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...per this post from a schools-oriented site, Loudoun County is evidently the site of an "odd phenomenon..being reported in tony enclaves across the country....highly educated, highly compensated couples popping out four or more children--happily and by choice".

With four kids rampaging around eating us out of house and home, I'm not sure we're either "tony" or "highly-compensated"...especially not with all the shoes our "giant brood" requires each school year.

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My new favorite hobby is using the "Stumbleupon" button from the stumbleupon.com service...basically you browse through very interesting webpages and sites that others have decided are really interesting...like this.

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Shift Happens

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...over at Too Conservative...add yours, here or there!

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Today's "Extra Credit" column by Jay Mathews of the Washington Post (in the Loudoun Extra Section) contains an excellent letter and summary of the non-availability of gifted programs in Loudoun county. The writer, herself a product of the first gifted programs in Fairfax, states "the gifted program in Loudoun County is an attempt at appeasement"...basically, trying to avoid non-included families getting angry, and trying not to spend excessively for a small segment of the community. "Instead, they have instituted a pullout system that is the worst of both worlds".

This parent and teacher perspective, in our opinion, is absolutely accurate. And, while tepid and unimaginative, Jay's response is also absolutely accurate. He "suspects many Loudoun County educators will take issue with your view" (which they do, though contrary to many parents' opinions), and "it is hard to justify to taxpayers" (which it is). He further states "the only solution...is opportunities outside the system - clubs, tutors, college courses".

He's right on, and his curt response tends to reflect the general awareness and understanding and ultimate reality of the issue - that is, if it's ignored long enough, the students (and activated parents) will likely move on, new boards will be elected, and a tremendous amount of potential will be added to Virginia's vast pool of the untapped.

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...today in the WAPO metro section; recall we had some blogulations here a bit back about creating some kind of cash award system for teachers and principals who really provided exceptional service and outperformed all others; three DC public schools "where students' test scores rose more than 20% last year received $500,000 in cash awards"...from a Federal awards program called "Together Everyone Achieves More" (TEAM). Each teacher would get $8,000, with a bit higher a lower amounts going to the rest of the staff classes.

We need more of this.

Also, DC Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee (what's a "Chancellor", anyway?) received the power to fire nonunion workers without cause - thereby opening the door for rapid removal of school and administration staff with historically underperforming records - and "removing a major barrier to education reform" (although it will take anywhere from 16 to 20 months to complete the terminations). The length of time and hassle required to "rightsize" this organization is absurd; but at least the initiative is sound.

We need more of this.

Lastly, the boundary change proposals in flight in western Fairfax county, reshuffling students among Westfields, Chantilly, Herndon, Oakton and Madison high schools to renew the South Lakes population, are pressing forward. Boundary scenarios are set, and changes will come, regardless of those who oppose any change at all. While this is definitely an upheaval for families, neighborhoods and students, this simply makes better sense from an overall education and economic perspective in the county, "spreading the wealth" so to speak more equitably, and seeking efficiencies in allocation of investments (of both time and money).

We're going to need more of this, soon, here in Loudoun.

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...follow this link to read more....not too many surprises...

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Here's a chance to speak up.....

US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Thomas Donohue

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..., and particularly about one of our hot-button issues (full-spectrum no child left behind), but he didn't take the bait...maybe it was the forum, being a purely Northern Virginia Political Blog, and not so focused on local issues outside of politics, immigration and transportation.

We've contacted our own local politicians on several education issues, before and after the election by email; (blog corrected 12/14) we have gotten replies by email (see this response from Mr. Dupree), but most of the House, Senate and local reps didn't seem to want to respond to questions raised here in the blog (because it's probably not visible enough!). John Stevens (Potomac) seems to be the only truly active online entity in this Government 2.0 arena.

Therefore, we issue an open call here for a Dulles "Live Blog" session on Education. We'll promote it, manage it and host it....who's in? Contact us by next Friday, and we'll arrange the details.

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"...because of all the insidious mandatory testing teachers are now forced to incorporate into the curriculum, of the 182 school days in a year, there are 110 when such testing is going on somewhere at Oakland High. As one of his colleagues put it, "It's like weighing a calf twice a day, but never feeding it."

Sound familiar?

From a Random K-12 site I ran across on Stumbleupon.

Also this.

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Murphy's teaching laws

From Murphy's Laws Site

• The clock in the instructor's room will be wrong.


• Disaster will occur when visitors are in the room.


• A subject interesting to the teacher will bore students.


• The time a teacher takes in explaining is inversely proportional to the information retained by students.


• A meeting's length will be directly proportional to the boredom the speaker produces.


• Students who are doing better are credited with working harder. If children start to do poorly, the teacher will be blamed.


• The problem child will be a school board member's son.


• When the instructor is late, he will meet the principal in the hall.


• If the instructor is late and does not meet the principal, the instructor is late to the faculty meeting.


• New students come from schools that do not teach anything.


• Good students move away.


• When speaking to the school psychologist, the teacher will say: "weirdo" rather than "emotionally disturbed".


• The school board will make a better pay offer before the teacher's union negotiates.


• The instructor's study hall be the largest in several years.


• The administration will view the study hall as the teacher's preparation time.


• Clocks will run more quickly during free time.


• On a test day, at least 15% of the class will be absent


• If the instructor teaches art, the principal will be an ex-coach and will dislike art. If the instructor is a coach, the principal will be an ex-coach who took a winning team to the state.


• Murphy's Law ill go into effect at the beginning of an evaluation.


• Weiner's Law of Libraries
  
  There are no answers, only cross references.

...continue to the link for more.

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An interesting petition has surfaced in opposition to the impending adoption and widespread use of "Math Investigations" as a teaching method in Loudoun County Elementary school. The petition is too late for the 2007-2008 school year, as it targets...but it's probably the faint drumbeat of more to come (especially as SOLs Math scores keep dipping).

Couple of interesting things. Most signees are anonymous - probably teachers who don't want at-work retaliation. A few teachers have signed, along with someone who might have been on a past Virginia SOL Technical Advisory Committee. I especially like the comment that we need to teach real math "without calculators". Nearly every homework that comes home for us in 2nd grade math, goes like this...

"Count the number of chickens. Write the answer. Use a Calculator if necessary."

I can just see the 22nd-century Farmers whipping out their calculators to determine exactly how many new cows they have after Spring calving season.

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Did you know? The Malone Foundation of Loudoun County awards 8th-grade Loudoun County Middle-School students with scholarships recognizing their high-achieving performance in Art, Dance, Math, Music and Science.

Find out more at The Malone Foundation .

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Coming Soon!

Downloadable Kindergarten Computer Lesson Plans

We will soon be offering computer training lesson plans downloadable for teaching Kindergartners and Adults computer skills. Over 30 Kindergarten classroom lessons will be made available, spanning and synchronized with the entire Kindergarten school year. Adult lesson plans for teaching and learning basic computer skills, Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint will be available. All lesson plans include modules and information regarding Internet Safety and proper care and maintenance of your computer.

These computer training lesson plans are perfect for home schoolers, teachers, day care centers, after-school programs, Summer camps, Girl and Boy Scout programs, YMCAs and YWCAs, and any other forum where Kindergartners and Adults are provided computer training skills.

Contact us to sign up in advance for theses copies.

These unique and classroom-proven computer training lesson plans have been used and updated over many years in our very popular computer training programs, and have helped hundreds of Kindergartners and adults in our community get a start on mastering safe computer use in school, daycare, work or home environments.