With the demise of IPSB-S, I thought it prudent to reach out to the masses and attempt to facilitate a conversation about all of the urban education issues that swirl around us. IPS is important, but it does not represent the entirety of urban education in our city. There are suburban districts with a very sizable, urban population. There are suburban schools that struggle to meet the needs of urban students. There are great schools and not so great school in Central Indiana. Indy Urban Education is a platform for a broader conversation about the problems we face and the solutions we so desperately need.
So, for this first post, I would like for everyone to propose a topic.
Discipline problems - I think we need more alternative schools for the students with constant discipline problems. The disruptions caused by a few students keep the rest of the class in conflict mode and it's impossible to teach.
ReplyDeleteI agree. We need to actually address the discipline problems that disrupt learning in the classroom. Administrators need to get their head out of the sand and quit thinking that touchy-feeling kumbaya methods will quit interrupting our ability to teach those disruptive students who have no desire to learn.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. When it's the same students having discipline problems in multiple classrooms, I agree the student likely needs an alternative placement, both for the student's good and the good of the other students. But when it's the same teacher having discipline problems, I think the teacher is the one who needs the alternative placement. It's ironic that the above poster believes "touchy-feeling kumbaya methods" don't work when every research study in existence for child psychology, parenting, and education says the exact opposite. Positive discipline works better than punishment.
ReplyDeleteI agree that classroom disruption is one of the issues that keeps kids from learning. I believe that some kids have behavior problems that require more time and attention than a classroom teacher can give. Kids need help . . . but maybe not in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't excuse poor management. Bad teachers simply need to find something else to do. No matter the reasons (bad kids or bad teachers) the continuation of these problems is bad administration. Six figure school leaders should be prepared to neutralize significant behavior problems (no matter their genesis).
"Six figure school leaders should be prepared to neutralize significant behavior problems (no matter their genesis)."
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%