This comment was posted today:
Our approach to discipline is just one facet of the structure offered by Achievement First’s 25 non-profit, college-preparatory public charter schools. This structure provides students with a consistent, safe and productive environment in which they can reach their full academic potential. Our system of consequences, which include demerits, acts as a deterrent to making poor choices. Each week, students who make good choices—displaying traits that will help them achieve future success—far outnumber their peers who are not making the right decisions.
While the structure we provide may be more robust than that at other public schools, so is the caring, nurturing environment we foster. We consistently recognize and reward good decisions with merits, assemblies, public shout-outs and messages on our bulletin boards. Students who display good citizenship, grit and leadership are frequently celebrated and publicly recognized by their classmates and teachers. High school students who have shown responsibility, maturity and academic excellence earn access to college-ready lounges, rooms that are equipped with games, foosball tables, and televisions.The message is clear: good decisions are rewarded with accolades and opportunity. Our frequent opportunities to celebrate academic and character growth are only possible because of the structure offered at Achievement First, a structure built on both discipline and joy.
Achievement First also recognizes that there were an unacceptable number of suspensions at some of our schools last year and we are working hard to address this important issue. At Achievement First, we are constantly reflecting on and refining our policies in partnership with our parents, and we remain dedicated to a culture of high expectations and a college-preparatory environment as part of our promise to families. Despite reaching an unacceptable level of suspensions, we are proud of the outstanding student achievement that has resulted from our overall approach. On the 2012 fourth-grade Connecticut Mastery Test, AF Hartford Academy Elementary students outperformed their peers in Hartford by 37 percentage points at or above goal in an average of math, reading and writing, and their statewide peers by 5 percentage points at or above goal in an average of math, reading and writing.
AF Hartford Academy Elementary parents are very satisfied with the education their children are receiving. Despite the unacceptable number of suspensions, few AF Hartford Academy Elementary students leave the school for “unacceptable” reasons such as concerns with instruction or culture. In the 2011-12 school year, 3 percent of students left the school for unacceptable reasons. On the 2012 Achievement First Parent Survey, 92 percent of AF Hartford Academy Elementary parents agreed, “I would recommend this school for parents of other students in the city.” Similarly, 99 percent of AF Hartford Academy Elementary parents agreed, “The school has very high academic standards and a rigorous curriculum.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Robust”? I don’t think that’s the word I would use.
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“Grit” is the word I was questioning? They recommend grit, really? Definition: Verb, Clench (the teeth), esp. in order to keep one’s resolve when faced with an unpleasant or painful duty.
Is this what we really want to little kids, heck, is this even what we want for ourselves? I though life was supposed to be getting better, not reverting back to pioneer times.
I was, also, reminded of that Ed.gov report on Grit, Tenacity and Perserverance (see page 44, implements of physical tracking). http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/technology/files/2013/02/OET-Draft-Grit-Report-2-17-13.pdf
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sorry, ‘for’ little kids
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Oh yeah, that comes from Paul Tough’s book, “How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character.” I have a real problem with that word, too. To me, that’s a “get over it” or “suck it in” or “get tough” or “be a man,” (i.e. don’t have your feelings) mentality, not the perseverance people claim –even in the title of the Ed.gov report, that word is listed separately. (My theory is that it’s somehow related to the author having to develop a thick skin by growing up with that last name…)
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Is that 92 percent of parents or 92 percent of parents who responded to the survey? This is the problem with charters. They have been so ‘creative’ in their reporting and use of statistics that it is difficult to take these numbers seriously. Perhaps they are accurate, but because of the rampant misrepresentation of numbers in the past, there is a serious lack of trust for charters.
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Yes, they also have creative ways of compiling their “waiting lists” too.
Does this mean every single parent in the entire school responded or is it 92 of the parents that were selected to complete the survey.
I am aware of one elementary school in Bridgeport that have 15 students leave to attend AF and in time 14 returned back to their neighborhood school.
Any survey results for the AF in Bridgeprort?
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Horace Manic & Linda: after almost five years of following ed blogs, I can state that one should ever take education numbers and stats at face value from anyone. For starters: believe no one who does not provide transparency in providing clear definitions of what and how they measured [e.g., in sampling opinion, exactly who was questioned, what was the exact language of the questions, and how was it conducted, e.g., in person or over the phone], coupled with transparency in the ways in which they worked up the numbers/stats and what the numbers/stats are supposed to mean.
For the benefit of the edufrauds [thank you, Linda, for this term!] who visit this blog: “anyone” = ANYONE.
However, in the interests of truth and clarity it must be said that the most consistently egregious errors come from the most prominent sectors of the charterite/privatizer movement. Over and over again the current crop of EduLuminaries [EduLoonies?] seems to have transformed the following observation by Mark Twain from an admonitory caution into its exact opposite: “Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable.”
Exaggerate, I do? [Think Yoda, STAR WARS]
Maybe numbers and stats aren’t your thing? Literally minutes ago I finished reading Sarah Carr’s HOPE AGAINST HOPE: THREE SCHOOLS, ONE CITY, AND THE STRUGGLE TO EDUCATE AMERICA’S CHILDREN (2013). IMHO, while she twists herself into shapes that would shame the most accomplished contortionists into order to be ‘fair to both/all sides,’ her book is a damning indictment of the leading lights and players in the charterite/privatizer movement.
Don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself. Make up your own minds.
I thank you both for you comments.
🙂
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Thank you KTA….it is on my summer list. She was interviewed here recently in CT:
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/sarah_carr_hope_against_hope/
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It’s just a silly stat.
I got a marketing email from an online charter today. I have an 11 year old who attends his local public school and I have now received two unsolicited ads from for-profit charters this summer. I’d love to know where they’re getting my contact information.
In any event. The online charter boasts that “93%” of parents would recommend the company.
Online charters are horrendous in Ohio. They’re worse than the lowest-performing public schools.
I don’t know what “93%” means, but if that’s true, the number has nothing to do with quality.
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I can’t say that I think a game of fooseball for the “good” kids balances out the most likely long term detrimental effects for those who are publicly humiliated or removed from school when they don’t show enough “grit.”
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Many grief-stricken parents in New York tried to stop Achievement First from these practices years ago–there is no sincerity in the Achievement First organization.
Let Dacia Toll and Jeff Klaus stick their children there. But no one else should have to see their child suffer.
I’m sick of the PR spin, year after year, from Achievement First.
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I appreciate the Achievement First took the time to respond here. There is a big problem with bribing students to get compliance in PBS (Positive Behavior Support) systems in my view because the students are not actually learning how to vary their responses and reactions. They are learning that the reason to comply with adult expectations is because you get a reward (like a dog treat?). My question would then be what happens when the students is faced with decision making in a situation where there is no extrinsic reward on offer, say, in their own neighborhood?
I would suggest the author of this comment read Alfie Kohn’s “Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community” in order to broaden their understanding of how to teach children to form a learning community rather than bribing and punishing them to comply with adult wishes:
“Just as memorizing someone else’s right answers fails to promote students’ intellectual development, so does complying with someone else’s expectations for how to act fail to help students develop socially or morally. Kohn contrasts the idea of discipline, in which things are done to students to control their behavior, with an approach in which we work with students to create caring communities where decisions are made together.”
Children are not pests that need to be deterred; they are young humans who need to be taught and shown different ways to react and respond to various situations.
I would like to know the breakdown of students who “earn” the rewards and “earn” demerits and punishments. How many of the students who are punished ever get rewarded and at what percentage of the total rewards? What is the percentage of students whose behavior has been controlled and do not exhibit recidivism?
My experience with PBS programs like this is that students who make acceptable choices anyway reap the greatest percent of rewards while those who make different choices are punished repeatedly. Behavior isn’t really changed. Perhaps that’s why you ended up suspended 53% of your students, including Kindergartners?
Without trying to sound confrontational (although your defensive triumphalism is a bit provocative) I would also ask where do you get your statements that your schools provide a “more caring and nurturing environment” than other schools? Is that a fact or is that anecdotal hyperbole? What about that 3% of children whose parents were not happy — are they the ones who were frequently suspended, humiliated by being made to wear a scarlet A, I mean a white shirt, and denied all the positive goodies their “good” peers received?
Those are the kids I choose to teach and care about the most. You can send them to me if you have written them off as bad actors who won’t comply. I bet they are very creative, energetic, independent young leaders in the making and they are welcome in my traditional public school.
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The fact that you’re citing Alfie Kohn instead of, you know, a real psychologist tells me all I need to know.
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The fact that you’re discounting Alfie Kohn simply because he is not a psychologist tells us all we need to know, too.
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Does reinventing Ed have a new handle?
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everything Alfie kohn says is based on real psychology so don’t play that pathetic card.
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I actually don’t believe a “real” psychologist would make a bit of difference here.
I could cite the psychologist from Psychology Today that advocates for radical un-schooling and home schooling exclusive to all other approached, I suppose.
Or I could cite the real psychologist that advocates corporal punishment in a Christian context, Dr. James Dobson.
On the previous thread of this topic (which directly preceded this Achievement First post) I actually did extensively cite a “real” psychologist, Dr. Becky Bailey, PhD.
Someone named “Investigating Ed” should investigate a bit before dismissing another person’s comments and ideas outright, shouldn’t they?
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good point…one must always frame even the content of an expert “study” within the bias of the researcher…the proper question to ask is whether it serves the best interest of kids. I think it’s plainly obvious that corporal punishment does not, no matter the arguments of Dr. Dobson. same thing with standardized tests. you could say you raised test scores…but the proper question to ask is whether or not that is in the best interests of the students.
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You are telling the truth about what is now the PBIS program.
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Asking children to continuously SLANT with 100% compliance is the problem, not the solution. I couldn’t be at attention all day long and I’m a pretty versatile (and sedentary) adult. No wonder 53% of kids were suspended. They’re trying to make children into soldiers.
I’m not surprised if parents support this. I often had parents at private schools where I taught tell me to hit their kids if they didn’t behave (and I had to explain to them that I don’t do that). Parents may not know other strategies. Some just trust that schools employ people who know what they’re talking about. Too bad this school doesn’t.
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SICK!
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Watch the video posted here:
Achievement First parent speaks out why they removed their children
http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/sboe_is_accountability_is_only_for_teachers/
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I am glad to see that the parents were able to remove their child when they felt the education was in appropriate.
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“The parents” hardly had a choice in the matter. Their children were spending whole days in suspension.
If you mean “the parents finally understood this is not really a public school and the low performers were unwelcome”, yeah, I guess that’s a “choice”
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What I meant is that it is good that parents had a choice of schools. That has always been true for the wealthy, but now perhaps it is also true for those without wealth.
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No, it has become a very complicated system for parents to navigate, with no local school that will accept every child in the neighborhood on the menu. For many parents, the lack of that choice alone is a deal breaker, which is why record numbers of parents in urban areas have been protesting the closing of their local public schools.
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It is also complicated in traditional public schools to change schools. My son had two good friends who moved in order to change high school districts.
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That can be easily remedied with magnet school options, instead of shutting down neighborhood schools and making every family choose from a menu of schools they can apply to, without a guarantee their children will be accepted by any of them.
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What difference does it make to the traditional neighborhood school if students leave to attend a magnet school or students leave to attend a charter school?
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It seems very revealing that the writer thinks education is all about “carrots and sticks”. It sounds as though both success and failure trigger hyperbolic responses in their strategy. It’s important that students know their efforts are noticed (either way), but it’s a lot easier to make adjustments based upon calm, sane feedback.
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Linda, thank you for the video. I was fixated during the entire discussion. No wonder she started to cry.
And to the people on the article commenting I am by the pool, a large one that is private, by the way, commenting right now. Back to important things.
This kind of discipline is totally non productive for a confident creative complete person. Who thought this up? Why is this being allowed in the first place unless totally private like a military academy? When you do a job correctly in the first place you usually don’t have to come back and fix it over and over again. Just do it right the first time, you never win every time as that is impossible. As has been previously brought up when asked recently in Singapore “Are Americans looking to improve the way their students think and create? The answer was that we are now all about the common core and tests.” This does not cut it in the long run and considering how fast technology changes and progresses now we had better not get behind the curve. Ask anyone in electronics or anything to do with the aerospace industry.
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Interesting how some things on Diane’s blog speak to other things in a direct and cogent fashion. “The recent focus on school suspension is not an issue about race and detracts from the real underlying issues. It is a symptom of a much greater problem in communities across the country. It is also another example of practices which contradict what is known to be best for children and their learning process.” http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2013/06/to_fix_schools_parents_and_cit.html#incart_river
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In sum, one usually treat others in life the way one has been treated. Yes, Skinner’s method can change certain negative behaviors. However, a lot of research has shown that this extrinsic change does not last. It is much harder to create intrinsic change. I recall a teacher that ruled her class through complete intimidation. Every time she was absent, her class exploded to the woe of each substitute. Such methods were often used by youth organizations in Nazi Germany and the old Soviet Union. Not good role models to imitate.
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Check out the latest edushyster: other people’s children and learn how to slant, a video is included to speed up the learning process.
SLANT
Suburban parents are likely unfamiliar with SLANT, the KIPP-informed mantra that shapes “no excuses” teaching. The behavior management technique instructs students to sit up, listen, ask questions, nod and track the teacher. Younger students, who tend to be naturally disruptive, may also be instructed to fold their hands or “make a bubble,” pursing their lips and filling their cheeks with air so as to keep them from talking.
http://edushyster.com/?p=2907
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This comment was posted on the original AF thread from a former parent:
Former AF Parent
July 10, 2013 at 11:30 pm
I am a parent who had my children in an AF school that destroyed their self esteem. Some asked why would parents put their child in such an institution. Well, I live in a failing school district, our public school choices are dreadful: no science labs, art or music classes and failing test scores so AF gave us hope. They were a new school, the only info I found was a boastful academic track record. At orienation I was greeted by warm instructors that promised College for all students. They spoke of instructors and parents becoming one family and team. So, kindergarten – 2nd grade was great but once my children hit 3rd grade the rules changed. Why? Well this is the time when my children want to voice their own opinions and they were starting more meaningful friendships with their peers but AF desired complete control so they implemented Reset Rms, detention, firmer behavior modification charting, suspensions, exclusion from the arts and resess for simple ‘bad’ choices like picking up your pencil once it dropped on the floor. AF’s goal was and is to break your child to conform to all their rules and standards and if your child is a natural born leader and doesn’t cave in while silently crying then they are targeted DAILY. As I voiced my concerns my children were targeted even more. I was involved with the school PTA, had numerous meetings with the principal, voiced concerns at AF board meetings but no change was made. So, I took my children out and homeschooled but many other parents do not have this option and they stay, but not for long. Once their children complete the 5th grade and are able to choose a junior high school out of their district they flee AF with no regrets, check the retention rates. Jounalist and bloggers please continue to expose the truth…Parents and education reformers need to know what is really going on to OUR children!!!!
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Test scores do not indicate real achievement
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And example número UNO is Albert Einstein. He was a poor student but . . . Oh yeah, I hate to say it but I think Mr. Gates falls into the same category.
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Why do traditional public high schools use tests to determine grades, class standing, and elegability for graduation?
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Shouted loudly: TRADITION!! (think Tevye)
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Cap,
What is “real achievement”?
Thanks,
Duane
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