Dear President Obama, Secretary Duncan and Bill Gates…

First, give money to the schools that actually need it and ignore the cries for equality by parents and teachers who know very well that their schools don’t really need it.

Second, leave teachers alone. They know their students and they know how to get their students to perform. If you want to give teachers something to improve their skills – just give the money to them or pay for the training in various pedagogical areas. No incentives, no bribes, no threats, just goodwill contributions to the skills of teachers working with our future.

Third, improve the communities and the lives of community members with your billions of dollars. This will improve children’s performance in school. I promise. Just try it!

Fourth, improve school’s physical plants. I see so many schools that are run down, overgrown and falling apart. Would President Obama be happy and work hard in a White House that looks shabby? How about Mr. Duncan’s office or Mr. Gates’ office or Microsoft offices? I will bet they all look pretty nice and new. 

Fifth, do all of this because it is in the best interest of our children and consequently, our future.  Don’t do it because schools will do what you tell them to do, or they will use MS Office in their school computer labs or because people will remember you as the “Education President.” Do it because with the power you have been given, you accept the responsibility of providing for those less fortunate.]]>