Don't be surprised if you see media coverage in the next couple of days about the weekly Wednesday early dismissals.
The school district is inviting the media to cover this afternoon's staff meeting at East Cary Middle School. Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens and the teachers will, according to the press release, "discuss the importance of professional learning teams for school instruction and the benefits of new early release Wednesday."
This is part of Wake's continuing PR efforts to pitch the academic benefits of the early dismissals to the public.
The idea of sending students home early every Wednesday for teachers to meet is a hard sell with some people.
The situation will ramp up next Wednesday when the opening of traditional-calendar schools means every Wake school will be getting out early for the first time. The year-round schools have been doing this for the past six weeks.
If you're wondering, Wake is now calling it professional learning teams instead of professional learning communities.
UPDATE
Click here for Wake's press release on today's media event.
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Way to go WCPSS
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 11:26 — ConcernedInWFMy tongue is planted FIRMLY in my cheek ... I would like to personally thank the WCPSS for keeping parents involved and informed regarding such a major change in our children's academic schedule. It was so proactive of you to make sure to inform us that the board was considering a proposal to shorten the school day every Wednesday, thus effecting classroom time for our children. Oh yes, of course you made sure to add 10 minutes to each day in a feeble attempt to offset a portion of the instructional time lost.
Although I have now researched this topic and found that there were a few articles in the News & Observer since the proposal was first made during a WCPSS Board meeting, I think a letter to the parents regarding this matter would have been appropriate and given each parent an opportunity to consider the proposal and voice any concerns. I am not, however, so naive that I don't recognize why that didn't happen. The public that pays your salary, the parents whose children are losing valuable instructional time in a school system that is already struggling to provide basic education, may not have been very supportive of this proposal. Yes, it was so much wiser to keep it on the QT.
An extra hour of "planning time" for the teachers, which I highly doubt will be used as such, at the expense of instructional time. Again, way to go Wake County.
I just learned of the new schedule this week when my son returned to school on the traditional calendar.
Believe me, I have only just begun to voice my concern.
HELP!
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 12:10 — JSBinNCGet the word out!!
http://www.wakesca.org/
Roundtables this weekend - many of them. Your district is UP FOR ELECTION I think - get people to VOTE THE LOONS OUT!!!!!!!
I, too, do not doubt that
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 11:51 — rr77rr99I, too, do not doubt that for some teachers, these PLC's are worthwhile. Having said that, I have heard nothing but earfuls of frustration from teachers I know at many different schools that it is a waste of their time and they are frustrated finding care f or their own kids, or having to o lay out money for childcare, thus adding more salt to the wounds on their salary issues.
Secondly, yesterday, I saw four children crying outside of my children's elementary school because their parents were not there to pick them up (these were children who are part of the walkers pool of children). Their parents forgot to come get them early. That is a very scary thing for elementary school kids. Middle schoolers probably would care less, but little ones.. that's scary.
Lastly, I don't understand :
1) why these can't be held first thing in the morning and have the kids come in on a delayed schedule. At least the parents couldn't "forget" their kids.
2) why they couldn't just make one whole day sessions and then parents could find child care for that one day, instead of an hour every single Wed and then on additional half days.
3) I think the parents need to see a report from their individual schools on how EXACTLY the PLC meetings are impacting the betterment of their child's education.
I hate the way this was all of a sudden dumped on parents and never fully explained or discussed. And really, that's why WCPSS is pulling out yet another "dog and pony" PR show to "get parents on board." So tired of them thinking we are just idiots. Really tired of it!
I can't wait to see how this all pans out when the traditional calendar starts up. And I agree with what one other person said on here, this leads to nothing more than a bunch of latch key kids with nothing to do but get in trouble. I'd like to see some police reports on what their Wednesday afternoons look like with all these kids left to fend for themselves.
I Saw A Wonderful team of teachers yesterday
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 08:53 — RMC10Yesterday was meet the teachers and orientation for incoming 6th graders at Apex Middle School. My daughter's team was the most cohesive group of teachers I have experienced. You could tell they were comfortable with each other. They clearly had the year plan down, had a powerpoint presentation they all used for their part, laughed and joked with each other, and clearly the curriculum plan was created to match areas across the team is teaching. I was very impressed - and my daughter is excited to go to school again.
I imagine teacher teams work throughout WCPSS schools from k-12. Teachers cross teach subjects as early as 3rd grades.
Teachers also have workshop days, where the talk, learn, and share ideas (12 of them a year - 8 hour days)! Lunches are often shared with other teachers and staff (because they certainly don't eat with their kiddos).
That's way more interaction with others than I get at my job with my team. I think they have it all covered, and that the PLC/T was implemented to take advantage of 5 business throwing a big chunk of money at them. (And urghhh it lasts for five years).
Well come over to any neighborhood - you'll find kids home alone on those afternoons - that is more risky than not having teachers share bearing about their kids on Wednesdays. Teams within schools is probably the most useful tools between teachers. Again, please do aways w/ early releases and put PLC/T on another scheduling plan that does not impact parents and jeopardize students.
ParentVision PodCast on ABCombs' PLTs
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 23:36 — ExplorisMSParenthttp://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2009/08/parentvision_pl_1.html
I don't have a problem with
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 11:09 — klanders65I don't have a problem with the PLTs. If used right, I am in favor of them. A few years ago, the Wake Co. teacher of the year was an elementary school teacher. He wrote an essay that they had posted on the wcpss website. I'll see if I can find it. He talked of things he and his staff realized by working together in PLCs. It rang true with me.He talked of how using PLCs to make common assessments revealed for him and his fellow teachers that they all focused on different things when testing. They also noticed that many of them were not covering the curriculum, but rather spending nearly all the time on things that the kids liked to so, such as toga parties, bring in food, make a playdough on cardboard building, etc. and skipping half the curriculum. It was several years ago. I think it illustrated nicely what most people don't know:
Teachers are so isolated. They generally do what they want. They may get feedback on how many As they gave (not likely, though) but no feedback on what they require to get an A. Teachers are so busy. You have no idea. Imagine being with and in charge of 30 kids at a time all day...let alone trying to teach them something. There is no time during the day to go to the bathroom, let alone share ideas or communicate regularly with your fellow teachers.I could see that the time could easily be wasted, but if it is not wasted PLCs will be very valuable. The teachers I know won't waste them.
So...
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 15:02 — Bob_SconceBTW, I appreciate your posting here -- the inside information is really enlightening. And, I can totally see how teachers would be isolated -- you don't teach with anybody else; you don't really turn in your work to anybody. The only real measure of your performance comes in at the end of the year, after students take a standardized test. And, even then, it's not clear that their performance is due to your teaching ability.
The big problem with PLTs is the ham-handed way that they're being implemented -- students getting out early one day a week is just a recipe to annoy parents by making 50,000+ families come up with alternate childcare plans for every Wednesday, including those parents who teach in WCPSS.
If the district really wants to do it right, then PLTs need to be scheduled during the school day, when a teacher's students are doing something else. Maybe that means scheduling longer lunches or longer gym periods, bringing in substitutes or study hall.
Some principals have made a
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 17:04 — klanders65Some principals have made a huge effort to schedule things to make what you are suggesting here work. Others have not. Not that the principals make all the schedules, but they set the priorities. Some have made this a priority. And it works. I guess rather than making it a priority to schedule so that PLCs work during the day, they are solving the problem this way.
I think we will have a lot of unsupervised kids for a few hours per week. You have a good point.
I just want to express that PLTs are a good idea and good for everyone. I agree that the way they are being implemented may not be a good idea.
If I were in charge, first I'd straighten out the math tracking problems, then I'd make everyone prioritize schedules so that PLTs could take place during the school day. But we would have PLTs. (I keep reverting to PLC because that is what we've been calling them until now. I figure there were tens of hours of meetings to decide to change them to PLTs, and then a bunch of printed stuff had to be redone, etc.)
HA!
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 09:32 — Bob_SconceSo, they're inviting the media to attend a staff meeting at a middle school? Tell me that won't change the dynamics of the meeting. So, now I know at least one middle school where nothing positive will be accomplished during the "Professional Learning Team" time.