Sunday, October 4, 2009
On Racism.
I was at a friend's family get together last night. Somehow the brutal beating of a student of Belleville West High School came up and a woman in an angry voice stated, "If that would have been white kids beating a black kid then Johnny Scott and Jesse Jackson would have been crying racism." The next comment was, "You didn't hear the president commenting on that case!" Immediately following this comment was, "And he shouldn't have gone to Denmark!"
My immediate response was for the woman to "mellow out" and since I was a guest I went no further. My friend warned that we were in conservative country.
I am becoming increasingly alarmed at the lack of analytical ability of people considered "conservative." The arguments that I hear are essentially regurgitations of the right wing media voices like Limbaugh and Beck. However, they have internalized these viewpoints because quite frankly it is too difficult to think through an issue within one's own mind.
Let's think through these issues right now. First, is the general white outrage at the scene of two black kids beating up a white kid. If a black kid would have been the recipient of the beating perhaps Johnny Scott and Jesse Jackson would be shouting racism. However, if this would have been the case, would white people be outraged? If you look back at the history of the United States and the well documented cases of whites beating or many times killing blacks was there outrage by whites at these horrible events? No there was not. The facts are that the majority of white people sat mute in these cases.
Of course, any ethnicity can be racist but history is still clear on this matter in the United States. WHITE people have committed the sheer majority of violence toward other ethnicities. However, now that other ethnicities have gained the civil rights that were granted to white males for centuries whites are now suddenly feeling like victims of a system that has simply become more equal and less favorable to white dominance. Yes, the comfort of being DOMINANT is no longer quite as obvious to white people. This is why whites feel so outraged if a white is the victim of minority induced violence. It is really the realization that whites do not have racial superiority over other groups. If you are horrified by a black beating up a white ask yourself if you are equally as horrified when a black gets beaten up by a white. If you are not then, I think you harbor a sense of racial superiority.
Second, the president of the United States does not need to comment on every event that takes place within the United States plain and simple.
Third, why can't the president advocate for a city in the United States? The argument is made that there are other issues going on. Come on people it is one day. How many days did George W. spend in the last Olympics simply watching the games while there was a war in Iraq. It is OK. It is great that a president wants to watch the Olympics and it is great that a president wants to make a gesture in the support of acquiring the Olympics.
The fact that the latter comments followed talk of black on white violence lends some supporting evidence to the statement that Jimmy Carter made in regard to all of the outrage about whatever President Obama does. The outrage has racial roots. You can disagree and not even like presidents but ask yourself why? It is very difficult to confront our own prejudices but confronting them is better than harboring bitterness.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
New Format and Misconceptions
Well I've changed the format of this blog because strictly discussing alternative education is too restricting for me. My life consists of much more than just alternative education.
One of my main jobs at our school is to manage students and their coursework. Most students manage themselves quite well. However, many students hold perceptions of the world that causes them to run into roadblocks in their daily lives. In the greater population many people hold perceptions of the world that may not cause them to run into roadblocks but certainly restricts their access to greater understanding. Two examples follow:
Student example: One of my students stated that she had no problem with men homosexuals but could not tolerate "dikes". The reason males will not hit on you while the girls will. "They'll try and turn you out." I tried to stress to the student that generalizing behaviors of any group is is stereotyping and can be dangerous because you will invariably misjudge people who are nothing like the stereotype that you created. This will lead to a lifetime where you REgress instead of PROgress. You will sever relationships with people instead of trying to meet each individual and judge each by their character.
Adult example: Recently the news has been filled with loud, angry citizens shouting that this is not the country they grew up in which has also been uttered by Sean Hannity and who knows who else. My simple comment to these people is "the United States, like societies everywhere, change. The past was not some utopian dream world where everything was perfect. Do I have to mention these obvious facts; segregation, Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II, Great Depression, etc... Life is a struggle in all time periods. Open up some history books, hell, watch the History Channel and you may catch a glimpse of the hard times that have come before.
Both are examples of people with misconceptions and both seem unwilling to look more deeply into their perceptions of people in the first case and the past in the latter. I will continue to try and change misconceptions in my students as for the adults I fear the work is much more difficult.
One of my main jobs at our school is to manage students and their coursework. Most students manage themselves quite well. However, many students hold perceptions of the world that causes them to run into roadblocks in their daily lives. In the greater population many people hold perceptions of the world that may not cause them to run into roadblocks but certainly restricts their access to greater understanding. Two examples follow:
Student example: One of my students stated that she had no problem with men homosexuals but could not tolerate "dikes". The reason males will not hit on you while the girls will. "They'll try and turn you out." I tried to stress to the student that generalizing behaviors of any group is is stereotyping and can be dangerous because you will invariably misjudge people who are nothing like the stereotype that you created. This will lead to a lifetime where you REgress instead of PROgress. You will sever relationships with people instead of trying to meet each individual and judge each by their character.
Adult example: Recently the news has been filled with loud, angry citizens shouting that this is not the country they grew up in which has also been uttered by Sean Hannity and who knows who else. My simple comment to these people is "the United States, like societies everywhere, change. The past was not some utopian dream world where everything was perfect. Do I have to mention these obvious facts; segregation, Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II, Great Depression, etc... Life is a struggle in all time periods. Open up some history books, hell, watch the History Channel and you may catch a glimpse of the hard times that have come before.
Both are examples of people with misconceptions and both seem unwilling to look more deeply into their perceptions of people in the first case and the past in the latter. I will continue to try and change misconceptions in my students as for the adults I fear the work is much more difficult.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Using Moodle
Well, I have been negligent about this site and I've only posted 4 articles. Let's get back to it. I would like to extol the virtues of the open source class creation tool called Moodle. Most colleges and many high schools are using online class organizers for their students. The University of Missouri St. Louis uses Blackboard CT. Teachers can post important messages, articles, videos, and anything else related to class functioning.
Moodle is an excellent tool for alternative education especially for students who want to work from home. This is important in alternative education because in many instances students are trying to regain lost credits. I already have a music appreciation class set up in Moodle and I am planning to eventually post many of my social studies classes onto Moodle.
Even if you don't have an all inclusive class in Moodle you can use it to post the syllabus and important assignments. I am hoping that posting assignments and various materials I can cut down on my copying. Moreover, when I want to change or update an assignment I can have it posted in minutes without having an excess of copies that are no longer valid.
Here is the link for Moodle if you are interested. http://moodle.org/
Moodle is an excellent tool for alternative education especially for students who want to work from home. This is important in alternative education because in many instances students are trying to regain lost credits. I already have a music appreciation class set up in Moodle and I am planning to eventually post many of my social studies classes onto Moodle.
Even if you don't have an all inclusive class in Moodle you can use it to post the syllabus and important assignments. I am hoping that posting assignments and various materials I can cut down on my copying. Moreover, when I want to change or update an assignment I can have it posted in minutes without having an excess of copies that are no longer valid.
Here is the link for Moodle if you are interested. http://moodle.org/
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Best Practices and Functional Assessment
I have been commenting on the article posted on this site titled "Alternative Education Programs for At Risk Youth: Issues, Best Practices, and Recommendations". In the last article I highlighted the article's list of best practices. One of the best practices is to perform a functional assessment. The authors state that evidence has shown some success with this behavioral tool. It is stated that the main idea is to replace the problematic behavior as demonstrated in the educational setting and replace said behavior with prosocial behavior. "...replace the problem behavior with an alternate behavior that meets the same function for the student as the problem behavior but is more socially accepted." This process involves the student, teachers, parents, and community members.
The article does not really elaborate on functional assessment. In theory the idea seems valid and I do not doubt that research shows positive results from this process. However, this is not a simple plan that can be implemented easily. At my school the students only attend each day for a total of 3 hours. It is my professional opinion that it is very difficult to change or replace someone's behavior when you only see that person 15 hours a week. The school will certainly not be successful if the family and community are not engaged in the behavior or support plan as well.
Moreover, it seems a bit pretentious for individuals who are not psychologists and even those who are to assume that they can pinpoint the function of a behavior by filling out a few forms and then observing the student for a couple hours in the classroom. No doubt this process will yield some obvious clues as to the function of a behavior but behavior is often more complicated than the obvious short term "benefits" one receives from it. One example is that the brain may have a chemical imbalance thereby complicating any rational form of exchange theory. In other words, the student may derive no benefits from the antisocial behavior.
The idea assumes that every person is engaged in rational forms of thought. It is assumed that behavior is merely the result of actions that satisfy an individual. The person has to be rational if they can clearly derive a function from their behavior. I guess it could be counter argued that behavior serves a function whether the person is rational or not. In the end, the support team must micro manage the student and provide situations where the problem behavior can be managed and or replaced.
However, this is my main point; are the professionals changing the behavior or manipulating the environment to elicit different responses? Thus, you are essentially not changing behavior you're changing the environment and or circumstances where the behavior occurs. When the student moves into another environment outside of the school will these techniques transfer? I say no unless every component of the student's life is receiving the same intervention.
I have never seen these interventions work at my school for a variety of reasons. The most important one is the amount of time that the student spends in the school. The second is the micro management part. It is very difficult to get every team member to carry out the support plan in the same way. Again, let me reiterate that the environment is being manipulated not the student.
Am I way off in my assessment or am I merely deriving some satisfaction from critiquing another form of behaviorism?
The article does not really elaborate on functional assessment. In theory the idea seems valid and I do not doubt that research shows positive results from this process. However, this is not a simple plan that can be implemented easily. At my school the students only attend each day for a total of 3 hours. It is my professional opinion that it is very difficult to change or replace someone's behavior when you only see that person 15 hours a week. The school will certainly not be successful if the family and community are not engaged in the behavior or support plan as well.
Moreover, it seems a bit pretentious for individuals who are not psychologists and even those who are to assume that they can pinpoint the function of a behavior by filling out a few forms and then observing the student for a couple hours in the classroom. No doubt this process will yield some obvious clues as to the function of a behavior but behavior is often more complicated than the obvious short term "benefits" one receives from it. One example is that the brain may have a chemical imbalance thereby complicating any rational form of exchange theory. In other words, the student may derive no benefits from the antisocial behavior.
The idea assumes that every person is engaged in rational forms of thought. It is assumed that behavior is merely the result of actions that satisfy an individual. The person has to be rational if they can clearly derive a function from their behavior. I guess it could be counter argued that behavior serves a function whether the person is rational or not. In the end, the support team must micro manage the student and provide situations where the problem behavior can be managed and or replaced.
However, this is my main point; are the professionals changing the behavior or manipulating the environment to elicit different responses? Thus, you are essentially not changing behavior you're changing the environment and or circumstances where the behavior occurs. When the student moves into another environment outside of the school will these techniques transfer? I say no unless every component of the student's life is receiving the same intervention.
I have never seen these interventions work at my school for a variety of reasons. The most important one is the amount of time that the student spends in the school. The second is the micro management part. It is very difficult to get every team member to carry out the support plan in the same way. Again, let me reiterate that the environment is being manipulated not the student.
Am I way off in my assessment or am I merely deriving some satisfaction from critiquing another form of behaviorism?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Best Practices and Behaviorism
The next section of the article, "Alternative Education Programs for At Risk Youth: Issues, Best Practices, and Recommendations" defines the population characteristics of students in alternative programs. What we can conclude here is that there are a variety of reasons why students need alternative programs. One of the growing segments of student populations to enter alternative schools are those students with special education needs. Here in St. Louis this would involve students with an Individualized Education Plan or IEP. At my school IEP students comprise nearly half of the school's population. I will comment on this issue in another post.
The article next list some best practices of research based alternative education strategies. Of course, the low student to teacher ratio is at the top of the list. I think anyone would agree that students with poor impulse control do better in smaller environments many times for the simple reason that there are fewer distractions. Following small class size is a class management system based on behavior management techniques like a level system. It is highly recommended that the school emphasize positive behavior management rather that punitive. Coupled with positive behavior management is "clear and direct" instruction of rules. Naturally, reinforcement fades over time.
Behavior management techniques which are grounded in behaviorism is the method of choice for most behavior management programs and especially for those involved in special education. I am not a proponent of many of the tenets of behaviorism. I believe behaviorism has valid points and even agree that it is useful in some situations. I, for one, would not like living in the type of world described in Walden Two by B.F. Skinner. I fully understand that we all in engage in behavior that has been learned from reinforcement but my ability to think in abstraction allows me to envision behavior that contradicts what I have been conditioned to do. I have again become sidetracked and will have to re-visit behaviorism in another post.
However, I cannot get away from behaviorism yet because the next best practice on the list is to perform a functional behavioral assessment. I am all too familiar with this technique and will comment further in my post about behaviorism. Rounding out the list for the best practices of alternative education programs is social skills instruction which includes problem solving and empathy training and high quality academic training which include direct instruction, difficulty with material controls, and small, interactive groups.
My philosophy for blogging is to keep it short and sweet or at least short, so I will conclude by stating that this list of best practices are components of the schools where I have worked. However, the level of implementation and the long term use of many of these components seem to vary from school to school and within each school from year to year.
Which of these practices are most important for alternative schools and what do these practices look like? The last part of this question is a favorite line for behaviorists, "what does the behavior look like?"
The article next list some best practices of research based alternative education strategies. Of course, the low student to teacher ratio is at the top of the list. I think anyone would agree that students with poor impulse control do better in smaller environments many times for the simple reason that there are fewer distractions. Following small class size is a class management system based on behavior management techniques like a level system. It is highly recommended that the school emphasize positive behavior management rather that punitive. Coupled with positive behavior management is "clear and direct" instruction of rules. Naturally, reinforcement fades over time.
Behavior management techniques which are grounded in behaviorism is the method of choice for most behavior management programs and especially for those involved in special education. I am not a proponent of many of the tenets of behaviorism. I believe behaviorism has valid points and even agree that it is useful in some situations. I, for one, would not like living in the type of world described in Walden Two by B.F. Skinner. I fully understand that we all in engage in behavior that has been learned from reinforcement but my ability to think in abstraction allows me to envision behavior that contradicts what I have been conditioned to do. I have again become sidetracked and will have to re-visit behaviorism in another post.
However, I cannot get away from behaviorism yet because the next best practice on the list is to perform a functional behavioral assessment. I am all too familiar with this technique and will comment further in my post about behaviorism. Rounding out the list for the best practices of alternative education programs is social skills instruction which includes problem solving and empathy training and high quality academic training which include direct instruction, difficulty with material controls, and small, interactive groups.
My philosophy for blogging is to keep it short and sweet or at least short, so I will conclude by stating that this list of best practices are components of the schools where I have worked. However, the level of implementation and the long term use of many of these components seem to vary from school to school and within each school from year to year.
Which of these practices are most important for alternative schools and what do these practices look like? The last part of this question is a favorite line for behaviorists, "what does the behavior look like?"
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Defining At Risk
One of the things that I'd like to do with this blog is to comment on various literature that is out there surrounding the concept of alternative schools. For reference, I linked an article called "Alternative Education for At Risk Youth: Issues, Best Practice, and Recommendations".
First, the term "at risk youth" has often been criticized as having a negative connotation. There may be some merit to this belief but essentially the term merely indicates that the student may slip through the traditional education system. Indeed, alternative schools were created to catch these students by offering a service that varies from the practices in traditional schools. These practices can be varied and disparate but they are all alternative.
This article begins with a fact that I have been stressing for the last few years; "although vocational training...may be in the best interest of students, schools tend to focus on the college preparatory track." Why is this I ask when according to the U.S. Census only 27% of the public has a bachelor's degree or higher. Yet, everyone is on the college track.
Schools need to get with it. Just as going green is one of the components of the major shift that Americans must adapt to in the new "flat earth" economy, schools must adapt to the new structure of the economy. Preparing everybody for college is a disservice to the 70 plus percent who have other plans. Moreover, college waste time when for the first two years you take the same classes that you took in high school. It is an inefficient system for the majority.
Ha! you thought alternative schools are for the small percentage of students who can't make it in the traditional school. I'm saying here that the majority don't fit in with the model of traditional school. Most of these students have just learned how to work through the system. Americans have built a system of education that allows us to reach the age of 22 and say I don't really know what I want to do. Adolescence has been gradually moving upward. What I mean is that kids tend to rely on their parents for a longer period of time.
Students should be made aware of what kinds of professions are available and subsequently design their knowledge base around these areas. High school should be a place where you start developing you profession or interest rather than preparing to be a good college student.
Well, I didn't get very far on the article but I guess I can examine this article over many posts. My aim above is not to say that schools have everything wrong, merely, that they need to update and become flexible. In essence we must stop recycling the 19th century delivery model. It is time to enter a brave new world.
What would a flexible and modern school look like?
First, the term "at risk youth" has often been criticized as having a negative connotation. There may be some merit to this belief but essentially the term merely indicates that the student may slip through the traditional education system. Indeed, alternative schools were created to catch these students by offering a service that varies from the practices in traditional schools. These practices can be varied and disparate but they are all alternative.
This article begins with a fact that I have been stressing for the last few years; "although vocational training...may be in the best interest of students, schools tend to focus on the college preparatory track." Why is this I ask when according to the U.S. Census only 27% of the public has a bachelor's degree or higher. Yet, everyone is on the college track.
Schools need to get with it. Just as going green is one of the components of the major shift that Americans must adapt to in the new "flat earth" economy, schools must adapt to the new structure of the economy. Preparing everybody for college is a disservice to the 70 plus percent who have other plans. Moreover, college waste time when for the first two years you take the same classes that you took in high school. It is an inefficient system for the majority.
Ha! you thought alternative schools are for the small percentage of students who can't make it in the traditional school. I'm saying here that the majority don't fit in with the model of traditional school. Most of these students have just learned how to work through the system. Americans have built a system of education that allows us to reach the age of 22 and say I don't really know what I want to do. Adolescence has been gradually moving upward. What I mean is that kids tend to rely on their parents for a longer period of time.
Students should be made aware of what kinds of professions are available and subsequently design their knowledge base around these areas. High school should be a place where you start developing you profession or interest rather than preparing to be a good college student.
Well, I didn't get very far on the article but I guess I can examine this article over many posts. My aim above is not to say that schools have everything wrong, merely, that they need to update and become flexible. In essence we must stop recycling the 19th century delivery model. It is time to enter a brave new world.
What would a flexible and modern school look like?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Welcome to my blog about alternative education in St. Louis. I have been involved in what is described as alternative education for my entire teaching career which is going on 15 years. I started at a school in Granite City, Illinois called Coordinated Youth. I worked with some wonderful people at that school who many of whom are still there. They are a dedicated group of professionals.
My next job was in Belleville, Illinois in a school called Safe School. There are several Safe Schools in Illinois as it is funded by the state. This was also a fine school that was well run and highly organized. Since I live in St. Louis I wanted to find a position closer to home. I answered an ad in the paper for an alternative school in Brentwood called The Collaborative School. I was hired and have been working at The Collaborative School for the last 6 years.
The Collaborative School was formed and is goverened by the districts of Brentwood, Clayton, Kirkwood, Ladue, and Webster Groves. We have an eclectic mix of students who attend the school for a variety of reasons. The common reason for attending The Collaborative School is to catch up on credits. We mostly use a computer based curriculum purchased through a company called Plato. We offer two sessions of three hours each for students to attend. Since the Plato program is web based students may access their classes at any time day or night.
We can accommodate 80 students. We have a total of 9 to 10 staff members which includes an on site social worker who works with students to help guide them in their sometimes difficult life situations. For further information check out our website at: http://www.thecollaborativeschool.org/
I will use this blog to write about issues affecting alternative schools and to comment on issues that I think are important for all of us. This blog is soley my own and is in no way affiliated with any of the school districts mentioned above.
My next job was in Belleville, Illinois in a school called Safe School. There are several Safe Schools in Illinois as it is funded by the state. This was also a fine school that was well run and highly organized. Since I live in St. Louis I wanted to find a position closer to home. I answered an ad in the paper for an alternative school in Brentwood called The Collaborative School. I was hired and have been working at The Collaborative School for the last 6 years.
The Collaborative School was formed and is goverened by the districts of Brentwood, Clayton, Kirkwood, Ladue, and Webster Groves. We have an eclectic mix of students who attend the school for a variety of reasons. The common reason for attending The Collaborative School is to catch up on credits. We mostly use a computer based curriculum purchased through a company called Plato. We offer two sessions of three hours each for students to attend. Since the Plato program is web based students may access their classes at any time day or night.
We can accommodate 80 students. We have a total of 9 to 10 staff members which includes an on site social worker who works with students to help guide them in their sometimes difficult life situations. For further information check out our website at: http://www.thecollaborativeschool.org/
I will use this blog to write about issues affecting alternative schools and to comment on issues that I think are important for all of us. This blog is soley my own and is in no way affiliated with any of the school districts mentioned above.
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