First Blog of 2011
What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?
Pretlow seems to be going somewhere with his reasoning as to why he would want to “Reshape Education Reform.” He will soon introduce the “Driving Education Incentive” to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Board of Education. You’ll be surprised to hear what this includes and how it will help students perform much better in school. It unlikely connects a privilege with necessity in regards to Education Reform.
Lastly, when asked “What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?” he answered:
“What makes the wheels go round on good Education Reform is, putting politics to the side; considering students and building incentives that empower their pursuit of an Education; promote good behavior and attendance. Keeping quality teachers and effective school leadership on board; increased Parental Involvement and catering to their communities through a curriculum that address how they can be a part of the solution and not the bad statistics.”
In a statement that can be found in some forthcoming lectures from Pretlow on Education Reform he writes:
No matter Public, Charter or Private – if we are not reaching our students at home then there will be no progress to measure on these standardized test; there will be no increase in High School Graduates.
Education Reform will become obsolete. We need increased Parental Involvement in our local schools. We also need to offer students an incentive that empowers them to want their education. No longer can we sale Education on the pitch that ‘it’s so important to have a High School Diploma to get a job”. They see their educated family members out of work.
It can be summarized that Pretlow is not happy with the fact there isn’t enough being said or done through current Education Reform practices to increase Parental involvement and to empower students to get their education. He mentioned that the key question is that students want to know what’s in it for me.
Changing the name of a school, rebuilding a school, establishing standardized test and firing teachers are all practices of Education Reform, but it doesn’t make life any easier for a student beyond school hours nor does it convey the significance of earning a High School Diploma.
Parents need to be empowered to get involved at home and prepare their students to be productive and respectful students in the learning environment, that’s Education Reform!
Visit the official Larry T. Pretlow II site - http://www.larrypretlow2.org/
What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?DaMar A. Jackson
The Scoop DC
Thursday, January 20, 2011The Scoop DC
Larry T. Pretlow II gears up to reshape Education Reform, emphasizing that we’ve got it all wrong. In an interview on Wednesday, I sat down with my good friend and business buddy to discuss his take on Education Reform. The conversation was so great that The Scoop DC decided to blog about Pretlow’s statements.
When asked what “Education Reform” is? Pretlow responded:
“Education Reform is an effort to better the quality of education in the District through a refreshed curriculum, outstanding teachers and expensive resources. Rebuilding schools and doing nothing that actually addresses the issues that students face before or after school.
What would make “Education Reform” better? Pretlow quickly uttered:
Here in D.C., Education Reform must include strengthening the quality of life and education for our students not just on but also off school grounds. Current Education Reform mostly only focuses on Public Education and teachers. We need to include Parents and home while also offering incentives to promote good behavior, good attendance and maintaining a 3.0GPA.
Why is Parental/home Involvement key to “Education Reform”, Pretlow stated?
“Increasing Parental/home Involvement ensures students are equipped with the ability to sit in the classroom, obey school and classroom rules, and respect other students, teachers, school personnel and the overall learning environment. This is all essential to teachers being able to properly execute lessons and maintain control of their classrooms. It all begins with home! We cannot reform education without considering what life is like for students beyond school hours. We also cannot require that students past standardized test” nor blame teachers!
It can be conveyed that Pretlow believes that nothing is being done that actually address the lives of student outside of school which plays a major role in their lives inside of school. Education Reform seems to be more of a political trend then a community effort. He also doesn’t support the ways in which teachers were evaluated in D.C. Public Schools.
And, if you ask Ward 8 residents, former DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee established education/school reform as a reason to fire veteran and rookie school teachers because she had the power, not as a citywide effort to better the quality of education in the District. Pretlow didn’t say that Education Reform shouldn’t be about the latter, he just feels as if it’s being done wrong.
Pretlow stated: “On my ANC campaign trail in 2010, Parents and Students understood Education Reform as if it was about Rhee giving teachers bad ratings that didn’t have full control of their classroom. So if a teacher with all these educational degrees and years in the system stopped during instruction time to deal with classroom disruptions and uncontrollable students, so others could learn - subsequently you received a bad rating and later lost your job.”
He also stated: “It’s not always the teachers…it about where the students come from and what is being allowed of them elsewhere before they get to school. It’s about the students gaining more than an Education and giving high test scores. They ask what’s in it for them.”
Pretlow added:
“Teachers are armed with the duty of orchestrating the learning process; they cannot make a student learn or behave. A teacher can only influence learning and good behavior, it cannot be forced. Students know they have a choice to obey or disobey the teacher (they learn this at home). It’s going to take further intervention and guidance to deal with those students…a teacher cannot go on with a lesson while students become distracted by other students. Those wanting to learn have the right to sit in class and not be surrounded by foolishness.”
When asked about Mayor Vince Gray and the interim DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Pretlow replied:
“Gray should’ve gone through the entire system and got rid of anyone and everyone who ever worked under the outgoing administration or had any part in all of the things that Rhee performed, that he as Chairman disagreed or didn’t support. We should’ve been given a fresh start under a new Mayor. Nothing against Fenty, Rhee or Henderson at all, but politically we’re headed the same direction” When asked what “Education Reform” is? Pretlow responded:
“Education Reform is an effort to better the quality of education in the District through a refreshed curriculum, outstanding teachers and expensive resources. Rebuilding schools and doing nothing that actually addresses the issues that students face before or after school.
What would make “Education Reform” better? Pretlow quickly uttered:
Here in D.C., Education Reform must include strengthening the quality of life and education for our students not just on but also off school grounds. Current Education Reform mostly only focuses on Public Education and teachers. We need to include Parents and home while also offering incentives to promote good behavior, good attendance and maintaining a 3.0GPA.
Why is Parental/home Involvement key to “Education Reform”, Pretlow stated?
“Increasing Parental/home Involvement ensures students are equipped with the ability to sit in the classroom, obey school and classroom rules, and respect other students, teachers, school personnel and the overall learning environment. This is all essential to teachers being able to properly execute lessons and maintain control of their classrooms. It all begins with home! We cannot reform education without considering what life is like for students beyond school hours. We also cannot require that students past standardized test” nor blame teachers!
It can be conveyed that Pretlow believes that nothing is being done that actually address the lives of student outside of school which plays a major role in their lives inside of school. Education Reform seems to be more of a political trend then a community effort. He also doesn’t support the ways in which teachers were evaluated in D.C. Public Schools.
And, if you ask Ward 8 residents, former DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee established education/school reform as a reason to fire veteran and rookie school teachers because she had the power, not as a citywide effort to better the quality of education in the District. Pretlow didn’t say that Education Reform shouldn’t be about the latter, he just feels as if it’s being done wrong.
Pretlow stated: “On my ANC campaign trail in 2010, Parents and Students understood Education Reform as if it was about Rhee giving teachers bad ratings that didn’t have full control of their classroom. So if a teacher with all these educational degrees and years in the system stopped during instruction time to deal with classroom disruptions and uncontrollable students, so others could learn - subsequently you received a bad rating and later lost your job.”
He also stated: “It’s not always the teachers…it about where the students come from and what is being allowed of them elsewhere before they get to school. It’s about the students gaining more than an Education and giving high test scores. They ask what’s in it for them.”
Pretlow added:
“Teachers are armed with the duty of orchestrating the learning process; they cannot make a student learn or behave. A teacher can only influence learning and good behavior, it cannot be forced. Students know they have a choice to obey or disobey the teacher (they learn this at home). It’s going to take further intervention and guidance to deal with those students…a teacher cannot go on with a lesson while students become distracted by other students. Those wanting to learn have the right to sit in class and not be surrounded by foolishness.”
When asked about Mayor Vince Gray and the interim DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Pretlow replied:
Pretlow seems to be going somewhere with his reasoning as to why he would want to “Reshape Education Reform.” He will soon introduce the “Driving Education Incentive” to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Board of Education. You’ll be surprised to hear what this includes and how it will help students perform much better in school. It unlikely connects a privilege with necessity in regards to Education Reform.
Lastly, when asked “What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?” he answered:
“What makes the wheels go round on good Education Reform is, putting politics to the side; considering students and building incentives that empower their pursuit of an Education; promote good behavior and attendance. Keeping quality teachers and effective school leadership on board; increased Parental Involvement and catering to their communities through a curriculum that address how they can be a part of the solution and not the bad statistics.”
In a statement that can be found in some forthcoming lectures from Pretlow on Education Reform he writes:
No matter Public, Charter or Private – if we are not reaching our students at home then there will be no progress to measure on these standardized test; there will be no increase in High School Graduates.
Education Reform will become obsolete. We need increased Parental Involvement in our local schools. We also need to offer students an incentive that empowers them to want their education. No longer can we sale Education on the pitch that ‘it’s so important to have a High School Diploma to get a job”. They see their educated family members out of work.
It can be summarized that Pretlow is not happy with the fact there isn’t enough being said or done through current Education Reform practices to increase Parental involvement and to empower students to get their education. He mentioned that the key question is that students want to know what’s in it for me.
Changing the name of a school, rebuilding a school, establishing standardized test and firing teachers are all practices of Education Reform, but it doesn’t make life any easier for a student beyond school hours nor does it convey the significance of earning a High School Diploma.
Parents need to be empowered to get involved at home and prepare their students to be productive and respectful students in the learning environment, that’s Education Reform!
Visit the official Larry T. Pretlow II site - http://www.larrypretlow2.org/
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