Comments on: A middle grade fix to go with the high school plan http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/ Covering the beat of Portland Public Schools Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:00:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Steve Buel http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-37048 Steve Buel Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:22:02 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=599#comment-37048 Marcia, when did we lose the concept of exploration for the middle grades? And when did we lose the idea of broadening their education and exposing kids that age to a plethora of ideas and experiences? And what about the need for the arts, and physical activity, and educational activities that stretch their horizons? We could still do this if we had the will. Marcia, when did we lose the concept of exploration for the middle grades? And when did we lose the idea of broadening their education and exposing kids that age to a plethora of ideas and experiences? And what about the need for the arts, and physical activity, and educational activities that stretch their horizons? We could still do this if we had the will.

]]> By: Steve Buel http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-37047 Steve Buel Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:16:43 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=599#comment-37047 The middle grades get the short end of the stick. I think it is because parent support and interest is weakest in these grades. Parents are really into the primary grades then their interest drops off in the middle grades and returns with all the sports and activities in high school. Since there is little pressure to make the middle grade education better and not much monitoring (comparatively)the middle grades become a political low priority. And in the low income neighborhoods, where there is a lack of parent involvement anyway, middle grade education is atrocious yet doesn't get addressed. I mean isn't this HIGH SCHOOL redesign sexy? The middle grades get the short end of the stick. I think it is because parent support and interest is weakest in these grades. Parents are really into the primary grades then their interest drops off in the middle grades and returns with all the sports and activities in high school.

Since there is little pressure to make the middle grade education better and not much monitoring (comparatively)the middle grades become a political low priority. And in the low income neighborhoods, where there is a lack of parent involvement anyway, middle grade education is atrocious yet doesn’t get addressed.

I mean isn’t this HIGH SCHOOL redesign sexy?

]]> By: S. Wilcox http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-37005 S. Wilcox Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:05:15 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=599#comment-37005 I just read the article in the Tribune that came out yesterday. It was talking about the high school redesign, saying that board members wanted to vote it through by October! There were numerous references to the K-8 fiasco, problem, mess (call it what you want), and how they did not want this high school thing to go the same way. NO mention of what they were going to do about the mess, which is the most frustrating thing about it. It really feels as if we have been written off. I just read the article in the Tribune that came out yesterday. It was talking about the high school redesign, saying that board members wanted to vote it through by October! There were numerous references to the K-8 fiasco, problem, mess (call it what you want), and how they did not want this high school thing to go the same way. NO mention of what they were going to do about the mess, which is the most frustrating thing about it. It really feels as if we have been written off.

]]> By: marcia http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-37000 marcia Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:39:17 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=599#comment-37000 HEY! It sounds just the the junior high school I attended way back in the early 1960's. Seemed to work just fine way back when. Maybe that's way back when they used to fund education at a more adequate level? HEY! It sounds just the the junior high school I attended way back in the early 1960′s. Seemed to work just fine way back when. Maybe that’s way back when they used to fund education at a more adequate level?

]]> By: S. Wilcox http://ppsequity.org/2009/07/07/a-middle-grade-fix-to-go-with-the-high-school-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-36915 S. Wilcox Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:33:04 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=599#comment-36915 Yes, Steve, this would be extremely expensive, but what is that saying? "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Fixing K-8s will take a complete overhaul of the system. It is obvious that when the model was implemented, no amount of long-term planning went into it. I am waiting for the "higher ups" to weigh in on this argument. What are we going to do? Yes, Steve, this would be extremely expensive, but what is that saying? “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Fixing K-8s will take a complete overhaul of the system. It is obvious that when the model was implemented, no amount of long-term planning went into it. I am waiting for the “higher ups” to weigh in on this argument. What are we going to do?

]]>