They’ve got behavioral problems in Oregon. Kids throwing tantrums, despondence, and there’s plenty of physical aggression to go around. Officials don’t know why. Their data isn’t helping much–and they can’t figure it out–exactly. They know many of the children live in poverty. They might be traumatized due to violence in their lives, and this could be a reason why students are acting out.
Also there is this: Oregon adopted Common Core Standards in 2010, requiring kindergarten students to talk about vertices and angles, for example, not just the basics about shapes. Could Common Core be getting under their skin?
It sounds like Oregon teachers have some good ideas on how to resolve the problem. Talking about feelings and situations with children, problem solving isn’t bad either. Color coded materials representing feeling levels remind me a bit of Homeland Security, but I can be convinced. And certainly adding more school guidance counselors is always a plus.
But is something else going on—could Oregon officials benefit from some books by Piaget and Vygotsky to learn about child development?
This is a state that over a year ago (Feb. 1, 2014) was fretting on the front page of The Oregonian: “Too Many Oregon Students Unready for Kindergarten State Officials Lament.”“Lament”—think about that word. It is defined “a passionate expression of grief or sorrow” or “mourn (a person’s loss or death).”
Why was the plight of poor kindergartners plastered in the headlines of the newspaper? Why were they considered so unready that there was all this lamenting going on? Was it the poverty–the violence in their lives? What would make adults lament over their kindergartners?
The typical Oregon kindergartner arrived at school last fall knowing only 19 capital and lower-case letters and just seven letter sounds out of at least 100 possible correct answers, the state reported Friday.
During the first days of school in September, every 5-year-old The was shown a sheet with 100 capital and lower-case letters, like the one shown below, and asked to name as many as possible in one minute. The average child named 18.5.
They also were shown a page with 110 letter sounds on it. The average kindergartner could pronounce just 6.7.
Oregon’s Gov. John Kitzhaber also called it “sobering.” Sobering? Letters—in kindergarten? Pronunciations?
I don’t want to sound smug. Children from poverty might very well not have the best reading experiences early on, and teachers in preschool and kindergarten should open their doors to great literature programs and reading experiences that bring children the joy of reading. If that includes some skill instruction so be it. But where were all those high expectations–believing the children could get it once they were assisted by their teachers–at the right developmental level?
What I would call sobering is the obsession Oregon has with testing young children believing this is what will make them read fluently by 3rd grade.
They shouldn’t let a written standardized test in the same room as a kindergartner or a first grader! High-stakes testing will not make good readers.
Thankfully, 80% of parents at Washington Heights Elementary School know that and opted their children out of the test! Just look at the picture in that link. Don’t those children and parents look happy?
Sobering is that public school funding is never great in Oregon. How can it be when you divvy up the dough and give so much to charter schools?
Also, especially sobering in Oregon, is that the state seems to have some awareness that recess is important (some schools do it) but it is not mandated that every young child in every Oregon school get recess. Some schools get it and some don’t.
After all the controversy about recess, why are schools in Oregon—any school in this country—still permitted to not provide children recess?
This from the American Academy of Pediatrics from 2013—two years ago!
Recess is at the heart of a vigorous debate over the role of schools in promoting the optimal development of the whole child. A growing trend toward reallocating time in school to accentuate the more academic subjects has put this important facet of a child’s school day at risk. Recess serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated, academic challenges in the classroom. But equally important is the fact that safe and well-supervised recess offers cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it. Recess is unique from, and a complement to, physical education—not a substitute for it. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that recess is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development and, as such, it should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.
Sobering too, is that there is no insistence schools provide a real physical education program to elementary students until 2017. They also know P.E. is important, but they are making the children wait until 2017. By then, the 2015 children will be older—and probably acting out even more!
Oregon needs to reassess their assessing and get back to the meaning of childhood. Play, recess, physical education classes—they are all important by themselves. Oh…throw in a little art and music too, with qualified early childhood teachers.
And please don’t confuse P.E. with recess! They are different. How often must it be said?
So go ahead Oregon and fiddle around with your solutions to troubling behavior but don’t forget: Recess, P.E., and all the rest. These keys might unlock the door to not only better behaved children but better learners too!
Then you can quit lamenting.
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Here is a one new website I added. Check it Out:
Empowered by Play is a blog all about early childhood education with some good names here—people who understand how little minds and bodies work—and it is connected to Defending the Early Years. But this website has additional links about the importance of play and early childhood and issues that get in the way of real learning.
If I had to sit through the unbearable crap that’s forced on these kids, I’d act out too. Actually, if I were still teaching, I wouldn’t be able to stand it. I’d act out. I was already starting when I left five years ago. Who in their right mind could stand it???
Amen, Paula. Thank you.
This book reveals a lot of the answers posted in this article: http://www.createspace.com/5282526
I will check it out. Thank you.
Nope. No. Not what I see in my Oregon public school. Kinder kids walk/crawl/climb/scream their way into the classroom before a single common core can be taught. There’s nothing wrong with the common core when taught by teachers who know how to use it as a star chart, not a curriculum. But they can’t even do that when their classrooms are held hostage by insane behaviors.
Many of the common core standards are not developmentally appropriate for the average child. Ask ANY child development specialist that isn’t paid by the the public school system. In fact, check out the “experts” that developed common core and look for pediatric doctors, child psychologists, etc. on the list.
I am not sure I understand, “walk/crawl/climb/scream.” Do the students get recess in this school? How about art, PE, etc.
And saying teachers are “held hostage by insane behaviors” is troubling. I really wonder what is going on with these children and their teachers. Something isn’t working.
While I agree with nearly all of what you have written, Oregon’s school funding is not poor. The average is nearly $12,000/child/year. And, as for charter schools, they are in response to the poor job traditional schools are doing. Charter schools are succeeding where others are not. And with less money. My daughter attends a charter school that does not, contrary to popular belief, receive any money from any corporations. They get money from the state and a the local Native American tribe. Any shortfall is made up by parents and community members.
Thanks for sharing.
The poor job traditional schools are doing is often in response to funding cuts that have been taking place for years. Good teachers leave or are driven out.
Breaking public schools into charters has created a split system and it has hurt traditional public schools no matter where you live.
It hurts charters too. That you are having to supplement your charter funds speaks volumes.
Also, Jane, curious as to wear you got the $12,000 figure. Do you have a citation or a link.
I found Oregon: $9,490. http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/public-education-costs-per-pupil-by-state-rankings/
$12k is roughly the number for Portland Public Schools. (http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/reports/toc.aspx#finance/funding -> “Actual Operating vs Capital Expenditures per Student”)
http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/jul/03/don-mcintire/does-portland-public-schools-spend-12000-year-stud/
Quote from the article:
“We asked him if it was fair to include building costs or debt service. Obviously those are not dollars going toward student instruction. McIntire said that it’s entirely fair “if money is taken and derived from the taxpaying public, and it goes into the system somewhere and it’s spent.”
Goes into the system somewhere?
Also:
“In Oregon, according to the bureau, the number was lower: $9,624 per pupil (page 8).”
Megan, I would like to hear if Portland students wind up with good instruction in the arts. Thank you.
Most of the arts funding comes from PTA efforts, to my understanding.
I had nearly the same thoughts as you, Jane.
While I agree with most of the article, money is not the problem here, though many, many things are. The fact that homeschoolers outperform their public schooled peers on an average of $500/per pupil tells you that money is not the issue. (And, yes, public schools have far greater overhead, but $9,000+/pupil? ) This article (http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/06/06/School-Budgets-The-Worst-Education-Money-Can-Buy) illustrates that it really isn’t about the money.
With regard to Public Charter Schools, this study (http://www.uaedreform.org/downloads/2014/07/the-productivity-of-public-charter-schools.pdf) indicates that public charters perform better than traditional public schools not only in spite of less funding, but – get this – because of it! This article (http://dailysignal.com/2014/08/25/charter-schools-spend-less-public-schools-achieve-better-results/) on the Daily Signal references the aforementioned study as well as another. Reducing parent school choice is definitely not the answer to our school woes.
I am blessed to be able to homeschool my children. We don’t have behavioral issues, nor do we teach to tests or teach Common Core – and my kids get plenty of recess as well as Phys Ed. It is so sad to me that bureaucrats can be so lacking in common sense when it comes to what kids need – and that children whose parents can’t or won’t homeschool are subjected to this ridiculousness.
Glad you wrote this article!
I am glad you are doing well as a homeschool teacher– I have no doubt that you care for and love your children. Please don’t even begin to judge public educators. That gets so annoying.
Thank you, Nancy for this post. The psychology of learning and human motivation has been roundly ignored in policy and decision making around the new standards and tests. Please see the following Open Letter to the CA State Board of Education for an outline of how/why we should be deeply concerned about the psychological and motivational fallout that is likely to occur when the vast majority of children are being told by the state that they are not headed for “college or career.”
http://eduresearcher.com/2015/09/08/openletter/. The unleashing of the new invalid, experimental tests (with accompanying false “scores”) is state-sanctioned abuse against youth.
Hi Shawnele,
I am glad you have success with homeschooling. You sound like a caring mom.
Unfortunately, many families, including other caring moms, cannot afford that luxury. I also know moms who home school students with disabilities because of the funding cuts to their schools.
Funding does matter. Much harm has been done to school districts and continues to be done through funding cuts to traditional public schools.
As far as Camden–there is another side:
http://articles.philly.com/2015-05-13/news/62087857_1_many-teachers-district-officials-camden-education-association
The three links you provided are very much pro choice and down on public schools. In fact, the second one is from the School Choice Demonstration Project at the Univ. of AK! This is the heart of Walton–as in Walmart–territory. The Waltons are huge proponents of charter schools even though Mr. and Mrs. Walton attended public schools themselves. I always find that interesting.
The last article is from the Heritage Foundation–also a very conservative proponent of charters.
There are some good charters perhaps, but many are now being run for-profit without fully qualified teachers. They remove students who do not comply with the rules which is not a public school in my books.
I’d also like to see another link to what Oregon is spending on their students.
But at least I think we agree that no recess, PE and the arts is awful.
All the years of funding cuts has ripped the heart of literacy right out of most schools. The Certified Teacher Librarian has been provent to increase test scores and Literacy rates! Most districts have cut the professional teacher in favor of Teacher-Coaches. This means the teachers get support but our libraries are now staffed with Instructional assistants that are not trained to truely support students needs. Let’s bring back Librarians! Let’s bring back support professionals that know how to engage these Kinders as learners!
You make some great points. Charter schools however only get a fraction of funds per student that a neighborhood school gets.. Portland Public Schools takes at least 20% off the top of what comes to my child’s charter school per student these numbers don’t include facilities costs. So the costs of our building and utilities are ours to figure out on top of that deficit.. And while they like to include our kids in their data reporting when it benefits them, they leave us out of any investments. So most charter schools are actually doing a better job, with less money. If Oregon was smart they’d look to these schools as an example and to better understand what parents seek for their children. It’s unfair to blame charter schools on the state of the education system here. If the neighborhood schools were better, parents wouldn’t seek an alternative. My children get art, music, movement, two recesses and have thrived. I want our neighborhood schools to succeed, but I’m not willing to sacrifice my kid to a school that doesn’t meet the needs of our kids.
Patty,
Thank you, but I’d like to make several points here.
I briefly checked online and there is an interesting report: Study of Oregon Charter-School Funding (2015). It’s a PDF File. You may wish to search for it on Google. It will pop up easily.
You seem to be correct, that charter students get less funding. (Actually, this is a little worrisome to me but worth a post sometime perhaps because it is too much to describe why here.).
Perhaps your charter also seems to be doing a better job, however, the research is pretty clear that charters, while perhaps seeming open to all at first, have students and parents who must tow the line or students will be removed from the charter.
Some charters are extremely strict. I’m assuming yours is not that kind.
Now, if real public schools must take all students, including those with disabilities and ELL kids, and students who have parents who are unable to support their child in school, what can your charter possibly give a real public school? Charter rules are very different. And quite frankly unfair! They are also selective. If public schools were selective they’d have no problems either!
Also, in this report, which I only scanned, I found that staff, “are less experienced and lower compensated.” I don’t think they will be providing real teachers with the best practices. I think this should also be a huge worry for those who send their students to charter schools.
Last, and I am sorry to rant but you caught me after my second cup of coffee, the arts have been stripped from many public schools…so privatization by charter looks great when those charters hang the arts sign on their shingles. Also unfair.
The push in this country is to dismantle real public schools through charters and vouchers. There is no research to show that charters are better.
All that said, I don’t blame you in the least for doing what you think is right for your child.
Thank God my kids school district David Douglas still provides recess, art,and music programs and helps the struggling kids with extra help,I love this district.
And also both my kids have disabilities and get all the accommodations and help and such that they need.
I grew up in Oregon, but have taught in South Carolina for nearly 30 years. My sister teaches in Portland, Oregon, and her daughter teaches in Florida. My sister has been shocked by the stories she hears about student behavior in South Carolina and Oregon. I don’t believe Oregon has the behavior issues it thinks it does.