Pedro Noguera - Re-Imagining Schools

Re-Imagining Schools
Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D. (Excellent keynote speaker, opinion after hearing him speak)
New York University
Obstacles to Creating the Schools We Need
Is our nation at risk?
high drop-oyut rates - over 50% in most cities
international comparisons suggest we are behind
difficulty attracting and retaining effective teachers and administrators
Inequities in resources - budget cuts related to recession
Overly politicized policy debates
The Challenges:
Changing demographics due to immigration
Persistent gaps in achievement
Growing inequality
Families in distress
Public impatience with the pace of change
A Generation of Reform
Reforms treated as fads - too much change not enoough follow through, no evaluation
Too much focus on "quick fix" solutions
Too top down - insufficient "buy-in" from school staff
Insufficient attention to school culture
II. Signs of Progress: Lessons from High Performing Districts
Strong, stable leadership with clear accountability - Atlanta, Miami
Willingness to do whatever it takes - Montgomery County, MD, Abington, PA
Willingness to support innovation: Boston, New York
Lessons from High Perfoming Schools
Culture of High Expectations PS 138 (historical artifact gallery on second floor) , IS 322
Focus on the "whole chile" - Edison elementary school, Portchester, NY (school needs to function as a community center)
Strategic Partnerships - PS 188 - Lower East side of Manhattan - expand vision of what it takes to educate kids, internet cafe open to 9:00 PM, teach english to parents, do not focus on test prep but get high scores
High Standards - Henshaw Middle, Thurgood Marshall HS - push students to take rigorous challenging courses, algebra is pathway to college so the adjust the time to take the course and eliminate homework - home work is an equity issue if there is no one at home to help then theses students fall behind;
Countering Race and Gender stereotypes - Eagle Academy, Excellence Charter

If kids don't care about learning then they won't invest in learning.

Effective Schools
study Education Trust - expelling the myth (report available on web)
They have systems to monitor academic performance
They use data to make decisions about school improvement
They engage in constant assessment
Diagnostic assessment
Learn from and examine student work
They have effective leadership - shared and distributed
They have a culture of high expectations for all
Systems of mutual accountability for teachers, students, and parents
III. Implementing Change: Do Less of What Doesn't Work:

Blaming students and parents for low performance
Treat teaching and learning disconnected
No coherent strategy for delivering instruction
Group kids by ability in ways that reinforce stereotypes
failure and under achievement is rationalized
Ignore the morale and legitimate concerns for your staff
Don't treat parents as partners in fulfilling educational goals
Little or no involvement from parents of the low performing students
Adopt school rules and procedures that are at odds with educational goals
Discipline is punitive and not routed in values

Most alienated kids are the ones with the least connections to adults at the school
High achieving kids have parents who watch kids and speak up and if not heard they go to someone higher
Parents of high achievers won't let you have anyone but best teachers teach their kids
Low achieving kids no one is watching out for them so it can happen that low teachers are assigned to them
Who's in your basement - low performing kids are often assigned to rooms in basement or out back
Codes of power - if you don't dress or speak in acceptable manners then opportunities are denied. Need to learn to dress, talk, act to be accepted and this is not on standardized test.

Grouping by behavior or ability you will see a school that will not chanage
Special ed should be diagnose the learners needs and adjust instruction to teach them using the best methods
Never seen a contract to make people work hard but have seen schools were people want to make it better so they work harder
Same pay if you give your heart or bare minimum

Background should not determine who should be able to go to college
School suspended an 8th grader for truancy
Goal of discipline is not to teach kids to do what is right to avoid punishment but it is to teach kids to do what is right even when we are not looking.

More learning opportunities depend learning - extended learning time - after school opportunities

Do mor of what does work:
Extended learning time - not more of the same
Address anti-intellectualism through peer study groups

Need for a Paradigm Shift

Old Paradigm
Intelligence is innate
Schools measure an sort
Emphasis on memorization and pleasing teachers
Inequity in resources to highest achievers
Organizatin and schedule based on tradition and what works for adults
Discipline used to week out the "bad" kids
New Paradigm
Schools focus on cultivaitng talent
Social and emotional intelligence, langugue skills n