Even McGraw-Hill Finds We Retired Teacher-Librarians Pretty Scary
Please see my earlier blog entry & comments.
Now who do I believe - Patricia Polacco or Mc-Graw Hill. Hmmm. Let me think.
Patricia Polacco - noted childrens' author/illustrator
Or
SRA/McGraw Hill:
"The total story is even worse. The McGraw-Hill company creates the high stakes tests that are required by NCLB and sells curriculum packages to schools districts that are "scripted" and a disaster to education. By "scripted" I mean they prepare a packaged curriculum where the teachers "MUST READ" the dialogue to the children. They are not allowed to interact with children naturally and figure out ways that they could better teach. They READ a script. If they are off script in some school districts, they will be fired. It is horrible. Importantly, it also means that there will be no questioning of the political system within the classroom."
Now which one inspires my confidence. Yup, this is a toughie.
Now who do I believe - Patricia Polacco or Mc-Graw Hill. Hmmm. Let me think.
Patricia Polacco - noted childrens' author/illustrator
Or
SRA/McGraw Hill:
The Nation has reported that "the amount of cross-pollination and mutual admiration between the Administration and that empire [McGraw-Hill] is striking:Harold McGraw Jr. sits on the national grant advisory and founding board of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. McGraw in turn received the highest literacy award from President Bush in the early 1990s, for his contributions to the cause of literacy. The McGraw Foundation awarded current Bush Education Secretary Rod Paige its highest educator's award while Paige was Houston's school chief; Paige, in turn, was the keynote speaker at McGraw-Hill's "government initiatives" conference last spring. Harold McGraw III was selected as a member of President George W. Bush's transition advisory team.... An ex-chief of staff for Barbara Bush is returning to work for Laura Bush in the White House - after a stint with McGraw-Hill as a media relations executive. John Negroponte left his position as McGraw-Hill's executive vice president for global markets to become Bush's ambassador to the United Nations." Neil Bush left McGraw Hill when he started his educational software company, Ignite.
"The total story is even worse. The McGraw-Hill company creates the high stakes tests that are required by NCLB and sells curriculum packages to schools districts that are "scripted" and a disaster to education. By "scripted" I mean they prepare a packaged curriculum where the teachers "MUST READ" the dialogue to the children. They are not allowed to interact with children naturally and figure out ways that they could better teach. They READ a script. If they are off script in some school districts, they will be fired. It is horrible. Importantly, it also means that there will be no questioning of the political system within the classroom."
Now which one inspires my confidence. Yup, this is a toughie.
Patricia Polacco rocks!
2 comments:
Eileen,
my Mom is a librarian and writer of children's books(not an illustrator). My son and I have enjoyed Patricia Polacco's books...
Thank you for this fascinating post.
I had the opportunity to hear one of the framers of No Child Left Behind(NCLB) speak in Providence about 4 years ago. He was persuasive. He did not answer questions about how children with any form of autism would be served by this "innovation".
NCLB is designed to reward schools which teach "to the test". The schools are encouraged ultimately to EXclude any children who will not perform adequately on the tests.
Never mind tyhe problem of "unfunded mandates"; this is something all of us should pay attention to. I am grateful to Patricia Polacco!
Good work, Eileen. Sincerely, Nomi Hurwitz
Naomi, like I said, don't mess around with teacher/librarians. Originally I understand that McGraw Hill was going to sue her for loss of revenue & cancelling the contract. They rethought this and are not going to. Wise move, I'd say.
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