Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Already about half of the states have adopted the new set of common academic standards. This is barely a month after their final release and in most cases; the states have passed the standards with little opposition. As of today 23, states have decided to replace their math and English/Language Arts standards with the common set of standards. More adoptions are expected by August 2, 2010. This is because the $4 billion federal Race to the Top contest gives more points to states that meet that deadline.
The federal government expects 41 states by the end of the year to adopt the standards. This movement will enable parents in Georgia to compare how well their students do on standardize achievement tests based on the same standards. Many challenges remain. However with the challenges comes excitement of what is to come in the future. We all need to be excited about these changes.
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WE NEED TO FIGHT TO SAVE HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSES ACROSS GA
Across the state of Georgia there are many Georgians fighting to save old one room historic schoolhouses. I for one would like to see these old schoolhouses saved. Many of them are beautiful structures that have many history memories throughout this great state of ours.
Please read the article at:
http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2009/todays-news/threatened-african-american.html
The Citizens In GA and DeKalb Do Not Need To Forget What Happened To Jaheem
Despite recent strides towards preventing bullying in schools and increased awareness programs, a Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network study showed that 65 percent of teens are bullied each year and most believe adults cannot help them. Let us not forget in DeKalb what happen to Jaheem. His mother and friends saw that Jaheem was being bulling constantly by being called gay, ugly and "the virgin" because he was from the Virgin Islands. Now being called gay and a virgin both had to do with his sexuality. However being told your ugly is being bullied under any circumstance in my opinion and there is no place for this type of language to another child in our public schools. Our children should be safe in our public school from such abuse.
Our educational programs need to include education programs about the harm that can be done by teasing someone about sexuality or perceived sexuality to be affective in helping to stop the teasing and bulling. “Anti-gay” language is sometimes the ultimate weapon for bullies to use when they want to degrade his or her peers normally. Any affective plan of response to stop bulling in DeKalb County must take on the task of trying to stop the “anti-gay” language.
Regardless of religious background, regardless of where you live or who you are we must teach our children to respect all human beings. Each human being deserves that respect.
Our educational programs need to include education programs about the harm that can be done by teasing someone about sexuality or perceived sexuality to be affective in helping to stop the teasing and bulling. “Anti-gay” language is sometimes the ultimate weapon for bullies to use when they want to degrade his or her peers normally. Any affective plan of response to stop bulling in DeKalb County must take on the task of trying to stop the “anti-gay” language.
Regardless of religious background, regardless of where you live or who you are we must teach our children to respect all human beings. Each human being deserves that respect.
NO GOOD SHORT SOLUTION FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS
There appears no good way for the DeKalb County School System to meet the mandate. Apparently, so many schools in DeKalb County have not made AYP this year DeKalb County has had to go to annex schools because there is no room for trailers in the schools or due to this being a safer and better for the students. I am sure much planning went into this process before there was a final decision made.
I do not like what I see. However, I also know there are many problems that exist by the students leaving the schools that do not make AYP. Behind vacant wings of schools are left when students leave. What do we do with these wings? These vacant wings are not being used, while more trailers are being rented or purchased.
I want to see long-term solutions made so we do not have school making AYP lists. We have to take DeKalb County into the 21st century. We have to get a school superintendent who is a leader, with a vision, that people want to follow and that can get the job done. We will have to pay this person a high salary to get them if we can find them.
I think Dr. Tyson has done an excellent job under the circumstances. I just wish the picture looked differently than it does. However, I do believe she went through the problem-solving process with her team and this was the best alternative that they found to meet the needs of the DeKalb County Schools at this time. There is not easy solution to this problem.
Friday, July 16, 2010
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL: EVEN CANDIDATES
A few make it difficult for others. People have always disagreed with me on DeKalb County School Board Watch Blog and we have debated the issues. Since I became a candidate, I am so sad I guess I cannot blog on this site. I believe in what this site is trying to do. I am having difficulty walking away. I disagree with some of the negative attitudes on this site that always just want to bad mouth individuals and make everything as negative as I see the problems but also want to see all the good in the DeKalb County School System. OUR CHILDREN IN DEKALB COUNTY ARE SO GOOD. We have so many other positive things in the DeKalb County School System also. Some of the bloggers spend so much time looking for the bad that they seldom look for the good but this is their problem. I have seen the bad and know bad is all around us, but I also want to see the good all around us and try to live a balanced life. Life is not all bad. There is good and bad in every person. I want to see the good even when I see the bad. I want to judge the whole person just like I judge the whole child every day.
However, yesterday I felt totally under attack and it was not about what I said. Where did anyone mention what I said about Charter Schools? This was just an attack and dirty politics of politicians setting on the DeKalb County School Board obviously and I let them get to me as my resistance is down because I have been sick. Yesterday was mean and cruel and way out of line regarding my intellectual ability and character. When you question if someone can make decisions on research, and critical thinking, and they just finished all their class work for their ED.S. In Administration and Leadership in Education and are working toward their doctorial degree that is mean and way off base. This last year as a student all I have done is researched topics on education regarding administration and leadership and used it critically to write papers and make decisions based on that research.
One of the number one rules of DeKalb County School Board Watch Blog is not to cut people down over their spelling and grammar on this blog and this is exactly what was done to me over and over again. I have a specific learning disability in written expression. I have felt comfortable on this blog to blog due to the rules. It has been wonderful and I thank Celeb and all of the bloggers who have been so supportive of me. These are not limitations any child or person wants would want to have. For instance, you do not see Tom Cruse, blogging or tweeting. Could it be because he has a learning disability and he is afraid of critics? However, I believe Einstein also had a learning disability.
When I turn something in professionally, I have to have it proofed, as I cannot always see my eras. I know I have this problem. It this hiding behind it? If you want to believe this is hiding behind it knowing I have this disability go right ahead and believe this.
Every student in the world has faults. Too many times teachers judge students in class the same way that I have been judged here. How many of our students who might be struggling with writing in school would be able to continue to learn despite their issues with writing? How many young writers shut down and stop writing? Let me tell you. Many. It is sad. They become learned helpless and this is extremely hard to correct. Do the research yourself in this area if you do not believe me.
This is what is wrong with our Educational System now. We have to find innovative ways to teach our children. We have to make learning fun and exciting. We have to make students want to learn even when they might have some limitations. We have to do more collaborative planning, and use the new technological tools in the 21st century to make a difference in the classroom. However, the key is not more Charter Schools. The key is highly qualified teachers in every classroom throughout DeKalb County working collaboratively to improve our broken system. We also need an honest, innovated, superintendent who has the leadership skills and vision to lead us where we need to go. He must be the right leader.
My spelling eras do speak volumes for who I am and what I stand for. Every child regardless of who they are, despite their limitation, despite where they live should have the same opportunities as every other child in DeKalb County, across Georgia and across our great nation at a quality education. This is who I am and what I stand for and none of those empty words can change that. My spelling eras have been a topic of discussion before and I never was bothered in the last election.
Yesterday they were not attacking my opinions but my intellectual ability and my character as a human being. I spent a great deal of money and time in court over the years with others and myself defending issues that had to do with civil rights. I do believe you treat all human beings with a certain amount of dignity and respect whether they are running for office or not. Most of you are not aware of my civil rights activist side. When I see things done wrong, I have fought to see them changed over the years.
Again, the rules are clear on this blog regarding cutting people down for making mistakes for their grammar and spelling. Apparently if you are a candidate the rules no longer apply to you according to these dirty politicians. I got the message loud and clear on this one.
However, is it not discrimination to treat anyone differently on this blog that other people. Is this not discriminating against me? Again, this is how I felt yesterday and when my civil rights are attacked regarding being treating like others on this blog, I was bothered. Why is it ok for candidates to be judged on this blog for making eras in spelling, while it is ok for everyone else? I was bothered by this yesterday and I still am bothered by this today. When I was attacked as an individual who is disabled I felt the same way also. I am not ashamed of whom I am anymore and I think that is a good thing. I am not hiding behind rose-colored glasses at all. I see my faults. I hope each of you can be as open with your faults as I am with mine.
Every human being deserves a certain amount of dignity and respect regardless if he/she is running for office or not. Nothing will ever change how I feel about this issue nor stop me for from defeating people who are so mean they do not respect the dignity of human rights. Human rights are extremely important to me. This is not a weakness of mine in my opinion but a strength to respect the dignity of human rights of all people regardless of who you are particularily running for election in a diverse county like Dekalb.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Science GHSGT Are Up in Georgia-But Can We Do More
As a high school science teacher, I am excited that Georgia high school students, particular our blacks students, are scoring 2 points better this year than last year on the Georgia High School Graduation Test. The rising senior class in Georgia’s passing rate was 90%. In 2009, the passing rate was 88%. It is the first time that science scores have ever hit this mark in Georgia.
The data shows that the percentage of black students passing the science tests has increased from 41% in Georgia in 2003 to 79% in 2010 in Georgia. That difference in passing students is 20,000 students. This definitely shows that Georgia is making progress, particularly with African American students, which is great, except what we are doing to make sure that we are excelling standards in Georgia for all students. All the emphasis is on passing all four sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test. All students must pass English, Social Studies, Math and Science to get a high school diploma. Why are we not putting more emphasis also on excelling on these standards?
When students do not pass the Georgia High School Graduation Test, they cannot enroll in college or technical school. They may take classes in a technical school.
In Georgia, we must do more to get students in Georgia to pass the Georgia High School Graduation Tests so they have a better future but we also must push students to excel on state and national standard tests so Georgia can compete nationally and globally in the 21st century.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
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