Paolo DeMaria has left a new comment on your post "The Superintendent Has Asked for Our Input. Contac...":
Matthew,
Your post was brought to my attention by Dawn Neely-Randall. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the input. I look forward to reading future postings. -- Paolo
Matthew,
Your post was brought to my attention by Dawn Neely-Randall. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the input. I look forward to reading future postings. -- Paolo
Now, I'm sure more accomplished writers and activists would've taken this in stride. I, however, being a public school teacher and novice activist (as well as terribly neurotic and full of myself), became immediately paranoid. I proceeded to close all of the curtains and breathe into a paper bag to stave off hyperventilation. Once I was able to kick the cold sweats, we left for fireworks, where I became convinced I was being followed on numerous occasions. Needless to say, the incessant explosions did nothing to calm my nerves.
This morning, having slept on it, I decided to view Mr. DeMaria's response as a opportunity. Perhaps he's interested in opening up a dialogue with public school teachers, I thought to myself. Is there any reason to be so pessimistic and paranoid (outside of the past decade plus of attacks on public schools and public school teachers)? So, having nudged myself into a reluctant optimism, I decided to reply to the Superintendent. What follows is my response to his comment. Once again, I encourage you to contact him as well. It seems he's open to input. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.
My Optimistic Reply...
Superintendent DeMaria,
I wanted to thank you for your kind words regarding my blogpost at Testing Window regarding providing input to you on education issues in Ohio. I appreciate that you took the time, especially since the piece was terribly critical of the state of education at the state level. I must admit, I was surprised to receive the notification. I'm sure it's been a terribly busy first week on the job, and I'd assume you have far more important things to do. Again, I appreciate the response, and hope this is an indication of an actual openness to input on these issues.
As I indicated in the piece, I am reluctantly optimistic regarding your coming tenure as Superintendent. While we likely differ politically on many issues, we seem to have some things in common. I, too, enjoy riding my bike, and am concerned about a remedy to the many issues plaguing education in Ohio. I have read that your friends say that you have a good sense of humor, and I like to think that I do as well (though my wife might disagree). I believe that a critical eye for information and my sense of humor are what drive my writing on education, and have helped me to thrive as a public school teacher for close to 20 years.
As you know, the political climate over the last decade plus has not made it an easy time to be a public school teacher, nor optimistic regarding education. Let me be clear, this has nothing to do with the students that I have encountered as an American History teacher at Elyria High School. This socially, economically, and culturally diverse group of kids have been brilliant, often despite their circumstances. They have achieved based on their own standards for excellence, as well as under the state's system, and moved on to bigger successes in college and careers.
We continue to accomplish great things despite an unresponsive political hierarchy that believes in the myth of the failing public school. Those in power also believe the long since disproven ideas that assessments promote achievement, that charter schools offer a superior product, that teachers are the cause of the bulk of society's ills. Despite the many issues that I listed in my blog, my public school is successful. Despite cuts in funding which have necessitated the closure of schools, the elimination of programs and teaching positions, we are successful.
On behalf of my students, I am currently most concerned about our current system of evolving assessments and their high-stakes connection to graduation. The assessments are inappropriate in content and language, and unfair in their inequitable administration. Scores have been alarmingly low, and not just in urban districts like mine. This is hardly an indication of student, teacher or district failure, but rather the failure to appropriately develop and implement an assessment system. Students are worried. For them, this is not a political issue. It is their lives. This is a major reason why I believe that high-stakes decisions should never be tied to assessments. So, if your response to my blogpost is, in fact, an indication of your legitimate openness to ideas (and once again you'll forgive my skepticism), then please keep a close eye on this situation as it pertains to graduation.
For what it's worth, I plan to copy your comment and my above response in a post today on Testing Window, as I believe it illustrates your openness to ideas. I hope that this is the beginning of a legitimate dialogue between you and public school teachers statewide.
Sincerely,
Matt Jablonski
I wanted to thank you for your kind words regarding my blogpost at Testing Window regarding providing input to you on education issues in Ohio. I appreciate that you took the time, especially since the piece was terribly critical of the state of education at the state level. I must admit, I was surprised to receive the notification. I'm sure it's been a terribly busy first week on the job, and I'd assume you have far more important things to do. Again, I appreciate the response, and hope this is an indication of an actual openness to input on these issues.
As I indicated in the piece, I am reluctantly optimistic regarding your coming tenure as Superintendent. While we likely differ politically on many issues, we seem to have some things in common. I, too, enjoy riding my bike, and am concerned about a remedy to the many issues plaguing education in Ohio. I have read that your friends say that you have a good sense of humor, and I like to think that I do as well (though my wife might disagree). I believe that a critical eye for information and my sense of humor are what drive my writing on education, and have helped me to thrive as a public school teacher for close to 20 years.
As you know, the political climate over the last decade plus has not made it an easy time to be a public school teacher, nor optimistic regarding education. Let me be clear, this has nothing to do with the students that I have encountered as an American History teacher at Elyria High School. This socially, economically, and culturally diverse group of kids have been brilliant, often despite their circumstances. They have achieved based on their own standards for excellence, as well as under the state's system, and moved on to bigger successes in college and careers.
We continue to accomplish great things despite an unresponsive political hierarchy that believes in the myth of the failing public school. Those in power also believe the long since disproven ideas that assessments promote achievement, that charter schools offer a superior product, that teachers are the cause of the bulk of society's ills. Despite the many issues that I listed in my blog, my public school is successful. Despite cuts in funding which have necessitated the closure of schools, the elimination of programs and teaching positions, we are successful.
On behalf of my students, I am currently most concerned about our current system of evolving assessments and their high-stakes connection to graduation. The assessments are inappropriate in content and language, and unfair in their inequitable administration. Scores have been alarmingly low, and not just in urban districts like mine. This is hardly an indication of student, teacher or district failure, but rather the failure to appropriately develop and implement an assessment system. Students are worried. For them, this is not a political issue. It is their lives. This is a major reason why I believe that high-stakes decisions should never be tied to assessments. So, if your response to my blogpost is, in fact, an indication of your legitimate openness to ideas (and once again you'll forgive my skepticism), then please keep a close eye on this situation as it pertains to graduation.
For what it's worth, I plan to copy your comment and my above response in a post today on Testing Window, as I believe it illustrates your openness to ideas. I hope that this is the beginning of a legitimate dialogue between you and public school teachers statewide.
Sincerely,
Matt Jablonski
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