Comments on: Last chance to attend Saturday’s OUSD Teacher Conference

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:36:55 +0000

In shock: Is money needed to have tiered assignments? Is money needed to pretest students to find out what they know before you “teach” them? Is money needed to cluster group by ability in the classroom? Is money needed to teach science, math, social studies, reading and writing in a way that provides support or scaffolding to students who are not working at grade level but will provide challenge to those working above grade level?

The answer to each and every question is NO!

Have the teachers agreed to differentiate and provide the education as listed above to every class, every year per their district contract?

The answer to the question is YES!

Talented teachers know how to teach to all student levels and do so. They are fulfilling their contractual obligation. Other teachers choose not to teach all students so that they make continual progress. They are choosing to abandon their contractual obligation.

By: In Shock

In Shock — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:44:19 +0000

You know how much money the district gives schools for gifted and talented education? About $7 per pupil.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:57:46 +0000

Teaches at Oakland School – I absolutely agree with you, however the district’s own posted plan says that all these things happen. The union contract states these differentiation strategies happen. The state is giving the district money because the district has identified the students and says the complex thinking and questioning, differentiation and compacting happens.

But it doesn’t.

By: Teaches at Oakland School

Teaches at Oakland School — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:25:07 +0000

That is because as far as I have seen as a parent and staff member in the OUSD for over 15 years, no one compacts curriculum. Not one of my 3 children ever took a a test to determine what they knew before the material was presented so they didn’t waste their time, there was no complex thinking done and certainly no differentiation, except for the one time a teacher had the GATE children read an extra Social studies book.
My teaching program made no effort to teach this-it placed more emphasis on being nice to the students of color and not offending anyone.
Oakland doesn’t care much about gifted children-that is why most leave the district for private school.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:09:00 +0000

Katy:

I do not see one course in meeting the needs of gifted students of color in the classroom. I do not see compacting curriculum, complex thinking, questioning or differentiation for students of all abilities. Perhaps I missed something.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:27:36 +0000

Sorry, I just realized we embedded the wrong document (two of the same thing!). It’ll be fixed soon.