Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktOccasionally I read a story like THIS.
First, I find these success stories very cheering. Whether they are about schools, or entrepreneurs, or business organizations, or a governmental program, or charitable efforts, when a comet lights up the firmament I applaud.
Then I wonder. Was it the idea, itself? Was it the motivation from the leader? Was it the substance of what was done or the process by which it was assembled?
AND WHY CAN’T THIS RESULT BE REPLICATED?
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All Things in Moderation 
The key phrase in there is:"And discipline – whether it's for the use of time or student behavior – reigns."It is impossible to teach or learn in a chaotic atmosphere and unfortunately parents are the worst enablers of bad behavior. They refuse to reinforce and support the discipline of the teachers and the administration.Another surprising aspect is the emphasis on sight reading over phonics. This school focuses on the former over the latter which goes contrary to the preconceptions of many people.
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Mark: Your link isn't working any more (the link works, but what you're linking to isn't there now).But good morning! Does Tech stand any chance today?Hi, yollojkt!
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Michigoose, I updated the link. Pls let me know if it still boggles.I would bet Tech against the spread. Getting up for OU and Texas is what they do.UT is very young, but may be maturing. If they play well against TT I may start believing.YJKT, if discipline is the key, then it has been replicated. The DOD schools across the nation are high performing, and the teacheers all say it is because they are able to teach; no BS.I was thinking, as I read the article, of Project SEED, which also works. Been around for 40 years. Teaches 4th, 5th, and 6th graders algebra using persons highly skilled in math as teachers. But NEA and AFT have always opposed it. Only teachers who were math majors are permitted to teach it, otherwise outside engineers, physicists, and mathematicians are used. I noticed that the principal here was a civil engineer by training, albeit a teacher by profession. I also thought of a study the Fed Reserve Bank did for the Bush 41 Admin that found elementary school size, not class size, not teacher skills, the most important variable, much to everyone's surprise. The study concluded with interviews of teachers and principals asking them why they thought this might be true and the answer, after reflecting on the surprise that a multiple regression analysis would show that result, was that if the principal knows every kid discipline is easier to maintain.
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Great article, Mark. My gut reaction to the success of this school is that it comes down to leadership. It sounds to me that this principle didn't just come in and start banging heads – it sounds like he's done a good job of getting teachers, students, and parents on board with this system. That has a lot to do with the principle's leadership abilities. It's probably easy to replicate elsewhere the nuts and bolts of his system, but I'm not sure how successful it would be without a strong leader out in front.
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Nice!I think they're so successful because, as yellojkt pointed out, the emphasis on discipline. And then the emphasis on fundamentals breaks it down into small, bite-sized pieces that can be built up into a solid structure. . . so I guess I would argue that it's the process.Although I'm probably arguing that because that's the way I tend to teach: I believe that you need a hook to hang a new concept on before you can understand the concept, so it doesn't matter how smart you are if you don't have the necessary underlying knowledge. I've told many people over the years that, no matter what their area of expertise and no matter how much you do or don't know about what I do, if you spend a day with me in the lab at the end of the day you will understand exactly what we did and why we did it. You might not be able to interpret the results fully quite yet, but you will understand the process. A complete grasp of the process and why it works is often what is needed to make the intuitive leap into why an unexpected result is a breakthrough.That being said, it takes a great leader to create the kind of environment that leads to an entire school implementing his process. He sounds a little like the principal of my elementary school back in the day. When he retired around a thouseand of us showed up at his retirement ceremony. I didn't realize that he had become the principal only a year or two before I started kindergarten there, and it was amazing to see people ranging in age from about 40 to five all there to testify about what a great man he is. That was one of those times when you realize how powerful being an educator can be!Kudos to Mr Helwig, his teachers, and Graham Elementary!MSU is playing Minnesota today, so (in theory, at least, but this is the Big Ten we're talking about) it should be a walk. Go State! And Hook 'em, Horns!
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(Please take the "e" out of "thousand" up there. Thanks!)D'oh!
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Lots of things matter. That's why it's so hard to replicate.1) inspiration2) fun3) discipline4) knowing how to mix 2) and 3)5) getting stragglers caught up early6) enthusiasm 7) rewards/encouragement8) recognizing that kids don't learn the same way or at the same pace9) subject matter knowledge10) class and school size11) and a bunch of other things I didn't think ofMichi, I'll root for your Spartans over the GG if you root for MrJS's Wolverines over the Hawkeyes.
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MsJS, there's only one game a year when I don't root for MrJS's Wolverines. . . and that one went the right way this year! 🙂M Go Blue!!!
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In fact, I'm getting to watch the UM game but not the MSU one. . .
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Like MsJS' formulation.My little sis is a Spartan alum.
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Your little sis is clearly a wise and lovely woman!MsJS is good at summations, isn't she?
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I had a great math teacher in the 1st grade and a crappy English teacher in the 6th. When comparing the two, the list fell out easily.
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Hope the second half is prettier, MsJS!!We won't mention what's happening in Spartan Stadium, either.
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BTW, don't know if any of you saw this yet or not, but Andy Rooney has died. Makes me wonder if he knew something was about to change when he finally stepped down from 60 Minutes.RIP, you old curmudgeon, you.
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Turned out tobe a great weekend for the Spartans. I don't often root against UofM but that loss gives MSU some breathing room. But after seeing Iowa and Northwetern this weekend winning out is no gimme for the Spartans.
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