Girls and boys rank equally on standardized mathmatics tests...what gender gap?

Girls are as talented when it comes to math as boys. In a study that focused on 7 million high school students and SAT tests, girls performed as well as boys. Janet Hyde, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, says scores between boys and girls have become so close, the difference is not statistically significant. Her analysis was published July 25 in 'Science', a major international research journal.

For decades we have lowered the standards girls are expected to achieve in math and science because it was believed that girls and boys brains are different. This also led to a gender gap in careers that required math. We are not born knowing calculus and opportunities to take more rigorous courses were historically not available to girls at the same rate as boys. Data now proves that girls are as capable as boys at performing high function mathematics.

We need to now focus on getting girls into traditionally male dominated career fields such as science, technology, and engineering and bring pay scales in line equally.

I agree with Rebecca Coulter, who teaches at the faculty of education at the University of Western Ontario, in London who says the difference in performance is between children in richer and poorer communities. Instead of gender or race we need to start focusing more on socioeconomic factors to close achievement gaps.

When is the educational world going to break away from the calcified traditions that have ruled our children's education for decades?

Superintendent Elia shows sensitivity during financially trying times

The superintendent has donated her $42,437 bonus to the education foundation to be used for teacher incentives and to support schools and students.

I commend this step which shows that MaryEllen is aware of and sensitive to the trying economic times we are in. While it may be slower than some would like I believe this is another indicator that change is happening at the Hillsborough County School district.

I advised the superintendent some time ago this would be a positive gesture towards our employees and it appears she took that advice to heart. I believe she is sincere and is showing a willingness to sacrifice along side of our employees. I think that we should show the superintendent our support and approval of this very positive gesture, rather than view it through a cynical lens.

Let's try something new

I get a little sappy around this time of year and I am not ashamed to admit it.

I can be an outspoken critic when I feel I need to be, but I know we have a great district with great teachers and want to highlight some of the good in our schools.

For all you teachers out there tell me a story of a student (no names please) that warms your heart when you think of them and reminds you of why you became a teacher in the first place.

In other words...tell me about the student that makes you get up and go to work everyday.

I am asking because I just got a post from a teacher that made me smile and I want hear more stories like his.

Gee they don't seem to like my blog do they?

The topic of the night at the school board meeting was blogs and how they are a place for discontents to spread misinformation and lies. What I think they want to say but won't is that blogs are are a place for malcontents to spread misinformation and lies.

The question of the validity of blogs has been circulating for a while, but has become the hot topic recently. I posted the following response yesterday on another blog moderated by a Hillsborough County teacher.

Hello all,

I am of the firm belief that whether they like it or not blogs are here to stay. Should you believe everything you read on a blog? I would hope not! I would hope that everyone takes everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt and you do your own research.

However blogs have allowed people with no voice the ability to be heard for the first time in the history of our district. Blogs, for better or worse, will change education systems throughout the world. Business as usual will not be allowed.

Light is the enemy of darkness. And blogs are shedding a light in some very dark places. If we are truly on the side of right transparency should not be a problem.

I don’t always answer postings on my blog, but I do read every one and research questions and issues raised.

I dream of a day when people don’t have to be afraid to post their name. But until that day and beyond there will be blogs.

One of my favorite quotes by Edward R. Murrow sums it up “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it”. Dissent is the core of democracy.

At your service, April Griffin

My response to a question posted about Alafia

7:19,

I was out of town and just arrived home. I am trying to be as informed as possible before I make any public statements. I have already read the report and I am picking up the full teacher interviews done by the assessment team tomorrow. I have had numerous conversations with the superintendent, the lead on the assessment team, teachers, parents, community members, and even an attorney engaged in the situation. I am concerned about MANY things I read in the report. Know that I am advocating for what I believe is right is behind the scenes. But this is a very delicate personnel matter where threats of law suits have been made.

Please realize that although everyone at Alafia has been immersed in this problem for over a year the first I heard of it was at the October 24th meeting. No one ever contacted me about the situation to intervene before this blew up into a public spectacle.

The superintendent has put processes in place and has requested that we give her time. I am reluctant, but I am willing to give her plan reasonable time to play out. Time lines have been given, and at the end of that time frame if Ms. Smith has not improved I will be the loudest board member calling for her removal. Something should have been done a long time ago and that is another issue that needs to be dealt with. But this is where we are now.

Understand that with the make-up of this school board timing is everything, so is being as informed as possible. I must have my ducks in a row. I hope you can respect that.

I pray that everyone involved does their part in helping heal this situation. Please hear me again…if Ms. Smith does not dramatically improve I will be the loudest board member publicly calling for her removal.

At your service, April Griffin

Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) Incentive

To: All Middle/High School Principals
All Middle/High School Assistant Principals
All Middle/High School Teachers

From: Wynne Tye, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

David J. Steele, Ph.D., Chief Information and Technology Officer

Subject: Reading Endorsement Incentive and Teaching Supplement

Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) Incentive

Reading is the District’s #1 priority. We recognize the importance of providing scientifically research-based reading instruction in all classrooms and therefore encourage all teachers to earn the state-approved Add-On Reading Endorsement.

The Highly Qualified Teacher requirement mandates that teachers of state-coded reading courses in Grades 7-12 earn either the Reading Endorsement or Reading Certification to be considered highly qualified in the field of reading. This mandate went into effect July 1, 2007.
Given the importance of developing highly qualified reading teachers, the Reading Endorsement Incentive and additional Teaching Supplement were proposed and accepted as part of our District’s Comprehensive K-12 Reading Plan and will be funded in the 2008-2009 school year.

All Grade 6-12 teachers who successfully complete the state approved 300 inservice hour district Add-On Reading Endorsement, complete Reading Endorsement for English for Speakers of Other Languages (REESOL), or complete a University Approved Add-On Reading Endorsement program by May 30, 2009, are eligible to receive a one-time program completion incentive of $1,000.

In addition, all Grade 6-12 teachers who have satisfactorily taught a state-coded reading course for the 2008-2009 school year AND have successfully completed one of the following --- District Add-On Reading Endorsement, REESOL, University Approved Add-On Reading Endorsement program (at any time prior to May 30, 2009) or are certified reading teachers --- will be eligible to receive an additional $500 teaching supplement.

Grade 6-12 Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) teachers, who complete the CAR-PD 150 inservice hour qualification by May 30, 2009, are eligible for a one-time program completion incentive of $500. (CAR-PD teachers have not received the Reading Endorsement and are not eligible for the $500 Teaching Supplement.) Grade 6-12 CAR-PD qualified teachers may provide reading intervention to specified FCAT Level 2 students within their content and/or elective courses.

Applications requiring documentation of program completion will be made available beginning April 2009 in FirstClass email. The application will be located within the "District" icon under "District Forms." The Reading Endorsement Incentive and Teaching Supplement as well as the CAR-PD Incentive will be awarded at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

We value all of our teachers and the added training required to raise student reading proficiency levels. Thank you for being a partner in providing outstanding literacy instruction to our middle and secondary students. If you have any questions, please contact one of the following:

District Add-On Reading Endorsement Candidates and CAR-PD Incentive Candidates:
Sandra Tune, Staff Development DRT for Reading Endorsement, 840-7016
University Add-On Reading Endorsement Candidates:
Karen Davis, Office of Educator Certification, 840-7180

Bill Daggett corrects educators

I just returned from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) conference. There were many wonderful and informative sessions and I learned a lot. From how much we are doing right where our career and technical (CTE) instruction is concerned to changes we can make to improve on what we are doing. I will write a report for my fellow colleagues and meet with the head of our CTE programs to follow up.

However, one thing that was very revealing for me was when Bill Daggett pointed out that his original intent when he coined the phrase 'relevance and rigor' has been reversed by the educational community to ‘rigor and relevance’. I must note that Bill Daggett has the order in 'rigor and relvance' which is contrary to his statements at the meeting.

I know it sounds trivial, but the order of these two words has huge implications on the curriculum and instruction for our students. If we focus on rigor first we get a focus on structure instead of instruction. We create students who know how to go to school and that does not necessarily translate into being prepared for the real world and the workplace.

If we focus on relevance first and rigor second we focus on instruction, de-emphasizing structure. Doing this will show students real world applications for the curriculum they are learning.

While this is anecdotal, it strikes me as funny that our current education system is a by- product of the industrial revolution. The bell system was designed to prepare students for shift changes and breaks at industrial plants. We are no longer preparing students for assembly line jobs and in this global economy the American strategy is to position our citizens to be innovators and managers for the workforce. I think it is time the educational community catches up.

Business is telling us that graduates from public schools do not know what to do when they don't know what to do. Common sense and problem solving has got to be at the forefront of instruction.

All of this being said CTE teachers do need to be more in touch with the academic world and academic language. They need to know that they can not operate the way they did in the 80’s and 90’s. CTE teachers need to be a part of helping students excel in reading, math, and science. They need to recognize that when a student is struggling in these areas there is no one better to make the lessons ‘relevant’.