Arizona Charter School with Ivy League Teachers is Big Success
Published November 11, 2009 @ 11:09AM PT
The BASIS school in Scottsdale Arizona is propelling students to achieve far being their grade level. By the time they reach 8th grade they are permitted to take Advanced Placement exams, which test high-school students at a college level reports the Economist. And by the time the students reach 9th grade, all students must take the advanced test.
Michael Block and his wife Olga were so frustrated by the low-standard of schooling, and low-expectations, that they started the BASIS school, out in the desert. Their success sees students achieve at grade levels two years ahead of Arizona and California schools and one year ahead of East Coast schools. Setting up the charter school wasn't easy, and they mustn't charge tuition fees or select the best students. Instead, they say, they find the best, IVY League trained teachers and give them autonomy in the classroom. And it's causing the schools to regularly place at the top of national surveys. The effect is so impressive that a former boss of Intel, after sitting in on a chemistry class, donated $500,000 as bonuses to the teachers.
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Mike Smith is associate editor at Change.org. Email: mike@change.org
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So if teacher autonomy is really the key to school reform why don't we start reforming schools based upon this principal. Throwing out national standards, limiting the power of school boards, and freeing up teachers and administrators to make their own policies and procedures might just lead to progress.
Posted by Charlie Roy on 11/15/2009 @ 12:30PM PT
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Before I make some suggestions, FYI: I'm a kid lover/advocate first and foremost, the daughter of an excellent, dedicated teacher, a journalist turned legal assistant with years of going in and out of countless U.S. public schools while representing disabled students, and a holder of dual citizenship (Irish/U.S.). Here's another FYI: Ireland sends more students onto college/university studies than any other country in the E.C. So here's the suggestions, based on years of experience and anguishing over poor quality public education in the U.S.:
Get and keep top quality teachers, and boot the poor and mediocre teachers out by: a. entry level exams and high performance requirements for all students seeking entry into an education major, and similar proficiency exams prior to state certification of a teacher b. impartial, standardized evaluations of all teachers, with quick and inexpensive means of school district dismissal of poor performing teachers, counselors, social workers, etc. c. recognition of good and great teachers with promotions (i.e. lead teacher status, honorary and continuing education effective degrees, etc.) and financial rewards, d. adding and federally funding "Gifted and Talented" classes to each grade and high school, while federally funding (long overdue and per federal requirements) special education, while penalizing districts and states, by witholding of said funds, for failure to provide a continumn of services and placements to the disabled, and e. a reward system, (i.e. increased probality of their child's receiving higher ed. scholarships, etc.) that is state and federally funded, and that encourages parents to participate in training on how to assist in and promote their childrens at-home learning experience, with emphasis on discipline, behavior modification techniques, etc. Said parent training can and will facilitate parent-teacher co-operation and communication.
Posted by Rita Ague on 12/07/2009 @ 06:13AM PT
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