Angry Parents, Failing Schools

Rating:
Summary: Honest, but Unfair
Review: I haven't read the entire book but the words digested so far are true. However, fingers are being pointed at individuals who don't deserve it: teachers. I have been in the education field for 11 years, teaching for the last four. I have taught in middle-upper level socioeconomic neighborhoods with a racially mixed student base (though primarily caucasion). I have taught in a very low socioeconomic neighborhood where segregation is the only choice (primarily black). My degree in is in Exceptional Student Education with certification in Elementary Education and English Speakers of Other Languages. My teaching experiences lie in the elementary setting and include second grade, third grade, K-5 writing and 1-5 Educably Mentally Handicapped. I'm writing this to let you know of my credentials. However, let me get on to my opinion of the book.

Recently my niece began 6th grade at a private school. She received about 7 different workbooks in addition to 2-3 hardback textbooks. I compared that curriculum to the curriculum used in the same district (Palm Beach, Florida) but at public schools. I agree that education has changed from "hard-core stick-to-the-objective" method to whole language, cooperative learning and higher order thinking skills. However, it isn't always the teachers' desire to do this. It often isn't the principal's or even the superintedent's fault. It lies with each state's and the Federal Boards of Education.

Florida gives "bad" schools the title "critically low." These are derived from test scores. Last year I worked at one of the "critical schools." Our former commissioner of education, Frank Brogan, felt those schools weren't doing their job and sent in the troops. One such person ($$$$$$$$) was Dr. Bill Blokker (I hope his name is spelled correctly). Everyone at these schools was under alot of stress. Ironically, all the "critical" schools were in the welfare, low/no income areas with high discipline problems. That creates more stress. Schools often do things in ways that they don't want to in order to please the higher-ups. Add to that the unwillingness for parents to comprehend what goes on in classrooms. Unlike a manager in a fast-food chain, we can't hire and fire who we want, we don't have much say in how our franchise is run and we don't get paid to put up with the mental abuse which comes with working in various geographic areas (not necessarily secondary schools). Imagine running this franchise without napkins, catsup, hamburger, ice or cups. Better yet, imagine having to purchase all these items with your own, "slap-in-the-face" salary. For 9-10 different subjects, I have ONE textbook (I teach 2nd grade) and TWO workbooks which can be written in (all others must be copied). (Each child has their own, thank goodness.) Hey, I don't even have a "workable" curriculum for the areas of Science, Health or Social Studies (I do have a lasar disc and material which can be copied but takes 3 hours to plan one week's lesson). Add into that the potential for unfair administration, conflicting messages for methods of teaching (one day practice sheets are OK, the next day they are forbidden) and, of course, increased class size with lack of assistance.

I do agree with the philosophies in this book but blaming the schools and those working in them isn't right. We only do what we are told to do with the information we are given. I love teaching. If I didn't, I wouldn't have taken the time to write what I did. We need to get back to the basics but that will take parents doing something major. It will also take more than writing a best-selling book. If you have anything to respond to, please write me. I only want the best for our children, but as the old saying goes, it takes a village.

Rating:
Summary: Honest, but Unfair II
Review: I've just finished reading the entire book and there is a lot of good information in it. The descriptions of the reading wars and fuzzy math are good. I've used the recommended reading list and the education web site list. I agree with a lot of the book, but there is a lot of hostile finger-pointing that's going in the wrong direction. If you're a parent and read the book, don't go immediately jumping on your child's teacher. Teachers have very little say in what or how they teach. This is a quote from Becoming a Nation of Readers:

"Teachers generally have less leeway for personal initiative and decision-making than members of other professions. Depending upon the school, they are expected to adhere to policies decreed by administrative superiors, which they have had little or no voice in formulating."

In my district teachers' opinions don't count for much. We're told what methods to use in teaching whether we agree with them or not. If we don't use them, we get bad reviews by our superiors and could possibly lose our jobs. Don't think that parents are the only ones who have been 'met with suspicion and downright hostility when they've had the temerity to question the status quo.' I've been treated that way many times when I've questioned the teaching methods I'm told to use. I've been made to feel like a complete idiot when I didn't agree with the 'cooperative grouping' and 'discovery learning' techniques that have been pushed on us and, ultimately, I was told that I wasn't cut out for teaching and my job was threatened. I learned to keep my mouth shut. I don't talk to parents too often because what I have to say would get me fired and it's nothing about their children or about them. I can't, in good conscience, defend the methods we use. I'd have to tell them that what we're doing has been proven by research to be ineffective, but that we have no choice.

On the other hand, this book seems to assume that all parental complaints and concerns are reasonable, informed and justifiable. I would welcome parents who did some 'homework' and attempted to get some policies changed. Unfortunately, we typically get demands for policy changes akin to a banking customer who has just written several hot checks demanding that the policy for charging overdraft fees be abolished.

Consider a retail employee being berated for not accepting returns on clothes that have obviously been worn or for asking for identification before accepting a check. Consider a bank employee being accused of being a 'bad' employee for asking for identification when someone wanted to withdraw money from an account or for not cashing a check for someone who has no account at that bank. All too often, those are the kinds of complaints we get. I've been accused of being an 'ineffective' teacher when I had the audacity to tell parents that their child was weak in reading. The child entered 2nd grade and couldn't sound out 'r-i-p'. But the parents had the child removed from my classroom and put with a teacher who would just 'give' him good grades. By the time the child completed 2nd grade he was so behind that it's unlikely he'll ever catch up. The parents moved him to another school. I had another parent accuse me of being a bad teacher because her child was behind when he got to my class. She upbraided me, accused me of not being able to teach and finally put him in another school. That school tested him and put him back in first grade. They said he was too behind to even be in a second grade classroom - that the second grade teacher didn't have time to teach him first grade material. I've had a parent accuse me of being a 'bad' teacher because her child wasn't making good grades. The child paid very little attention during class (which I had contacted her about several times). The child was extremely weak in reading and needed tutoring, but she refused to even consider that. The child never did his homework so he fell even further behind (My homework assignments are to read for 30 minutes daily and to practice math facts with flash cards 10-15 minutes four days a week.) and she refused to look at his test folder and sign it each week. The only time she showed up at school was when report cards were issued. So, no, the customer is NOT always right.

This quote comes from The Educated Child (a book that I recommend that EVERY parent of children in preschool through eighth grade read):

"...no group is more frustrated with declining standards than teachers. Many are troubled by having to face classrooms in which significant numbers of children are not prepared at home to put forth their best efforts. They are frustrated at having to fight off administrators and parents who claim they want higher expectations, but whose first reaction when children don't meet them is: give these kids a break. 'What happens in reality is that when several students fail, the principal hears from their parents,' says one veteran Texas teacher. 'The students and their parents make wild claims about the unfairness of the teacher. Instead of supporting the teacher's high standards, the principal runs to the teacher and requires him to 'dumb down' his course. When teachers are not supported by administrators, there is no possible way for us to keep our standards high.'"

Ms. McEwan fails to mention that some complaints are extremely unreasonable. Unfortunately, this is the kind of complaint we get about 98% of the time. Is it any wonder that we're on the defensive?

If you're a parent and you have a reasonable, informed, and justifiable concern - please stick with it. A lot of teachers out there agree with you, but are unable to say so for fear of losing their jobs.

Rating:
Summary: Worried about your kids' education? Read this book!
Review: INITIAL COMMENTS ON:

"ANGRY PARENTS, FAILING SCHOOLS" by Elaine McEwan

I have completed a first read of this book, and I think there is an excellent chance for it to become a "best seller." Dr. McEwan does a great job of explaining many of the concerns voiced by parents in user-friendly language.

Consider the chapter titles:

"Reality Check" "The Customer is Never Right?" "Where Did the Schools Go Wrong?" "The Reading Wars" "Is the 'New Math' Really Fuzzy" "Other Educational Viruses in Schools" "Fifty Plus Things You Can Do"

Those alone say a mouthful about the on-target character of this book.

Some of the things I really liked:

"Tales from the Trenches" are liberally salted throughout the book. These make the points more relevant to common members of the public.

There is extensive identification of web sites. Many are good research sources.

There is a great history of the development of Progressive Education, short and readable. "Progressivism" is nicely compared to traditional education, as well.

The reading wars and the NCTM math deficiencies receive excellent coverage.

There are sources for tests that parents can have individually administered to their children to get around the inadequacies of some current state testing programs.

The book is directed at non-educators, and terms are very nicely explained in everyday language. A large percentage of the public can read this book and understand the problems with little, if any, extra help.

There is an extensive listing of things parents and citizens can do to get active in the education discussions.

And a whole lot more.

This book is a wonderful reference source. The many subjects covered in "Angry Parents, Failing Schools" are well indexed. All are beautifully clear and accurate descriptions that can be easily understood and quoted.

I strongly recommend this book. It should be liberally supplied to legislators, school board members, and anyone else you can think of.

Rating:
Summary: Worried about your kids' education? Read this book!
Review: INITIAL COMMENTS ON:

"ANGRY PARENTS, FAILING SCHOOLS" by Elaine McEwan

I have completed a first read of this book, and I think there is an excellent chance for it to become a "best seller." Dr. McEwan does a great job of explaining many of the concerns voiced by parents in user-friendly language.

Consider the chapter titles:

"Reality Check" "The Customer is Never Right?" "Where Did the Schools Go Wrong?" "The Reading Wars" "Is the 'New Math' Really Fuzzy" "Other Educational Viruses in Schools" "Fifty Plus Things You Can Do"

Those alone say a mouthful about the on-target character of this book.

Some of the things I really liked:

"Tales from the Trenches" are liberally salted throughout the book. These make the points more relevant to common members of the public.

There is extensive identification of web sites. Many are good research sources.

There is a great history of the development of Progressive Education, short and readable. "Progressivism" is nicely compared to traditional education, as well.

The reading wars and the NCTM math deficiencies receive excellent coverage.

There are sources for tests that parents can have individually administered to their children to get around the inadequacies of some current state testing programs.

The book is directed at non-educators, and terms are very nicely explained in everyday language. A large percentage of the public can read this book and understand the problems with little, if any, extra help.

There is an extensive listing of things parents and citizens can do to get active in the education discussions.

And a whole lot more.

This book is a wonderful reference source. The many subjects covered in "Angry Parents, Failing Schools" are well indexed. All are beautifully clear and accurate descriptions that can be easily understood and quoted.

I strongly recommend this book. It should be liberally supplied to legislators, school board members, and anyone else you can think of.

Rating:
Summary: Removes the veil of rhetoric and exposes public education
Review: Most parents with children in public schools will tell you that they have heard all kinds of horror stories about other public schools around the country, and they are so relieved that their child's school is not doing any of that bad stuff! This is the enigma that Elaine McEwan effectively addresses in her book. How can this untested, ineffective education be happening all over and yet most parents do not realize that it is being practiced on their children as well? This book correctly indicates that the answer lies in the rhetoric that public school administrators use to placate concerned and caring parents. If one term or phrase is perceived by administrators as possibly upsetting parents, they will redefine parent-friendly words (such as high expectations, phonics, rigorous curriculum, critical thinking, real world problems) and use them to describe the progressive curriculum they are implementing. It is a clever and very effective way of silencing any parent who might be moved to voice concerns and to keep all other parents happy because they like the sound of the programs. As this book points out, it is not until a parent starts looking beneath the surface of the curriculum that the real substance of the program becomes apparent. I would recommend this book to be read by everybody with any connection to public education - parents, students, teachers, administrators and board members. Until we all recognize the truth about public schools, as Elaine McEwan (a former public school administrator) outlines in her book, there will be no resolution to the education debate. The resolution to this debate will only occur when the truth is clearly stated and parents are given the ability to choose the type of curriculum that will best educate their children. Thank you, Ms. McEwan, for writing the truth. By the way, many of these progressive reforms are alive and well in Wheaton!

Rating:
Summary: This book will pull the blinders from your eyes!
Review: Our town could be the model for this book. The detrimental effects of whole language, creative spelling, and now "fuzzy" math (NCTM endorsed program) are causing parental concern and consternation. Parents are told they are uninformed and older curriculum will not teach your child the "skills he needs for the 21st century" and "just trust us" is the watchword of the day. Our superintendent forms Task Forces and Study Committees then packs them with teachers, administrators and PTO parents (who serve as his foot soldiers) to arrive at his predetermined solutions. No honest disagreement is allowed,dissenters are to be personally attached! All the while achievement test scores are falling! American Education grades K-12 is sinking like the Titanic, and sadly those educators trusted to guide the ship have crashed it headfirst into that iceberg. Our children are failing because our educators are more interested in "Feelings" and "Fads", rather than educational excellence. Well documented scientific research is dismissed as mere opinion and parents with advanced scientific degrees "just don't understand todays child centered learning". Every parent must read this book and take action to protect their children! Dr. McEwan strips away the phony veneer of progressive education and exposes the incompetence of todays educrats and curriculum.

Rating:
Summary: This book will pull the blinders from your eyes!
Review: Our town could be the model for this book. The detrimental effects of whole language, creative spelling, and now "fuzzy" math (NCTM endorsed program) are causing parental concern and consternation. Parents are told they are uninformed and older curriculum will not teach your child the "skills he needs for the 21st century" and "just trust us" is the watchword of the day. Our superintendent forms Task Forces and Study Committees then packs them with teachers, administrators and PTO parents (who serve as his foot soldiers) to arrive at his predetermined solutions. No honest disagreement is allowed,dissenters are to be personally attached! All the while achievement test scores are falling! American Education grades K-12 is sinking like the Titanic, and sadly those educators trusted to guide the ship have crashed it headfirst into that iceberg. Our children are failing because our educators are more interested in "Feelings" and "Fads", rather than educational excellence. Well documented scientific research is dismissed as mere opinion and parents with advanced scientific degrees "just don't understand todays child centered learning". Every parent must read this book and take action to protect their children! Dr. McEwan strips away the phony veneer of progressive education and exposes the incompetence of todays educrats and curriculum.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, I now know "WHAT" to ask my School!
Review: Review of the book: "Angry Parents, Failing Schools", written by Elaine K. McEwan.

The writing is a dream of easy to understand sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Considering that it is about 'today's redefined educational establishment', I am amazed. She has made the edubabble understandable. That alone is something to be proud of.

My favorite aspect of this book is the way she ends each section with a question like; "Did you just write a whopping check to a tutor or a learning center? It's time to find out why."

It is this aspect, the ability to make the reader think about a specific question - and there are enough in this book to relate to every type of person, from every type of background - I believe will have the most impact on any reader that is just discovering what is taking place in their child's school.

This book is what you give to yourself and your 'neighbor' that has no idea of educational jargon, the redefining of terminology, or the reasons 'Why', parents are so angry and schools are failing to teach academics or the 3 R's.

Unfortunately most will not like the 'content' of this book as it is in direct opposition of what your schools are telling you. Never-the-less if you wish to understand why America now has over 90 million functional illiterate ADULTS, and why today's students cannot read and understand their own textbooks or do mental math, then this book is a must read.

If you have not yet order your copy then get too it! This is a must for every parent, teacher, administrator, legislator, and business owner that is wondering about today's "Restructured Educational Mandates" coming down from Washington.

Don't you deserve to know WHY your children are FAILING academics, yet your taxes have increased and will continue to increase at astronomical rates to finalize the implementation of educational restructuring from academic-based 'knowledge' to job training 'performance'?

Sincerely yours, C.A. Carroll Woodbourne, New York

Rating:
Summary: Very easy reading and overview of toady's challenges
Review: The book helped me understand where these "angry parents" are coming from. If my district were full of all the wrongs listed in this book, I'd be angry too. Remember, however, that there are far more satisfied parents out there than "angry" ones.

My belief that our district is doing the right things and on the right path was reinforced.

I am fairly certain that most schools throughout the country have elements of the good and bad running through them. What this book does via it's title and subliminal inferences is imply that the bad is more common than the good. This reinforces the idea that American education is failing us.....nothing could be further from the truth.

Parents should not read this and go out and storm the Board meetings. They should thoughtfully evaluate their schools and work within the system to make it even better.

There is far more good happening in our schools than this book would have you believe.