Posted 9:36 pm Wednesday, February 13, 2013
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Tyler school district’s problems are clear challenges, February 13
The recent column from Tyler ISD Board of Trustees President Michelle Carr merits a response.
Ms. Carr’s assertion that there is a misconception regarding the labeling of a school as “academically unacceptable” is odd. It seems very clear to me. The school failed in the areas being rated and needs to improve. What could be clearer?
Her comment that our state’s accountability has impacted what our students are capable of learning appears to be an attempt to shift the blame from our schools to the state. Our “community” — i.e. the board of trustees — needs to focus on the failure areas and work with TISD administration, especially teachers, to find ways to ameliorate this situation.
I do believe that Texas educators need to have state-driven objectives to avoid having school districts falling under the dogma of a particular group to the exclusion of other ideas.
Teachers are under tremendous pressure to produce “academically acceptable” students while also having to contend with myriad administrative tasks. To me, it would be productive if aides could be assigned to handle administrative tasks which in turn would free up teachers to teach. As a former substitute teacher, I saw many instances of teachers being bogged down in paperwork while aides” were busy making copies or taking students to other classes.
Jim Hicks
Tyler
Ms. Carr’s assertion that there is a misconception regarding the labeling of a school as “academically unacceptable” is odd. It seems very clear to me. The school failed in the areas being rated and needs to improve. What could be clearer?
Her comment that our state’s accountability has impacted what our students are capable of learning appears to be an attempt to shift the blame from our schools to the state. Our “community” — i.e. the board of trustees — needs to focus on the failure areas and work with TISD administration, especially teachers, to find ways to ameliorate this situation.
I do believe that Texas educators need to have state-driven objectives to avoid having school districts falling under the dogma of a particular group to the exclusion of other ideas.
Teachers are under tremendous pressure to produce “academically acceptable” students while also having to contend with myriad administrative tasks. To me, it would be productive if aides could be assigned to handle administrative tasks which in turn would free up teachers to teach. As a former substitute teacher, I saw many instances of teachers being bogged down in paperwork while aides” were busy making copies or taking students to other classes.
Jim Hicks
Tyler
