THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.
The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
>Is it a list? Is it just about ‘passing’?
>
Visit www.vormath.info
VORMATH went straight to the horses mouth. They contacted The Star Ledger regarding the “RANK school performance” tool.
The Star Ledger did some minor tweaks to their tool. It is a rank. It is in list format. And it still shows Travell lagging the other elementary schools in the Ridgewood District.
Way to go math moms.
Share this article
-
#6 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>The tests DON’T matter when Travell NJ ASK drops in all grades.
The tests DO matter when Orchard passes with flying colors in the 5th grade(no TERC early victims were tested in that grade).
The tests DON’T matter when they are good in BF and you buy a new curriculum any way.
The tests DO matter when Travell shows improvement after a few years of TERC and parents spend tutoring dollars.
So now it’s official, the tests DO matter…unless it’s Monday in July and the moon is full…then they DON’T matter.
-
#7 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>This board has a distinct reality that is not the reality with which we and our children must live.
Try telling the colleges to which your children are applying that rankings of their schools and of themselves are “just a list” and see if that gets them in.
You never know. It works for the BOE and the HSA mommies that back them up regardless.
-
#10 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>All stats can be viewed different ways. It is unfair and franky, insulting, of the BOE to say well look at the passing rates and not the rankings. Shouldn’t we question why the rankings are falling so dramatically if the passing rate is increasing?
This implies that other school’s passing rates are rising above ours and hence our children and lagging behind their peers. We are failing our children by not looking at the whole picture.
-
#12 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#13 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
>BORED members are always so gosh darn defensive…These speakers should sell vaccum cleaners door to door…It just sounds so robotic and that they really don’t have a clue.
Once again, The Ridgewood Blog “jumps the shark” with ad hominem attacks by the Lunatic Fringe that focuses on style instead of substance.
If it’s so boring and robotic, then why don’t *you* fill out a candidate form for the next BOE election. Then *you* can provide better entertainment during Monday BOE meetings — perhaps a little singing? a little dancing?
And please, don’t respond with baloney about how “the inner circle ” of the BOE always elects “their own”. There is no inner circle. Mr Vallerini & Ms Lenhard didn’t get there by knowing the secret handshake.
Time to step up, LF’ers, and show everyone how you would do it better. Otherwise, village residents will continue to laugh at you as a bunch of cranks who are all talk but no action.
Au revoir,
WTLF -
#14 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>12:13PM
“When Regina Botsford presented the “rigor” of first grade, what is that saying to Hawes and Williard? Is there traditional program then not rigorous? Is it falling them? “Hawes and Willard may be in for a surprise if the town takes the pressure off of the BOE. TERC may be coming their way soon.
-
#15 written by jump the shark 5 years ago
>Time to step up, LF’ers, and show everyone how you would do it better. Otherwise, village residents will continue to laugh at you as a bunch of cranks who are all talk but no action.
the video speaks for it self you sound desperate chucky
no offense chucky but voters did step up when they kicked you out
as for jumping the shark..the BOE did that along time ago with this stupid terc junk that has ruined the school system .
once you guys destroy the school system this town will turn into a pile of crap like the rest of that state
-
#16 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
-
#17 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>I am a very concerned Hawes parent with 2 kids going into BF in the next few years. I posted my strong opposition to TERC on that “other” blog in town today…to their credit…it was put up on the site. I was approached late last year by some people in town to run for BOE president…but after consideration, I turned down the offer….I regret that I did.
It was before I was tuned into what was going on with the reform math movement in town.
I am going to put my money where my mouth is and actually run for office next school board election…Believe me when I say that I am very qualified to be on the board(more so then some other folks currently on the board)..and I actually have two kids that will be in the school system for the next 10 years so I have a vested interest in making this right.
Not going to reveal who I am at this point…but I will announce when the time is right and you all will be the first to know…..
-
#18 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Poor poor charlie (WTLF) I remember with fondness when you were president of the boe and you would be ranting and raving into the microphone, red in the face, spittle flying out of your mouth, and stumbling over your words. You miss that, don’t ya? I just picture you now in front of your computer in a dark room sitting all alone without an audience but still red in the face, spittle flying out of your mouth and your fingers stumbling over the keyboard polluting PJ’s blog with your endless rants and raves. It’s getting old, Charlie. You need to cease and desist immediately. You may live longer.
-
#21 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>visit http://www.vormath.info
the ladies seemed to have found out if its a list or a ranking
way to go math moms!
-
#23 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>I don’t think that i have ever seen such a pathetic example of “group think” ever than when the BOE is together. Eric Hoffer would be proud to use this group as a prime example of “the True Believer(s)”(the “s” is mine.). It’s the quiet ones (Botsford and Ives) that are calling the shots that are ruining this school system. We can’t let them get away with it. There’s alot of TERC like money at Montclair and a teaching position may be opening up there soon too.
-
#24 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Potential BOE candidate…
Be prepared to be publicly embarassed by the BOE…(see Carole Nunn, Frances Edwards and Math Moms)…
Be prepared to be stonewalled in BOE meetings…
Look for a partner candidate so you can take both seats…Bombace and Brogan
Email VORMATH when ready and they will endorse you along with this blog.
-
#27 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
>”group think”…worry about the quiet ones…”follow the money”…etc. etc.
this is the lamest collection of re-fried conspiracy theories I’ve ever seen
can one you conspiranuts produce a least a single shred of evidence — anything — that “follows the money” and links TERC to the personal financial benefit of anyone on the BOE or in the administration? something with a dollar sign & a name on it? maybe a single receipt or bank statement?
without any evidence, village residents will continue laughing at you as a bunch of cranks living in your own paranoid fantasy world
adios,
WTLF -
#28 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>yes I live in Ridgewood but I am looking to make my escape along with everyone else
great, don’t let the door hit ya on the way out
sheesh, why do we even bother with these new jersey-hating kooks?
too remind all of you that this used to be a nice state ,well run and a great place to raise kids ,now its a dump,with high taxes going broke ,corrupt like a banna republic wake up people !
and as for Ridgewood the secret is folks we used to have the best schools in the whole country before the TERC JERKS took over
-
#29 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Dear WTLF,
Perhaps it is a bit far fetched to insinuate a money connection to the BOE and the TERC program. However can you or anyone else explain a reason to perpetuate such an ill conceived program for our children? With all of the information thus presented over the span of many months contrary to the Boards’ unwaivering position they still press forward with their agenda. The proverbial you know what is going to hit the fan when all of these children take their SAT’s. It is then that the real concrete “wisdom” of the Board will rear its ugly head. And guess what, no one will be held accountable. Some of the brightest mathematicians and educators in this country have decried this math as a sham. Don’t you think we should heed their warnings? If not money then what else could it possibly be?
-
#30 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Mr. Lunatic….
“can one you conspiranuts produce a least a single shred of evidence — anything — that “follows the money” and links TERC to the personal financial benefit of anyone on the BOE or in the administration? “
You are right. It will take years of OPRA Forms and we might not find a money connection.
It’s just TERC is so bad you’d have to be paid to put it into a school system!!!
-
#34 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>And here I thought reverse psychology only worked on little kiddies. You guys keep telling this Reilly fella to leave and he keeps coming back to post on PJ’s blog. This blog will always be #1 because it attracts posters on both sides of the issue. The ridgewood one-sided lopsided view blog will always be #2 doo doo because only their leftie lunatic people post on it. So, Reilly guy keep going away.
PJ YOUR BLOG ROCKS!!!!
the ridgewood view blog is ho hum boooooorrrrrrrring elevator music zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
-
#36 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
>However can you or anyone else explain a reason to perpetuate such an ill conceived program for our children?
9:15 — Good question. As I’ve said all along, I am somewhat skeptical about TERC, mostly because it’s new and is not the way I was taught math (when growing up in the great state of New Jersey).
But there are parents & educators who support TERC. You probably read the article in last week’s Ridgewood News that interviewed 3 Travell moms who like the program. I know at least 2 other Travell families whose parents see good things in TERC. Are all of those families “in it for the money”, too?
There are educators who oppose TERC (e.g., the Stanford & NYU profs), but there are others who support it (e.g., the prof from Michigan). Are all of the TERC supporters in academia “in it for the money”, too?
There’s no consensus among parents or educators that TERC is a “sham”. So jumping to the “money” conclusion without a shred of evidence is a weak argument.
Sincerely,
WTLF -
#38 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Dear Mr. Lunatic,
“There’s no consensus among parents or educators that TERC is a “sham”. So jumping to the “money” conclusion without a shred of evidence is a weak argument.”
You may not know that California has standards that will not allow reform math program, such as TERC or CMP, to be used in its classrooms. Therefore this program is “banned” from the state of California.
The reason is they implemented it in 1992 and the states test scores fell. So they removed it in 1999.
That’s a large test case…
Most parents are united on this issue in other places where TERC is used…NYC, Washington State, Plainview Old Bethpage, Illinois.
Ridgewood is one of the few places that has parents who won’t speak against the school because they can not separate not liking the curriculum from liking the school. There is also a “don’t complain, just hire a tutor” attitude prevalent in Ridgewood.
If parents want this, divide the schools and allow choice.
It is naive to deny the existence of money in the business of curriculum publishing and educational training. Montclair State makes money selling CMP classes to our town, Pearson makes money selling CMP to our town, Pearson gets to put “Ridgewood” up on a slide when they try to sell more TERC or CMP2 ot other towns. The Pearson Rep may throw big parties…who knows?
Mr. Goldenberg even says he “trains” teachers, so yes, he may have a vested interest.
The NYU Math professor and the Stanford professor spoke against TERC because their children had it in their schools. That’s a different type of vested interest.
It is curious that all of our business is moving toward Pearson Publishing…from what I can see TERC2 wasn’t compared to any other vendors product. (Houghton Mifflin, Singapore, Saxon.)
So people will mention money because it is amazing that Ridgewood would buy this.
-
#39 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>In general, I find that parents who are supporters of TERC either:
1. Are friends with teachers who use TERC and so they want to be “loyal”
or
2. Have had bad experiences in the past with poor math teaching or lack of their own understanding, or see that their kids struggle with math and are hopeful this will meet their needs better than traditional math.
The first reason, to my mind, is not valid. The second has merit. That’s why choice might be something to consider.
However, it begs the qusetion: how early do we identify potential math strugglers? Is it parents’ choice? Does it return us to tracking?
Tracking really did do kids more favors than do mixed ability groups.
There’s a third group, too. There are those who are wary but want to give it a try.
None of the three groups can produce any evidence, though. It’s mosty emotional. Only the concerned math parents seem to have done their homework, and they are left very concerned.
-
#40 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#41 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
>7:30 & 7:31 –
That’s a large test case…
But it’s not a consensus
Ridgewood is one of the few places that has parents who won’t speak against the school
Really? 200 people in Ridgewood signed the anti-TERC petition. Every week, there are YouTube videos of Ridgewood parents coming to the microphone during Monday BOE meetings. Doesn’t seem like we have parents cowering in fear, afraid to speak out against TERC.
Mr. Goldenberg even says he “trains” teachers, so yes, he may have a vested interest.
Emphasis on “may have”
Once more I ask: where is the evidence (not innuendo) that only vested interests support TERC?
In general, I find that parents who are supporters of TERC either:
1. Are friends with teachers who use TERC and so they want to be “loyal”
or
2. Have had bad experiences in the past with poor math teaching or lack of their own understanding
The 2 families that I cited in Travell are neither of these. They aren’t “loyalists” with friends as teachers, and they had good math education of their own.
Instead, both of these families have kept an open mind when it comes to TERC. I think they would fall into your third group: wary but willing to give it a try.
And these parents read arguments like those posted here — “follow the money”, “socialist educators”, etc. etc. — as a lot of crazy talk by people with their own agenda.
-
#42 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Two of the parents that spoke to the ridgewood news in favor of TERC had their kids with a teacher that new what balance is all about. This teacher taught formulas and regular algorithms. My child had this particular teacher. My child did great. Did they received TERC math? NOT Did they get a balance approach? YES EXCEPT at the end when the “pilot program” was in effect. I beleive those parents are being honest when they say their kids did great therfore they like TERC. However I do not beleive they are well inform about TERC and REFORM math. I hope they are lucky enough to have a wonderful teacher next year. One that will “revel” somehow and continue the balance education thir children received last year.
-
#44 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
-
#45 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>It’s really true that the waters are muddied by the immense variation in how teachers use it.
But it seems that in classrooms that are the most purist, there are the most problems.
Likewise, the happiest parents may be those whose kids had seasoned teachers–the ones that know that fads come and go, and who largely stick to their own citical thinking instead of some dogma about “how all children learn.”
-
#46 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Mr. Lunatic,
“Doesn’t seem like we have parents cowering in fear, afraid to speak out against TERC.”
Yes, we do. The VORMATH received calls from parents who were afraid there would be retribution against their kids. That is why they now allow for paper signing.
The VORMATH people thought this was not a valid complaint and that our Principals were more professional than that, but there was the incident of the Hawes Principal calling parents. This may have been innocent, but it scared a few people off from signing the petition.
So there is some fear and uncomfortable feelings that folks have about speaking out and signing petitions. That’s why 200 names may only be the scratching the surface of discontent in this town.
-
#47 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
-
#48 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>It’s no joke. I’ve been harassed myself.
Why do you think so many people speak anonymously?
Parents in this district have been mistreated, put down, harassed, and intimidated. One parent was told by an administrator, after innocently inquiring about the math, to “get a life.”
Plus, we already don’t want to make waves with the school because we want a positive environment for our kids.
It’s a murky political environment when it touches your kids. Even parents who ordinarily are bold about advocating for change are more likely to cower when it comes to the school.
Therefore, many parents prefer to stay quiet, and do what they can to privately ask their child’s teacher to make accomodations. Such arrangements don’t lead to the revolutionary change needed at this point, and it’s unfair to those families who don’t ask for changes for their own kids.
The real truth is that there’s an undercurrent of broad discontent, and nobody knows what to do. It’s sad. We’re overpowered.
And yet…we’re taxpayers. How did this happen?
-
#49 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
>Why do you think so many people speak anonymously?
Speaking for myself, I seriously considered signing the petition, but chose not to.
Our kids have not been exposed to TERC or other forms of “reform math” in the school system — at least, not yet. But the information provided by Linda Moran and the VORMATH blogger has persuaded me that TERC may not be the best answer for our kids. (btw, kudos to Ms Moran & the VORMATH person for all their hard work).
Unfortunately, however, the Math Moms’ cause has been hijacked by the Lunatic Fringe. I did not want my name to be publicly linked with the “usual suspects” of village cranks, i.e., the conspiracy theorists, BOE haters, professional complainers, Ridgewood haters, frivolous lawsuit filers, Jersey haters, and assorted other persons in the village who seem to have problems with authority figures.
So it is quite possible that, for every concerned parent who has remained anonymous due to the BOE, just as many have remained anonymous due to the LF.
Sincerely I remain,
WTLF -
#50 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Unfortunately, however, the Math Moms’ cause has been hijacked by the Lunatic Fringe. I did not want my name to be publicly linked with the “usual suspects” of village cranks, i.e., the conspiracy theorists, BOE haters, professional complainers, Ridgewood haters, frivolous lawsuit filers, Jersey haters, and assorted other persons in the village who seem to have problems with authority figures.
… so thats why your posting on here chucky -
#51 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#54 written by watching the lunatic fringe 5 years ago
-
#56 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Dear Lunatic,
In regard to this statement….
“Unfortunately, however, the Math Moms’ cause has been hijacked by the Lunatic Fringe. I did not want my name to be publicly linked with the “usual suspects” of village cranks, i.e., the conspiracy theorists, BOE haters, professional complainers, Ridgewood haters, frivolous lawsuit filers, Jersey haters, and assorted other persons in the village who seem to have problems with authority figures.”
Mr. PJ Blogger did not sign that petition, so go ahead and sign the petition. Maybe you can “hijack” the cause away from him.
You are clearly lying here, thinking we are all stupid.
You would not sign that petition simply because you are a BOE supporter.
If you really thought the Math was bad for Ridgewood and your home’s resale value or you wanted to support your neighbors who are stuck with it in Travell and Orchard, you would sign that petition.
You are simply lying about “the lunatic fringe” association.
Now that is not very nice.
-
#57 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Lunatic,
“(btw, kudos to Ms Moran & the VORMATH person for all their hard work).”
Did you know that Mr. Goldenberg, the Ridgewood Views spokesman for reform math, allowed posts on his blog that bashed Ms. Moran personally and even made fun of her name?
Did you know that he posted so nastily on her blog that she got discouraged and closed her blog down? Congratulations, she’s out of the business of Math Mom and is just taking care of her own kids.
Did you know the moderators at Drexel are thinking about kicking him off their Math discussion site because he often personally attacks his critics?
I think the anti-TERC folks would rather have PJ and the GOP supporting them than someone like Michael Paul Goldenberg.
You should google him and read through his blog and posts before you answer this.
-
#58 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Keep persevering Math Moms … you are providing us with invaluable information about the TERC program. Thanks for double-checking the Star Ledger school performance ranking.
Disregard WTLF’s comments … this guy (who appears to have a severe inferiority complex) has always used bully boy tactics to scare away those residents with intelligence. Dr. Phill would say never give into a bully. Ignore his comments and keep forging ahead. You are to be commended for your respectfulness, intelligence and civility.
-
#59 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#63 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>used to be at RHS…
“grant money for the Ridgewood Education foundation”
Don’t they get that no matter what they curriculum they use?
Most NSF funding goes to colleges, like Montclair State. Then Ridgewood sends it’s teachers to Montclair State for training. So Montclair State is truly the one benefiting from the purchase of CMP2. Ridgewood does do a lot of business with Montclair State and it is Dr. Ive’s alma mater. Don’t we recruit from there rather than Teachers College Columbia?
Ridgewood would benefit is if the curriculum is low cost or free. Then Ridgewood agrees to send the teachers to training via Prism, which makes Montclair State money. This frees up budget dollars allocated for curriculum and satisfies any staff development requirements that the District needs to meet.
Maybe the Pearson Rep. gives nice Christmas presents.
Maybe the curriculum folks have true friendships with the Pearson Reps.
These are all theories; there is no evidence for this. Theories come about because we wonder why anyone buy a controversial program which has parents truly upset if you didn’t have a compelling reason to do so. Ms. Botsford could have just put the same curriculum in Hawes and Willard in Orchard and Travell and quieted everything down and gone on with her business.
We need another insider to tell us what is really going on here.
-
#64 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>We spend so much of our tax dollars on the school system but I don’t think the BOE has shown fiscal responsibility.
While money is being thrown left and right on various consultants, unproven math programs, unlimited specialists, and PR…our essential services like garbage pickup, ambulance service, water service, etc are being affected.
-
#66 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Where do the “teacher training” dollars come from? Our district or from the receiving college?
Who is footing the bill.
Teacher training income was the same reason we ended up with open circle, a program that teachers kids to rat on each other without naming names, even if everyone knows whom that child is talking about.
-
#68 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>I find it interesting that The Ridgewood Views made no mention of
- travell survey results
- terc 2 purchse for the district
- Regina Botsford denial that the calculus book is a reform book (yeah, and I have ocean front property for you in Kansas)
- our BOE members happy square table discussion on being proficientactually, its not interesting … its very telling
-
#69 written by saturday nite aint it 5 years ago
>PJ love the blog wish you would have clued in some of your old friends ,have you found out who writes for the flog ? I cant believe the Ridgewood snooze and the BOE are so obviously in cohots with that flogy…looks like “math Gate” to me anyway tell James Rose and Dan the Man that Saddle River Joe and Garry are here to help out …ya know waht I mean
-
#70 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>There’s a substantial difference between a blogger and a commenter.
The blogger, who owns the blog, has control over all content. The commenter has little control, not even over whether his or her own comment will be published.
It is too difficult for readers to discern intent if the blogger is cloaked, and a hidden blogger can manipulate his blog to be anything he or she wants.
Therefore, transparency on the part of the blogger is required by reasonable standards of ethics. Transparency on the part of the commenter is not necessary.
Sue and Andrew are now backed into a corner because if they do have an obvious bias and are somehow connected to the BOE, they can never reveal themselves.
Yet experience tells us that bloggers are always eventually found out. I imagine they should be shaking in their boots as they come to understand this fact.
Unless of course they realize that the BOE is already done for, and that would mean it doesn’t matter anymore. Hey, it’s a party.
-
#73 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>There is a difference between a moderator and an anonymous post.
The moderator is like the editor of a newspaper and should be like PJ, you know who he is and where his loyalties lie.
We know the editor of the Ridgewood News, whether we like them or not.
The posters on both blogs have the right to be anonymous, but the blog owners are unethical by hiding their identity.
They may want to consider taking that blog down before they are found out.
-
#77 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>When that former boe president/lawyer purchased the newspaper ad trashing a villager, residents thought he had finally gone off the deep end and beyond. Fellow board members and school administrators distanced themselves from him. The superintendent’s office was flooded with phone calls from residents outraged by his latest antics. It was clear to many that he was a ticking time bomb.
And yet to this day, the Ridgewood News continues to quote him as a reliable source. Whether you’re listening to his rants or reading their rubbish … neither are credible.
-
#78 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>That person who was a board member and ran the Ad in the Ridgewood News about a resident is a sick, sick individual. He can’t seem to get past his failures and spends his time railing against those who stood up to his bullying.
Maybe we should just leave him alone and he will go away somewhere far, far away. Whether in body or mind, he’s going, going, gone.
-
#79 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Back to Sheila’s comment in the Ridgewood News…
“So I think that when we’re trying to look and see how does Ridgewood do, it should be in comparison to how we do in relation to other schools with the same DFG”, Brogran said. “That is a valid comparison”, she said, looking at Ridgewood schools in comparison to distrcits in the same socioeconomic group (District Factor Group J).”
So if we are below towns with less money in the budget, that doesn’t matter? What is she thinking?
-
#80 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>From Ridgewood News Article…
“Brogran pointed out that Somerville 4th graders were 1 out of 31 schools to achieve a 100% passing rate on the NJASK test last year, yet were ranked 10. In addition, Hawes ranked 34 with a 98.9% passing rate, Willard ranked 35 with 98.8% passing and Ridge ranked 36 with 98.8% passing.
Meanwhile, Travell ranked 163 with a 95.3% passing rate and Orchard ranked 231 with 94.2% passing rate . “So this is not a ranking,” she said. Rather, she said, it seems more like a listing because all of the schools with the same scores were then ranked according to the number of students that took the test.”
So the 4 schools without TERC were in the top 100 and the 2 that didn’t make the top 100 used TERC.
That’s an excellent reason to buy TERC2.
-
#82 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Well-to-do districts aren’t SUPPOSED to do better than other schools. That wouldn’t be fair.
Instead, we must all have equal access to the same quality education.
So let’s all play fair, and dumb down our schools in Ridgewood so we appear to close the equity gap.
It’s the politically correct thing to do.Hey…who wants to start a charter school? Anybody game? All this political correctness is making me wretch.
-
#83 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>The more these BOE members talk, the more they show us how f*&^ing stupid they are.
It’s getting too embarrassing.
They need to shut up–there is a chance people will interpret their silence as something other than stupidity.
I’m sure everyone thinks we are village idiots for electing them, but only about 2000 people voted them in.
The rest of us are INNOCENT.
-
#84 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Has anyone seen this?
In it, a blogger offers up some actual professional development course descriptions as an example of the kind of dreck the educrats are trying to teach our teachers to pass along to our kids.
Here’s an excerpt: “Tracking, biased testing, and other practices that deny access to some students are eliminated. The emphasis on grades, status, test scores, and winning is replaced with an emphasis on cooperation and concern for the common good. Those involved in this democratic project also work toward the elimination of inequities in the broader community as well as in the school.”
Isn’t it time we demand that our ed schools and professional development courses return to training teachers in the basics? It seems we’ve gotten way off track here.
-
#85 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#86 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>The education establishment has sunk into the morass of left wing ideology. They are lost without a compass and a flashlight. That is why they appear so stupid; because they are ideologically driven.
The only hope is to EMPTY ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY LETTING PARENTS HAVE EDUCATION VOUCHERS.
No more pompous, arrogant board of eds to mess with our children.
-
#87 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Please someone who went to the CMP 2 presentations last year tell us what’s good about CMP 2.
I have issues with TERC, but is CMP 2 any better? I would think that simply because it’s in the hands of licensed math teachers, it must be somewhat better.
I’m entirely open to the possibility that it’s good for our middle schoolers who are serious about math, but I’m sure not convinced of it. I’m all ears!
By the way, I’m not looking for educrat rhetoric. I’m looking for a reasoned look at CMP 2 for what might be good about it. I’m especially interested in positive comments coming from a parent of a serious math student.
I’ve never been able to get such information out of anybody. It seems like the parents who like reform math are all emotional, but not articulate. Someone articulate out there? Thank you.
-
#88 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>5:54AM
These were some of the initial complaints about CMP 1.
It didn’t cover fractions correctly and ignores more differcult denominators, such as 7. It teaches fractions in an odd way, with a clock fact, so kids don’t get the whole reducing to the lowest common denominator thing, which will play into algebraic eqautions.
It also glosses over the “order of operations”. That’s the “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” anagram which says when working on complex equations you do things in this order – “Parentsis, Exponentials, Multiplication, Division, Addition and then Subtraction.”
This is so key to algebra and to business. If you don’t get the order of operations down, you can get some very wrong answers.
Unfortunately, CMP2 is so new that there are no reviews yet.
But I would think they haven’t fixed these issues if they believe the clock face method is the way to teach fractions.
-
#90 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>In 5th grade, it’s a general understanding of fractions, and addition of fractions, but no mulitplication or division until middle school. (And oddly no 7ths or 9ths are taught.)
From the TERC descriptions available online.
Students represent common fractions (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 8ths) on10-by-10 grids; identify equivalent fractions and percents.
Students partition paper strips into halves, thirds, fourths, and sixths; find equivalencies; compare fractions of different denominators; use the fraction strips to demonstrate equivalent fractions and addition of fractions.
Students represent fractions as rotation around a circle; add fractions.
Students play various fraction games in which they find equivalent fractions and percents, order and add fractions.
-
#91 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>One more comment on TERC fractions…just addition and subtraction of fractions…here’s how they teach it.
Consider the “Sample of Ads Investigation,” at the end of the TERC fifth grade. Students are given a 48-page newspaper and a supply of “Recording Strips” that are premarked with “familiar fractions,” such as 1/4 and 2/3. They begin by deciding to sample one-third of the 48 pages. After using a calculator to divide 48 by 3, they select 16 sample pages and use eyeball estimation to guess the fraction of ads found on each sample page. Then, using one 3-inch “Recording Strip” for each sample page, students color the fraction of ads, cut out the colored portions, and tape them onto a 48-inch length of adding machine tape, “starting from one end of the tape and putting the pieces right next to each other.” Students then estimate the fraction of ads for the full 16-page sample by folding the 48-inch strip to estimate the fraction corresponding to the 16 colored-in pieces.
Why not add the 16 fractions and then divide the sum by 16? TERC students never learn about dividing fractions, and they never learn general methods for adding fractions. They do learn a hands-on method for adding two proper fractions with denominators less than 7, but this paper-folding method doesn’t work if the denominator of the sum fraction isn’t also less than 7. -
#92 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>From the Ridgewood Public Schools website, Math Information for Parents, 6th Grade Outline…
“Understand and apply the standard algebraic order of operations for the four basic operations, including appropriate use of parentheses.”
No mention of exponentials although I am sure that was an oversight.
-
#93 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>so despite never ending increases in teachers salaries and benefits, our children are lagging.. perhaps that indicates that ‘real teaching’ isnt taking place and someone is simply regurgitating a curriculm that is out of place. sounds like the taxpayers are getting the shaft and the kids are the real losers on this one…how come the teachers union bigmouth isnt sounding off on this one?
-
#95 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>how come the teachers union bigmouth isnt sounding off on this one?
ever heard “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”
leave the teachers out of it … they are in the middle (like our children)
and will be made victims by the administration for anything other than obedience (courtesy of NCLB and highly qualified status …)
-
#98 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Not so fast, WTLF, there is indeed an “inner circle.” And the “secret handshake” is uncritical support of any budget.
How could you be so naive about Lenhard and Vallerini? Did you think BOE members didn’t know them? Did you think they had not already proved to BOE members that they would prove no real threat to the status quo?
Lenhard uncritically supported the BOE for years. She never saw a budget she didn’t like…in fact, she has even led the ABC group’s drives to marshall yes votes on budgets. At League of Women Voters debates, she pinned down candidates, asking them how they would vote on the budget. Of course, she made sure this question was not asked when SHE ran. For her years of service to the BOE in supporting every budget, even the mean-spirited one proposed in 2004, she was rewarded with a BOE seat.
As for Vallerini, he had worked with the Youth Council, with access to Federated (also an insiders club). As a card-carrying union member, he was a favorite with the teachers union, which sent a letter to at least one candidate, saying that it could not endorse any candidate who did not vote yes on the 2004/2005 budget.
-
#100 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>It’s mostly the new, untenured teachers that are schooled in these methods of teaching math, and they may not even know another way.
It’s the older teachers who can get a better perspective, but at least in Travell school, the younger teachers seem to be the ones given the reigns to make changes, while the tenured teachers are made to look “outdated” if they speak their minds.
Any of the older teachers who become gung-ho about this math may be doing so as a means of brown-nosing. The rest go silent.
Where are the critical thinkers in all this? Teachers are given too many constraints to be able to exercise their critical thinking in our kids’ favor.
-
#101 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
-
#104 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>Job security for a union president? Nah, I don’t think that the reason why they are so closed mouthed. Wouldn’t the State NEA back them up? Or does the NJNEA have a vested interest in programs like TERC? We can also ask, does the NEA have a vested interest in programs like TERC? Maybe so. A woman’s organization, dominated by women, pushing women’s agendas? Maybe they’ve all lost sight of the fact that they exist to educate all children. Their charter is not to socially re-engineer school systems to the radical feminists liking. Is it? It’s to teach all of our children so that they can be all that they may be. Nothing more, nothing less.
-
#106 written by Anonymous 5 years ago
>”The problem is if you’re say a 5th grade teacher and you make waves, the principal can put you down into lst grade the next year even if you have been teaching 5th for 20 years. There are ways for school officials to make a teacher’s life hell.”
How vindictive. Teachers put up with that? It’s no wonder there’s so much tension around this thing. I feel bad for the teachers caught in the math wars.
But it makes me crazy that the administrators love to say see your teacher if you have a problem with the math. The teacher is then supposed to quietly band-aid whatever happens to be wrong only for your kid, and never admit there’s something wrong with the curriculum? This is absurd.
-
- Comment Feed for this Post
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
>Thanks for posting this PJ. This is such a great service to us who can’t make the board meetings.