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Budget Reports:
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Special Education
Expenditures as a Percentage of Total School Budget
FY06 Utilities Forecast/History by School *Some of the differences in utility costs between schools are due to air conditioning (or lack of), varied after-school use, etc.
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A 2005 research report on 60
Overview Report: Mathematics Curriculum Survey
Focus Group Report: Newton Mathematics Curriculum Review (parent
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Highlights of
Mathematics Curriculum Survey
Cross-Group
Analysis Newton Public School Mathematics Curriculum Survey
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* * * * * * * * * *
Focus Group Report
Parent Focus Groups Conducted in May 2005
Elementary K-5 Parents
Middle School/High
School Parents
METCO Parents
Prepared
by Nancy Hurley, Associate, Research and Evaluation
Learning Innovations at WestEd
July 2005
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
In the spring of 2004, the
METHODS
These separate focus groups were held, one with 13 elementary parents, one with 16 middle and high school parents, and one with 16 METCO middle and high school parents. METCO parents were attending a regularly scheduled meeting and invited to participate in a focus group; other parents were invited to participate through email.
FINDINGS: Parental Knowledge or Understanding about the
Goals/Philosophy/Strategies of
Elementary
Parents. The extent to which
elementary parents understood the mathematics curriculum or had knowledge about
its goals, philosophies and strategies ranged from those with a high level of
knowledge to those who were just beginning to understand it, to those with
little or no knowledge or understanding.
Parents who were well informed stated they had learned what they knew
through conversations with individual teachers, parent information nights,
“morning math” sessions, and school newsletters, i.e., Homelinks. Others stated they learned
what they knew by sitting with their child and doing homework, or going over
classroom work. A few parents stated
they took the initiative to speak with teachers or school personnel or reviewed
the handbook. Parents thought the
“I’m familiar with what my son
has done to date. My wife recently
attended a curriculum overview … it was in the morning …
“The way I found out, I looked at
the handbook; the goals are there for each grade. But it was not introduced to us.”
“We get information through the
school’s newsletter weekly – it’s reasonably up to date.”
“The briefly discussed math at
school night in September. But if you
have two kids, you can only get to one room.
…for first grade some information from Homelinks,
but the teacher never said ‘This would be helpful for you to read.’”
“Except for what my kid says to
me. There doesn’t seem to be a structure. No one makes an effort to tell you what’s
going on … no website for example.”
“Well, I’m not sure if this is
about the philosophy, but they do teach lots of different ways of solving a
problem, using different techniques – that seems to come through. More than one way to add numbers or get an
answer.”
“I know the emphasis is on
explaining the answer, writing text, clearly succinctly – each of the
steps. Because computation is such a
small piece.”
“It took me from first to fourth
grade to figure out [the curriculum] is circular … they do the same things over and over …
money and time. But it’s never explained
to you, they’re doing things over and over … by the fourth grade, I heard other
parents saying ‘Why can’t we shake this time and money…?”
Middle/High School Parents. Most middle and high school parents stated they had learned what they knew about the goals of the math curriculum by attending open house and teacher conferences, and reviewing homework with their child. A small number seemed confident in their understanding, but most stated they had only a fair understanding or were still confused even after hearing explanations from teachers and curriculum coordinators. Parents also shared concern or confusion about long-term goals, overcrowded classrooms, the elementary curriculum, SIMMS curriculum, and sequencing. For example:
“Attending open house … talking
with teachers … school maps of curriculum … looking through the math book … but
only a fair understanding … still have questions of what the goals are.”
“My son is in middle school ... I
don’t feel we have a good sense of what the goal of the math program is … even
after meeting with teachers, conference, open house … reviewing the homework –
the focus seems sporadic.”
“My child is in middle school and
has had very experienced math teachers.
Seem to be progressing normally and doing the problems I’d expect. I was far more concerned about the elementary
math. And I have questions about SIMMS
math in high school … I don’t understand that at all … and I don’t know when
they learn geometry.”
“I also participated in the open
house, and teacher conferences with the books open. But, even if I know [the goal for] this year,
I don’t know long term … or how they’ll achieve at the end of the 12 years –
what the target is. I’m very concerned.”
“I read the frameworks … went to
the open house, teacher observation days.
I understand what’s supposed to happen – but my daughter’s in classes
that are very large. I don’t know how
teachers would teach well - the physical capacity is too small for the number
of kids …they couldn’t possibly teach well.”
“So, in Honors sequence, half of
the geometry is done in 9th grade … this is part of integrated math
… they take the other half later … how will they know what they’re supposed to
know when they get to calculus?”
METCO Middle and High
School Parents. This parent group
learned what they knew about
“Parent/teacher night they give
you an overall view of what’s going to happen.
Basically all they do is read it … some of the teachers will give you
their math philosophy, what that teacher believes, but only on that night.”
“The only thing I know is you get
a book, shows various courses and levels, shows you where your child could go …
nothing in depth. I see how if you could
take one level, the next year you could go to another one.”
“Some schools are communicating
better than others – I show up at the school, I’m there. What are they teaching? METCO gives us a sheet [with] what’s going to
be covered, but no one explains it.”
“The titles for math classes are
ambiguous, generic. They don’t explain
it. You have to go and get the
description … and that affects all the other courses he takes.”
“I would add defining [the
curriculum and philosophy]. Because it’s
one thing to hear about it, but as a parent – to engage with our child on the
level we need to – I want more information.
I can’t respond to a lot of [my child’s] questions because I don’t have
enough information.”
FINDINGS: Communication From Schools and Teachers
Nearly all Elementary Parents reported they get adequate and timely feedback about their child’[s progress and the expectations of the teacher for the child, though the whole group seemed to agree with a couple of parents who mentioned their dissatisfaction with the “new” report card. One parent mentioned the materials their child brought home gave them an opportunity to get involved. For example:
“Communication has been good …
teachers very open on all subjects … classes always open … my wife currently
volunteers for reading workshop once a week.
Weekly newsletter … the information is there if we were looking for it …
nothing is kept from us, nothing is blocked.
I feel very good about the experience at [our school].”
“We’ve gotten a lot [brought]
home that parents are encouraged to do with kids – game folders – with
different members of the family. It
feels like our school has done quite a bit to get parents involved in doing
math at home.”
“My experience is very positive
in terms of feedback from teachers. I
feel the teachers have a good sense of what makes my son tick.”
“My child is in kindergarten, a
very experienced teacher. She
communicates once or twice a week, what the parent can do to reinforce …
frequently a math problem or counting, like, how many days of school or how we
write the date. And it varies in other
grades from teacher to teacher.”
“[We get] very little
[communication] … and with the new report card, it’s even less. Kill that report card.”
Middle/High School Parents reported that the level of communication diminished as students got older, noting at middle school level teachers and administrators seem to push for parents to step back and let students be more accountable for themselves. Some parents stated they disagree with this approach and found teachers unresponsive or blasé when they attempted to intervene. Parents also indicated that they receive little feedback as long as their child is making progress; one raised a concern for strong students who need additional challenge and may be forgotten by teachers. For example:
“Seems to be a systemic thing …
at middle school, they start to push the kids to take responsibility. The walls come down and the parent is shut
out. If there’s a problem and you’re
trying to help, they tell you ‘They have to learn to advocate for
themselves.’ Well, that’s a lot of
stress to put on 11 or 12 year olds; a big expectation. We need to be in the loop more.”
“Communication very good through
eighth grade … but once my son got to South and had a problem with math. Though the teachers were willing to talk,
they said “He doesn’t have a problem’.
[My son] thought they were going to fast. Teachers say ‘He’s fine, even if he only got
two problems right.’ Well, the fact is,
he didn’t get them right and he didn’t understand the material.”
“I think if you seek it out, it’s
readily available. Never had a teacher
who wouldn’t sit down and talk, but if your child is doing well, you hear very
little.”
“IF your kid is doing well, you
don’t hear anything, but what about challenging those strong kids. It’s almost as though they’re neglected in
the classroom.”
“I’ve intervened and gotten no
feedback … teacher made no effort to follow up with us.”
METCO Middle and High School Parents gave mixed feedback about how much communication they receive from teachers and schools. For some it was very consistent; others stressed the need to initiate contact and be visible at the school. A few also noted that communication lessens as students get older and concern was voiced for parents who may not feel confident enough to contact teachers. METCO parents expressed strong concern that the expectations for their children are too low. They stated they do not understand exactly what their children are learning, and fear low expectations result in “pseudo diplomas” that give students a false sense of confidence and ability to proceed to college or the work world. For example:
“For my ninth grader – I don’t
know if the older they get the less communication from teachers, but for a
whole year, I heard from one teacher.
That’s a concern. I assume she’s
doing well, the report card shows that, but not a lot of communication.”
“The communication we should get
from teachers that we’re not getting is what they’ll be working on and maybe
how we can help them with it. We don’t
get any of that.”
“It doesn’t happen over night …
you just have to stay on top of it. At
[our school], they have been beyond supportive with my son, but he’s shown them
he’s really invested.”
“You can email them. You have to initiate it, otherwise you never
get to meet these teachers.”
“I have all my sons’ teachers
emails … they email back and forth all the time. Good communication. The main IEP person who works with my son …
she connects with all of [the teachers].
But a process needs to be put in place, because some parents are
intimidated – they’re not clear about how/when/what to ask.”
“Yes, and that’s the initial
question [the facilitator] asked – the philosophy in
“My assessment is that the
expectations are very low – and our kids respond accordingly. [The teachers] say they’re doing well – but
at what? The level doesn’t prepare him
to function beyond high school – in college he’ll have to take a lot of courses
to catch up – if they go directly into the workforce, same thing. The communication level … the school talking
to us … that’s not a problem – but the expectations are not high enough.”
“I don’t have an issue with
corresponding with the IEP team, but understanding the depth of the curriculum
for math with regard to the IEP, I don’t like feeling like I’m ‘out here,’ not
knowing how I can protect and stand up for my son because I’m really not
clear. He’s a teen, working to get back
on point.”
“One of my kids has an IEP –
there’s a team meeting, we brainstorm how to help her in math – and strategies
and ideas – they needed my input on the team – and they explained to me what
she was going to be doing, her goals, all of that.”
“In high school, they expect you
to put the onus on the child. As your child
gets older, it becomes more on the parent and the child.”
FINDINGS: Strengths of Curriculum
Elementary Parents related what they saw as curriculum strengths, noting their children were learning to explain their answers, solve problems in a number of ways and with different techniques, and understand there is more than one way to get an answer or solve a problem. One parent thought learning to take apart numbers was useful to really understand numbers, and another stated that “good stuff” was brought home for parents to do with children at home. There were some comments indicating parents believed some strengths might also be weaknesses, such as the strong verbal approach and lack of challenging work. For example:
“I’m happy my son is thinking in
new ways … instead of applying rules, taking apart number … that makes sense to
him. Not the traditional way, [he’s]
really understanding the numbers, and he’s very good with numbers. But on the flip side, I’m a little concerned
he’s not being challenged.”
“Certainly, to the extent my son
shares his math problems with me, there is encouragement to understand multiple
ways to solve problems … that’s a good thing … approach the problem whatever
way can get them there … that’s a strength.
He’s getting that from somewhere …[there must be] positive things going
on in the class, but I don’t see them.”
“I like that it shows her math is
everywhere – in the kitchen – on the sports page – so she knows she needs to do
this to do everything.”
“I don’t think it’s either or –
concepts or facts – some kids can’s memorize the facts without strategies that
emphasize conceptual things. Another
can’t get the concept without knowing the math facts. Taking apart numbers is so helpful for
knowing your math facts … you’re applying concepts that are deeper – knowing
how to manipulate numbers … being taught conceptual strategies is really
important.”
Middle/High School Parents did not discuss strengths of the curriculum. They generally focused on weaknesses and what they believed needed to change, as well as voicing their confusion around aspects of the curriculum like gaps and sequencing, and issues about teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and the need to hire tutors or send children to outside math programs. At the conclusion of the focus group, parents wanted to go around once so that they could have a final say about their level of satisfaction with the mathematics curriculum. Five of the 16 stated they were mostly satisfied, though they had voiced complaints or weaknesses, and one qualified the statement saying success was largely attributable to the extra tutoring and outside help hired for the student. For example:
“In general, I’m satisfied, even
though I had many comments here. I’m
concerned with the kids that need more challenge. If the purpose of the school system is to
bring the kids to college, why at the good colleges that teach science and
engineering are there so many foreign students and doing so well? Because they came from stronger foundations
in other countries. All the teachers
except one were really great.
Communication was good. The curriculum
is too slow.”
“I have a 7th grader …
only two years at middle school. Both
cases good teachers, positive experiences, but wouldn’t have been if we hadn’t
started paying for the tutor and making sure.
By not laying a proper foundation in elementary schools, it’s a huge
lost opportunity and lots of kids are going to suffer from it. It’s why our engineering schools are full of
foreigners, because we’re not putting the emphasis on it in the very
beginning.”
“I feel pretty good about my
ninth grader in SIMMS, he’s really enjoying it.
More concerned about what comes ahead.
Also, a second [child] is a junior in college now graduated from
South. Flirting with a math major –
South prepared him pretty well.”
“I’ve been really satisfied. Two kids at both ends of the spectrum, both
learning, getting their needs met, both confident. And I’m struck with everyone’s varied
experiences. We had such a positive
great experience. We were very supported
when my daughter was struggling in kindergarten – Title One – tracked,
followed, maintained. I’m struck with
how hard it is for the teachers when every kid learns math so differently.”
“I’m pretty mixed. Too much hit or miss depending on the
teacher. Accelerated kids’ needs not met
till they get to high school. For kids who
stick it out, the accelerated program in North is very, very good, and those
that go on do well, get into the best schools.
But we’re losing some along the way for reasons I said earlier.”
The rest stated they were mostly dissatisfied, and their comments are reflected at the appropriate topic sections in this report.
METCO Middle and High School Parents did not have much opportunity to discuss strengths of the curriculum as the session ended earlier than planned. One parent noted:
“The way they’re doing math now –
my kid comes home, and measures things in the house. He writes ten different things that have
numbers – getting to understand that numbers are involved in all kinds of
things. Back for us it was the times
tables. It’s a different perspective
now, and it makes math more inviting … more fun ways being introduced.”
The discussion focused on challenges encountered by this population, such as low expectations and an over-representation in the number of students with IEP’s. Parental comments are reflected at the appropriate topic sections in this report.
FINDINGS: Weaknesses
of Curriculum
Weaknesses mentioned by Elementary Parents included too much emphasis on explaining, lack of differentiated instruction, not enough time spent on math facts/tables, student experience is too teacher dependent, and homework is either too much rote and boring or too difficult for parents to understand to be able to help. Parents also stated they can’t get a clear picture of what is happening in class from homework assignments. Some parents noted they either hired tutors or tutored children themselves when they needed extra help, or sent children to outside mathematics programs for more challenge. When parents requested more challenging assignments, students received additional rote or repetitive work that parents stated seemed punitive. Some thought the curriculum lacks inspiration or motivation for students and teachers should make math more exciting to inspire children. Parents are also confused about the spiraling approach of the curriculum, and many agreed with one who described how difficult it is to help children with homework. For example:
“When my oldest son got to
seventh grade … some kids couldn’t multiply.
I tutored them. The schools
didn’t do their job.”
“I asked my son what’s 7x6 … he
took a lot of time to do it. He’s in the
fourth grade. I’d speed it up six
times. The problem I observe in the
classroom is there’s not enough time on just doing your math tables.”
“There’s no emphasis on inspiring
the kids with math … my son has a mental belief it’s boring.”
“Thinking about the excitement
and enthusiasm – I remember one of my older kids was measuring everything – the
hall, the closet – estimating – working with a partner – really thinking about
it. They were curious. I want to go home and find my kid doing
something – [being] that curious.”
“Again, a strength and weakness
because it’s so verbal. If your child is
having a hard time with reading, math can be a problem.”
“I’m very disappointed. I never expected living in
“My daughter come home with a
number line - both my husband and I have
PhD’s in computer science – we would do it one way, but she couldn’t explain
where it started and ‘That’s not the way I’m supposed to do it.” I’m saying if I can’t help my child with that
… we need more guidance.”
“I’m hearing different
experiences. For both my sons, every
time I complained [about a lack of challenge] they got more work for which they
got sent out of the classroom to do.
Also in reading, sent to a corner to read. Every time I complained, my kids’ lives got
more miserable in the classroom. I
backed off. The older one is in 7th
grade, I’m still frustrated. My fourth
grader, I sent to an outside program … no more complaining. My kids are happier.”
Middle/High School Parents found it very difficult not to give their opinion of the elementary curriculum, even though they were asked to respond to the prompts with their middle or high school child primarily in mind. Since many of their children had come up through the elementary system, parents stated:
“Elementary math is very weak …
finally, at middle school, they get serious about it.”
“I’d repeat the elementary
comment … a basic lack of mental math stuff.”
“”… the way they learn is by
trying to explain everything. For some
kids, it’s very hard. My son is on the
top, and still he sometimes struggles with how to write the answer.”
“The games are fine as an
enrichment exercise. But unless they
have the basics, they can’t appreciate the games. It doesn’t work as the core of the program.”
“I asked my daughter before I
came here tonight what she wanted me to talk about. She and her friends – they’re very good math
students. She said [in earlier grades]
when they had to do frames and arrows and lattice work was torture. I remember she had the answers and the
equations and she had to put it into this nonsense, and I was thinking ‘Where’s
the math?’ In third grade, her teacher
said ‘If I could teach these kids regular math I would. I’m not allowed to I’d advise you get her a
tutor so she can hit the Honors math class when she gets to high school.’”
When they moved on to discuss the middle and high school curriculum, parents were concerned with the disjointed curriculum, gaps and inconsistencies in sequencing, levels that don’t meet the needs or abilities of students, overcrowded classrooms, teachers “dumbing down” the curriculum, lack or repetition for reinforcement, and the need to hire outside help. For example:
“I have 6th and 8th
graders and I’ve seen very little geometry … almost nothing. When I think of high school and trigonometry,
I think it’s going to be very crowded in 9th and 10th
grade.”
“One problem in 7th
and 8th grade accelerated math, the classes are too large, and teachers
dumb it down to meet the needs of all kids.
Both my kids have complained saying all the time in class is spent by
the teacher answering kids who shouldn’t be there in the first place. You lose the kids with real interest or real
talent in math. And then you have to get
a tutor for them in high school or they won’t cut it. The school could do a lot more to promote
math team as much as other teams to make math cool. You lose the kids who would have been
passionate about math.”
“My son is in an accelerated math
program in middle school. There’s 26
kids in his class … too big a class for this teacher.”
“Daughter in middle school, 36
kids in her advanced math class … they’re packed in. It’s not a functional classroom … they spend
half of the class time reviewing questions kids had about the homework, the
textbook does not stand alone, and she gets totally bored waiting for the new
material.”
“I’m also troubled by the gaps at
the high school level – there’s a huge jump between Honors and Curriculum I –
those that drop down find it too easy.”
“Feels like the curriculum is
lumped together in a mix and match thing … it jumps around and doesn’t seem to
be intertwined … so they might get it, but they forget it … doing totally
different units without much overlap … and there’s no repeat, repeat, repeat.”
A couple of comments were made by the METCO Middle and High School Parents about weaknesses in the curriculum, such as homework that requires very little critical thinking, and student learning primarily to pass tests. For example:
“Well, I’ve seen the quality of
the homework – it’s usually copying some problems that are predigested. There’s not a lot of thinking, and they can
use calculators, which I think takes away from it … it makes it very easy for
them to arrive at the solutions. There’s
not a lot of critical thinking … my son’s in the tenth grade.”
“I see him do what he has to
do. He can regurgitate information and
pass the test. But four months later, it
will be new to him. This is before
MCAS. I personally like MCAS – it will
shine a light on what’s been a systemic problem for a very long time.”
Since so many METCO Parents mentioned their children had Individual Education Plans (IEPs), these parents focused more on this issue, discussing at length their concern over the low expectations set forth for their children, teachers who don’t relate to their children or know how to meet their needs, labeling that injures a child’s self-esteem, and the questions they have as to why their children have IEPs. For example:
“Seems everyone in this group has
an IEP. Something is wrong … they seem
to be set up just for these kids. It’s
too many. What I would like to know is
how does it balance out with the other kids out there? Something’s strange.”
“My child is on an IEP since
elementary school for math. They give
you a suggestion that your child would be better on an IEP so his math would be
simpler, not so complicated at his level – but what is his level? What do they expect him to comprehend is my
question. What makes them feel he needs
to be on an IEP for math?”
“I think they need to start
focusing on children’s learning styles instead of labeling them with a
disability. They’re ruining the child’s
self-esteem. Our children are not disabled,
they just learn differently. Many of
our children are rhythmic … it’s our culture … let them implement something to
do with that. I talked to the guidance
and assistant principal when I had my child’s IEP meeting and brought it up.”
“My son was not in METCO, he was
in a private school. Begged to go to
public school. His grades went from A’s
to C’s. The school called me and asked
if I have him tested. I ignored that and
took him out, back in private school, did excellent. Went back to public, grades went down
again. Now he’s graduating and wants to
be an auto mechanic. See, it’s the
expectation level. [Teachers] don’t know
how to relate to [our kids]. Easy to say
this kid has a learning problem.”
“Everyone here walks. That’s the expectation. Kids, if we expect they’re gong to do good,
they do good. Martha Collins/Chicago –
took the worst of the worse – they scored five years ahead … why? Because she held that high expectation. Schools aren’t doing that and METCO isn’t
doing that.”
“My daughter gets special help
when taking a test – they help these kids on tests. What’s that doing for the child? Ruins them … conditions them to pass the
test.”
FINDINGS: Teachers
Elementary Parents discussed the burdens on teachers given NCLB, MCAS and the number of assessments required. One questioned whether it’s too much to expect for one teacher to be good at teaching everything, such as math, reading, and social studies.
Another also wondered aloud whether it’s fair to expect all teachers to be able to differentiate instruction. Parents talked about how the level of confidence a teacher has in mathematics teaching affects the student’s experience, and several stated teachers require more preparation and professional development. Parents also want to see teachers given more opportunities to collaborate and share what’s working with each other, as well as sharing what’s working across the entire NPS system. For example:
“I’ve been very happy with the
teachers who I noticed felt confident with their math. One teacher had kids using computers to learn
math … opened up a whole world. Teachers
who are confident, maybe 3 out of 6 were very satisfying; others who weren’t
strong, you could tell they were not confident.”
“A lot of teachers I encounter
say ‘I was never very good at math.’ If
you said that about literacy at an interview …”
“Needs to be more teacher
prep. Go back to that level for better
understanding and training.”
“I think it’s unreasonable to
expect teachers to do [differentiated instruction]. I thought they’d be able to, but they’ve got
kids who don’t speak English, and though they might have an aide, [the aide is]
there for the needy … it’s not reasonable to expect this.”
“I’m mostly satisfied with the
curriculum itself – I think there’s a lot of good things there – but, there
needs to be more teacher training.”
“Everyday Math is a strong
program – the spiraling, the constructivist approach – what makes or breaks it
is the teacher. There needs to be more professional
development on how to use the program better.
Also, it’s principal driven.”
Middle/High School Parents talked about the inconsistency in teaching ability and teaching styles their children have encountered. One thought teachers should be more adept at using computers for mathematics instruction; others noted inconsistencies in homework assignments and review. Parents also stated that sometimes they found teachers and administrators unresponsive to their concerns. For example:
“Math teachers should be literate
on computers and demonstrating that to kids – it’s a great tool – the science
teacher used it – no reason not be doing that in math. It’s an underused resource.”
“Some [of these] things I’m
hearing tonight I haven’t experienced, so I wonder if it could be the quirks of
some teachers.”
“Great variety between teachers –
[my child] does well one year, next year lousy – too much left up to the
discretion of the teacher.”
“There were four changes of
teachers in ninth grade Honors – a pretty pathetic class. And the teacher who took over doesn’t review
the homework. Certain kids will make the
same silly mistakes, because they don’t know the basic fundamentals, and if the
teachers don’t correct the homework, the kids don’t learn what they’re doing
wrong. They’re not getting the
fundamentals --- until they need a tutor for the SAT’s.”
“My son was doing great until he
went to South and had a horrible teacher … he decided he wasn’t good in math
and dropped out of Honors math. The
problem was the teacher .. Principal said ‘Good teachers are hard to find.’”
“I think the comments about
weaknesses in building strong math foundations in elementary is a real problem
here. My daughter had an incredible math
teacher [in another state] who emphasized logical thinking and organizational
abilities that I have not seen drilled well
here k-8. Extremely weak young teachers,
and I’m a big intervener with teachers when I’m concerned. No follow up from teachers, so I’ve placed
her in the Russian school of math because I’ve lost confidence in math in the
middle schools.”
METCO Middle and High School Parents believe teachers have different teaching styles, and that teacher issues are system-wide and not limited to the METCO program. Several talked about the importance of making a personal connection with teachers. For example:
“Certain teachers expect more out
of your kids. It’s not a METCO issue –
it’s a school system issue – it’s a systemic issue.”
“It’s important who the math
teacher is – because they’re all teaching the same math but one teacher takes
this group, and all the levels go up.
And another takes a group, and they go down. It depends who’s in front of those kids and
how he operates with the student. Some
teachers are outstanding.”
“Someone asked, ‘Does
[communication] get better or worse in high school?’ It depends on the teacher. I say get up there and meet these teachers. They need to see your face, communication is
better when they see you, and they know this kid has a parent who cares, who’s
advocating.”
“It’s about style. If you child is in math and comes to me, and
I’m that positive math teacher who really works with the students … some
teachers might not be like that … the teacher can make all the difference.”
FINDINGS: Communication At Transition Grades
Middle and High School Parents were asked about the transition years (5-6 and 8-9), what they knew about the placement procedure for their children and how they had been informed, and whether there had been opportunities for discussing this with teachers. A few had very positive experiences at these junctures, while others didn’t feel as though they had been given enough information or opportunities to discuss options. One noted there needs to be more communication between elementary, middle and high schools. A few parents expressed concern because they were not included in the decision making process, stating that students were too young to make these decisions themselves. Some confusion was expressed about when or whether students could take calculus, and parents also find the SIMMS curriculum difficult to understand. One parent raised a concern about girls in mathematics and the equity of expectations. Others were concerned about parents who override a teacher’s recommendation and put their students in accelerated classes. Another questioned why information about students is not passed along at transition years. For example:
“All teachers here in Newton
always gave us explanations about levels and we felt we could discuss that with
them … always had all the info we needed and made the decisions together …
talking with the teachers and the kids and plenty
of emails from the teachers … but, with the
levels, I feel they do it too late.
“There was a program where the
department head explained everything … it was great and I felt very well
informed.”
“The teachers and principal
worked very well with us picking the curriculum.”
“Cindy Bergen came in and
explained the paths … so many said how helpful that was … because the flow
chart is confusing. It was very helpful,
and it was initiated by the parents.”
“I think they’re lacking
communication from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school
… because we parents had to tell teachers at [our elementary school] that at
the 9th grade the kids didn’t have what they needed. There needs to be more communication between
schools.”
“My son is a 7th
grader. The math program seems to be all
over the place. He came home all excited
because the teacher had spent a significant amount of time selling him on
SIMMS. I felt very violated. We want to be educated on it. I was very upset about him being sold. Parents need to be involved in the decision
making process.”
“[We had] no opportunity to talk
to teachers about it. You should see the
grid after 6th grade – three levels of math – not sure what they’re
called. And a parent can disagree with
the recommendation, but it’s the sixth grade math teacher who is the primary
determinant of where they go – and it’s all teacher dependent anyway … and the
school never shares with you their thought process as to why they place you
where they do.”
“With the transition from 8th
to 9th, I’ve encouraged my daughter not to do Honors because I’m
concerned about girls in math. She does
very well in Level I, and she was given the option to go to Honors, and decided
not to. I think it was the right thing
to do.”
“One thing that confuses me, the
SIMMS program is a complete mystery to me.
I don’t know how people figure it out.”
“When can they take
calculus? They shouldn’t have to do it in
the summer, but it’s basic to move into science or engineering. For [the curriculum] to not teach calculus
after all this … it’s like you’re asking, ‘Are you going to be a scientist or
engineer or architect, or not?’ It’s
frustrating.”
“I think it’s horrible parents
can choose accelerated when teachers don’t recommend it. There’s a group of kids there that are
disruptive, probably pushed into the class, taking time away from the others.”
“There’s a wealth of information
at school about your child that’s not being passed on or transferred, for
example for 6th grade. In my
experience, they’re all dumped in together and assessed. [Teachers] could have looked at this wealth
of information and seen that he can do it, but maybe it needs to be slowed
down, maybe he needs more time for processing and language. There was a ton of information on what he
needed that didn’t get transferred over.”
METCO Middle and High School Parents began to share their understanding about the effect of the level or path their child was on for future choices early in the focus group discussion. Some parents stated they were given guidance, others were not, or found they had to seek it out. Mostly, as previously noted, METCO parents were dismayed at the low expectations set for their students and the large number that have IEP’s. After listening, some parents stated they better understood why so few of their population are in advanced or Honors classes. For example:
“Math could be explained better
to me … going from 7 to 8 … there’s a decision and where they’re going is
important and you don’t know that. I
stumbled on it. I looked through the
book – went through the tree – then I asked the teacher – and she said ‘Yes,
parents should be warned in 5th or 6th grade, because it’s
too late later.’ You have to catch that
– if you want your kid to go to this college, they need to be in this class at
this level earlier …”
“For my daughter, they sent home
the work for the levels, and they gave us some advice for where they should put
her.”
“I didn’t allow the school to
make the final decision. I went outside
the school, to a physician, and I decided.
I meet all the teachers, sit down, have a personal conversation, ‘I need
you to know about my child and me. We’re
going to be communicating, and not just when he’s done bad, it’s when he’s done
good. So we have that open
communication. It’s very important, and
I plan to do it when he enters into Newton South in September … that type of
interaction helps the teacher help your children … it does pay off.”
“The question about the IEP
situation is ‘Where are they not allowing the child to go? It almost puts them into a box.”
“This is making so much sense,
because my daughter says ‘There are no kids from
“Mine said the same thing. The only other black child in Honors in the
middle school was a child that lived in
FINDINGS: Other Parental Concerns
Elementary Parents mentioned other topics they don’t understand. These included:
“You never hear anything much
about math and science – lots about reading, literacy … we’re supposed to be
moving to an inclusive culture … but it doesn’t seem to include math and
science. There’s not thrust from the
administration.”
“The balance with literacy is out
of whack a little, needs to be adjusted.”
“I spackle in what the school
system does not teach my son … I have no problem doing that. But not every parent has the time, interest,
ability to do that, and it’s unclear how much to rely on the school doing and
how much to do at home.”
“I’m concerned about the
supplementing … so many are doing this … I’d like to know the percentage …
because when all these schools come together to middle and high school … is it
going to be weighted one way or another?
Like ten percent at school A in a different part of town than mine – how
wide spread is it? If it’s two or three
kids who have been to Russian Math, how will those two or three affect the
entire class? It’s going to affect very
child’s math experience … because they’re different … they’re ahead.”
“My argument is my kids need
extra challenge, and they ought to get it in school. Kids should be able to be kids too. Shouldn’t come home, and here’s another three
hours of math. He wants to be a kid when
he come home – I wish he could get it in school.”
Middle and High
School Parents voiced these concerns about inconsistencies and other issues and
one suggested a
“With language and literacy,
there are terrific safety nets in place … lots of analysis, early
identification of language problems starting in kindergarten. I’m dumbfounded as to why we don’t have the
same kinds of follow-through and early identification of math strategies and
tools. Kids in trouble in reading we can
offer tools and teach them to read. Not
in place in math – why is that?”
“Something’s wrong with the math
department because our kids are leaving
“Something’s strange about giving
tests … getting the results. They can’t
take the tests home, so we don’t get to see it.
My child says [he] got 22 out of 27 – what does that mean? Even the kids don’t see them, so they don’t
know what they got wrong.”
“MCAS … someone asked ‘How are we
doing?’ Not as high as we’d expect. There’s a very high Asian population
excelling …around 85%. Whites around
70%, a concern there’s too much gap between the groups. Then there’s a huge gap to African Americans
… 29% were needs improvement, and 40% were W or F … and affluent communities
have more money to hire tutors … it’s very discouraging.”
“Kids are retaking tests. You are allowed to take it home, can’t get
above an 80.”
“What if there was a
METCO Middle and High School Parents discussed ways to address the low expectations and number of IEP’s they heard about during the focus group discussion. They talked about the responsibility of parents to create opportunities to get together, talk, share, and learn how to help their children. They also want METCO to give them a facilitated opportunity to come together to read and discuss the evaluation report. For example:
“One way we can probably solve
this … I think the parents don’t communicate with each other. We all should get together. That might be a suggestion to METCO next
year. But I’m appalled so many have an
IEP, and yet you’re told the METCO kids are the cream of the city … ‘These are
the parents that care, they show up. Menino wants us to come back.’”
“If they took all these kids and
put them together in a class, I bet they’d excel. We’d all move at the same level.”
“That’s why I say it’s about parent
involvement. It’s up to you to advocate
for your child. I’ve been doing it since
first grade, so they can’t decide what’s best for my child without my input. We have all these parents that drop the
ball. I still have to come back to
non-parent involvement and non-parent communication.”
“I think when the report comes
out, we need to come together, everybody spliuts up
that report. [We’ll need] facilitation,
because there’s lots of different cultures here. People will have a hard time understanding
the report. Dialogue – Chinese,
“And better to inform the
elementary parents so they’re kids don’t fall through the cracks. So they know what’s required of them as a
parent. So when they way across that
stage at graduation they have a real degree so they can get a real job.”
REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Parents were grateful for the opportunity to express views
and opinions in the focus group forums.
Most seemed to share openly and candidly, all were respectful of each
other, and many were eager to continue the discussion past the specified ending
time. The enthusiasm expressed by METCO
parents for the chance to hear each other and to learn more about their
children’s experiences in school, as well as to be able to discuss steps they
could take to remedy some of the inequities they heard about signals an
opportunity for
For METCO parents, the greatest learning and the greatest concern that surfaced in the discussion was the high number of METCO students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Several were surprised to learn this and some seemed to be hearing for the first time about the issue of disproportionality, one that is receiving a great deal of attention today in the realm of special education. These parents expressed dismay at the low expectations they perceive teachers have for their children, which they see as the root of a cycle that labels children, depletes their self-esteem, and puts many on a path that leads to a high school diploma that, in parents’ view, doesn’t translate to knowledge or skills necessary to thrive in either the working world or in higher education. METCO parents want educators to understand and appreciate their children’s strengths and focus on those instead of magnifying differences that are not necessarily weaknesses. A few METCO parents talked about staying on top of their child’s process through constant communication with teachers and visibility in the school. Others seemed to be hearing about this strategy for the first time. The good news is as a group they appeared to assume responsibility for improving matters rather than blaming the system entirely. The METCO staff has a great opportunity here to work with these parents to bring more equity to the system for students.
Feedback from all parents corroborates and adds detail concerning some of the findings in the Overview Report submitted in July of 2004. For example, frequency and timeliness of communication from teachers and schools about student progress was somewhat of an issue, although focus group parents were even more concerned with what was being communicated. Parents want a deeper understanding of what their children are doing and learning in class so they can show appropriate interest, help with homework, and answer questions intelligently. There doesn’t seem to be another way for parents to learn this except from teachers, coordinators and administrators, and it is part of the job of schools to keep parents abreast of student needs. However, though some efforts have certainly been made, parent schedules may not line up well with “parent information nights or open houses”, and some parents may feel intimidated to schedule time with teachers. It was disconcerting to hear remarks made by those who stated they had not always received a response from a teacher or administrator when they sought information, or had received a rather blasé response to their concerns. In addition, parents don’t hear much unless their children are having problems, and, as students get older, they hear less and less. Some are also concerned that the brightest students lack incentives to stay the course. Perhaps more effort to reach parents, educate them about the bigger picture – what their children are learning and why they are learning it this way – as well as celebrating successes more often to ensure the brightest continue to be motivated, would go a long way in improving parent perceptions of the mathematics curriculum.
While some parents were well aware of the decisions to be made at the transition years, others seemed to be playing a guessing game, hoping it would all work out. The confusion and concern expressed by several about SIMMS, whether a student will be able to take calculus, and how levels are determined for students, indicates a better job needs to be done in educating parents to make choices about curricula, levels, and pathways that will best serve their children. As well, since some parents questioned why some students are inappropriately placed in accelerated classes leading to overcrowded, dysfunctional classrooms, why information about students is not shared between schools, why the same district-wide support is not provided for math that is for literacy, why girls are not being challenged as much as boys, why students take challenging extensions home, why some parents don’t have access to homework and tests, why so many are receiving outside help, and why students once passionate about mathematics are getting bored and giving up, more effective communication with parents to clarify these issues would serve to increase their understanding and build rapport.
While they didn’t want to find fault with all teachers, parents suggested that some were better than others, some were more confident teaching math than others were, and a few were inspiring. Interestingly, parents were empathetic as they were very aware of the additional burdens on teachers due to No Child Left Behind legislation. They discussed whether it is logical to expect all teachers to be able to differentiate instruction, or to be excellent at teaching every subject as is required of elementary teachers. Inconsistencies in teaching style, homework assignments, and expectation noted by parents, and the often-expressed sentiment that “so much is teacher dependent” result in parents believing teachers need more preparation and professional development in teaching the required mathematics curriculum, as well as opportunities to be together to share experiences, ideas, and what’s working in their classroom.
A great deal of information was gleaned through these three focus groups that illuminates and makes apparent the complexities involved in reviewing curricula and implementing change. Parent made good suggestions, and those are noted here, along with a few other recommendations for the Mathematics Curriculum Review Committee to consider:
***
Learning Innovations at WestEd
91 Montvale Avenue Stoneham, MA 02180 abracke@wested.org
* * * * * * * * *
REPORT OF FINDINGS:
Newton Public Schools History/Social Sciences
Program
Review
The data gathering was designed to accomplish the following general purposes:
METHODS
Learning Innovations at WestEd used a variety of strategies over a five-month period from January through June, 2005. Data gathering activities included:
·
Focus group discussions with the following groups:
o
Elementary teachers (two groups)
o
Middle school teachers (two groups)
o
High school teachers (two groups)
o
Elementary principals (one group)
o
Middle school administrators (one group)
o
Elementary parents (two groups)
o
Middle school parents (two groups)
o
High school parents (two groups)
·
Interviews with the K-8 history/social sciences curriculum
coordinator and the two high school history/social sciences department chairs,
·
Online questionnaire for all teachers.
Focus group
participants were selected in the following manner:
·
Elementary teachers.
All K-5 classroom teachers who teach history / social sciences were
invited by e-mail. Due to limited
response, additional participants were recruited by the curriculum coordinator.
·
Grade 6-8 history/social sciences teachers. These teachers participated in the focus
group during a regularly scheduled meeting.
·
Grade 9-12 history/social sciences teachers. These teachers participated in the
focus group during a regularly scheduled meeting.
·
Elementary and middle
school administrators. All administrators were invited through an
e-mail message.
·
Elementary parents.
A systematic sample was selected from each elementary school (every
tenth name on alphabetical lists). Parents were invited to the focus groups in
numbers proportional to the sizes of the various elementary schools. All
schools were represented in the focus groups.
·
Middle and high school parents. A systematic sample was selected from each of
the middle and high schools (every tenth name on alphabetical lists). Because of limited response, all respondents
were included in the focus groups and additional parents were recruited for
participation.
·
Parents of children from
SUMMARY AND
REFLECTIONS
At the request of the Newton History and Social Sciences program, we have gathered a great deal of information about the perceptions of different stakeholders within the district. The work focused primarily on the History and Social Sciences curriculum, although, of course, instruction and assessment issues were raised as well. Over a period of a few months, through focus groups and interviews, we spoke to elementary and middle school administrators, the K-8 curriculum coordinator, the two high school department chairs, over 60 teachers, and approximately 50 parents. Based on the findings from these conversations, we developed an online questionnaire for teachers that reflected the concerns we had heard, and that could be completed and analyzed in a reasonable timeframe. The questionnaire was completed by 94 teachers.
At this point, a brief caution should be shared about the findings of this report. This report is limited to perception data—perceptions of an array of the district’s stakeholders. This collection of perceptions is meant to inform the ongoing discussions of the History and Social Sciences Program Review Committee, as well as other stakeholder discussions throughout the schools and school communities. As in any survey work, there are limitations and gaps. Survey work is deeply dependent on who comes to focus groups and who responds to surveys. It should be noted as well, that data have not been collected from students, so their voices are missing from this report.
In listening to parents, teachers, school administrators, the K-8 curriculum coordinator and high school department chairs, we heard many strong viewpoints. As we stand back from the voluminous findings of this report, it may be surprising to many the overall level of agreement that exists among and across so many stakeholders. There are also differences, of course—differences of philosophy, vision, and experience. But as the outsiders listening to you, the stakeholders, we believe that it is most likely within the many areas of general agreement that the direction for the future lies. Hopefully, the findings of this data gathering will contribute to a true synthesis of thinking that creates the vision for a renewed history and social sciences program.
In the following section, we have outlined the major areas
of general agreement among the
Major Areas of General Agreement among
Stakeholders
There was general agreement about the following purposes:
Important Skills and Habits of Mind to Be Learned
There was general agreement about the importance of students learning the following skills and habits of mind:
Values
There was general agreement that many values are implicit in the curriculum that is taught and that the following are important to teach:
Importance of
There was general agreement that:
Importance of Depth
and Breadth of Learning, Thematic and Chronological Learning
This is a critical area of challenge for the district, with many stakeholders noting the vast amount of “material” to cover, whether seen in terms of geographical regions, cultural and religious studies, chronological history, or even numbers of “big ideas” to address.
Time Issues
As noted above, many teachers and administrators indicate that there is a curriculum overload—simply too much to teach with too little time. There is considerable agreement among elementary teachers that the amount of time that they are able to spend on social studies is inadequate.
MCAS and Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks
Common concerns emerged about the effects on teaching and learning, especially in-depth learning and skill building, if there is a strong emphasis placed on MCAS testing in history and social sciences.
Professional Development
A number of major themes emerged with a great deal of agreement among constituencies, including the need for:
In addition, data indicate that there is not a clear understanding among teachers of the overall K-12 articulation of the history and social sciences curriculum, which has strong implications for professional development.
Major Areas of Lack of General Consensus among Stakeholders
Notable differences of opinion emerged through the program review data gathering as well, primarily in areas related to MCAS, the teaching of values, and the use of technology.
In many different ways,
Another issue that emerged under this category was the
apprehension that many teachers seem to have about linking current events,
e.g., the war in
The use of technology in teaching and learning of history and social sciences and the valuing of this use appears to be a “low-decibel” difference of opinion among teachers and school and curriculum leaders. Whereas, for example, some high school teachers expressed a great deal of enthusiasm about using technology and the wish to pursue professional development opportunities in that area, others seemed to minimize the importance of the potential contributions of technology to student learning.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This report contains a great deal of information in large
amount of detail. Given the findings of
this study, we offer the following initial set of recommendations for the
district and the History and Social Sciences Program Review Committee to
consider. We have not chosen to develop
deeply detailed recommendations, believing that this task is better performed
by the committee and, hopefully, an expanded group of
Longer-Term Recommendations
FINDINGS
The findings of the data gathering
activities are presented in this report in the following manner:
·
FINDINGS: Teacher
Focus Groups
o Elementary teachers
o Middle school teachers
o High school teachers
·
FINDINGS: Teacher Questionnaire
·
FINDINGS:
Administrator Focus Groups and Interviews
o Elementary principals
o Middle school administrators
o Interviews with K-8 History and Social Sciences coordinator
and two high school department chairs
·
FINDINGS: Parent Focus
Groups
o Elementary parents
o Middle school parents
o High school parents
The fourteen focus groups, with a
range of 4 to 18 participants each, yielded a
great deal of information. The teacher
focus group information was used to create the broader based online
questionnaires for teachers. The major
findings of the focus groups have been consolidated as much as possible to make
this report manageable in length. For
each stakeholder group, we have presented bullet findings as well as sample
quotations.
Please note that these focus
groups served several purposes: 1) to
identify issues to be included in the questionnaires to broader groups of
stakeholders, 2) to provide deeper explanations than can usually be gleaned
from questionnaires, and 3) to give voice to multiple perspectives in a neutral
environment. Readers should also note
that the bulleted findings presented below often represent the perception of
one or a few individuals in a given focus group. They do not necessarily represent consensus
of the group. Also, these are a summary
of the perceptions of the focus group and interview participants. Perceptions, it is important to remember, are
still people’s opinions, and can be more
or less grounded in facts.
FINDINGS:
Teacher Focus Groups
Elementary Teachers
Two separate focus group
discussions were conducted, involving eight teachers in one and nine teachers
in the other. Findings are presented
under subheadings that reflect the major themes emerging from the conversations.
Purposes of Teaching History / Social
Sciences
Teachers offered the following in
terms of the purposes of teaching history and social studies:
Important Knowledge, Skills, and Habits of
Mind
Teachers indicated the importance
of teaching the following through social studies:
Values
Teachers noted a number of values
to be taught through social studies:
Pressures of MCAS
Views on MCAS were mixed.
Time Constraints
Teachers spoke with great concern
about the limited time they have available to teach social studies.
Balance of Content: World vs.
Teachers provided a variety of
comments about the balance of these aspects of social studies.
Balance of Depth and Breadth of Learning
Current Curriculum Content
Balance of Themes and Chronology
Use of Primary Sources
Other Suggestions or Areas for Improvement of
the Curriculum
Professional Development
Positive experiences with
professional development included:
Less satisfying experiences with
professional development included:
Suggestions for professional
development:
FINDINGS:
Teacher Focus Groups
Middle School Teachers
Two focus groups were conducted
with middle school teachers of history/social sciences, including a total of 19
teachers. The results from the two
groups are combined below.
Purposes of Learning History, Global
Education, Current Events
Teachers offered a variety of
views on the purposes of teaching and learning history, global education, and
current events:
Important Knowledge, Skills, and Habits of
Mind
Middle school teachers mentioned a
number of skills and habits of mind that they believe are important to teach
through social studies.
Values
Middle school teachers indicated
the importance of teaching values and ways in which they do this.
Pressures of MCAS
Teachers shared some concerns about how testing impacts curriculum.
Current Curriculum Content
Teachers shared some concerns about the curriculum content.
Balance of Themes and Chronology
A wide variety of perspectives were expressed concerning balancing themes with chronology.
Use of Primary Sources
·
“ The ancient civilization materials are weak, i.e.
MAPS. They need to be using more primary
sources at their reading level.”
Professional Development
Middle school teachers offered a
number of suggestions about improving professional development.
·
Differentiated learning for
teachers.
o
“ The administration needs to get input from
teachers and needs to differentiate professional development for the differing
needs of teachers. They should consider
a steering committee of teachers to help them to develop a coherent plan. We need to have grassroots ownership of our
professional development or it is not going to succeed. There is a lack of trust of the
administration from the teachers and we need to work some things out.”
o
“ The administration needs to differentiate the
levels of PD and choices for three afternoons.”
·
Content.
o
“For professional development they should work with
teachers to identify particular content interests around history. They could bring in scholars and we could
also do some ongoing reading.”
·
“ We need both academic/ content-oriented PD and
pedagogical stuff as well.”
·
“ The more
experiential the better…we don’t groove on stand and deliver.”
·
“ In some cases it may be helpful to mix it up with
people from other departments.”
·
“Need more
courses through local universities.”
·
Working with colleagues.
o “Need to meet on grade level and be able to
share ideas, what works, things we’ve done.”
o “If we could have some of our PD – we meet
once a month as a grade level social studies group – rarely do we get to meet
and say ‘I’m starting …’ ‘I’m at a loss.’ We never get to share our content or
what we do with our kids. Every time
I’ve done that I’ve thought you never realize what resources are out
there. But you don’t get a chance to get
them. They’re right here.”
o “Time to work together for planning/sharing
curriculum. This is the number one thing
that’s lacking--early release days to meet with fellow teachers, especially at
grade level.”
FINDINGS:
Teacher Focus Groups
High School Teachers
Focus groups were held with
history/social science teachers at both Newton North and
Purposes of Teaching History / Social
Sciences
Important Knowledge, Skills, and Habits of
Mind
Values
Pressures of MCAS
Balance of Content: World vs.
Strengths of the Curriculum
Areas for Improvement of the Curriculum
Use of Technology
Time Constraints
Professional Development
FINDINGS:
Teacher Questionnaire
Background
A total of 94 teachers responded to the online questionnaire
administered in May of 2005. Of the
responding teachers, 61% were K-5 teachers, 20% middle school teachers, and 19%
high school teachers. Considering the
overall population of teachers in
Table 1: Response Rates by Grade Levels
GRADE LEVEL
|
% OF TEACHERS RESPONDING |
K-5, n = 252
|
23% |
|
Grade 6-8 History / Social
Sciences Teachers, n = 37 |
51% |
|
Grades 9-12 History /
Social Sciences Teachers, n = 46 |
39% |
Table 2: Percent of Teachers at Each Level in Questionnaire
Responses, n = 94
teachers who responded
GRADE LEVEL
|
% OF TEACHERS RESPONDING |
K-5
|
61% |
|
Grade 6-8 History / Social
Sciences Teachers, n = 37 |
20% |
|
Grades 9-12 History /
Social Sciences Teachers, n = 46 |
19% |
Class Time Spent on History / Social
Studies
Elementary teachers were asked to
indicate the amount of class time that they spend on average each day on social
studies. Almost half (48%) of the
respondents noted less than 30 minutes.
See Table 3.
Table 3: Number of Minutes Spent Each Day on Social Studies
|
TOTAL NUMBER
OF MINUTES SPENT EACH DAY (ON AVERAGE) ON SOCIAL STUDIES |
K- 5 Teachers n=56 |
|
Less than 30 minutes |
48% |
|
31-40 minutes |
34% |
|
41-50 minutes |
7% |
|
51-60 minutes |
5% |
|
61=70 minutes |
2% |
|
71-80 minutes |
0% |
|
81-90 minutes |
2% |
|
More than 90 minutes |
2% |
Thirty-eight percent of the
elementary teachers indicated that they find the amount of time they spend on social
studies to be adequate. Responses were
differential by grade level, with 78% of Kindergarten teachers saying the time
was adequate, compared to10% of responding third grade teachers. See Table 4.
Table
4: Adequacy of Classroom Time Spent on Social Studies, n = 55 K-5 teachers
|
Do you find
this amount of time adequate? |
All K-5 Teachers, n=55 |
K, n=9 |
Grade 1, n=10 |
Grade 2, n=9 |
Grade 3, n=10 |
Grade 4 n=8 |
Grade 5 n=9 |
|
YES |
38% |
78% |
40% |
44% |
10% |
25% |
33% |
|
NO |
62% |
22% |
60% |
56% |
90% |
75% |
67% |
Curriculum Implementation
Ninety to 100% of the responding
teachers indicated that there are specific materials/curriculum that they are
expected to use for history/social sciences.
See Table 5.
Table
5: Specific Materials/Curriculum Expected, n=94 teachers
|
QUESTIONNAIRE ITEM: Are there
specific materials/curriculum you are expected to use for history/social
sciences? |
All Teachers n=94 |
K- 5 Teachers n=57 |
Gr 6-8 Teachers n=19 |
Gr 9-12 Teachers n=18 |
|
YES |
97% |
98% |
90% |
100% |
|
NO |
3% |
2% |
10% |
0% |
When asked a battery of questions
concerning curriculum implementation, 83% of the teachers responded 4 or 5 (5=To
a great extent, 1=Not at all), indicating that they implement the curriculum as
expected by the district, with 46% indicating that these materials are
adequate, and 78% noting that they have to supplement or adjust the materials
provided. Responses, as provided by
teachers at different grade levels, are provided in Table 6. Of particular note, under 40% of the
elementary and high school teachers indicate that they understand curriculum
sequencing in the grades/courses before theirs, and 19% of the K-5 teachers
indicate that they understand the curriculum sequencing in grades/courses after
theirs.
Table 6: Curriculum
Implementation. Percent of respondents
answering 4 or 5 on a scale of 5 = To a great extent, 1 = Not at all
|
QUESTIONNAIRE
ITEM To what
extent: |
All Teachers n=94 |
K- 5 Teachers n=57 |
Gr 6-8 Teachers n=19 |
Gr 9-12 Teachers n=18 |
|
Do you implement the curriculum as expected by the district? |
83% |
79% |
84% |
94% |
|
Are the district’s expectations clear to you? |
67% |
68% |
|