I wonder if she would defend the current status quo if her children were in Shelia Wilcox’s class at Astor Elementary? Something tells me maybe not…

Note: this comment was edited to protect the privacy of students. –Ed.

Many kids have serious problems which need therapy, counseling and other sensible responses. But many kids just need clear boundaries and consistent consequences. But overall, all kids should have the right to a decent school experience free from disruptions. The major right for a child should be to get a quality education, not to disrupt someone else’s education. And the schools, each teacher, and each administrator should work together to guarantee that right for all children.

First, and most important, putting a child in the juvenile justice system (AKA delinquency) rarely has beneficial effects and typically sets up a negative dynamic that can destroy a kid’s life before s/he’s even started living it.

Multnomah County is actually a national leader in alternatives to detention for kids, but we’re swimming against the national tide. There are reports of kids as young as 5 or 6 being arrested in schools — arrested! including handcuffs — for tantrumming in class. Admittedly, the most stunning examples come primarily from bastions of progressivism like Florida and Texas, but nation-wide it’s not unusual for 10 and 12 year olds to be criminalized for acting out in school.

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I am not saying that disruptive behavior in classrooms should be allowed to continue, but I am saying that we need to stop resorting to mindless punishment as a response.

As my wise friend, Stephanie, says, “Behavior is communication.” We need to figure out what a child is trying to communicate through this behavior and then respond appropriately.

Middle grade students who can’t hardly read: Six kids, one teacher, around a table for one hour a day. (The Dorothy Holy Cross method. Taught 40 years, a terrific reading teacher. She said it works. I believe her.)
I would also add a reading lab where kids who are struggling spend a large portion of their day until they are able to read decently well.

I have huge respect for you (are we going to meet in person one day?) but I do have concerns/questions with some of your ideas. Can we discuss them?

“1) Restructure the way we handle discipline in schools with serious problems. This would allow kids a better chance to be in classrooms which are not out of control thus giving them a better chance to learn.”

I see teachers struggle with behavior kids all the time. Many of these kids have organic issues from drug exposure, trauma, foster care, abuse, etc. We could increase the expulsion rate but that would just mean more kids ghettoized in “special” schools with less opportunities. The truth is poverty is tied to higher percentages of special needs kids.

Rather than increase penalties for misbehavior, I suggest higher intervention , diagnosis and IEP referral. There are tons of free programs schools can and should ask for help (Friends of the Children, Mentor Portland, etc). Bringing in community resources costs nothing and can make a big difference for a child.

Smaller class sizes also make a huge difference in how teachers can manage a high special needs caseload.

“2) Create schools with electives, athletics, and activities tied to the school which much better engage children in school (the athletics and activities should be coached or led by teachers in the school and sponsored by the district).”

Couldn’t agree more. Many poor schools no longer offer sports.

“3) Identify children with the most serious problems in reading and writing and set up programs which REALLY address these needs.”

I’m a big nincompoop, but what programs? You’ll find fevered debate among professionals. And these programs are very expensive. Lindamood, one of the most highly rated, costs at least a thousand a month per child, because it requires one on one with a trained specialist.

My feeling is that if it was that easy to teach a learning disabled child to read we all could do it. That they are poor should not lead to the assumption bad parenting is at fault; it is more likely that proper diagnosis of a learning disability such as dyslexia was not made. Schools do not offer such services, and poor parents cannot afford them. In some cases it is a matter of making sure the child gets eyeglasses!

Having a fund or availing private donors to pay for evaluations of poor kids would be a boon.

“4) Greatly increase technology and library resources to better pull children into learning.”

Agreed!

“5) Increase counselors to help children deal with their homelife and other problems and genuinely let counselors counsel — not administrate nor schedule etc.”

This is HUGE hole in the district. There are multiple avenues for schools to get counselors, including OHP and school-based grants. But these resources are often not pursued, they are fickle, they are short term.

Also, a sidenote: schools which make a big deal about pull-outs (because of test prep and driven teachers) actively discourage children from seeing counselors because it is so obvious they are leaving. Schools which make it acceptable to come and go seem better to me. Kids should feel at ease seeing the therapist.

The big elephant in the room is confidentiality. I have overhead teachers actively violating the confidentiality of children, even to other parents (and in front of other children). Not all do it, but I think schools really need to focus on this issue. A child needs to feel their privacy is respected.

“6) Increase P.E. and support much healthier lunches and breakfasts to help childrens’ general health and attentiveness.”

Amen, amen. You know how much teacher complaints of ADHD boys goes down when they can exercise? I have heard it often. Send a letter home saying the kids might get wet and muddy. We won’t care!! Send them home tired and happy.

“7) Relegate test prep to a single program and encourage teachers to broaden their curriculum in directions which make the most sense to them making students more interested and teachers more engaged.”

I’m guessing many teachers find prep and autonomy exclusive. But I agree. There is more than one way to teach the writing requirements, for example.

The last issue is all this needs to happen inside a thriving school with many opportunities. It is important to avoid a purely therapeutic model for poor kids; they need good science, math, ap, music and art just like the richer kids. Sometimes having a good education and good choices is the best kind of therapy (speaking as a person who was raised very poor)

The problems are huge but there are some definite things we can do to help in the middle grades.
1) Restructure the way we handle discipline in schools with serious problems. This would allow kids a better chance to be in classrooms which are not out of control thus giving them a better chance to learn.
2) Create schools with electives, athletics, and activities tied to the school which much better engage children in school (the athletics and activities should be coached or led by teachers in the school and sponsored by the district).
3) Identify children with the most serious problems in reading and writing and set up programs which REALLY address these needs.
4) Greatly increase technology and library resources to better pull children into learning.
5) Increase counselors to help children deal with their homelife and other problems and genuinely let counselors counsel — not administrate nor schedule etc.
6) Increase P.E. and support much healthier lunches and breakfasts to help childrens’ general health and attentiveness.
7) Relegate test prep to a single program and encourage teachers to broaden their curriculum in directions which make the most sense to them making students more interested and teachers more engaged.

These are a few, some of which cost no increased resources in middle schools. The whole idea is that often children in less well to do neighborhoods need stronger incentives and support WITHIN the school in order to have the chance to be successful. Or in
otherwords, an equal opportunity to be successful.

And you are correct, what the district is presently doing will have little impact on the things I am talking about. Take care.