Don’t Just Listen To Me!! – Electronic Bonsai

Below are quotes from teachers, parents and students from Mat Su School Board Meetings. All of these are from minutes of public meetings. You will find sources at the end of the post.

Colony High School teacher Dianne Wagner said if there was an understanding about what teachers do there would not be a seven -period day. She said they were admonished at the last meeting for speaking out about the seven-period day (1)

Wasilla High School teacher Linda Holler said in 38 years of living in the Valley thisis the second time she has felt the need to speak. She said since she started teaching we have chipped away at education. The seven-period day is a sledge hammer to the education of students. In her advance placement classes she has lost valuable time.The seven-period day was supposed to reduce class size, but that was not realized. (2)

Colony High School teacher Christy Hronkin said every day in her classroom she gets to teach and inspire. She said this year feels less like a journey and more like a race. She has had to remove science experiments from her schedule just to keep up with the curriculum. (2)

Wasilla High School teacher Carla Swick said she was born and raised in Palmer and graduated from Palmer High School in 1988. She said she is the type of teacher who sets high standards for herself and her students. She has never felt so overworked to feel so mediocre. She works with students during lunch and prep time. Collaboration among teachers has been greatly reduced. All the little things they do are getting lost due to the lack of time.She said hands-on experience is crucial. (2)

Wasilla High School teacher Rose Lyford said with the seven-period day, many students are barely making it. She said the students a re tired or are so wired they can’t think. It is like a mass production of poorly produced products. (2)

Colony High School teacher Bob Williams said of all the honors and awards he has received his greatest accomplishment was a note from a student who said he hated math until he came into his classroom. He said the seven-period schedule decreases his ability to be the teacher he know he can be. He said increased quantity does not increase quality. (2)

Mat-Su Education Association President Jill Showman spoke about the seven-period day schedule. She said MSEA recently surveyed their members regarding the schedule. The majority said the schedule is hurting student learning and teachers ability to teach. (2)

Brenda Winder said the reduction of physical education in elementary schools needs to be looked at again. She said they have lunch in their classes and the students need to get out of the room more. She said the seven period day schedule has caused teachers to be exhausted, she feels the students are losing out, and she doesn’t feel the quality of the education is as good as last year. (3)

Colony High School teacher Brenda Rupp said she teaches algebra, geometry, and health. She said struggling students are not doing well on the seven -period schedule. She said many students who are failing would be passing under a six -period day. The shortened amount of time to teach is not working and she has written more discipline referrals this year than ever before (4)

Wasilla High School teacher Tim Walters said the data and analysis presented at the School Board Retreat was not a complete representation of the facts. He said scores at the high schools dropped. He is not sure how the information present ed at the retreat was complied. If this is about children he doesn’t see why we are continuing with the seven-period day. (5) [Editor’s note: I could not find minutes of the School Board Retreat. But it doesn’t surprise me that Mr. Walters has questions about how districts portray numbers. See my post on ASD’s creative mathematics.]

But this is all whining from a few crackpot teachers in the Mat Su right?? WRONG!! In a survey done in 2012, over 86% of Mat Su teachers felt implementing the 7-period day was a MISTAKE! But don’t take my word for it… read the survey.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmseak.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F03%2F7-Period-Schedule-Report.pdf&ei=ueEBU4z7LMb0oASsw4DgCg&usg=AFQjCNGW8-bqAViTh3QEpNjXGcpKtNsSmQ&bvm=bv.61535280,d.cGU

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