Chicago Public Schools has set the scene for our local debate on longer school days. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing his agenda to add 90 minutes to the school day across individual CPS schools, sparking passionate responses from teachers, union leaders, and community members.In the smartest move yet from this campaign, CPS actually asked TEACHERS how to make the Extended School Day and other scheduling changes successful for both students and teachers. Specifically, they've enlisted VIVA Project, an online community of teachers trying to find a voice in education policy, to consult on the changes coming to CPS schools and districts.
In December, the VIVA Project published their 49 teacher-created recommendations to make the Extended School Day add value, not just minutes, and actually solve problems schools face. While this is specific to CPS< there are lessons to be learned for any schools, districts or school systems considering longer school days.
Here is a quick list published in the VIVA Project's report "Time, Teachers, & Tomorrow's Schools."
Read Longer School Days: 49 Teacher Recommendations
2 comments:
It's too bad that the excellent work of the VIVA teachers didn't make it into the CPS guidelines for planning the longer day that was given to principals. CPS is requiring every school to come up with a plan for the longer day, but every school has to reinvent the wheel and start from scratch.
It is convenient to say that teachers are approving this initiative because, without an option, they are being involved in the process. It is harder to look at the data that shows teacher burn-out and teacher retention. It is well known that is not the quantity but the quality that determines a good education. Increasing a school day with no boundaries as to how administrators can manipulate that time is not only dangerous but does not guarantee student success. Teaching five classes in an urban setting is already a demanding job as it is. This Longer Day, or conveniently called now “Full Day”, is now giving the option to administrators to give yet another class to the teacher’s load as if teacher burn-out was not at its highest. Instead of finding ways to effectively use the additional time to increase the quality of instruction the proposition is to give that autonomy to principals. I already hear of many schools listing teachers as part of the team that is developing this plan, although it is only on paper… I don’t blame the administrators for they too are not given an option. CPS Networks are even throwing a carrot at administrators offering them the opportunity to receive $100,000 no strings attached to how they can spend this money, to 30 schools that come up with a creative plan. It is not hard to realize that many of our students are dealing with outside factors such as poverty, mal-nutrition, crime, broken families that undoubtedly affect the focus on education. This is reality and it is not impossible to fix. Many teachers are doing their best to be a teacher, motivator, parent, coach, etc. to make things happen but this initiative does not offer any sound proof that it will be the answer. CPS will not respond nor retract if this initiative proves to fail our students and parents and community. Their goal is to get it done because that is their agenda. Bad move. Just like charter schools leave neighborhood schools with a need for an IEP for we know that charters have filtered their students and left the rest behind and to top it off, these struggling neighborhood schools are then closed for not performing when the cause is right in front of them. Just look the other side… Nevertheless, I have faith that the truth cannot be hidden. The truth will prevail.
Post a Comment