Morcease J. Beasley, Ed.D., Interim Deputy Superintendent of DCSS, Curriculum
According to his business website, :
Motivational Speaker
Effective School Leader
"Inspired" Author
Researcher
Evaluator
According to his church's website, he and his wife "will prove to serve the unique needs of the Covington-Atlanta" area.
He sure has a lot on his plate.
With DCSS classrooms packed larger than ever before, with students sitting on the floor at some schools, Beasley and his army of managers and staff have tasked teachers and principals with an incredible amount of busy work. Is he is making our schools better, or is it one more pressing reason for teachers to leave the system for one where they are allowed to actually interact with students and then have a home life, instead of spending hours each night with unending paperwork, and an eSIS software system that still does not work properly?
DCSS Teachers: We want to hear from you. Is Dr. Beasley on the right track? Have teachers had any input with all his various initiatives? What do your principals say regarding this? Or is his barrage the last straw for you to leave for a position at another school system?
243 comments:
1 – 200 of 243 Newer› Newest»Out of control? Yes
He's always loved data. But it sems like it's to justify his position and Audria Berry's army, not to help teachers improve.
http://www.kfdm.com/news/school-16656-audit-principal.html
The recent emails from Beasley have not come directly from him. They are from Robert Moseley.
DCSS First Class emails that are received directly from the originator show a "Through:" line, usually with the name of a higher-ranking Asst or Dept Supt's name, apparently indicating the higher-up's approval.
Beasley's emails are not sent that way. They are directly sent from Moseley and the body of the email contains Beasley's sermonizing.
By the way, Beasley's writing style is pompous, pretentious, and often grammatically suspect. What he says in 5 or 6 paragraphs could easily be condensed into one coherent, clearly written paragraph.
He must like to hear himself talk, and he must love to read to himself what he has written.
If he reads this blog, I hope it has been a rude awakening for dear Dr. B.
"Teaching and Learning"...geez... give me a break! What hogwash!!!
Totally out of control!
He is a total micro-manager. In the past teachers had to post their lesson plans for their assistant principal and principal to see. Now teachers have to post their plans to a central conference that Beasley and his staff has access to. Word on the street is that he's told his staff to print out a teacher's plan, drive to the school and visit her class to see if she's following the plan. Since when did great lesson plans and following them to the letter produce great teaching? I don't know of any outstanding teachers that follow a lesson plan exactly. Something always comes up- a student needs more explanation or the class understands the material faster than expected. There are many factors that can get a teacher either ahead or behind on her plan. And many great teaching opportunities come up spontaneous and cannot be planned for.
In the end Dr. Beasley is creating a culture of fear where teachers are trying to please him and his staff in the county office. In the process he is cutting out the school Principal. Isn't an AP or Principal better equipped to evaluate my plans and teaching, since they know me and my students?
If Dr. Beasley's rein of fear and intimidation continues he will lose many great teachers!
Out of control? No He a good guy!!!
How does someone with "Interim" in front of their title have so much power to create so many new procedures and systems?
Just curious, anyone know what his job was before this promotion?
He was principal at Columbia high school. Many Columbia staff are not big fans -- and not because he demands "accountability" but because he doesn't know much about educating children. The web site is embarrassing. No prominent civil servant who has the responsibility for speanding large sums of taxpayers' money should advertise like that. Plus, the web site is downright tacky. The real point is that Dekalb could have used this hire to bring in someone from the outside who is properly educated and not connected to the existing mafia. Why wasn't this done?
@Stone Mountain Educator: What makes you say "He a good guy"? Have you worked with him before?
Even if he's great at what he does, how in the heck does he have time to run a side business that involves travel and also be a pastor? Is he going to be another Ron Ramsey or Yvonne Butler and constantly be out of the office with non-DCSS duties?
Great quote from another post on the blog:
"In the midst of imploding, DCSS goes with a bunch of outmoded "theories" on how students learn and a ream of drivel about what teachers are supposed to do. These clowns are themselves so poorly educated and so profoundly cut off from what goes on in the classroom that they apparently do not appreciate just how stupid they look."
He is out of control and has his staff walking through buildings. Everyone has to scramble to be sure they certain things posted on walls etc. There is a lot more paperwork. It's not just lesson plans that are paperwork. There are all sorts of things teachers have to fill out. The environment is terrible. Everyone is demoralized feeling like they are being treated like bad little children. The principals have a lot more work now but don't dare talk about it much because you never know when there is a county person in the building. He sent county people to the principal's staff meeting during pre planning to check if they were re-delivering his THREE HOUR sermon to the staff. We had three days for pre-planning to get ready and three hours were stolen from us by this nut job Our rooms are overcrowded and this is definitely what will make good teachers leave one by one. Focus on the corruption and leave the rest of us alone or check on us later if you have fixed the bigger problems.
SACS is coming to visit DeKalb County.Forget AYP. Look at our Test Scores on the Graduation Test, CRCT, ECOT. Look at how our students are performing in college. Not in just select areas but in the DCSS as a whole. Something has to be done. Something has to be tried. We have not even given his plan a chance to work before we are shooting it down.
He is requesting that we pre and post test students. He is requesting that we make instructional decisions based on this. He is requesting that we post grades on a regular basis. He is requesting that we use or planning period for planning.
He is requesting that we have information concerning their learning styles.
He is requesting that I not be on my cell phone during the instructional day and that I read e-mails. That I come to school and work a full day without saying that I have to leave early two and three times a week.
I have to submit lesson plans each week. If they are good and I am actually teaching the content that I am suppose to teach, then the entire world can see my plans.
I am not related to him. I do not work with him. I am an educator and I do not feel that this is unfair. I am being asked to evaluate my students.
There are a great deal of feelings about the layoffs, the pay cut, the misuse of funds and the DCSS making news all over the country. There are feelings about staff being given jobs based on family connections and not merit.
I think that the educators are upset about many things and Mr. Beasley and Ms Tyson are easy targets.
If you would like a cause, please organize to lobby that the state does not make any more cuts to education. Did anyone see that article?
Does anyone have feelings about that?
If we are not careful, we will not have to complain about lesson plans or evaluating our students.
We will not have a job. The state will have cut funding so much a lot of us will be unemployed or teaching 40 students per period.
There have been all these complaints on this site concerning what we are being required to do. Individuals have posted all sorts of information about everything.
I think that it is very interesting that no one has actually posted the e-mails that stated the expectation for staff from the Department of Teaching and Learning.
I feel the reason is that parents would see what we are being asked to do and would want us to do these things.
It is much better just to complain then to list the truth.
I know that some angry person will write a harsh response to this e-mail. That will probably be the person that does not pre test, post test, do complete lesson plans or post grades on a regular basis.
The strong teachers at my school have done what has been requested. Modified the lesson format and are trying to provide strong lessons. The ones that are complaining are the ones that complain about doing any thing but being able to leave early and come late.
Central office staff thinks he's out of control as well. While DeKalb is overloaded with central office administrators, many of them serve an important role and do good work. Or I should say "did" good work. Dr. Beasley is in charge of everything now. We could save a fortune if we just RIF'd everyone at central office except Beasley since he is currently making all of the decisions anyway. There are some (not many), but some well educated administrators who have proven track records with student achievement. Dr. Beasely does not want to hear from any of them. No one is allowed to offer a suggestion or question a decision. Beasley has made it clear that this will not be tolerated. HE is to be respected. There is no collaboration. Beasley does not have support for his directives; he has people who are afraid to cross him. DeKalb is about to lose many decent mid-level administrators because they are no longer respected in their fields and disagree with the direction he is taking DeKalb. All that will be left will be the friends and family admins. Beasely actually joked at a large admin meeting about getting paid a lower salary than the position is due because he is the "interim". Everyone there has taken a hit with furlough days!
He is a charasmatic guy that can get a crowd going if they listen to his style and not his substance. Beasley is a wolf is sheep's clothing!
No I have not worked with Dr. B. Students, Parents and other stakeholders who knew him as the Principal at SHS in Stone Mountain, tell me that he is a humble person who give you the shirt off his back.. Several students said that he talked too much sometime. But they knew he had their backs when they were doing the right thing. Several teachers said that he would give to many assignments but he would make adjustments to meet their needs. DCSS is about to embark on a transformational experience at this time. DCSS needs a leader who will create and improve our school system with positive leadership. I believe he will adapt his style to meet the needs of our stakeholders. Only time will tell whether he a good guy. At this time I believe he is.
Until Dr. Beasley can show parents he has asked for broad teacher input and has the support of the teachers, they will not support him. He needs to be a facilitator for the classroom. EVERY classroom has two components - the teacher and his/her student.
His first job is to make sure the members of the classroom (i.e. teacher and students) have the best possible environment. He should be discussing the impact of non-working air conditioning, dust particles in the air (we have many children with asthma in the worst situations with dust mold and mildew), overcrowded classrooms, low teacher morale, students without books, etc. on student achievement.
Dr. Beasley should be doing everything he can to ensure the environment is safe and healthy for all kids. Those are the basics before you even get to teach. Ignoring the overcrowded and miserable conditions many students and teachers are in will impede academic achievement.
I guarantee that we will be further behind next year than this year if he ignores the physical learning environment.
If you want to email or ask him a question in person, ask him about the learning environment for students:
1. Are all students being taught in safe, clean and dust, mold and mildew free classroom?
2. Do they all have adequate access to up to date books?
3. Does the technology (eSis, student and teacher computers, the Student Data Management System, Interactive boards, etc.) work correctly and smoothly and positively impact the learning process?
4. Do our science classrooms meet the low class sizes that are safe for labs and hands-on experiences - the most effective way to learn science?
Ask him to put a decent learning environment in place and then move on to lesson plans and learning theories.
Parents and teachers, please list other environmental factors that need to be corrected for our students that make learning safe, efficient, and in depth for our students.
This is a re-post from bookgate thread. I thought I should post it here. My original response about a spreadsheet and flowchart was due to a thread that started on bookgate.
Spreadsheet AND Flowchart: There is a flowchart which is this year's bible in the schools. There is also a spreadsheet to record all sorts of student information on and it's a bit much...It might not be the worst thing in the world, but it is very time consuming and having this pushed on us when we are in a time crunch due to the short pre planning week was a bit offensive. The county wide approach to reform through dictatorship and taking away the judgement of each local school can be problematic in many cases. EVERY school is being made to feel as if they have failed their students when the county has failed the students. No smart person can continue to work in a district under a person that they do not consider qualified for the job they are in. Dr. B is a good guy to listen to in public at speeches but his tyrant approach alienates quality people because they know they deserve a better workplace culture and environment. The exodus might be slow due to the economy but there will be one and he is asking for one. He wants anyone who does not go along with him to quit. He is happy to show them the door. Therefore, resignations are not his fear, they are his goal. Then, after all of the "non believers" are gone, he can have full control of his kingdom. What a mentality!
Anon @ 10:29am-
I understand your points. Many of Dr. Beasley's requests are things good teachers already do.
My problem is that he has taken away all power from the individual schools to make decisions on what is best for their teachers/students.
I work in one of the few schools in DeKalb with very high test scores. We have always made AYP. Shouldn't my principal have the autonomy to run our school as we have in the past when we've had such great results?
I understand that many schools in DeKalb are failing, but don't punish the ones that are succeeding. That's when you're going to start losing great teachers to neighboring counties.
Dr. Beasley was the principal at Columbia High School for two years. Did they make AYP, NO. In fact, only 56.4% of the students met or exceeded expectatons on the GHSGT.
So please answer this question: Did the things he is asking for or requesting work for him? Did the stragegies work at Columbia? Did he do all of this busy work? Was he micro managed?
He does not know what success looks like on a school level? Stephenson High School did not make AYP when he was there. So, can someone deal with this for me.
What I don't understand about some of the complaints is that is seems to suggest no one wants accountability. Yes, providing lessons plans at a grade and school level makes sense. That has been done for years. Technology makes it easy to create the plan once then post it on a central website for many more people to see. If you have a school that is doing well, wouldn't you want someone to compare their lesson plans to a school that needs help to see what suggestions could be offered? Comparing the lessons plans should be a start of effective analysis.
Posting lessons plans to a centralized location should NOT create additional work. If there is someone that thinks otherwise, please post why they believe it does. If you really want to use best practices throughout the district, you need to perform analysis like this on lesson plans to help your understanding of what works and what does not.
Isn't using data to help make better decisions what we want from our school system? Obviously doing things they way we've done them in the past has not resulted in improved outcomes for many students.
I know several teachers who have a outstanding reputation of success. In fact two of the teachers had 100% of her students passing on the CRCT in Math, Reading and Lang. Arts. These teachers are complaining. If a school was not performing, then thats one thing; however, if a school is making AYP and improving, then leave them alone.
Do they all have adequate access to up to date books? NO THEY DON'T!!
No-----Latin, German, Spanish, French DO NOT HAVE current textbooks. They are using old (purchased in 1996 and falling apart)textbooks. Kids have no books at home.
The Dekalb School mantra is Good teachers do not need books. Got news for you: my sons need their Spanish books~~
FYI
WSB TV has information about the plan to send the students granted transfers due to AYP to an annex campus, instead of Chamblee. I know that this may not please some people, but I feel it is a good choice. Good teaching can take place at any location. Every school has some excellent teachers and some that are not so good.The annex will be no different. But with no disrespect to Chamblee, probably every teacher their is not excellent.
It is the duty of every parent to monitor what their child is doing in class each day. Visit the school, class and teachers. Voice your concern.
Chamblee is already crowded. It is one of many old schools that needs attention and care. An overcrowded building is no good for anyone.
I am very fearful that SPOLST IV will not be approved and the physical conditions of our schools will decline even more. There are only so many times that you can repair and patch.
As Anoyn 10:29 said, let us not judge the Annex until we see its operation.
As Anon 10:58 said. I think that the decision about the Anex was a time that the school system did take parents and teachers feelings in consideration.It also respected the school.
My parents taught me that what makes something an opportunity is how you handle it. What you make out of it.
To the subject of Dr.B, I feel one thing that this is causing it is making everyone more aware of what should be occuring in the schools.
The annex will have to have the same rigorous accountablilty as every other location.
We have been told at our school last year some interesting facts. When I think of Beasley his extra jobs as a minister, author, and public speaker, I wonder how well his is complying to Dekalb County policy. No personal phone calls are to be made at school. No personal emails are suppose to be sent at school. We have only three personal days a year. How can he be a minister, author, and public speaker without using someo of his worktime for his own personal gain. If his computer and phone were checked, I imagine there is lot of communication being made for his own personal gain. How could it not be.
Debkalb County Board of Education continually makes poor choices. How could they hire someone that has previously worked under Dr. Johnny Brown in Port Arthur, Texas. Did they think that taxpayes would not find out. All that needs to be done is to google.b
Hey Cere! You have a question mark in your title. You need to change that to an exclamation point. There is NO question that Beasley and Moseley are trying to grab our system and take control, so when we do have a new Super in place they will do the same thing to that person as was done to Johnny Brown. This is why I could care less what SACS says, our BOE needs to get every single "leader" at the Central Office Palace out now! There is not one SMART person in this world that would take the Super's job in this environment. That is why I believe that Moseley and Beasley are doing just that, create a world where no one else will take the job and take it themselves. ENOUGH! These people must go!
My wife and I have sent an email to our State Rep. We want the state to take a close look at our system and we need to start the path of ISD's, Independent School Districts. If we do not start something soon, we're doomed, our kids are doomed!
DCPC Sept. 1st is a great start. Will Tyson be allowed to talk or will Measley Beasley and Moseley answer the questions in such a smart way to pull the wool over our eyes? Why do I think that DCPC will be hijacked by DCSS and we will not have a chance to ask our questions?
This is like a nightmare that will never end!
I saw that WSB piece last night and they did not even cover the real situation. All they reported is something we already know! Please media it's time to dig! Why are these criminals being demoted or moved and NOT fired! Why is CLew's former cabinet still in place? When will someone cover the ENTIRE story?
Out of control is an understatement.......
Teachers are to be respected and trusted. Not strong-armed and forced out of a profession that very few can do.
Let's not get it twisted.
It takes a very special person to teach. Believe me: Those who want to teach, TEACH and those who think they can, HATE!!!!!!!!!!
Those who think they can, do it for the money. Those who think they can, lie and cheat. Those who think they can are always running some game or self agenda. Those who think they can rush to leave the classroom. Those who think they can multi-task and never dedicate themselvies to the education process.
Look at the experience of the class-room teacher in comparison to the experience of the Admin, Prin, AP's, Coaches, Area-Directors and then you will see that this is just a business.
Get real. It's all about the money and power these positions bring to undedicated selfish individuals. All this stuff is just smoke.
We as parents, husbands, wives, students, and family, need to stand behind of teachers. Lift them up in prayer because they did not create this.
Right is Right and this is Wrong.
I'm a retired teacher and pretty old, but here are my ideas:
Our new head of curriculum Dr. Beasely should make teachers one of his most important advisory groups. Unless teachers who actually teach the students have a place at the table and teacher buy-in is a part of the formula, programs will not be effectively implemented.
I vividly remember my Educational Curriculum course taught by the head of the Education Dept. at the Univ. of Tenn. in 1970. I'll never forget the first words he said to us:
"Curriculum is what happens when the teacher shuts the door and class begins."
Teachers are the sole deliverers of curriculum. Dr. Beasley must ask our best regular education teachers to be part of his "team" - not people who want to be promoted - teachers who want to teach students and do so very well everyday in this task.
Dr. Beasley should survey teachers frequently to see what works and doesn't work in their schools for their students.
Flexibility is a must for Dr. Beasely - Different schools have different needs. For example, I have seen ESOL classes taught by ESOL teachers trying to teach Springboard to students who do not have the English skills for this program. One size does not fit all.
Dr. Beasley should build on the strengths of teachers. While best practices is a good idea, a superintendent should recognize that different teachers have different teaching styles just like learners have different learning styles. What might be effective for one teacher may not work for another.
When I was a very young teacher, I was a real hotshot and thought I had the best teaching style with my hands-on, individualized instruction. But Virginia Burke an older teacher in the next room had remarkable results with her students. She relied heavily on the lecture method, but she was incredibly interesting and compelling. Her students loved her, felt safe in her class, hung on her every word, and she truly was the best teacher I have ever taught with. We taught in a very low income area with many "at risk" kids. Watching her success with "old style" teaching taught me that "best practices" should be defined as "what gets results with kids". I continued to use hands-on learning and individualized instruction because that was my style, but I came to respect the many different styles successful teachers bring to the classroom. Watching Ms. Burke certainly humbled me.
Dr. Beasley should be accountable. If a program DCSS has put in place is not producing tangible results, he needs to modify or eliminate that program.
Dr. Beasley should put good service to students and teachers in the classroom at the top of his/her list and conveys that to every employee in DCSS from custodians to Network personnel to Deputy Superintendents. Students and teachers do their jobs every day in the classroom. Every admin and support employee should be evaluated based the service they provide the members of the classroom. If he wanted to, he could make that happen.
Why Dr. B on the agenda to talk about the PreK program? Isn't that run by the state BOE? Mr. Rev. Dr. Beasley's email address is cloinga@aol.com. This stands for chief learning officer in Georgia, Really? excuse me Dr. B please check your self inflated ego at the door with Moseley's. Do not trust anything this man says. He is a snake oil salesman and should not be trusted with our children's education. Moseley and Beasley are up to something no good!
Again, Watch them closely since our BOE refuses to. Ms. Tyson I think you are being played by your Asst. Supers. Do OUR system a favor and fire them, if not you will never have control of our out of control system.
2002-2006:Principal and Chief Learning Officer-Stephenson High School Dekalb County Schools, GA
June 2001-July 2002: Principal- Huffman High School, Birmingham City Schools
August 2000-June 2001: Associate Principal- George Washington Carver High School for Health Professions, Engineering, and Technology, Birmingham City Schools
1998- 2000: Assistant and Interim Principal-- Phillips High School, Birmingham City Schools
-----------------------------------
What do you mean that Dr. Beasley's Stephenson High School and Colombia High School did not make AYP. Did he claim he was going to make AYP all the time?
In 2004, after just 3 years as principal at Huffman High School (1 year) in Alabama and Stephenson High School ( just 2 years into a 4 years tenure) in Dekalb County, he wrote a self-published (Authorshouse) book about PASSION: A Passion for improving schools. This is what is being said about this major opus based on the above resume: “”Open quote: This book will provide school Leader with twelve keys to unlocking phenomenal school improvement. The strategies are practical and research based. However, the book presents the strategies based upon the school improvement initiatives lead by Morcease Beasley. The use of the 12 keys has created successful schools in Birmingham, Alabama and Stone Mountain, Georgia. Reading this book will motivate, inspire, and encourage the passionate school leader to fulfill his or her purpose in the area of school improvement”
Amen, 11:49. E
Oh my- guy's been on the job for a few weeks and already we're seeing some serious vitriol. Get a grip.
Yes, there is extra paper work coming down on teachers that they're not pleased about. Relatively meaningless benchmark pre/post testing, multiple intelligence surveys, more detailed lesson plans, student profiles and portfolios, all take away from instructional time, add to teacher workloads, and serve little value. But Dr. Beasley is in a tough spot, and has to try something. If he's a sharp guy, he'll find out what really works and dump the busy work. Don't abandon the ship yet.
This anon 12:35...
With your permission, Beasley Believers, I ask you: Is it normal that a man with just 3 years as a Principal at 1 high school for 12 months and at another for 2 years (both tenures as a protege of the superintendent) to have the gravitas, the grasp, and any result upon which to write a book that purports to improve schools?
Why do we suspend reality and embrace fairy tales?
DCSS needs new leadership.
He wrote the book in 2004. He published it through Authorhouse.
This is anon 12:35 again asking:
Where are the results his methods had produced in 2004? Was the book peer reviewed? Were these results duplicated through the same methods?
Please stop defending people because they look like you or criticize people because the don't look you. Defend or criticize on their merit and qualification.
Dude lives in Covington? That's a commute, especially on I-20 west in the late afternoon/early evening.
Guy must be a superman to be the "Chief Learning Officer" of the 26th largest school system in the US, while running his consultant/motivational speaker side business that requires travel and also being a church pastor in Covington too.
How come so many DCSS Central Office administrators, with their sweet $110-120-130-140k salaries and benefits, have so many businesses and such on the side? Not only is Ron Ramsey head of DCSS Internal Affairs while spending two months a year downtown as a state senator, he also owns some side businesses.
Best of luck, Morcease. Hope all three of your endeavors, DCSS administrator, businessman and pastor work out for 'ya.
However, we need to look at the facts. Many schools in Dekalb County are not making AYP. Many schools are failing. Now I agree more emphasis should be put on those schools. However,the documentation that standards are being taught in the classroom is a must when students are not showing they are mastering the standards. Either the teachers are not teaching the standards or the students can not learn the standards the way the teachers are teaching the standards. It would appear that Dr. Beasley is trying to address both issues at once. This appears to be a great deal of work. However, sometimes I think we forgot that teachers are professionals and even though they do not get paid what they should get paid they still do get paid fairly good wages. As professionals they also sign a contract to do a job and in doing this job they do not sign a contract to do a job between 8-4. This is a big misconception of many teachers and many parents. Teachers are contract employees. They are hired to do a job and put in the time it takes to do a job just like doctors and lawyers. This is what they signed up for and why we should be paying them much more than we currently do.
<< As professionals they also sign a contract to do a job and in doing this job they do not sign a contract to do a job between 8-4.>>
That is because such teachers are monks, recluses, childless widowers, pet-less, nuns, and have no need for sleep.
I smell a micro-waved ( instead of fully cooked) administrator who is brandying terms pick-ed in a cooperative on-line degree. 17
I give Beasley credit for his effort and energy, but to all his supporters, the biggest problem with Morcease is: He doesn't want ANY input from teachers. We have so many quality teachers in the system, many with years more of successful experience than Morcease.
But he doesn't want to hear one word from teachers, or principals for that matter. In fact, if you question anything, you are blacklisted and eventually out the door.
His arrogance and dictator style are counterproductive. It would have been one thing if he established an advisory board or survey group of teachers before he assigned reams of nonsense work. It would have been one thing is he checked the productivity and knowledge of Audria Berry's army of incredibly overpaid instructional coaches.
But no, he knows everything about curriculum and the art of teaching, and if you don't agree, pack your bags.
It's unfortunate that Ramona Tyson has so little experience as a teacher so many years ago, she doesn't know enough about curriculum and actual teaching to know that Morcease is out of control.
Uggh...when are our students going to catch a break?
<< As professionals they also sign a contract to do a job and in doing this job they do not sign a contract to do a job between 8-4.>>
That is because such a teacher's life so little meaning and value to you that he/she will spend 10+ night hours a week writing plans, grading learning style surveys,and creating other paperwork that does absolutely nothing for the students! 17
Have you been to a lawyer lately? A doctor?
They charge you as much for a 2 hour visit as they do for a 4 hour one?
The DA works Sundays on cases where she cannot get a conviction?
Think before you write-----BB!
A better analogy, please! Wait, there are none!!
Anon 1:02
You left out one possibility. The students don't have the pre-requisite skills, they didn't master the standards for the previous grade level.
As teachers we are being told to follow the state frameworks for instruction. We must be teaching a state frameworks lesson every day.
None of my students started Kindergarten with the pre-requisite skills necessary to complete the first task in the Math frameworks. NONE of them.
If I followed the directives from DCSS, I would have had a class full of upset, discouraged students right now. They would be extremely frustrated because all they would have experienced the first weeks of school would have been failure. Instead, I shut my door and began teaching my students those skills they didn't already have. One of my lowest students, J has learned to count and create a group of 5 objects. S who couldn't even count to 5 can now count to 10 on his fingers. All of my students enjoy Math and are moving toward being able to complete one of those state framework tasks successfully.
But, according to DCSS, I'm not doing the right thing because I haven't taught framework tasks each day.
That's why I'm frustrated by all the paperwork and "accountability" talk coming from the "Department of Teaching and Learning." Teaching and learning are happening every moment in my classroom, not at the county office.
Okay, if you guys are so in favor of what Dr. B is doing, come take a walk in our shoes and see if you can do it or if you get the heck out of Dodge quickly! I'm so tired of people talking about holding teachers accountable! First, MOST teachers ARE accountable and do a job they'd be proud to put their name on. Secondly, most citizens don't see the things we have to contend with -- filthy, moldy classrooms that haven't had a dusting in years, mountains of paperwork that is mindless and meaningless, no support from the community -- lip service is not support, INCREASED class sizes, and the list can go on and on. Someone said earlier on here stop believing in fairy tales. Well if fairy tales are what you want and believe in, then give teachers a fairy wand to make it all better!!!!!!! Oh, one last thing, I was watching the board meeting from August 9th and heard the board members and senior staff speaking about "high morale." BULL!!! That is plain BULL!!!
Ramona: How do I get DCSS to work like a school system? This is a titanic job.17
TV commercial: Tonight feature is
Class of the Titans.... Release the Kraken
Ramona: I got it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OlCnPKr4Q8
My child is in a high achiever's program in the big, bad south. The children are very excited by a teacher who is a real Ph.D. doctor but does not have them call him this. My question is this: why can't we just get people like this with real academic credentials. instead of like someone else said all of these fake charlatans? I looked at Beasley's web site. It does make me feel embarassed. It's like he is selling snake oil.
Release the Beasley!!!
Why are some many conveniently forgetting that accountability is driven more by the community not the central office. The central office reacts to accountability requirements placed on them by elected officials through legislation like NCLS/ESEA and QBE. The measure used by those in instruction are RESULTS. Documentation validates whether certain standards are taught as prescribed by state standards.
Statements seem to be personal about Dr. Beasley when he is simply doing the job that the community has asked their legislators to require, accountability. The person at 10:10 had it right, most want accountability until it impacts them.
As parents we demand accountability and then when the county office is attempting to give it to us as parents, teachers, and a community we do not like that either.
The only way to document that standards are being taught is lesson plans and accountability notebooks and then walk-thoughs of administrators on a regular basis to assure that what is on the sheets is being taught.
Things have changed in education. Children can no longer be left behind. Teachers either can teach or they hit the road. Teachers jobs are no longer safe from year to year. No teachers do not like being put under pressure. Teachers are under stress all over the state. It is not a good thing. But it was necessary to turn education around in Ga. Things were not ok the way they were.
Anon 12:50
Perhaps he did not teach several years. But being in a certain field a long time does not mean that you will master the area.
How many years was Dr. Lewis in the DCSS?
How did all of those years of experience serve us and our children?
How could all the issues that were occuring go undiscovered?
Did certain schools and departments never get audited?
We have lost a lot of very experienced people on all levels.That was not due to Dr. Beasley or Ms Tyson. This occured before they started.
Until we can manage to stay out of the media, it will be difficult to attract a lot of veteran educators.
I also give Dr. B credit for trying to make some changes. We spent all of last year in such turmoil that the good things were always over whelmed by the bad.
I am also worried about the additional budget cuts that could come from the state.
It was not just system level administrators that had to take a pay cut in DeKalb, it was all school based staff.
Teachers, principals, custodians, para educators clerical staff.
Class sizes are larger. Salaries have been cut. The educators in Georgia cannot take much more abuse. Please let us not be so focused on one area that we miss the big ax that may be getting ready to fall from the state.
@1:44
Where is your accountability when you repeatedly let an unruly and disruptive student entertain his classmates at the detriment of instruction?
Why can't the central office have gonads big enough to expel a student?...big enough keep a 5th grader who cannot read from going into the 6th grade no matter how many phone call the parents make?.....big enough to stop hiring the progeny of big wigs?.....big enough to hire experienced, honest, and (maybe more than the current ones) intelligent leaders?
Many teachers make more than many lawyers now particularly during this time of recession. Some lawyers do really make a super salary.
Many look at what they charge per hour and do not think about their overhead of their office and secretaries, etc. Some of you would probable be surprise at the comparison between the average lawyer and teachers salaries in Ga. Lawyers may be a little more but not that much. Judges do not make a killing either for their responsibilites. Most principals in Dekalb County make more money than our local judges do.
To all the BB's, I applaud your strategic** plan which amounts to
"AYP through paperwork.
Glossary:
BB=Beasley Lover
strategic=what a superintendent says when the anticipated consequences are beyond our educational lifetime.
@2:02, you are absolutely correct, unless you have a safe and disciplined environment, it is hard for ANY teacher to be successful. This is something the Dr. Trotter of MACE has been saying for years. Until the COMMUNITY requests legislation making the parents RESPONSIBLE for their children's actions at school, we are left with the problems we have. No central office official can overcome.
The central office recently passed down the word that there are too many referrals for black boys in DCSS relative to the numbers for other racial groups. This is getting to the heart of a critical matter: the system's reluctance to enforce real discipline and the use of race as a justification for not doing so.
Anon 2:04,
All the local judges make much less than Crawford Lewis' lowest paid cabinet member. But they make more than a classroom teacher.
What was your point?
I agree with the commenter who said that Beasley is in a tough spot and has to do something-- he does. No one can argue that DCSS isn't in trouble.
When you ask a teacher to write a lesson plan, you are asking him to write down what he plans to do each day and why. Writing plans was necessary for me when I first started out; it helped familiarize me with the standards, and it also helped me learn what I could reasonably accomplish in a day, a week, or a year.
However, as time went on, I didn't need to reference those written plans as much. I knew the standards intimately, and I knew where I wanted to take my students over the course of the year. Ultimately, I stopped writing them because they'd served their purpose for me and I was beyond them.
Seasoned teachers with a strong track record of success shouldn't be required to write lesson plans. If an administrator comes into my room and there isn't learning going on, or if it even looks like I don't know what I'm doing, then by all means, put me on a PDP and make me write lesson plans. However, making me write lesson plans at this stage of my career is kind of like making a truck driver write down every place he intends to turn right before he leaves on a cross-country trip. It's a waste of his time.
Wow. Lots of interest in this post by Open and Transparent.
In reading through, I find Anon 10:29 AM's comments jump out at me. I think perhaps Beasley (1) doesn't have the respect of his educational peers (in all honesty, he really doesn't have the years of service necessary to command that respect) and (2) he is far too immersed in other "endeavors" to convince us that he is and educator, first and foremost. He does far too much self-promotion for us to respect him on our own.
He may be a nice person, but he is apparently being too condescending to teachers. Anon 10:29 AM is so right - he needs a "teacher committee" to guide him. He is too disconnected from the classroom to be believed.
That said, as a parent, I have always had an issue with the haphazardness of lesson planning. I have noticed over the years that many of our teachers don't do them - or do very simplified plans. Principals don't really check and rarely supervise or observe teachers in the classroom. My mother-in-law was a teacher in Ohio for 30 years and fretted often over lesson plans and sweated the many, many observation days she experienced from her principal. (And she was a top teacher.) Good teachers are already doing this. Good principals already know and check. It seems to me that the people who will have a real issue with creating lesson plans will only be those who historically have not done them.
But - Beasley should not be jumping the chain of command. Beasley needs to communicate with principals - and get principals the best training available. To command control over all teachers is micro-managing and will only create animosity and deplete what's left of morale.
What about SUPPORT? Our teachers need hands-on support personnel. Our early grades need to be able to spend their Title 1 dollars on support teachers to help students internalize math and reading. The basics need to become part of their DNA before they move on to middle and high school. Send in the support teachers - keep your "curriculum supervisors" and the rest of the Title 1 army who have only served to scrutinize rather than support teachers as they attempt to make ever-increasing demands of "meeting AYP".
We need a new, permanent superintendent ASAP. One who can bring in a truly experienced director of curriculum as well as facilities - so that we can get out of the interim situation altogether. We are still in limbo - and it's not serving to improve much of anything, anywhere.
Annon. 1:58,
If parents want more accountability, then THEY too, need to be held accountable. We try to do the best we can given most parents do not help their children make sure homework is completed, supply them with the tools they need to be successful, and even grace the door of their school/classroom. Teachers ARE not running scared at the thought of accountability. Rather, we are ANGRY that we are being asked to achieve, in some cases, unrealistic feats given we are paid less, appreciated even less than we are paid, and criticized at every turn. If DeKalb county wants accountability, then give EVERY school the tools they need to be successful! I'm tired of all the "best" kids being recruited for the magnet and theme schools and the children that are giving problems there in areas of scores and attendance being shuffled to the other schools with fewer tools to help! They can kick out kids that are not performing... schools like mine cannot. So, if you want accountability, fine... just make it a level playing field, with equal resources, equal parent support, and kids that are all the same and you'll get the results your after! Good luck!
Anon 2:11 said No central office official can overcome.
OK----Fine BUT why is the Central Office blame the teacher for not maintaining the minimum discipline necessary to teach?
If those with expulsion and suspension powers are too weak to use them, what is old or young Ms. Jones to do with Little Bill who can't stop disrupting and whose parents won't let him have any punishment?
The only way the paperwork requirements could make a minute amount of sense is if Dr. Beasley is accustomed to working with poor teachers in need of remedial professional education.
But that probably doesn't take into account the rest of the teaching staff who do NOT need this kind of oversight.
It also doesn't excuse his "side jobs". No matter how "called" he thinks he is for the ministry he's going to have to pick one job and stick with it. Like the Bible says, "a man cannot serve two masters". He's trying to serve several.
Cere,
I don't think anyone is complaining about writing lesson plans. It's the fact that everyone is expected to use the same template.
The first template we were provided was for a single content area for a single day... for an elementary teacher who teaches all content ares, that would have resulted in a 20 page lesson plan. Ten pages if you were smart and integrate Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.
It would result in the same for someone in high school who taught 3 or 4 different topics during the day.
I use my lesson plans ALL the time, I have two copies in different places in my room. BUT I don't need twenty pages - 2 pages is what I need.
A colleague of mine had 3 different templates she used to teach, she used one for Language Arts, another for Math, and the third for Social Studies and Science.
Both of us are going to be using the "approved" template and neither find it as effective as what we've used before.
As teachers, we're told again and again that we must differentiate for our students. Apparently, once we got our teaching certificate, we became interchangeable and differentiation for us is no longer necessary.
mg
Cere,
About the lesson plans, my friend explains.
If the teachers had textbook that more or less followed a sequence (God knows qualified people write these books), that would be a start. What these central office bozos expect is that from the the clear standard "make a pizza", every teacher without consulting each other and with different ingredients would produce the exact same pizza.
By the Dekalb County adds a few hurdles to the project. They tie your right hand, the scatter the ingredients about the kitchen, and they stick a corn cob in your mouth.
Anon 2:20, again no disagreement. The community holds their schools to a high standard for student performance yet the employees closest to the students are held most accountable without all the tools, resources and support they need to be effective. This is a problem not unique to DCSS but a nationwide issue.
Back in my day, teachers had the authority to use "corrective measures" to address unruly students in the classroom knowing they had the support of the parents. If a teacher thought about doing something like that now, there would be a lawsuit faster than you can say jackrabbit along with the possibility of losing their teaching certificate. The teacher escalates this to the school administrators and in many cases, push it back to the teacher because they don't want to speak with parents who obviously their children have modeled their behavior. We've allowed unruly students to dictate the amount of instruction that goes on in most classrooms.
I'm mad!!! What Dr. Beasley is asking for will help with data analysis and developing best practices for the entire district. But I agree, until WE take back our classrooms and give teachers the ability to teach with minimal disruptions, we are just putting lipstick on a pig again.
MG, I thought from the meeting with Dr. Beasly and ODE this past Thursday, it was agreed that teachers could use whatever template they had been using for lesson plans. In fact, Dr. Beasley was adamant that he did not dictate the change but it came from principal requests. You may want to ask one of the ODE representatives to see if this recollection is true.
Amen --- Sue-EEEEEEEEEEEEe!
Cere,
Also understand another thing. Under such slogans as "differentiated instruction" and "multiple intelligences" DCSS is helping to raise successive cohorts of primarily black children who do not know how to learn and think critically. They are woefully unprepared to function in society. Beasley's talk of "multiple intelligences," for example, overlooks the fact that very few people make a living out of kinesthetic intelligence. And although there may indeed be many students who learn better "visually" because their reading skills are so poor, these students still must sit and process information. Sure hope someone is able to post that flow chart and other stuff handed out the first day. They have all the hallmarks of coming from a poorly educated individual who has precious little practical exoperience.
Anon 2:38
That message may have been received by the ODE representatives, but not all principals or assistant principals have received it.
To anon 2:44:
Students who are entertained with multiple intelligence instead of being holistically taught are seldom successful on The ITBS, CRCT, SAT, ACT!
The Ron Clark Academy pretends that is all they do but even so select their students and can cast them off.
My friend tells me that the fallacy about the ODE meeting with Beasley is that the message he conveyed to the principals by his tone and body language was much different than his memo.
My friend tells me that there is no way she can has a professional post the raw lesson plan that she uses effectively (her students in a Title 1 schools have made AYP everytime).
Her plans are a series of page numbers interspersed with worksheets she creates/modifies as needed. It only makes sense to her.
"Her plans are a series of page numbers interspersed with worksheets she creates/modifies as needed. It only makes sense to her."
In my job, I create a weekly status report showing my accomplishments for the week and plans for the next week. If I submitted a report that only made sense to me, my boss not accept it and make me resubmit.
I question a teacher that creates a lesson plan that they can only make sense of, especially if that is a part of their measurement. they can be the best teacher in the world but in this day and age, documentation is a requirement. This sounds like a teacher that wants to do their own thing without being accountable.
Teachers are contract employees. They are hired to do a job and put in the time it takes to do a job just like doctors and lawyers.
_______________________
Just for the record, in case you didn't know. Lawyers charge for their time in 6 minute segments. If they work 70 hours, they get paid big bucks for working 70 hours. Doctors are paid by the visit, or procedure. it doesn't matter it the service is provided at 10:00 on Monday or midnight on Saturday. They still get paid. Teachers are paid a standard salary that is equivalent to what someone who works 40 hours a week earns. Yet, they are expected to work 50, 60, even 70 hours every week. There is a difference.
In my job, I create a weekly status report showing my accomplishments for the week and plans for the next week. If I submitted a report that only made sense to me, my boss not accept it and make me resubmit.
----------------------------
Good for you, Dr. Beasley. You sound even more like a micro-waved administrator instead of an oven-baked one.
A teacher's lesson plan is "how to do, what to do, and what to expect from the student", it is not a business plan or resume for future employment.
In her job, she teaches students and should not be making elaborate plans to justify someone else position. Her 3 previous principal understood her plans perfectly while observing her instruction. In fact, her principals have volunteered her to train other teachers in her school and in the district.
Has any one looked at Beasley's church web site? It's like southern Gothic gone primitive, with a dash of good ol' fashioned spirtitual entrepreneuralism. Who -- pardon my French -- the hell is minding the store? There is an incessant series of grotesque yet comical episodes of "reality meets fiction -- you decide who wins." You can't make this stuff up. And we still have the same crowd minding the store!!!??? Except now they get to do so from a state-of-the-art "complex" while cockroaches infest and mold pollutes schools that have shoddy ac units!!!!!?????
http://spiritoffaithministries.org/About_Our_Founders.htm
The first 2 lines don't mention Dr. Johnny Brown at all in 2002. It the Holy Spirit.
Why is everyone accusing Dr. Beasley of having followed Dr. Brown instead of the Holy Spirit.
Stop lying on this good, good man.
Could be that the Holy Spirit's guidance is much better than good old educational research.
Anonymous posted: SACS is coming to visit DeKalb County......
at
August 21, 2010 10:29 AM
I completely agree with everything you have stated. Many of the things that are being asked are things we should be doing and many other counties are alredy doing. Might be why other counties have better test scores.
I am amazed that people are so mad about having to submit lesson plans weekly. If you as a teacher were not already doing this then shame on you.
Teachers also seem to have a problem with the county reading their plans. I have heard many state "last year only my principal or ap read them". Who cares who is reading them. If you are writing effective lesson plans that clearly state that you are teaching what you are suppose to be teaching then what is the big deal?
Teacher are also complaining about being asked to use pre and post test benchmarks to guide their instruction. If data is used effectively it can be a powerful tool. Does it take time to do? Yes. Bt we as teachers should be doing this at all times.
In my opinion, we are now ALL being asked to work and EVERYONE is being held accountable. IT IS ABOUT TIME!
My lesson plans are Holy Spirit approved.
<>
Has ANYONE writing seen these PRE & POST tests? They measure absolutely nothing. ( Well, maybe reading which is a little late in 10th/11th grade, no?)
You'd pee in your pants from laughter if you saw them. Ask any teacher who has a degree in the subject they teach and they will tell you.
By the way, what these high handed tactics done to/for APS?
Dekalb County Schools is going to follow Beverly Hall's play book.
Step one: Increase the seen improvement indicators (tons of lesson plans, multiple intelligence shenanigans, grants for this and for that, speaking tours to raise every metro-educator's profile to give him/her credential)
Step two: Use every legal (not yet illegal) trick to cook the books in every possible weakly defended area. ( Ex: credit recovery by means of unsupervised retest; 3 chances to do well on every failed quiz/test) Fire some teachers....Can't list them all.
Step three: Vigorously point at Step One as the cause the increase seen made only possible step Two.
I have seen it all! When we had Talley doing nothing that looked like instruction, no one was up in arms. The teachers didn't even know who she was. Any teacher worth anything plans for instruction and plans interventions to support those in the class who are struggling. What is wrong with what Dr. Beasley is asking teachers and principals to do? If the instructional picture were not so bleak, he would not have to ask/require teachers to do what they should have been doing all along and what Mosely and the rest should have been monitoring all along. Instead, they were all too busy being "umbrella man" for CL and praising him for stealing! One thing is consistent that is stated in this blog and that is this: those who sat by and failed to do anything and who are now pretending that they did, should all be relieved of their post- not transferred!
Sorry----I am coining a new term. Which is better, "metro-educator" or "metreducator".
I want to describe the so-called "data-driven" educator by any "metrics".
Such educators would have a kindergarten teacher use an excel spreadsheet to track which students can't recognize the letter "N" or how many students can't yet count to 50.
Do you rich folks think the teacher needs to have spreadsheet ( 2 hours to set up) for these kinds of teaching and learning?17
What's wrong? Of course, teachers should plan and instruct accordingly. Who questions that precept? What's wrong is that, once again, you have a farcical combination of race, charlatanism, and bombastic behavior (from a culture that emphasizes appearances over substance) morphing into one very toxic thing: incompetence. As if we did not have enough of that already! Why not hire somebody from the outside, with a real education and real experience, who could at least start righting the boat? Could it be because such people put the idiocy of the central office in painfully stark relief?
Anon 4:15,
Teachers put up with these clowns (Talley and the rest) because a) they did no know about outright stealing, b) because they could close their classroom, c) because there was no threat of arbitrary job loss.
A majority AA district operated by a majority AA cabinet should not let greed (high undeserved salaries) be an excuse to screw any student but especially AA students who trust them.
Never so much truth was stated by so few words:
<>
Yes-17
"Could it be because such people put the idiocy of the central office in painfully stark relief?"
So true!
I'd be careful asuming that the kids -- "the customers" -- trust the clowns. These students may suffer from a substandard education, but most of them are anything but stupid. They know a joke of an education when they see one. Of course, the majority of teenagers of any race/nationality would prefer to mess around instead of working in school. What is tragic is how many black folks like Beasley and so many others in the central administartion have, in effect, turned on their own people by abandoning the core principles of the civil-rights movement: discipline, education, integration. Instead, they have chosen, for money, to serve a system that leaves many young blacks unable to cope with mainstream society. This is the real systemic racism today, and it is being perpetrated by blacks on other blacks.
I was at the ODE meeting last Thursday when Dr. Beasley spoke and I don't know what to think. He said everything I wanted to hear, but I came away wondering if I can believe him.
At the meeting many teachers asked questions related to the lesson planning issue. Experienced, highly qualified, very capable teachers are writing huge lesson plans. Sometimes writing as much as 40 pages for the week. That is excessive. It takes hours to do this and after you write the plans you have to gather the materials to present the lessons.
Some teachers were told by school principals that their lessons had to be different from their colleagues who were teaching the same subjects and grade level. They could not collaborate or share plans. They could not use the new textbooks we just purchased as a basis for their planning. ( For those who have never used a teacher's edition, these books lay out activities that can be used along with the textbooks to teach the subject and can be very helpful. They are written by subject area experts. ) IMHO DeKalb teachers have been asked to reinvent the wheel every week and some to do so without the help of their colleagues.
As a middle school exploratory teacher in another county (about a decade ago), I had 3 preps and lesson plans for the week that were complete and acceptable. The completed document was 2 pages. That included the standards I was working on, the activities for the class, homework, and modifications for special students. These plans were general in nature, but contained enough information so that I could document what was happening in my classroom. That is the standard I was taught by my supervising teacher as a college student 35 years ago. Failure to plan is a plan to fail. I don't think anyone disagrees with that.
Dr. Beasley did say that he thought a week's worth of plans could be submitted on a single sheet of paper. He did not have a specific template in mind when he set up his requirements. He said that when he was presenting his requirements at the principals' meeting, principals asked for a template. He said he sent them examples they could use in their buildings. He blamed the school principals for the excessive lesson plan requirement and said he would speak with principals about the problem.
He said it was fine for teachers to collaborate on their lesson plans. That teachers could share the planning process. One teacher writing the math lesson plans for the week while another wrote the lesson plans for reading, etc. I don't remember him addressing the use of textbooks.
He also encouraged teachers to contact him with questions or problems. He told us that, if teachers didn't want to sign their name, they could use the anonymous conference on First Class. Many were not aware that this conference existed. Personally, no communication on First Class will be truly anonymous. I think MIS can track any communication that originates within the system.
Brown, Lewis, hall, Tyson can only happen in Dekalb County and Atlanta.
They would not survive a district where its population was of the Black middle or upper class.
Unfortunately, in Georgia Blacks who oppose such racial cannibalism/exploitation of Black youth are labeled "sell-outs". Whites who voted for Obama are labeled racists.
The education of the youth of Dekalb County deserved better than the old tactics.
Carter-Clinton-Obama democrat17
PS: Gwinnett and Cobb counties graduate a much higher percentage of young Black males!! Go figure!
@ Anonymous 1:44
"Statements seem to be personal about Dr. Beasley when he is simply doing the job that the community has asked their legislators to require, accountability."
Dr. Beasley and Mrs. Tyson need to ensure all students are in safe, learning environments where they have enough space to practice the engaged learning Dr. Beasley champions. That is not happening now.
Dr. Beasley needs to learn to listen to successful teachers and seek their input in policy and program. If teachers don't take ownership of his programs, he is wasting his time, their time and the students' time.
DCSS teachers are not the ones who got this school system in this mess. They have done exactly what Lewis and his Cabinet told them to do. The responsibility for being the bottom of the barrel in metro Atlanta is on the shoulders of the top administrators in DCSS starting with the superintendent.
Dr. Lewis used to blame principals and replace many of them every year. Mrs. Tyson and Dr. Beasley have decided to place the blame on teachers.
"We have lost a lot of very experienced people on all levels.That was not due to Dr. Beasley or Ms Tyson. This occured before they started. "
Mrs. Tyson was one of only 4 direct reports to Dr. Lewis, Bob Mosley, Pat Pope and Alice Thompson being the other three. She was over the Finance Department and the Human Resources Department, the departments the people who oversaw our DCSS tax dollars expenditures and and hired all our teachers, administrators and support personnel. How can you possibley say "this occurred before they started"?
Dr. Beasley has done nothing to address the 1,473 non-teaching personnel with teaching certificates in DCSS. Surely, a few hundred could be sent back to the schools to work directly with struggling students. That would impact student achievement more than anything he is proposing.
Source: Ga. DOE website:
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=102&CountyId=644&T=1&FY=2009
While it may incorrect to assume these as facts, it is fair to assume that Ms. Tyson hired Dr. Beasley based on some important criteria and not merely hope or holy inspiration.
Did she hire him
a. because of his success over a period of 8 years as:
1. Principal of Stephenson High School, Dekalb County
2. Second-in-Command of the Port Arthur School District, Texas
3. Principal of Colombia High School, Dekalb County
b. and because of
1. the force of his personality/charisma
2. educational gravitas/expertise as exhibited by his premature 2004 self-published book after only 3 years as a principal
While we can certainly understand the successes in B, where is the beef of A1, A2, and A3? Where is the red meat that gives him moral and technical authority to lead teachers in battle?
In short, by what oil of demonstrated (not self-professed)expertise and accomplishments is was anointed to hold dominion over any professional teacher from the height of chief learning and teaching officer? 17
Yes, I think Dr. Beasley is out of control. The morale at my school has officially hit an all time low. I myself have started to look for another position outside of DeKalb County. The nepotism, the fraud, and the cronyism has reached the breaking point. Why are the teachers being punished for the ethical faults of the leadership?
Red Alert-----Red Alert----Red Alert-
As of the of Friday morning----10 school days + 3 planning days into the semester my husband just got this email changing the plans he has worked all week on for the next 2 weeks.
It is the teachers who are incompetent!!!
To all Beasley lovers out there, here:
From: ROBERT G. MOSELEY II Friday, August 20, 2010 8:22:46 AM
Subject: Elementary 3rd Grade Science Curriculum Revision for Semester 1
To: Bulletin Principal ES Bulletin AP ES
Cc: MORCEASE J. BEASLEY Area Asst. Supt. KELLI WRIGHT
Area Coordinators AAS Adm. Asst.
Attachments: 3rd Grade Curriculum Map 2010-2011.doc 45K
Please review the information below and attached.
Thanks.
To: Elementary Principals and APIs
Governor Perdue,
H_lp _s.
Signed,
Dekalb Democrat
Governor Perdue,
_e _ _ u_.
Signed,
Dekalb Democrat who is ashamed to ask you
Anon 5:46,
It is nothing. Tell your hubby not to worry. Beasley must be real mad but I think they only have the Habitat benchmark ready right now without typos as they are maybe writing the others.
According to the changes announced on Friday, all the 3rd graders were supposed to have learned about Habitat from August 9th to August 17th. A lot of schools started with Heat instead because it is more topical in the hot August sun.
If your hubby can gather the 10-15 resources for Habitat over the weekend, no one will notice even with the benchmark test on Habitat they plan to give.
Total ego trip.....aggghhhhh!!!!
Bend over teachers,
All this coming to a head when these wonderful teachers will their new pay stub at the end of the month with the salary cut.
I also hear that the 3 or 4 days preceding or following any of the 7 furlough days are off-limits to medical appointments, family events, etc... Teachers opting to take any of these days as leave will not be charged 8 hours but 1 full day's pay.
"I also hear that the 3 or 4 days preceding or following any of the 7 furlough days are off-limits to medical appointments, family events, etc... Teachers opting to take any of these days as leave will not be charged 8 hours but 1 full day's pay."
August 21, 2010 7:46 PM
These are called critical days and this is nothing new. Any time the students are off from school the three days before and three days after are critical days. This has always been a policy for as long as I can remember.
It isn't about the individual things Dr. B. wants. Taken as isolated things many of them are good and necessary. Accountability is great. Data is great. Benchmarks and pre-tests and post-tests can direct a teacher's instruction. Lesson plans should be required. Classroom observations are standard expectations.
The problem is how he is implementing them. His "my way or the highway" approach is offensive. I welcome observers in my classroom. In the past I've known why they are there and what they are observing. I get copies of "official" observations that I can use to improve my practices. I know where the information is going. I no longer know that with the new central office observations. Teachers don't get a copy. What are my results? Will I have a chance to explain if for some reason it was a really off day - like we just had a fight in the classroom before the admin showed up?
I'm also concerned by rumors I'm hearing from former colleagues who are now in administration. Is it true Dr. B. is going to "vet" all promotions based on teacher data? What data would that be? Is it based on how many of our students passed the CRCT or GHSGT? In our current climate of having SACS review us, is this the time for a single administrator to take over the hiring practices that have been done by committee decision? As I understand it a committee will still be used to make recommendations, but then Dr. B. will make the final choice. Does that mean he will attend all of the interviews and be part of the committee? Will he look at the recommendations after the fact and decide? Does he not trust the committee members to make the best choice? Does he not think human resources is capable of handling the hiring process?
It is much more than the individual decisions that he is making. The totality of his new directives have the appearance of a dictatorial leadership style. Dr. B. doesn't seem to trust anyone else in the system to make good decisions.
People can applaud his efforts to hold teachers accountable or to clean house at the central office. But you must look at the whole package of directives and decide if he is making sound leadership decisions based on the needs of our students or is he just making his presence known.
Dr. B. will make big changes that will impact DeKalb students. Will the impact be positive or negative? Only time will tell. But I'm betting without some big changes in his leadership style, we will regret the reign of Dr. B.
Re: are Teachers' views represented? Well, nobody's asked me for my viewpoints! But one thing parents, and SACS, might look into is the fate of the Teachers' Advisory Council. This group used to consist of representatives from each school/center in DCSS who advised the Superintendent and "Cabinet" at these meetings several times each year. When Dr. Lewis became Superintendent, though, he quickly changed the TAC membership to consist of the Teachers of the Year, not the elected people. And, he decreased the frequency of meetings to just 4 or 5/year, rather than 6 or 7.
The effect of this was to replace people who had been advocates for teachers, many of whom had served on the TAC for years, with people who'd been chosen Teacher of the Year, a wort of popularity-type contest. TOTYs weren't necessarily happy with being selected, and they certainly didn't bring the spirit of advocacy to the duty as the other reps had done.
In addition, because new TOTYs are chosen each year, the membership of the TAC changed each year, one sure way to knock out the teeth from any organization. Under Dr. Brown, there were often (mild) confrontations at the TAC meetings, and he took on some tough issues--at least was willing to discuss them in the open forum. But under Dr. L, the TAC became a forum for the administration to deliver its policies. Completely scripted.
But the point is--now the group seems to have gone by the wayside. Unless I'm wrong, the current TOTYs have not received a meeting schedule, and there is no one "organizing" them. The group had a person who sent out minutes but that person is no longer doing the job.
To SACS: is there any requirement for a Board or a school administration to have a formal means of receiving teacher input and feedback? At present, no venue for representation exists in DCSS, and we teachers have been asked nothing about our ideas or preferences. It's just paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, demanded by someone who hasn't bothered to take the time to meet us or even solicit our opinions. Measley's multiple intelligences thing is old-school and not supported by evidence.
The system will not keep good teachers at this rate: it's simply too discouraging to feel so left out of the loop. We are the education experts, because we have worked hard learning how to teach. But our efforts are increasingly frustrated by the top-down demands coming from an administration we don't respect.
Dearest Anon 8:01,
What is new is that they changed the calendar at the last minute. And they added 7 days to the already established critical days! They did a sham teacher survey and disregarded it to come up their silly calendar creation. The furlough days could have easily been overlain onto Federal holidays or connected to Thanksgiving, Spring Break instead scattering them them to the 4 winds.
Lesson plan- I have put my entire week of plans on Dr. Beasley's template for a total of 2 pages. I just added boxes and I put enough info for me.
However, my real issue is the idea that I will be written a PDP and sent to professional development classes if my students get below 70% on our benchmarks. I teach first grade and many of my students still need to be taught how to count past 9, but they are expected to compare graphs in the third week of school. My pre-test average was 40%. If my students make significant progress, I count that as success. I have also noticed that the 40% pre test score is high. I watched students make guesses and I had one student make 80% just guessing. How valid is the benchmark? I am not allowed to use the benchmark as a test grade later (per Beasley) because it should be considered a formative assessment to guide my instruction. But it can be used to judge me and my teaching ability. I have no problem with central office staff visiting my room to make sure I am teaching the standard, engaging my students etc. If I am not, then I would accept being written up. But for me to go into a learning environment where many students are already struggling, where I work twice as hard as I would in another are where first graders come to school at standard, and then being written up for my efforts is troubling. I am getting my professional portfolio and resume ready for next year.
To Anon, 8:27 that said:
What is new is that they changed the calendar at the last minute. And they added 7 days to the already established critical days! They did a sham teacher survey and disregarded it to come up their silly calendar creation. The furlough days could have easily been overlain onto Federal holidays or connected to Thanksgiving, Spring Break instead scattering them them to the 4 winds.
August 21, 2010 8:27 PM
Yes I do agree that the furlough days could have been better selected. Such as giving us the entire week off at Thanksgiving (this is what Gwinnett is doing). However, many of them do coincide with other holidays. Such as the one in September which is the Friday before Labor Day and the one in October which is the Friday prior to Columbus Day. What is really going to hurt is the furlough that is the day after winter break. We have previously had this day as a teacher workday so that we could get things ready for Semester 2. Now that day is gone and it will be tough. However, regardless of when they are the days before and days after would still be critical days.
Some DCSS views from South DeKalb:
http://southdekalb.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/education-fail/
http://southdekalb.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/accreditation-agency-wants-to-talk-with-dekalb-schools/
My favorite:
"DeKalb school board; of, for, and by the idiots"
http://southdekalb.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/dekalb-school-board-of-for-and-by-the-idiots/
@8:25 who said, "I'm also concerned by rumors I'm hearing from former colleagues who are now in administration. Is it true Dr. B. is going to "vet" all promotions based on teacher data? What data would that be? Is it based on how many of our students passed the CRCT or GHSGT? In our current climate of having SACS review us, is this the time for a single administrator to take over the hiring practices that have been done by committee decision? As I understand it a committee will still be used to make recommendations, but then Dr. B. will make the final choice. Does that mean he will attend all of the interviews and be part of the committee? Will he look at the recommendations after the fact and decide? Does he not trust the committee members to make the best choice? Does he not think human resources is capable of handling the hiring process? "
Dr. B is the 'interim' Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, at least for the next 8 months. Whether he continues in that position will up to the new superintendent. How many teacher promotions occur over the course of a school year? Given the focus on instruction and making AYP, do you really think many people would be impacted by this?
Take a deep breath.......
Hey Dr. B! I am a DeKalb taxpayer.
There is no I in team, It's I who pays your salary.
There is a U in You, as in You work for me!
Dr. B. Do you understand? You work for the Dekalb taxpayer. I suggest you take a leave of absence from your other two jobs. If not, then resign. We need your full focus on DCSS and someone to help build it back up, not tear it down.
@ANON 9:08
I'm not worried for me - I'm committed to remaining in the classroom for the rest of my years. I love my students (not my job).
That being said, there are a few open administrator positions from the firings and demotions as of late. And one of the big 7 things that SACS is looking into is hiring policies. So, yes, I do think this is a huge deal because SACS affects us all. So do the appointment of adminstrators who are friends of Beasley.
And if he goes unchecked for the next 8 months are we sure he won't be given the job permanently or offered the superintendent's job?
I wish all we had to do was listen to his 3 hour sermon during teacher workday. Instead we were in meetings Friday from 8:00 to 3:30, with an hour for lunch. So we had a day and a half to prepare our rooms. One of the first things our principal told us was "teaching is not an 8 to 5 job". Another words, you have so much to do this year don't expect to be able to do it during normal work hours.
The problem that I see with sending lesson plans to the central office is a duplication of jobs. In the past the APs and DCs were responsible for reading the lesson plans. I assume that they will continue to do that. However 6500 lesson plans are being sent to the central office. How many staff at the CO are emplpoyed to read those plans? Wouldn't it be more effective if the Central Office concentrated on targeted schools that seem to need more help?
@10:04 who said, "And if he goes unchecked for the next 8 months are we sure he won't be given the job permanently or offered the superintendent's job? "
Again, take a step back. Given the current climate, do you think anyone will be able to do things unchecked? I'd like to believe the various teacher organizations will give him some leeway but if he goes overboard, they will run to Richard Belcher before he knows what happens.
And no, Beasley probably will not be offered the job permanently. Any new superintendent will probably want to bring their own person for finance, HR, and instruction. Dr. Brown is the most recent example of that (coming from the outside).
Beasley will not be offered the superintendent job because citizens have already said they want an outsider without ties to the district. Unless they want an immediate recall, the Board will follow through on this.
@ Anonymous 10:10
"However 6500 lesson plans are being sent to the central office. How many staff at the CO are emplpoyed to read those plans? "
Well, that will certainly give all those Central office people something to do. I'll be they call that "job security".
If those 1,000 certified non-teaching "support" people really wanted to gain credibility, they would be modeling lessons every day for teachers in the schools. Don't ask me to do something you can't do. On the other hand, if you show me you can gain control of my classroom and engage them in a lesson, I would love to learn from you. Is Dr. Beasley going to have these Central Office personnel modeling lessons for teachers?
I'm a teacher at one of the AYP high schools in the county. On on hand, my lesson plans could be a bit more complete, but on the other hand with multiple preps, potentially 170 students (thankfully not there yet) and no assigned classroom, I have other things more important such as educating your children in the best way that I can ....while still maintaining a relationship with my family.If Dr. B wants to read my 1-2 page weekly plans for each class...fine, he's welcome to them. I just want to know, what does he want from all of this. To benefit the students by increasing rigor in the classroom? Excellent. Back me up when my grade distribution doesn't look too impressive. To keep SACS off our backs? Well I have mixed feelings on that. To pad his resume by claiming to turn DeKalb around.......what exactly is his motivation?
You know what's funny (funny sad not funny ha-ha)?
While our teachers are spending hours at home on nights and weekends with Beasley's and Audria Berry's nonsense work, he has plenty of time to work on his consulting/motivational speaker business and his church pastoring.
At least traveling out of the country on DCSS p-card is hopefully no longer an option.
YES, Beasley is trying to justify his job. Teacher after teacher sitting at computers LONG BEFORE school and LONG AFTER school just to fill out the mindless crap he sends as "required information" from the teachers to him. WHY??? Who the heck knows. What is the job of a teacher in DeKalb county today? NOT to teach, but to fill out the most disgusting "lesson plan" forms ever conceived by any person. Overtime pay? NOT ON YOUR LIFE.
ALL those people that were "fired" in May? Well, guess what, they were hired back by DeKalb. How do I know. Because EVERY school I have been in over the last two weeks has had most of it's "fired" employees back in place. Retired? No, they are back as well. The 27 Lewis "cabinet" members? Shifted around to other positions, but STILL WORKING for DeKalb. But we still have our damn pay cut, NO COST OF LIVING increase in YEARS. Why?? Because DeKalb mismanages it's money and the teachers don't say a word about it!!
Thanks, Ms. Tyson. From YOU, it's the same old same old. Lies. Hiring people YOU want to have. YOU are sitting at the BIG TABLE now, aren't you.
at Anon 10:29PM who said "Again, take a step back. Given the current climate, do you think anyone will be able to do things unchecked?".
Yes--they just did at Clarkston HS. They hired the unproven/untested daughter of Dr. Felicia Mayfield, a cabinet member. And they hired Dr. Beasley who does not have great AYP record when he was a principal.
Once again, we are defending our people even when they are wrong. We are putting more nails in the coffin of our youth.
@8:58 who said, "Yes--they just did at Clarkston HS. They hired the unproven/untested daughter of Dr. Felicia Mayfield, a cabinet member. And they hired Dr. Beasley who does not have great AYP record when he was a principal."
Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't unproven/untested principals been hired before? If all principals that are hired already have experience as a principal, then when do they get their first opportunity? Do you know anything about her qualifications? Several on the blog that know her spoke highly of her abilities yet you are not willing to take that into consideration? Seems like you are the one that is prejudging.
Also, Dr. Beasley served as Superintendent of Instruction in Port Arthur, TX. Does having experience qualify him for the same position here? Anyone know what Ms. Talley did before she served in that position? Did anyone question her qualifications
When people are wrong, they are wrong but you still have to provide proof that you are right. You have not done so. In fact, you come off sounding bitter rather than level headed.
Dearest Anon 9:19AM,
My statements are self-proven, you should reconsider yours below for the following reasons
"Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't unproven/untested principals been hired before?"
Yes---Often to disastrous results if you consider the current legal calamities crippling our school system. Yet the blatant appearance of nepotism compounds this awful business practice and robs the educational leader of legitimacy in the eyes/soul of the staff s/he is to lead. If all these nepotists are so highly qualified, they should have no problem securing comparable positions in Gwinnett, Cobb, or Fulton where they will bring glory upon their family lineage. You do recall that Dr. Brown's wife was a principal in APS, not in Dekalb County?
"Also, Dr. Beasley served as Superintendent of Instruction in Port Arthur, TX."
Following Dr. Johnny Brown (a relative or a protector--you no doubt know which--from whom you derive your powers from Alabama, Georgia, and Texas a resume does not strengthen in the non-Dekalb County regardless of ones real qualification. Like Ms. Jones, he should fly on his wings every so often to maintain credibility.
The term -published author- is not normally applied to self-published books. In his online resume, he does apply it thus remove last remaining leg of his exaggerated resume.17
Also, Dr. Beasley served as Superintendent of Instruction in Port Arthur, TX.
Johnny Brown is Beaseley's uncle.
Anon 9:19AM
For context and point of view, can you tell us if you are a board member, a cabinet member, a district-level administrator, an educational coach, a school administrator, a teacher who wants to move up, or a teacher who wants to stay a teacher?
You can't be defending the practice of Dekalb County so elegantly without being one of the beneficiaries of its largesse for your post was flawlessly written and reveals a depth of intelligence rarely seen at the district.17
The brand of nepotism practiced in Dekalb County (even we learned it from Freeman and Halford) does not only provide high paying jobs(that may be do-nothing jobs as well), it also allows for these nepotists to remain at their positions (some get promoted) even when they mismanage and/or misuse (see local and national news about Dekalb County Schools) their positions and harm the education of students we are to protect.17
Our Dekalb County is masterful at hiring the wrong people-- as evidenced by experience, ability, people skills, understanding of the mission.
They are even more masters at asking teachers (who clearly see the unavoidable and self-activated train wreck coming)to give the unqualified high administrators a fair shake. To give them a chance to get caught up only to have the teachers shouldering the blame and the punishment of the train wreck.17
EVEN MORE REASON to take education OUT of the hands of the failing government and make it all privately run... a BUSINESS if you will. In government education kids are taught from preK on through the system to be socialistic/communistic. Think about it. When little Sarah comes in the first day, what do the elementary teachers do with her school supplies? Everything gets dumped into a COMMUNE pile and everyone shares. Well, that's not fair to the parents that actually BUY school supplies. Missing a pencil? Get one from your neighbor. Don't be responsible for yourself. Can't make a B on a test? Cheat off your neighbor's paper. THAT is what is taught in government schools. If you think I'm telling lies, then you have not spent time in your kid's school.
Keys for Success in Dekalb Schools:
1. Get a higher degree online.
2. Self publish a book.
3. Join AKA
4. Join New Birth.
5. Use buzzwords.
6. Network with family and friends.
Keys for Success in Dekalb Schools:
1. Get a higher degree online (doesn't matter if it's a reputable university of a diploma mill like that one in Florida so many Central Office administrators favor).
2. Self publish a book (even if it's only 70 pages double spaced).
3. Join AKA / Be in the same fraternity a Crawford Lewis
4. Join New Birth. Work behind the scenes to make sure New Birth
gets rent money from DCSS.
5. Use buzzwords, even if you don't know what they need.
6. Network with family and friends. Promote a CTSS who wasn;t in his school for six months, but he's the son of a still powerful former BOE member. Where in the World are you, Jamal Edwards???
7. Be a principal who doesn't want to be in a school anymore working 60+ hours a week, so you kiss butt to the Central Office and you score a cushy admin office gig in which you have no experience in (see Director of Corporate Wellness, Director of Human Resources, Director of Sam Moss Center, the Athletic Director before the current one, Stan Pritchett making SPLOST decisions, etc., etc., etc.)
Where in the world is Jamal Edwards mommy? How does this woman remain in control? She doesn't even work for DCSS any longer. Ms. Tyson, you're being played by the same folks who threw Crawford under the bus. Beasley, Moseley, Turk, Mitchell-Mayfield, Thompson, Ramsey and Berry are playing you. You better firer them or you will find yourself being indicted next, for what? Who knows but these people are evil and have no business still being in power.
Second jobs for Beasely. I wonder if he is using the school's computer to write sermons or books. The county can check on this. They just need his I.P. address and they can go in there and do a check. His Blackberry is paid by the school. They should check his phone records too.
He is trying to justify his salary by giving us a lot of paperwork so that he will have more data.
Let teachers teach, Morcease and Audria. We have a lot of work to do one on one with students and as a class, not spending all our time with your nonsense:
On the NAEP math test last year, fourth-graders were asked to solve this equation: What is 301 minus 75?
The test offered four possible answers: a) 226, b) 235, c) 236 or d) 374.
Just 49 percent of Atlanta fourth-graders chose “a.” Fourth-graders did worse in only three other large cities: Detroit, Cleveland and Louisville, Ky.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/atl-superintendent-loses-shine-596875.html
I don't know a lot about Mr. Beasley, so I'm hoping someone here can fill in the blanks for me:
From all accounts, Mr. Beasley is relatively limited in experience, humility, and time available.
While he does meet the up or down miniumum qulaification for a top post in DCSS (skin color--there, I said it) so do a lot of people who are more qualified, so I have to think he must have "connections." Does anyone whose friend or family Mr. Beasley may be?
@ Anonymous 9:19
"Anyone know what Ms. Talley did before she served in that position? Did anyone question her qualifications"
I thought Lewis hired Gloria Talley to get help get DeKalb Schools through the SACS review. Gloria Talley was the Director of Project LEAD with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)in Atlanta, Georgia. SACS and the SREB are both accrediting agencies and overlap in many ways with common social ties.
One of her big initiatives with LEAD was to look for teachers who had leadership abilities and get them to come out of the classroom and into leadership positions. The Instructional Coach positions were established under Ms. Talley.
Ms. Talley taught a number of years ago according to her bio, but apparently not in Georgia. She does not have a Georgia certificate to teach (not even an expired one). However, she does have a certificate in Leadership.
I don't know if anyone challenged her qualifications. The BOE approved her to be in her position.
In answer to Anonymous 1:56, I read, either on this or in the AJC blog, that Beasley is the nephew of Johnny Brown. I think that he worked with him in Port Arthur, Texas. Thas is where Brown is now and that is where Beasley got his curriculum experience according to his resume on First Class. Right click on his name, click resume, and it is available.
@ Anonymous 1:56
Since we are now being open and honest, why don't we take it a step further? Part of the reason for the demise of DCSS is the increase of low income residents, mostly black and brown, throughout the district. When the City of Atlanta began eliminating their low income housing units and provided vouchers to those residents, many chose to come to DeKalb because of MARTA and continued access to Grady hospital. Add to that, all the low income/section 8 housing in the area made DeKalb that much more attractive.
Many of these new residents are in the situation they are in because of the choices they made in life. Most of their children are either in single parent households (usually headed by the mother) or with their grandparents. Not all are bad and some see a good education as an important way for their children to break the cycle of poverty. Regretfully they may have a different value system than most of us. Unfortunately many are in schools that don't make AYP or stress education the way ours do.
We don't want these children in our schools! Let's form new districts to formally separate ourselves and let them stay in their own schools! Its every resident for themselves.
Is this the opinion of most of this blog?
Why do some high schools and middle schools have no foreign language instruction, while the elementary magnet school has two educators for three hundred students? Does DCSS wish to leave our students behind while the nation moves towards an export based, international economy, as led by President Obama?
How about the following response to the "section 8 crowd," etc. A real discipline system with real consequences that force parents to pay attention. Competent administrators at the school level willing to enforce discipline. And, above all, "managers" who do not use the opportunities presented by a disadvantaged, disinterested, dysfunctional population to enrich themselves and their friends and family. Finally, while you're at it, revamp the pay system so that the people in the buildings are on top, not these buffons in the central office, which should be slahed by at least 60% (20 "transportation directors"!!!??? how many "directors" of hr, research, professional learning, and the list goes on ad nauseum).
Indeed multiple intelligences is an "older" learning theory which doesn't make it wrong. When I taught, I used it, but then I incorporated a lot of learning theory into my teaching.
Personally, I love Bloom's Taxonomy. If I had no other theory to teach by, that would be the one I would choose. The critical thinking skills that Bloom's encourages was proven to me over and over not just with my gifted students, but also with regular education students. My personal passion for Bloom's forced me to ensure I included the higher level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation in every lesson. When you are sold on something and excited about it, you don't need to be forced or policed. I'm glad I'm not still teaching. I would never take Bloom's out of my lesson plans. Dr. Beasley needs to figure out how to get teachers enthused about his ideas. It's analogous to teachers inspiring their students versus being the policeman in the classroom. A good policy for both teaches and their supervisors is to "be the guide on the side rather than the sage on the stage".
Here are some good articles to read about it's pros and cons of Multiple Intelligence Theory:
Pro and con:
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Multiple_Intelligences&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=24&ContentID=4583
Pro:
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm
Con:
http://lynnwaterhouse.intrasun.tcnj.edu/Selected%20Publications%20page%202009.htm
To the blogger who wrote:
"Where in the world is Jamal Edwards mommy? How does this woman remain in control? She doesn't even work for DCSS any longer. Ms. Tyson, you're being played by the same folks who threw Crawford under the bus. Beasley, Moseley, Turk, Mitchell-Mayfield, Thompson, Ramsey and Berry are playing you. You better firer them or you will find yourself being indicted next, for what? Who knows but these people are evil and have no business still being in power."
Truer words have never been spoken. How do they sleep at night? Do they read this blog? Do they even care one little bit about the masses at DCSS that are trampled on daily? It's amazing that Tyson doesn't see through them and why would she be willing to go down with them? She has an opportunity to follow the path less traveled and actually by doing so make a good name for herself. Ms. Tyson, if you don't do something that separates yourself from these Crawford cronies, you will be just another one of them.
Can someone get some data on the 10 principals that CL gave a $10,000.00 bonus check to last year for being "turnaround principals"? Lakeside's former principal was one of the recipients-how's it turning around at Lithonia? Druid Hills was one- how's it turning around at MLK?
A correction to my previous post.
Our Dekalb County is masterful at hiring the wrong people-- as evidenced by experience, ability, people skills, understanding of the mission--as train conductors.
They are even more masters at asking the passengers and crew (teachers, parents, and students who clearly see the unavoidable and suicidal train wreck coming)to give the unqualified train conductor a fair shake and a chance to show results.
When the inescapable and predicted train wreck happens, the crew (teachers) is blamed, an equally unqualified conductor is hired, and the reckless train conductor is promoted to supervise new train conductors.17
2:58--this is 1:56.
NO
THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT MY OPINION. Equating the obvious observation of racial, shall we say, imbalance, in hiring for top positions in DCSS with a desire to separate "brown and black" CHILDREN from others is a repulsive mischaracterization.
Grow up.
Why do some high schools and middle schools have no foreign language instruction
All high schools have foreign language instruction. Foreign langugage is a requirement.
AM WONDERING why in the world no one is responding to the fact that when dekalb school system "fired" or "retired" so many people in May AND CUT our pay.... WHY are all of these "fired" people still working for Dekalb school system? You should walk in the door of any school that lost employees and see for yourself that most... if not all... of these people still have a job. What the heck is going on??
http://www.authorhouse.com/
If you have a manuscript for a book and no bona fide publisher is picking your book, help is here.
Visit authorhouse.com and get it published for as low as $599. While on the site you will find amongst these wonderful titles (you really got to look to understand the situation) and authors (I don't think you will find anyone you have in school) there is our own Dr. B.s opus A Passion for Improving Schools: 12 Keys for Achieving and Sustaining Phenomenal School Improvement
I am most definitely leaving education all together. I would rather take my changes in the corporate world. As a contractor I can make twice the money and if I need to work over, I will be generously compensated. Not only does eSis not work properly,but the requirement of posting lesson plans on an email system is absolutely ridiculous. These people clearly have no sense of realworld IT operations. Database driven systems are designed to warehouse data. Email systems are designed for communication. Why waste any more of my time and education on a job that I will never be compensated enough to be able to pay off my student loans, let alone any other guilty pleasures like a dinner out at Taco Bell. I think that SACS needs to sack 'em all! Talk about incompetence. If they were in a corporate setting they would not last two days.
"WHY are all of these "fired" people still working for Dekalb school system? You should walk in the door of any school that lost employees and see for yourself that most... if not all... of these people still have a job. What the heck is going on??"
In my school we lost two people and they did not come back to our school this fall. One is working in another county and the other is also working, but I am not sure where. The people who got RIFed were told that they could reapply for their jobs with the school system. They had to file a new application, references, etc. They were put on a list. When an appropriate job became available, the school system hired off this list. Is there something going on behind the scenes to get former employees back on the job in their old schools? I have no idea.
I can only speak for some of the paras and clerical people. Everyone is not back. Because jobs opened up, some have been rehired. All of them were not able to return to their old school. Again, I am only speaking for paras and clerical people. For example, a para resigns after the school year begins. My principal then must accept a para from the Riffed list. A secretary at a certain level retires. Then that position can be filled by a secretary on the Riffed list at that same level. I do not know about the county level jobs. Perhaps someone else can speak to that. If someone lost a good staff member and a job opens up at the same school, I would imagine that any principal would try and get that person back.
Some people were riffed and were able to qualify for other jobs. Some were riffed and left the school system all together. They were fortunate to find other jobs.
Remember the salary cuts have impacted everyone. IF someone is making less that 30 thousand dollars a year, and they have their salary cut between 4 to 6.15 pecent and can make more money somewhere else, I feel most people will leave.
Classifed staff members are not under contract. Even some certified staff members are breaking their contracts and leaving.
Every school system did not cut salaries. There are many people in the DCSS that love their jobs. They will continue to hang in regardless. There are other people that will take the first opportunity that allows them to make a better salary. In these economic times you cannot blame them. From some of the comments on this blog, it appears that we are turning against each other. As long as that continues to happen, it will be hard for us to make advances.
If certain areas could form their own school district, I bet they would do it.
As long as the current leadership stays in place, I believe independent school districts are our only option. One day our BOE might actually find someone to be a Super who has NO ties to DCSS. Right now, everyone who was under Clew remains and I ask how could these people NOT know what Pope, Clew and Reid were doing? Moseley, Thompson, Ramsey and Turk had to know something. Hell, it was Turk who told Clew he couldn't use his Pcard and then turned around and approved his expenditures for the trips to the Bahamas and Reynolds Plantation. Plus, Turk had to know they WE (taxpayers) were paying to fix up the car that Clew was going to buy way below blue book value. They all have to go or it's business as usual.
It should also be noted that Cobb County RIFd over 700 teachers then turned around and hired most of them back. I don't think any teachers were a part of the RIF in DCSS. The only ones affected in the school house were paras, library clerks, and SROs.
I believe under the Fair Dismissal Act, if a like position becomes available it has be be offered to someone that was RIFd (assuming they reapplied with the school system).
It is hard to fathom that Marcus Turk didn't know what was going on given that he was controlling the purse. I wonder though if he was brought on board in his role solely because he could be controlled.... because he lacked appropriate experience and would not have the ability to shut such expenditures down (e.g. when K. Anderson was asking about them in the first place).
We don't want these children in our schools! Let's form new districts to formally separate ourselves and let them stay in their own schools! Its every resident for themselves.
Is this the opinion of most of this blog?
While that is an inflammatory statement, which I don't usually address, I have chosen to address it anyway.
The clarifications - bulleted here -
• The idea that offering a transfer to students at a "failing" school to a "passing" school is an ineffective solution. First, it only 'helps' the students who have parents with the ability to request and execute the transfer (as in - get your child there). Second, it puts undue strain on the "receiving" schools -- all of which are already severely over-crowded as well as in terrible structural shape.
• The idea that pooling all of the Title 1 funds earmarked for these "failing" schools into a central office staff of "supervisors" hired to simply implement a purchased program (ie: America's Choice) and monitor teacher's implementation details as minute as what teachers post on their bulletin boards is not an effective use of Title 1 Funds. These funds MUST be used to hire SUPPORT teachers in the classrooms, in the earliest grades, working one on one with students to ensure understanding in reading and math in order to be prepared for middle and high school.
• Changing grades, allowing multiple opportunities to turn in work, passing students who have not mastered a grade level and cheating in any way only harms the STUDENT. The student is the one who will go on and suffer throughout life with a sub-par education. Preparing students to be productive members of society - whether they are college-bound or workplace-bound, is Job #1 of a school system. If much of the system is failing at this mission, simply offering 'some' students the opportunity to jump to a better school in the system DOES NOT SOLVE ANYTHING. Yes, it temporarily helps those students who transfer, but it harms the students already attending the 'receiving school' and does absolutely nothing for those 'Left Behind'.
• Therefore, breaking the system into smaller systems would protect 'passing' schools from the responsibility of fixing what ails the other schools and place it exactly where it belongs - on our educational leaders. These leaders possess the tools and the money to get the job done - yet they are obviously incapable of doing so. Eliminating the easy out would force their hand and demand that they use these resources as they are intended - directly to help students.
We don't want these children in our schools! Let's form new districts to formally separate ourselves and let them stay in their own schools! Its every resident for themselves.
Is this the opinion of most of this blog?
Actually, this is funny. What you are saying is that in the case of those asking for a transfer - it's perfectly ok to be "every resident for themselves". Actually, I have NEVER heard a word of concern from those who take a transfer for their neighbors "Left Behind". On the contrary, these people take their transfer and RUN - never giving a thought to anyone else. ... However, if you are the school that has to take on hundreds more than your capacity, you are somehow bad for saying that you can't take on any more students - and made to look as if you are selfishly simply out to keep "others" away from your school.
These receiving schools are over-crowded by SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS due to transfers. How is this a good solution?
I think we need to hire Wendy and Tim and ask Turk and Ramsey to take a bow. Apparently, they have allowed the media to come in and clean house. All of us should applaud the media coverage that has exposed DCSS foolishness in hiring, stealing, and etc. Without the media coverage, this would still be happening. Now, the big whigs are trying to clean up their acts. Let us see what happens on the 27th with lying Butler and her sister. Let's see if DCSS will uncover all of her money schemes and send her packing. She stole from the children and is completely out of control.
Where exactly is 'Dr.' Beasley's PhD from?
I've been skimming this blog and don't see any reference to it's origin.
I'll check his web site.
My point is that a real PhD wouldn't make such an issue of the title.
Students want to know their teachers are capable and not just titled.
He's no role model for me if he can't actually lead. A title is not a good reason to follow anyone.
@ Anon 9:59: Have you never witnessed a board meeting? These people refer to each other as Dr. This and Dr. That to the point that I must conclude they really must think of themselves as brain surgeons. It's so self-aggrandizing, it makes me ill.
@ DeKalb Lifer 9:59 PM
Beasley says his Ed.D. (not a Ph.D.) comes from Samford University -- a mid-range Baptist-affiliated "university."
However, those educators and other I know with a real, high-quality doctorate are proud of their dissertations and are willing to share them for others to read.
That Beasley will not share his dissertation is a big red flag! How much do you want to bet that Beasley's dissertation is, word-for-word, his self-published book?
I am totally floored. I've been reading this blog consistently since last year and have yet to read any comments on the fact that Gloria Talley did NOTHING regarding instruction AT ALL for the 5 or so years she had the job. In fact up until last year I didn't even know what her voice sounded like because she never addressed the teachers. Furthermore I find it quite suspect that as long as there was a system in place that allowed those schools that were flourishing to continue, by writing their own curriculum and doing what worked for their student body, but kept it's foot on the necks of the underperforming schools mandating that they use failing programs such as America's Choice, Springboard, block scheduling, as well as that stupid Math Expressions adoption, all was well in the world. The only crime I see Dr. Beasley may be guilty of is taking the "instructional secrets" out of the closet of those performing schools and mandating that these research based practices be used throughout the district in an attempt to bring some equity to the educational process for both the north and the south ends of the county. It's time to bring equity to the distribution of quality teachers,to quality programs, as well as quality of instruction, cause believe it or not the number of gifted and capable students does not magically disappear south of 285. Dr. Beasley is about everything I learned in undergrad; research based practices and processes and TEACHING. No longer are teachers going to be patted on the back when they say "I don't know what happened. I taught the material". Teaching will be evident in the outcome. Poor teachers will no longer be paseed around to schools that can least afford to have them,nor administrators for that matter.
Again, I am just flabbergasted at the fact that not one person question the qualifications of Ms. Talley. No one asked to see her thesis nor her certification as she sat for 5 years doing NOTHING!!!But now that there is a person who is perhaps over zealous in his approach,but has been willing to admit this flaw several times as he has extented extensions to just about every deadline, he is truly interested in seeing the instructional quality of this school system improve. By the way I never heard Gloria Talley admit error in any way shape or form and she should have written a letter of apology to every k-5 student who had to endure that horrendous Math Expressions adoption...instead she chose to ignore the pleas of the teachers and defend not only that lousy adoption but the haphazard way training was provided. Was she soo good for the district? Hmmmm let's see what's the difference between these two people, besides the obvious?
How much do you want to bet that Beasley's dissertation is, word-for-word, his self-published book?
I don't think you'll find many to take you up on your bet.
Anon 10:51PM
Too many red herrings in your post. People can speak up because of the AJC and local news stations.
1. Good teachers are not exclusively above 285. Teachers in the South have the same credentials as in the North.
2. No one thought G. Talley qualified. She was co-opted from SACS or HSTW by Crawford Lewis to provide cover. I think Halford or Brown hired someone from Kaplan to write curriculum for cover as well.
3. In so-called high performing schools, teachers do not write lesson plans and do not get bullied.
If we swapped the staff of a high performing school with that of a low performing school, the results would be the same if the low performing school principal had the good sense of letting teachers teach. The student body has a lot more to with school success than anything else but bleeding heart liberals, republicans, and libertarian can't admit it out of guilt or hope17.
@ Anonymous 110:51 pm
You obviously didn't read any of my posts or many others either concerning Ms. Talley. No one gave Gloria Talley a pass for scant experience in the classroom and not involving teachers, and Dr. Beasley will not get a pass either.
Teachers in high performing schools are complaining as well. I used to serve those schools as they despised Springboard.
Please reference just a few of hundreds of comments regarding Ms. Talley's performance:
"Gloria Talley is not only the third highest paid employee in DCSS, her army of instructional coaches are all highly paid, even though some have only a few years of teaching experience. You have Talley's staff bossing around teachers who've been in the classroom for decades."
"What the heck does DCSS Internal Affairs head ROn Ramsey do when he's not down at the Gold Dome? When Atherton's scores went up so high, where was Gloria Talley, Bob Mosley, C Lew, etc.??? '
"Who decides an educational specialist is an expert? Gloria Talley came to DCSS as an expert educational specialist. How's that worked out for us? So many educational experts have not seen a classroom in decades, rather they have concentrated on their degrees and career opportunities. I'm pretty wary of the educational experts.'
Read on and on and on and on.....
Anonymous 10:29am
I happen to be a teacher that does all of the things that Dr. Beasley has asked for. Somehow I was able to do it more efficiently and in less time prior to his input. I appreciate his efforts if not his methods. Teacher input is a must to be successful and I cannot see where he has had true and honest input. I differentiate continually for my students, yet central office doesn't seem to want to do the same. I have children in the system and have taught here many years.Yes, there are teachers who lacked planning and professionalism. These regulations would have been a fine start in helping those teachers become successful in their classrooms. I question the need for the regulations to be handed down in a wholesale manner as though we were all failing at our jobs. Yes, your colleagues are angry about many things, but this situation is a large part of the anger.I will leave you with the part of this situation that is the most disconcerting for me. I have always loved my job and have given my students fun and fulfilling experiences, but I have heard in more than one meeting, I don't have to do it here!
Until students are held accountable for their learning and behavior (which includes turning work in, receiving zeros when earned,coming to school/class on time, behaving with respect towards all, etc) our schools will not improve. Beasley, and the lot of hack administrators that DCSS currently has can give teachers tons of paper work, students lots of benchmarks, and have teachers look at data until their eyes bleed. Until we have schools that require students to do what is necessary to learn and have buildings that are working and cleaned in a way that promote learning, DCSS will never get any better.
Beasley isn't man enough to address the real problems and instead is perpetuating the problems that have plagued DCSS for years and continue to get worse.
Anon 10:51, you simply can't have been reading this blog for a year and have missed the literally hundreds of criticisms of Gloria Talley and her army of instructional supervisors. Don't believe me? There's a search bar on the side panel just above the Recent Comments. Type in "Gloria Talley" and see what you get.
We are - if nothing else - equal opportunity critics here.
To August 21, 2010 5:46 PM
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
All my AP said to my query about the plans I already wrote and experiments I already prepared was "We will now be teaching in this order due to the upcoming benchmarks." I wanted to say thanks for the homework!
To Dr. Beasley:
I don't know much about your background but it does sound to me that you have been challenged by the bloggers on this site to be much more than the DCSS status quo. If it is possible you should "man up" and do the right thing for the students, parents, tax payers, teachers and staff of this county. If you truly are a man of faith and an educational leader you will do what many in DCSS have not done, stand on the principals that are right, for no other reason than because it is the right thing to do. I dare you to prove your critics wrong.
No I have been reading for over a year and the comments regarding Talley really only critisized the Instructional Coaches. No one dared question her credetials to the magnitude that Dr. Beasley's credentials are being questioned. I mean we literally had no curriculum for 5 years, no standards for anything, lesson plans, data, teacher quality nothing. Furthermore if everyone knew she was unqualified and only brought i to help DeKalb meet SACS requirements, where were the pitchforks and torches leading her out of town when the SACS review was over. I'll tell you because her incompetence did not affect those trophy schools that I read so much about on this blog. Her incompetence truly affected those underperforming schools that needed to remain that way in order to justify the Instructional Coach positions. Yeah I've read those comments about Ms. Talley but they were no where near as venomous as what's being written about Dr. Beasley.
Anon 2:58pm "We don't want these children in our schools! Let's form new districts to formally separate ourselves and let them stay in their own schools! Its every resident for themselves.
Is this the opinion of most of this blog?"
Legend has it there are two places where you can find all children above average, of homogeneous culture and mostly white - Lake Woebegone or in our area private schools. You may find more of what you looking for in one of these venues.
Hey 11:25 -
As a teacher at one of those high-performing schools, I can assure you that we're getting the same pressures and bullying that everyone else is. No one is immune these days, even if you made AYP and then some.
Anon 12;27PM, you said it quite succinctly! It is interesting how Ms. Talley has gotten a pass for what has happened to many schools over the past 5 years. No, the venom regarding Dr. Beasley is unprecedented.
One blogger believes he should be ordered to post his dissertation so they can validate is qualifications. Next they will hand him a jar to make sure he passes a drug test. Did they ask this of Dr. Hallford who got stopped for a DUI?
It is pretty apparent where and who the venom is being directed.
I don't want a drug test for Beasley. I would just like to know how Dr. B got his job. Plus, I lost respect for this guy when he sent the email to teachers that said...
"There is no I in Team, but there is a U in UNemployment.? Huh? How can teachers show a man respect for that kind of threat?
Talley might not have been the best but one thing is for sure, she knew what was coming down the path and she resigned weeks before the real trouble began for DCSS. She also hung in there until the end of the school year.
I lost respect for Dr. B, when I read that he had two other jobs, his quote etc.. I would prefer, in this current environment that we have somebody focused on the education of our kids, not on his consulting business, church and our school district.
So stop with your allegations of drug tests etc.... We jujst want the transparency that the BOE and Ms. Tyson promised. I think most would prefer a people to be hired that have NO history in our system.
I also believe the Dr. B and Moseley are setting up Ms. Tyson, I wish I had proof but there are things that are just not right.
If you reas this website since its beginning, you'd seen hundreds of negative comments about Gloria Talley. She was incredibly dismissive to teachers and treated them like second class citizens. If Beaseley is getting harsh criticism, there are two reasons: He came in guns ablazing with the attitude that we don't have top teachers in this school system and everyone has to do things his way or else, even though he had limited teaching experience, even if
if it means hours and hours of nonsense paperwork and listening to him spout off buzz words which he doesn't even to seem to comprehend.
The other reason Beaseley is causing so much consternation is that we are sick and tired of the Central Office's domineering ways and failure to learn from its mistakes. Beasley is the nephew of Johnny Brown. We can't find a Chief Learning Officer without any previous ties to the system? DO we constantly have to have power hungry Central Office administrators who would never consider to include our teachers and parents on a committee or survey group with some real advisory weight?
Also, any reasonable adult would ask questions on how Beaseley's side business and church pastorship affects his available time and commitment to his DCSS position. His is not a40 hour per wek position.
The outroar over Beaseley has nothing to do with his skin color. Overwhelming the comments on this blog post have been thoughtful and legitmate, with only a few out of line and uncalled for.
as a teacher in dekalb for almost 20 years, i can say that anytime an administrator piles on the paperwork - well, that should be a big red flag for any concerned parent or educator that the priority is not education but justification - whether it is for high paid positions, state and federal inspectors, or just ego gratification. no matter the reason, the paper-pushing is time-wasting and takes away from genuinely planning and preparing to teach classes. i spent 2 and a half hours doing lesson plans last week for this week - and i am already behind on grading my students' essays. but, that goes with the ongoing dekalb motto: whatever you're doing, it's wrong. and i have seen nothing yet that says beasley will be good for us.
"The outroar over Beaseley has nothing to do with his skin color. Overwhelming the comments on this blog post have been thoughtful and legitmate, with only a few out of line and uncalled for. "
Remember these statements,
Keys for Success in Dekalb Schools:
1. Get a higher degree online.
2. Self publish a book.
3. Join AKA
4. Join New Birth.
5. Use buzzwords.
6. Network with family and friends.
August 22, 2010 11:17 AM
While he does meet the up or down miniumum qulaification for a top post in DCSS (skin color--there, I said it) so do a lot of people who are more qualified, so I have to think he must have "connections." Does anyone whose friend or family Mr. Beasley may be?
August 22, 2010 1:56 PM
While some statements may not have been as direct as these, there has been a STRONG inference in most posts about the true concerns of many. It is interesting how so many KNOW what he is about however I bet most of those folks have not spoken to him. Do the comments he made at the ODE meeting on Thursday mean anything?
Yes, it is reasonable to ask about Dr. Beasley's time committment to this job. Strange asking that of a pastor given their oath to serve on behalf of the greater community but that does not take away the legitimacy of the request. Is he a full time pastor with a physical church or one that ministers by his conduct? I don't know.
I know many educators that sold Amway on the side as a means to make a little extra money and it did not take away from their committment to their job. Again, a reasonable question to ask on this.
To ask that he show you his dissertation is overboard and unreasonable.
i think it is perfectly acceptable to ask to see his dissertation; one of my former fellow teachers at my school asked me to proofread his phd. dissertation. it was a mess. i would not have given it a good grade in my class; however, he was awarded his phd. and insisted that we all call him dr., and he got the according raise. apparently with enough money and connections, anyone can get a phd. kind of devalues the degree, i think. therefore, i view anyone's phd. with a grain of salt until i can hear them talk, seem them in action, and, if possible, get a good look at their dissertation.
I believe in my heart that Beasley is gunning for the Superintendent position. Why else would he come back from Texas to become a principal? I do not have any proof of my feelings, but my gut tells me something is not right.
Teachers have always had to give their lesson plans to the AP and/or principal. The lesson plan format has changed several times in the 3 years that I worked for DCSS from 8/2007-5/2010. More detailed lesson plans do not equate good teaching. Teaching what is in your lesson plan on that particular day is not necessarily good teaching, if your are allowing teachable moments to pass and not helping children achieve mastery.
Our schools are failing our children, because administration doesn't care that the children have mastery or a true understanding of anything. They only care that the children have been exposed. Only giving the children exposure, sets them up for lacking skills in later grades. This is one problem with our math program. Children don't really understand the basics, so the more difficult math becomes even harder.
My problem with what is going on in DCSS, is that we are not addressing the real issues:
1. School discipline
2. Giving children the grades that they earn
3. Requiring work to be turned in on time
4. Over crowded classrooms and schools.
5. Lack of text books
6. Not having high enough expectations
7. Administrators with not enough teaching time to understand how effective teachers teach and effective schools run
It seems that when there were more schools making AYP, having the choice to transfer from a non-passing school to a passing school was more feasible. However, from listening to a number of educators it would be more difficult for schools to continue to make AYP with each passing year given the increasing thresholds. Therefore, those in charge should have realized that the transfer option would become problematic at some point and should have planned for this time.
One of the things they could have done – i.e., SHOULD have done – is to do what was necessary to improve the schools that were not passing. Rather than purchasing canned packages that did not have a proven track record or did not generate favorable results in other school districts, and instead of non-value-added tasks that were designed to justify some of the created “friends and family” positions, they should have allowed the administrators and teachers in those schools more flexibility in determining what would be more effective in EDUCATING their students (not just insure that students receive a diploma or pass a test). They should have allowed more discretion (within boundaries) in how to discipline at their schools so that the “few” students who seem to have free reign to be disruptive will not impede the education of the “many” who want to learn. And they should not allow the “few” parents to buck the rules that were put in place for the benefit of the entire school/system; thus hindering the teacher’s ability to teach. [Most teachers give a syllabus at the beginning of the semester which parents are asked to sign stating that they understand the rules and requirements of the class. A teacher should be able to enforce these rules and the exception should be for legitimate reasons.]
Another option they could have planned for would be to establish (a) choice school environment(s) in one of the many buildings that are currently being unused. Better yet, the money used for the renovation of the Taj Mahal could have gone far in setting up a school such as this. The requirements to remain in these schools should be strict and enforced. As with magnet/theme schools parents and students should sign contracts and the student can be sent back to his/her home school if they do not adhere to the rules.
Most parents who want transfers are hoping to move their children to a different environment. Of course, they look at the schools that have a reputation for quality education (as defined by test scores, graduation rates, college admittance, etc.). So when the transfer becomes an annex at a school in the same environment that they are trying to "escape", of course they are not happy.
By the same token, schools should not be overly taxed to accommodate the poor planning by those in charge. Schools and communities are within their rights to try to maintain the standards that have given them the positive reputation they have.
This poor planning helps to validate the question of whether the right, most qualified people available have been put in leadership positions or whether it was just a matter of who you know. It’s obvious that some in those positions wanted to do what was easiest and took the least amount of work to make their over-priced salaries. It also validates people’s desire to break up the county into smaller systems or establish independent school districts. That way, people will have more assurance (hopefully) that those in leadership positions will work in the best interest of their community. (They would no longer be able to pit one area against another to justify their inaction and ineffectiveness.)
1. School discipline
2. Giving children the grades that they earn
3. Requiring work to be turned in on time
4. Over crowded classrooms and schools.
5. Lack of text books
6. Not having high enough expectations
7. Administrators with not enough teaching time to understand how effective teachers teach and effective schools run
That's the best thing ever written on this blog. It's not about race. Our current set-up is all about justification for thousands of non-teaching managerial positions. Look at those 7 points above. DCSS has so lost its focus. There is more than enough money in the budget. But there isn't will and intestinal fortitude in the Central office to return to basics and stop with the fluff nonsense.
One reason I think Beasley has been so heavily critiqued is that he has done something that Talley never did; self-promote. Any time you put out glowing reports of yourself all over the internet, people are going to question you. He does seem to have his finger in many pots. I'm not certain he's devoted to anything more than his own career advancement.
Why do our leaders think Beasley is so great? Because his website says so!
Truthfully, most of us are very disappointed that here we had the first opportunity to replace a high level administrator with someone from 'somewhere else' with years of experience in this position, and a proven track record of success - and yet, once again, we end up with what looks like another ultimate insider.
Cere,
I also believe that the community wants someone in these top positions that is focused on the school district, not his own endeavors of writing books, helping other schools, running a ministry, etc all on top of having a family.
Anyone in the top positions should expect critical eyes and questions. The public wants better schools for all of our children and are tired of more of the same nonsense that will not show results.
Rubish....teachers read, sleep, and eat accountability. This is just another way to have tons and tons of paperwork reflect what is ALREADY available in the different checks and balances systems of DCSS. Here's an example of his redundancy...list the students' Lexile score using testing data. Check the ESIS under other features and in the Standarized Testing section you will find the necessary data. Why does it have to go unto paper?????? Aren't we on an initiative to go GREEN in DCSS? Baldardash on what's going with TEACHING and LEARNINg. I think the entire dept (including School Improvement) needs to be revamped and decreased in unnecessary positions that demand these huge salaries. Now, on to another pressing issue...we were just informed that the days before Furlough Days will be considered be counted as CRITICAL DAYS. This is insane. We did ask for the days but now they are to be counted as a holiday. Give me a break. This needs to be addressed because it is another slash at the employees of DCSS!!!
If educators were compensated more for the job they do, they wouldn't feel the need to get additional degrees and/or side jobs to make more money. Interestingly Nightline did a story on diploma mills last week and how many times, they don't provide the return on investment most are seeking. This is the system we have in place because of our value to teachers.
It is fair to say that IF salaries for teachers were higher, perhaps some that majored in the sciences or business would consider teaching as a career. This could enlarge the pool of teaching candidates and also cull the herd of weak teachers (we know they exist) because the talent pool is greater.
Dr. Beasley has a website like many people in this country. Does he ask people to call him Reverend or Pastor at the job? Does he wear his faith and religion on his sleeve during the work day. Does he try to promote his business during the work day? Can anyone out there give definite answers to these because I don't know but would assume that he does not.
If someone can prove me wrong with facts, I can change my stance. I'm willing to give the benefit of doubt. He's been in his position for less than 2 months and has been vilified as the next coming on Ghengis Khan by some on this blog. Can you honestly say he's done that much in less than 2 months?
People question Beasley and what he is doing because he has taught for 3.5 years. He has been a principal of a school in DCSS that has not made AYP for the two years that he was principal. He does not have the technical experience to do his job. He has followed Brown around the country and we are tired of riff raff.
In Texas, the teachers complained about the excess paper work there and we are seeing it here. Teachers have more students and much less time and more paper work this year.
The benchmarks that he is having the teachers use (unless they were rewritten over the summer) are worthless in telling a teacher anything, let alone if a child understands the material. They are poorly written and meaningless.
Teachers are tired of knowing that what they are doing is not helping the children.
AMEN!
Two questions:
1) This Friday is the hearing for the principal from Browns Mill, Yvonne Brown and her book sales. Does anyone know where and when this is going to take place?
2) Does DCSS publish a proposed agenda for their upcoming BOE meetings? What time and where are the meetings?
I would like to attend the next meeting on September 7th.
Did anyone read that Fulton County schools are accepting Charter school applications this weekend?
Interesting change for a county in this state that is fighting school choice so vehemently.
We try to maintain a list of meetings on this blog. Click on the little icon on the right side panel that says "Mark Your Calendar". The actual agendas aren't usually sent out until the day before the meetings. We try to share those on the Calendar link as well.
For instance, this morning's meeting looked interesting. Was anyone able to attend and give a report? This was the agenda -
B. DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. Purchasing Policy, Descriptor Code DJE
Presented by: Mr. Marcus Turk, Chief Financial Officer
2. PreK Policy (new policy)
Presented by: Dr. Morcease Beasely, Deputy Superintendent, Teaching & Learning
3. Professional Learning Policy, Descriptor GAD
Presented by: Dr. Morcease Beasely, Deputy Superintendent, Teaching & Learning
4. Proposed New Policies
Presented by: Alexander & Associates
a. Ethics Policy for Employees
b. Whistleblower Policy
c. Conflict of Interest
5. SACS Response Timeline
6. Next Steps
"His first job is to make sure the members of the classroom (i.e. teacher and students) have the best possible environment. He should be discussing the impact of non-working air conditioning, dust particles in the air (we have many children with asthma in the worst situations with dust mold and mildew), overcrowded classrooms, low teacher morale, students without books, etc. on student achievement." This is certainly someone's job-but it is not Beasley's. He does not supervise the people who can fix the ac, order the books, make the schedules. Those responsiblities are in support services and the area superintendent's. Change is hard. Asking all teachers to have a lesson plan and post it is not unreasonable. Asking teachers to pretest their students and work on their weaknesses and test them to see if it worked is not unreasonable. Asking that teachers actually get to use their planning period for planning is not unreasonable. Doing it the same old way based on our results is unreasonable.
Anyone who takes the time to look will notice that the "failing" schools are almost all also Title 1 schools.
Asking for Title 1 funds to be spent on support teachers in the schoolhouse who can work directly with students one-on-one to increase reading and math understanding in the early grades is certainly not unreasonable.
This is one very big change to the way we currently do things that would have an enormous impact on student success.
Simply sending some of the students from "failing" schools to "passing" schools will not fix the problems. In fact, eventually it will only make all schools qualify for Title 1. Lakeside, for instance, has had such an increase in Title 1 students that the school is only about 175-180 students away from being declared a Title 1 school.
Son of awcomeonnow's reply to Cere:
"Lakeside has seen such an increase in Title 1 students, for instance that it's only 175-180 students away from Title 1 status".
And you think this might be a coincidence? How much closer is Druid Hills to Title 1 status after they received their AYP dump?
Dunwoody? Chamblee?
Please......
reiterate:
Contact Senator Grassley's office regarding Title
1 fraud!
If we get enough persons here to do so, then maybe we'll get some action on this topic.
I just received this from a parent at Chamblee Charter High School.
There will be a Community Meeting at Chamblee Charter High School TOMORROW night, Tuesday, August 24, at 6:00 pm to discuss the situation regarding student transfers.
We have been told that Bob Moseley, the Deputy Chief Superintendant, and other DCSS officials will be there.
Apparently CCHS was just notified of this meeting this morning and are relying on parents to get the word out.
Please come and show your support for Chamblee Charter High School!
My paperwork is really nothing new. All he wants us to do is send it to a location in FC where he can see it. Takes two seconds really.
The multiple intelligences test will be coming soon. No instruction on that day I assume in my classroom.
I have heard mixed things about this guy, but my thing is that its sure hard to be a pastor, but a T&L administrator too? Wow! I wonder what he does best?
The meeting tomorrow at CCHS with Bob Moseley has been canceled. Stay tuned for further developments!
When Beasley's people come into the classrooms, they need to make a call to the service center when they see how hot and miserable the room are and the air conditioners dripping. I am sure that is not important to them because they are nice and cool at their new offices!
I am a teacher. I am a good teacher - judging on test scores, in an inclusion classroom, heavily ELL, economically disadvantaged, or in a regular ed classroom with affluent students - and also judging on parent surveys, past students doing well in middle/high school, etc. I plan in great detail and with much passion for planning. I disaggregated my scores before it was popular here in DCSS. I've written test questions for grades 3 and 5 in math and reading for the state of NC, and helped revise the NC pacing chart for math in grades 3-5. I know my material (arrogant as I sound); and love my profession. I say all this to let you know that I'm not some whiner writing to complain. I am very concerned with the state of mathematics teaching in our county.
If one looks with care at DCSS elementary pacing and the benchmark tests (even those that were rewritten), one finds MANY problems. The 5th grade math is a joke. We were told to teach the State Frameworks (not a bad idea if explicit instruction is added and they are taught in a logical order). The first Framework focuses on graphing and mean/median/mode/range and the state says it should last 4 weeks. But the pretest for this unit has 3 out of 10 questions that concern graphing, etc. The other 7 concern circle graphs/percents (which need to be taught with decimals), algebra, and multiplication of decimals. This is all before whole numbers and place value are taught. So DCSS is telling us to spend 4 out of the 6 weeks in a Benchmark period teaching 30% of the material on a test. Hmmm....are scores going to be good?
I have asked for guidance from our Instructional Coaches (that famous 48 hour reply rule to all emails apparently only applies to teachers) and received none. I have thought about moving ahead with place value, etc., but then I'm shorting my students because they will just be confused by the skimming over of graphing concepts. This is madness. If DCSS parents want scores to rise (not to mention mathematical understanding improving), then they need to speak out at BOE meetings about the people who make up Benchmarks and Pacing charts. I have complained and complained and been told to be quiet. The logical teaching order of elementary math is not hard to comprehend - National Council for Teacher's of Mathematics is a good place to start to look for help. But as one Central Office person (who made suggestions during the rewrite) told me, "What's NCTM?"
Our school system is shamefully lacking in basic understanding of what good mathematics teaching encompasses. And I doubt that things are getting better. Gwinnett, or Fulton, or Marietta City, here I come! (As soon as someone's hiring.)
If taxpayers didnot have the blog or contact info for the media then DCSS's corruption would go on and on. So, how can DCSS implement a whistleblower policy ? The last time I checked, this was the United States and we do have freedom of speech the last time I read my history book. Just wondering how can you stop people from giving their views. People talk about views on television and even share information on cooporations not following guidelines. If a lawyer is somewhere around, can DCSS stop people from talking or sharing information to the public?
I've been looking at the benchmarks for Economics - none of the concepts that are taught in Economics are taught in other social studies courses in high school. How the heck are the pretests even valid? If students get any right, it was a lucky guess. Right now, I've given the one pretest, but no one has trained anyone in my department how to access the data once the benchmarks are scanned. On top of everything else, the benchmarks waste so much paper and ink to print. Last year, I developed a benchmark form that had all six tests on one sheet of paper (one page for pretest one for posttest). Now I have four times the paperwork - and if a student doesn't show up, I have wasted scantrons because they are pre-personalized for the students.
Dr. Morcease Jamar Beasley
Certification ID: 615163
Exceptional Child Course: Yes
The educator's certification level is 7 effective 07/01/2009.
Fields in strikeout font with a dark grey background have expired. If all fields have expired, the certificate has expired.
Type Field First Issued Current Issued Begin Validity End Validity
L EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (P-12) [FLD704] 07/19/2007 07/19/2007 07/01/2007 06/30/2012
L EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (P-12) [FLD704] 05/15/2003 05/15/2003 07/01/2002 06/30/2007
Clear Renewable certificates are issued to eligible individuals who have met all requirements for professional certification. Refer to Rule 505-2-.03 for information on Clear Renewable certificates. Clear Renewable certificates may be renewed by earning 6 semester hours of acceptable college credit or 10 Georgia Professional Learning Units (PLUs) or 10 approved Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and completion of a criminal record check. Refer to Rule 505-20.24 for information on renewal requirements.
CL EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (P-12) [FLD704] 08/30/2002 08/30/2002 07/01/2002 06/30/2003
I don't see anything that says teacher. Just leadership.... If, perhaps, he had the teacher certificate in addition to the leadership, I would buy in some more. As it stands, however, he cannot legally do my job. How does he know how to do it better than me?
@ Anonymous 10:17
"I don't see anything that says teacher. Just leadership.... If, perhaps, he had the teacher certificate in addition to the leadership, I would buy in some more. As it stands, however, he cannot legally do my job. How does he know how to do it better than me? "
He cannot teach in Georgia - only supervise teachers. Neither could his predecessor Gloria Talley. She only held/holds a Leadership degree in the state of Georgia. Rather insulting to teachers.
@ 11:51 AM The classroom environment totally coincides with what takes place as far as instruction in the classroom, so maybe it is not his department, but he should be concerned about it. How can a teacher provide good instruction if the teacher and students are dripping with sweat, or sick from the poor air quality caused by dust and mold? How can a teacher teach, if the children do not have text books? How can a teacher teach, when classrooms are over crowded and students are sitting on floors due to lack of chairs/desks or so crowded that no one can walk around the room?
These incidents that you claim are not Beasley's problem, really are, as they impact instruction just as much as teacher quality. If he doesn't care about these things or won't help teachers to improve the experience in the classroom, than he cannot hold teachers accountable for what takes place in their rooms. As they cannot do their job well to the best of their ability under sub par conditions.
@ Anonymous 11:51
"This is certainly someone's job-but it is not Beasley's. He does not supervise the people who can fix the ac, order the books, make the schedules. Those responsiblities are in support services and the area superintendent's."
But anything pertaining to instruction is Dr. Beasley's job and the environment students are in every day is a critical component. I remember when "brain based learning" was the trend. The Instruction Dept. spent a lot of money sending trainers out to explain how soft lighting and sofas in the room were conducive to "brain based learning". What is the difference in that and going to Mrs. Tyson and saying that overcrowded, dirty, dusty, moldy, hot, cold, etc. classrooms impeded student achievement. if he doesn't tell her what facilitates and what impedes student learning, who will - the Service Center?
You do realize that he reports directly to the Superintendent (unlike his predecessor Ms. Talley who was not a direct report)? His job as Chief Learning Officer is to facilitate learning. Anything that gets in the way of student achievement is his responsibility.
We certainly spend a lot of money on Service personnel - they out number teachers. Why can't our students have clean, dust free environments? That is a huge problem.
Check out Chamblee High's major mold issue ... new air conditioning units and new chillers, but no new insulation. Moisture collecting, resulting in mold and slippery floors. Very toxic. Law suits waiting to happen ... reaping what's been sown. Life's cycle. All in due time.
Chamblee High was one of 4 schools that got a new AC system either at the end of SPLOST I or the beginning of SPLOST II.
The systems immediately were deemed unacceptable and the system switched to a different type of system for AC replacements moving forward. There was a fair amount of money allocated to those schools for some type of fixes but clearly not enough. I think the problem is in the piping, lack of insulation, etc. Not a small problem.
In typical DCSS fashion, no acknowledgment has ever been made that perhaps these systems should have been replaced.
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