Comments on: Shaming Students One Wall at a Time

By: Jeannine

Jeannine — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 02:55:23 +0000

Sadly, what many do not understand is that top administrators in the Education field tell (demand) teachers to post these items in the classroom. It becomes part of their job and if not then they are ideally not in compliance. You must understand that many practices in classrooms these days are in part of a higher order of dictated mandates that are imposed on the poor teachers who are just trying to do their jobs effectively and still entertain (comply) with the powers that be in Education. It is unfortunate to say the least. Have mercy on the teachers and what you may see in the classrooms. It is not all their doing.

By: competitor

competitor — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 03:36:11 +0000

I was absolutely one of the losers in school, but I loved the reading competitions (at that time it was Book It!) Because those were the one thing I was good at and the only opportunity I had to show what I could do. It wasn’t going to be in gym class or at recess, it was reading. I also changed schools a lot. I would have been so disappointed if one of my “new schools” had adopted this methodology. I may have given up on the one thing did well.

By: Choon Dho Olmsted

Choon Dho Olmsted — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:32:05 +0000

Am with you on this . . . .

By: Rafael

Rafael — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:53:49 +0000

Very true. Data walls ARE effective ways to communicate to students, and the community. It communicates to teachers which kids are behind, and it communicates to students and the community who are the winners and who are the losers. It communicates to those at the bottom that no matter how hard they try, the will not be nearly as good as the rest of the group.

Evidence shows that games and competition are great motivators for students, as long as their competition is within reach. Once the top third starts separating from the bottom third, the gap will tend to widen. At this point it is less of a competition and more of a public display of abilities and disabilities.

To your big picture point, it is also absolutely true that this teacher is using evidence to guide HER practice. It is a useful tool, but mostly for the teacher, not the struggling student. So why must it be in display for everyone to see it?

Avoiding shaming struggling students does not have to come at the expense of rewarding success.

By: Rafael

Rafael — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:33:38 +0000

Amy,

Not shaming students doesn’t have to come at the expense of celebrating success.

Using your athletics analogy, there is a reason why only the Top 3 performers in a competition get a medal. The ones that are closer to the top want it and will work hard for it. If they don’t get it, they will learn from their mistakes and use it as motivation for next time. That is all fine.

Doing the same thing for the Top 3 readers would not shame anyone, and would also not diminish success. The problem is when you start shining a light on the ones who are consistently at the bottom. Most of them are at the bottom not for lack of trying, but because they do not have or have not been taught the right tools and skills to make it.

We don’t have kids with Cerebral Palsy, ALS or who are in wheelchairs racing in the same track meet with all of the able bodied kids. We would certainly not do it in front of the entire school and their parents. So why would we do that with reading?

By: jeanne

jeanne — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 14:03:42 +0000

Eric, here’s a way- give the students the tools they need. If 9 of your students read on a 2nd grade level, there’s more than “the need to strive” going on. Your district should be providing those students remediation. Whether its an RTI protocol, Reading Recovery, Orton-Gillingham, etc. those students should be taught strategies to improve their reading. Your response is the #1 thing wrong with education in the U.S. today- schools and educators who complain about problems but don’t suggest a single solution to combat the issues.

By: Suzanna

Suzanna — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 21:54:07 +0000

If it’s voluntary, if students can freely choose to participate and have the freedom to withdraw, then maybe. My own children loved reading, 99%tile, HATED those programs. What about finding out what’s helpful to each child (ask them!) and then doing that. One size fits all usually doesn’t fit.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 21:47:03 +0000

Eric: those students’ goals are to survive the day at school without being shamed or embarrassed by some teacher who asks them to read in front of the class, or hands them a math sheet with story problems on it that they can’t read, so they can’t do the math. Your students who are reading at a 2nd grade level do not have a problem with trying harder or motivation. What they need is to be evaluated for dyslexia and offered an orton-gillingham based curriculum. Then they need to be taken through it, in small groups, by someone who has time to commit.

By: Saja

Saja — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 21:37:24 +0000

Homeschooling is exactly what I chose. I only wish I had done it sooner with my daughter who struggled with anxiety over this type of nonsense. Ironically, she was quite proud of achieving Top Reader status for AR reading competition. Many of the books “read” were audio and/or read alouds with me. I’ll never regret spending time reading her all of Alcott, Montgomery’s Green Gables series, C.S. Lewis’ series, and so many more. But I also will never regret homeschooling either of my kids. They are brighter spirits for having had less time in a classroom. This is, by the way, from a public school teacher. I reformed the way I looked at education.

By: Leslie Jurado

Leslie Jurado — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 20:18:34 +0000

You are assuming that all kids have the same starting point when you compare where they are assessment-wise. Not all children are born with the same gifts or learning styles or are skilled at testing. There is no “standard” child yet overtime in schools in measured by standards. Everything is based on assessments and percentages not on how far a child has come or how hard they try. My son has multiple learning disabilities due to prenatal exposure to alcohol. He tries very hard just to focus and retain. He will never be grade level but he is valuable and worthy. The “school to prison pipeline” is fueled by viewing children who struggle academically as lazy or less than their peers.