The data that matters and the data that really matter

 In medical research any new medical or intervention requires research talk and listen to patients, health professionals, and family. New medicines or treatments are only approved with collecting taking and listening to your subjects.  It is not considered soft data, it is crucial data, so vital it would shut any approval process down without it. This is good science. I question any Education Research intervention that does not listen and talk to children, teachers, and parents. This isn't soft data, this is necessary and vital data. 

There is the data that matters, and there is the data that really matters! 

In education research, no one talks or listens to children, teachers, or parents and guardians. Imagine if we asked parents:

How do you feel about class size?

how do you feel about less art, music, and play?

How do you feel about some children getting everything needed, and others are given less? 

What if we asked children about all this testing down to them?

Would they ask for more? 

Would they understand why adults want to rank them? 

Would they ask for less art, music, and play to make room for testing? 

What if we asked teachers: 

Would smaller class sizes help?

Would better school and classroom libraries help?

Would less testing give you more time for teaching?

Is it fair that predominantly white schools get 21 billion dollars more every year than poor predominately schools of color? 

Would student loan forgiveness help,

Would Better benefits and pay help?

Would professional respect for teachers help? 

There is good science and poor science, 

Good science talks and listens,

Bad Science pretends listening doesn't matter. 

 I question any education science that does not talk and listen to children, teachers, parents, and guardians. 

Respectfully,                                                                                                                                                    Dr. Jesse P. Turner
CCSU Literacy Center Director

If you want to know what inspired my blog today? It was the Play For Change Cover of Teach Your Children song https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/235655313607365412/6193250921375836163

Shaking the Tree: A True Olympian

 

This is my school lesson day one.  

Beyond Gold Medals, 

I see a champion, 

I see a podium above the rest, 

I see a hero.  

I know an Olympian.   

I know what courage looks like, 

I know what the Olympian Character looks like.

I know what women standing up for the rights of young girls looks like, 

She is an child Iranian Refugee,

She is an Afganstaini Woman. 

I know what Afghanistan's hope looks like, 

She is a three-time Olympian,  

Her name is Kimia Yousofi.  

She is worth all the Gold Medals together. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/02/afghanistan-sprinter-kimia-yousofi-taliban/74652683007/

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired me this morning...it is Peter Gabriel's "Shaking the Tree" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Q79lls1f0  

Beyond costly one-size-fits-all Ed Reforms

 There is a difference between the so-called recent literacy experts and me; they chase one-size-fits-all all silver bullets…

I learned from literacy giants; insisting that literacy experts must work in classrooms, next to children, parents, and teachers. Experts who place children at the center of learning. Context and proximity to children are far more important than test scores - or scatter charts. 

Rather than write books, we painted a masterpiece of humanity, and love for books, and focused on creating physical places, and literate environments that said “Come join the Literacy Club.“ We focus on motivating readers, giving them a reason to read, write, talk, listen, and draw new worlds. 

We seek not to prove our methods, but new ways to inspire a love of books. While the rest of the experts battle theory, chasing one-size-fits-all solutions. We battle for humanity, a humanity that honors all learners. 

When they argued that “testing" will save children“ and that one-size-fits-all programs can fix children. We argued children are not broken. Teaching with humanity opens the door to motivation. During the past 27 years, I worked to give children, teachers, and parents a place worthy of them. When no one listened I walked two walks to DC, close to a thousand miles - for humanity in our classrooms. 

Ed Reform Fixers, show me the humanity in your reforms?                                                                            Your boxed expensive curriculums and high-stakes tests have always failed,                                                  Show me the awesome learning environments that you have built,
Show me your humanity.                                                                                                                                  I have put all I have into building a place that inspires reading at our Literacy Center. 

This year is going to be my last year teaching here.                                                                                         I am ready to pass it on - next June. 

After that, who knows… maybe a book about teaching, and awesome welcoming learning places. 

Dr. Jesse P. Turner 

CCSU Literacy Center Director