School cancels kindergarten show to prepare kids for college and career. Letter to parents.

[madfloridian]

Kindergarteners are now being tested like other grades. I imagine the ones signing this letter from the school do so with a sigh of regret at what the new education "reforms" are bringing. They have to prepare the students in different ways now, and there's not much time left for frivolous activities. (A touch of sarcasm there.)

Schooling in Capitalist America

The letter was sent home yesterday, Friday, April 25.

The following letter was sent to the parents and guardians of kindergarteners at the Harley Avenue Primary School in Elwood, which is in Suffolk County, New York. The letter explains that the school’s annual kindergarten show has been canceled. It is signed by the interim principal and several other individuals, at least some of whom are teachers. According to the organization that posted it on Facebook and Twitter, the letter’s authenticity has been confirmed by a parent in the school district. I also googled the names of the signatories, and several of them appear to be legitimate.

Here is the text of the letter.

Dear Kindergarten parents and guardians:

We hope this letter serves to help you better understand how the demands of the 21st century are changing schools and, more specifically, to clarify misconceptions about the Kindergarten show. It is most important to keep in mind that this issue is not unique to Elwood. Although the movement toward more rigorous learning standards has been in the national news for more than a decade, the changing face of education is beginning to feel unsettling for some people. What and how we teach is changing to meet the demands of a changing world.

The reason for eliminating the Kindergarten show is simple. We are responsible for preparing children for college and career with valuable lifelong skills and know that we can best do that by having them become strong readers, writers, coworkers, and problem solvers. Please do not fault us for making professional decisions that we know will never be able to please everyone. But know that we are making these decisions with the interests of all children in mind.

Sincerely

[Jefferson23]

1. I am e-mailing this to Mr. Duncan, as another document supporting his successful initiatives.

K&R

[Fred Sanders]

2. The interim principal seems to not understand the value of play, that college is more than a decade

away.

I say the letter signers prepare for a future of unemployment.

[Jefferson23]

7. The stupid burns, how in the hell we have come to this point is a disgrace..truly an

embarrassment to our country.

[BrotherIvan]

12. The teachers are just going along to keep their jobs

This is a problem with nationwide mandates that students be tested ad infinitum in order to "quantify" learning. If parents don't like the way all the actual learning has been sucked out of classrooms, they better go to school board meetings and support teachers. We always hear that teachers are the problem. But let's be clear: teachers want to teach. They want their students to learn! Every teacher I speak with knows that testing does not equal learning in any way.

This is the state of education under a DEMOCRATIC administration.

[madfloridian]

17. "be tested ad infinitum in order to "quantify" learning"

I agree. They must go along to survive.

[Squinch]

3. Kick to expose the rampant dumbassery.

[madfloridian]

5. Unfortunately...

most do not look at it that way. Before the thread is done, the policy will be applauded here and teachers will be the bad guys not the "reformers".

[Squinch]

6. Yes. The ignorance is pretty astonishing on a supposedly liberal site.

I can't help but wonder if Pearson, in it's preternatural foresight, seeded DU and other sites like it with socks years ago.

(Just kidding, but the effectiveness of their propaganda is really disheartening.)

[Scruffy Rumbler]

4. Oh? Does this mean they are cutting sports too? nt

[madfloridian]

9. .....

Way too profitable to cut. Sports, that is. Kindergarteners....not profitable.

[Jim__]

8. I see they're still wasting kindergarteners time with this:

(Source)

A Visit from Sweetbriar

Eric Young, program director for Sweetbriar Nature Center, visited kindergarten students at Harley Avenue Primary School at the end of April. Students learned about the different types of animals that are rehabilitated at Sweetbriar and even had the opportunity to meet some in their own classroom. Mr. Young first introduced the children to two types of turtles, sharing interesting facts about the reptiles. The students were delighted as the turtles “raced” across the classroom floor. In addition, the kindergartners met a corn snake and “Henrietta” the hen.

We'll have to put a stop to this nonsense. - /sarcasm/

[madfloridian]

10. Probably not much longer.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

11. Reading between the lines

it could be a covert warning to the parents to show what schools have become
and a cry for help.

[madfloridian]

13. Agree. I doubt the teachers took pleasure in such a letter.

I just read an article about kindergarten tests in Oregon. It shows they are ready to put the pressure on that age group to pass the tests. Taking away childhood.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/01/kindergarten_test_results_a_so.html

[riderinthestorm]

38. +100000 nt

[tkmorris]

14. This reads like a stunt, and a stupid one at that

"The reason for eliminating the Kindergarten show is simple. We are responsible for preparing children for college and career with valuable lifelong skills and know that we can best do that by having them become strong readers, writers, coworkers, and problem solvers."

How exactly does cancelling the "Kindergarten Show" (whatever that is, the article doesn't say) help to accomplish such a goal? Why does it need to be cancelled? Throwing in the language about preparing the children for college and a subsequent career sounds like a deliberate attempt to make such policies appear as ridiculous as possible, which I suspect is the point. I don't believe for a second that there are policies in place that simply don't allow the time for this "show"

It is entirely possible that the people behind this letter have a legitimate beef. It would seem though that they are using kindergarten students as pawns in order to make their point, and that is not a thing I can get behind.

[madfloridian]

16. Verified. Not a hoax.

All but one of the people who signed the letter were unavailable for comment. One asked me to call back but then didn’t answer the phone. District Superintendent Peter Scordo declined to discuss it. Michael Conte, a spokesman for Scordo, said in an e-mail on Saturday:

Yes, the letter is authentic. As it states, the Harley Avenue Primary School educators believe that this decision is in the best interest of students.

I don’t have anything more to add for your consideration. Thank you for reaching out.

That is from the WP today.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/26/kindergarten-show-canceled-so-kids-can-keep-working-to-become-college-and-career-ready-really/

The letter was sent out apparently because according to the WP article parents had been calling to find out why the show was cancelled.

In the schools where I taught the yearly kindergarten play was a highlight attended by all the school.

I will make this comment. The phrase "Thank you for reaching out" is often used by the groups pushing education privatization. It is their stock phrase when queried about an issue. To me it is a bunch of words used by any group, especially when they are responding to a complaint, even customer service. It means to me that they are going to spin me in circles and not really give an answer.

[immoderate]

32. Conte misstates the intent.

The letter says the purpose is to "meet the demands of a changing world." He misquotes it as, "in the best interest of students." They are really not the same thing.

--imm

[madfloridian]

33. So true. Definitely not the best interests of the students.

[msanthrope]

15. I'm loathe to override the decision of the four female kindergarten teachers who signed this.

Given the number of snow days New York State lost this year, it is entirely possible that each of these women decided that cancelling the play would free up some seriously needed make-up curriculum time. Kindergarten does have curriculum....and I tend to err on the side of the people who actually have to teach it.

Kindergarten plays do take a serious amount of time...and perhaps the principal and the teachers thought that the kindergarten graduation or other activities would best suit the schedule.

My daughter's school recently decided that given the amount of time lost to snow, two "specials" would not be taught for the rest of the year during the regular school day, but would be offered at different times before and after school. This compromise has worked very well, and we have been able to only lose one day from our calendar.

If you can provide more hard facts as to why this is happening, I'd appreciate it.

[Aerows]

21. I'm loathe to override the opinion of my sister that has been teaching for 25 years

(not at this school) but has a Master's Degree and teachers with tenure are being run off because the Administrative officials are pissed that the teachers that have been there forever and with more education make more than they do. A green Administration official comes swinging in, makes life miserable for teachers, complains in hearing range that they get paid less than their "underlings", spout off anti-semitic statements to a Jewish teacher and decides that my sister's "contract won't be renewed"?

She needs to get the hell away from that school as fast as she can.

There are plenty of hard facts as to what is going on in public schools, but some want to turn a blind eye to them. It's greed and corruption.

[msanthrope]

22. Your sister's situation sounds horrible. Does she have any recourse? Can she convince the Jewish

teacher to file a formal complaint?

[Aerows]

23. My sister can already file a formal complaint

because of nasty comments about her Asian children that she adopted. I'm pretty sure that the entire thing is going to erupt into a complaint, but my sister has already had a job offer making the same money she is making now and just wants to get the hell away from there after the school year ends.

[msanthrope]

24. Ok--I am not her lawyer, but she can still consult with one, and accept the other job, and file

a formal complaint about the comments. If nothing else, it might make it easier for the teachers who remain.

[Aerows]

25. My sister is going out of her mind

The abuse she and most of the long term teachers are taking is outrageous. Our entire family is behind her. Her husband told her she should quit and stay home and garden all day rather than continue what is going on.

It's outrageous. She'll have to drive a little further out of the way, but she can teach in a class room under a principal that actually respects her and her abilities.

Once she is away from there, I will encourage her to file a complaint, as you said, if for no other reason than to make life easier for those that remain behind.

[madfloridian]

19. The new "reforms" that Arne is pushing don't include educators in making policy.

Last edited Sat Apr 26, 2014, 09:17 PM - Edit history (2)

You are right. When billionaires and their companies get to set policy for schools....it becomes about profit.

What the students need is forgotten.

[Aerows]

20. My sister is getting forced out of a teaching job that she has had for 25 years

She has a Master's degree, and has been awarded the top teacher for several years. They don't want to "Renew her contract", since the Administrative official has been heard complaining that she makes less than teachers that have been there fore years. They are forcing them out.

The Administrators come in expecting exorbitant pay, and force the teachers out that actually do the ... uh teaching.

[madfloridian]

29. It's really heartbreaking.

Long term career teachers are having their jobs snatched out from under them all around the country.

Give your sister my sympathy. It's horrible what she is going through.

The ed "reformers" are changing lives now without a 2nd thought.

[Aerows]

31. My sister has taught first grade for most of her career

She doesn't want to quit, either. She just wants to work somewhere else that the tensions and the administrative BS aren't so pervasive. After 25 years, should could probably retire, but she wants to teach. That is all that she has ever wanted to do, and it is asinine that there is a bevy of policies and policy makers that want to make that harder for experienced teachers.

God forbid you are motivated and good at what you do. We need to fire you immediately so we can get someone with no experience that has barely been in a classroom outside of the classes they attended - because they are "fresher" (read - cheaper).

I don't know about you, but I've never longed for a person that was inexperienced for elevator repair, brain surgery or teaching the next generation of either. It's short term profit over long term gain and it is going to kill our nation. Corporations do it by firing people that know how to do the job, just so the stock price rises during the quarterlies. That is what is going to end our economy.

When you can't see past the quarterly and only reward those that make it look good, you aren't promoting healthy corporations, organizations or administrations - you are crippling them to make the top look good while destroying the foundation.

Financial Jenga can only last so long.

[charmay]

34. Good luck to your sister in her new job.

I retired last year because of the same crap. Old coworkers tell me that it's just getting worse. Many are looking for non- teaching jobs. Sad.

[Aerows]

35. After what they have done to her

and said to her and disparaged my nieces (who happen to be Asian, and that is always picked on), I wouldn't blame my sister if she washed her hands of all of it and quit or became a fierce advocate for repealing this bs.

Either might happen.

[femmocrat]

40. It is worse.

They are now using an elaborate, convoluted "evaluation" system to purge the schools of veteran teachers. They are retiring because of receiving poor evaluations after decades of excellent ratings. These "evaluators" are much younger administrators who have been indoctrinated in these new methods. It's disgusting.

[madfloridian]

42. Yes, they are breaking union contracts teachers worked under.....union busting.

I can not tell you how much it angers me. Breaking union contracts and not a damn word from a single Democratic leader.

Taking down career teachers so they can get cheaper teachers, and they are heading toward little or no certification.

It's sickening.

[Initech]

26. There's officially nothing sacred to the oligarchy now.

College preparation? In kindergarten? Are you fucking kidding me?

[Brigid]

36. I was in kindergarten in 1963.

College? Never heard of it.

[PasadenaTrudy]

27. Thank goddess

I was in kindergarten in 1970

[lunasun]

30. Just another education WTF in ps USA

[Iris]

37. First, students (and their parents) were "customers" now all they are just "future (co-)workers"

Really, really sad.

[madfloridian]

39. Ah, I remember the "they are customers, we must please them" phase all too well.

No matter what they said or did, not matter how the parents treated us...they were the "customers". I had parents break out in fights in my classroom. I trained a couple of the kids to head to the office button, climb on a chair, and call for help if I could not get there.

You can't teach properly while trying to please everyone.

[Jasana]

41. This country has gone insane.

Meanwhile we have someone in another thread advocating for mandatory civil service.

(Salute!) Drill Sargent: "Get those damn kinderkids ready for college! Test them every day! Make life so miserable they'll want to commit suicide! I don't care if some of them already have abusive parents! Get 'em ready to pay 50,000 for college and do two fucking years of civil goddamn service!"

(Salute! - Play god bless America while drill Sargent wraps himself in American flag and nuzzles it.)

[steve2470]

43. I find this sad nt

[Skip Intro]

44. I do believe I would be homeschooling if I had any kids.

No time for a show, a show (how long does a show last?), because we must squeeze these little children's minds into our molds as fast as possible?

I would be outraged if I were a parent and had to deal with this lunacy.

I'm pretty outraged as a non-parent, just reading about it.

[BuelahWitch]

45. But "putting on a show" requires people to work together

Those are definitely "career skills" they can use further down the pike. If this school was smart they would put some sort of learning into the situation, and still allow the kids to have the fun of putting on their show.