FYI: HOW TO REMOVE A COMMENT YOU WISH YOU HADN'T MADE

Writing on a blog can be intimidating, especially when you realize that your thoughts are now out in the public realm. If you write something and then wish you hadn't written it, send Barry or Sue an e-mail asking us to remove your comment and we can go in as blog editors and erase it for you. bderfel@icsd.k12.ny.us or srakow@icsd.k12.ny.us

ICSD Secondary Teachers Between January 8th and March 10th, 2008

Focus your writing on one or more of the following questions:

1. Gathercoal asserts that “Although all students may not be achieving the same or performing at the same level in their public school, it is the opportunity to succeed in public education that is the constitutional right which must be ‘equal to all’” (Gathercoal, 2004, emphasis his). This explanation is quite different from the explanation of equity that I present in the “Hey Barry” section of the ICSD Equity Website. What are your thoughts about these different explanations? What does equity mean in your classroom?

2. “Is there a way to establish and maintain an effective learning environment in our schools, while at the same time respecting student rights of freedom, justice, and equality?” (Gathercoal, 2004, pg. 64).

3. Gathercoal identifies 4 compelling state interests on page 66 (Gathercoal, 2004). After reading this chapter, in what ways will these help you to create the ideal classroom management experience you envision? In what ways are these not sufficient?

4. On page 73 he talks about “reasonable time, place, and manner (Gathercoal, 2004). In what ways will this concept help you to create the ideal classroom management experience you envision? In what ways is this not sufficient?

5. I find Gathercoal’s "gum" example a bit trivial (Gathercoal, 2004, pg. 80). However, I find his idea about teaching students how to act with self-control, rather than teaching them to be obedient, an essential distinction. How do you think this idea relates to the ideas presented by Sprick in Discipline in the Secondary Classroom (Sprick, Randall S. (2006)? Do you approach discipline this way, or is this a significant shift from your pedagogy?

6. There is a scale presented on page 108 (Gathercoal, 2004). If you were to make this into a poster and hang it up in your classroom, do you think it would be useful? How might you use it?

7. On the resources page of the ICSD Equity Page I have written an article entitled "Closing the Education Gap by eliminating zeroes." I also handed this out at our meeting on the 8th. What are your thoughts about the ideas raised in this article?

(ICSD Equity Website: http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/district/staffdev/bderfel/)

Elementary New Teachers: Let's help each other out!

One of our fellow M&Ms put this question in the box at our last Elementary Teacher's Mentor and Mentee meeting. Honestly, I forgot to check the box for questions until everyone had left. My apologies. The question is an important one and I would like to hear from mentors and mentees on this topic. Does anyone have advice on this one:

"What is the best course of action if a parent doesn't believe the teacher is speaking the truth about his/her child-in terms of social, academic, or emotional performance?"

For Secondary Teachers: Respond after Monday's Mentor Meeting 11/26/07

In what ways are your daily experiences meeting your management ideals and in what ways are you experiencing frustration around management?

ICSD and Equity

What do you find exciting about the ICSD’s commitment to equity?

Equity Challenges

What do you think will be most challenging for you, in terms of equity?

Equity and Technology

What connections do you see between technology and equity?