Rafe Esquith teaches fifth grade at Hobart Elementary
School in Los Angeles and has achieved considerable fame for his
methods. Every year his students put on a play by Shakespeare.
Esquith is noted for emphasizing the arts and the love of learning.
He is also recognized as a model by the founders of the KIPP
charter chain. In
this post, Andrea Gabor reviews Esquith’s latest
book–“Real Talk for Real Teachers”–and notes what KIPP learned
from Esquith, but more importantly, what it did not learn. Esquith
believes in teaching as a career, not a temporary way-station. He
believes that the journey is more important than the end result. He
knows he will not succeed with every single child. He looks askance
at KIPP’s behavioral techniques.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
A big mistake of those wanting a “career” in teaching and Esquith makes this mistake is to think personal growth comes from doing the same thing day-in and day-out, week-in and week-out.
Some teachers end up thinking like the students (it’s who they interact with) and I challenge them to think like leaders, people who have tried many things, people open to change.
Dick Velner – Parent, Teacher and Curriculum Principal
Yes, because teachers do the “same thing day in and day out.” My days are never the same, because KIDS are never the same.
Get off this forum, please.
It is not in the American spirit to refuse to hear differing opinions.
Honestly, they don’t appear to be opinions. The words are lunacy. I have been taking care of a parent with dementia for ten years now, presently in the very late stages. Nonsensical, paranoid, delusional, unfounded comments was how it started.
To Dick and others: I am sorry that I asked for him to get off the forum earlier today. Of course, he and all others are entitled to their opinions. I’m just tired of him and a couple of others labeling those of us who work our fannies off in the trenches as lazy, incompetent, stupid, etc. I just lost it. I apologize to all.
I have officially declared DICK clueless…I second the banishment of DICK.
Again, Linda, this so much smacks of mullahism. “Don’t criticize the Koran.”
Esquith seems to have kept on growing and learning in spite of (or because of?) his mastering of the culture of his own classroom.
On the other hand, I agree that teachers should be challenged to think like leaders, which they are, or should be, in their classrooms.
Seriously Dick, my farts make more sense than the things you post.
Please… stop… now…
I must protest against attempts to shame someone from posting by denigrating the content of what they say in this way. It is itself an example of a more egregiously noxious exhalation than the original post might be. Granted Swift is an exemplar of the effective use of fecal disgust in satire. But if the poster has said something challengeable from a rational point of view, then challenge it rationally rather than making a stink about it. I do not say ignore it. Nor do I say not to post yourself. I do ask for a reply rather than a dismissal.
Diane, there was a surprising tweet from Jonathan Alter on 7/28 about this review of the Esquith book. You can check it out on twitter but he said, “Excellent critique of Education reform by veteran master teacher. Reformer like me need to learn from this.”
Alter has sure been quiet for a while about education reform.
@jonathanalter check out review of faux review by charter trainer, readers weigh in on flimsy critique, read much? https://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/17/a-review-of-my-new-book/
Wonder how much Alter has really “learned”. I had been noticing a prolonged silence from him as the corrupted fruits of the reformy narrative he and others have advanced are being laid bare.Could it be he is now even slightly humbled as he reflects on the embarrassingly confident pronouncements he formerly made? Of course I am just speculating.
KIPP schools vary – but having visited 12, I’d say arts (music, drawing and other forms of art) are promoted and value in each of the schools I’ve visited. Doesn’t mean they are perfect – but the ones I’ve visited do value arts.
They also are working hard to retain teachers for more than 2 years. Many of the people teaching at KIPP schools I’ve visted have been there for more than 2 years.
“They also are working hard to retain teachers for more than 2 years. Many of the people teaching at KIPP schools I’ve visted have been there for more than 2 years.”
Joe, if they can’t keep people longer than two years they are doing something wrong. Experience matters. Institutional knowledge matters within organizations, and an individual workplace is an organization. It’s valuable.
You all use the term “value added.” One of the things that adds value in an employee is experience. If they’re asking teachers to “add value” to students yet that concept doesn’t apply to the adults who are teaching those students, if they’re leaving at two years in, that’s a problem.
As usual: I’d say, I’ve visited x 3. If Joe says so, it must be the reality of all KIPPS, all charters, and all of us, I SAY.
Great article. Sounds like a book worth reading, too.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323977304578653941518660984.html
See the above link for a not-as-well-informed article from the Wall Street Journal about the forthcoming book on “education reform” by M. Night Shyamalan, the movie maker. He claims to have learned a lot about education:
“Over the course of his research, Mr. Shyamalan found data debunking many long-held educational theories. For example, he found no evidence that teachers who had gone through masters programs improved students’ performance; nor did he find any confirmation that class size really mattered. What he did discover is plenty of evidence that, in the absence of all-star teachers, schools were most effective when they put in place strict, repetitive classroom regimens.”
More… “The agenda described in his book is: Eliminate the worst teachers, pivot the principal’s job from operations to improving teaching and school culture, give teachers and principals feedback, build smaller schools, and keep children in class for more hours.” Yeah, that should do it. I hope the author of the Esquith article gets hold of a free copy of Shyamalan’s book so she can give it the review it deserves.