Having done his job well, Mister M's students excelled on the high-stakes State exam. The mentor was rewarded with a pink slip and praise for a job well done. He was told his work was excellent. However, with the term at an end, the school no longer needed to fill a history position. Months later, an unexpected check arrived in the mailbox at Mister M's home. It seems that schools are financially rewarded, as are teachers within the school if the students successfully "achieve."
Might Mister M's instruction spurred greater interest in other areas. Did the methods he employed inspire students to study well. Could his class or the energy that was born be transferred into an overall interest in academics? The Palm Beach County Teacher did not know.
Regardless, August To June Educator Amy Valens saw and felt the palpable sense of surprise from others in the room. She was astounded but not amazed. Amy knew. She heard many a story this year. All were identical, and at the same time unique. Consistently, as Ms Valens treks around the country she discovers that people turn to her for guidance and acumen, and Amy turns to them. "Yes, but" and "Yes! Exactly," as well as the reflective "Yes, maybe" are instructive and illustrate what occurs in Parent Teacher Conferences.
I, Author Educator, Betsy L. Angert of Empathy And Education, am grateful. A mission I began and embraced in October 2010, came true. The film August To June and featured Teacher, Amy Valens has expanded the education conversation in South Florida. My hope is that soon, we will further the discussion. Forums are in our future. We will "Bring Life to School" every August To June in Palm Beach County.
With Special Thanks to others who helped make this tour truly meaningful. Guest Speaker, Author, Educator, esteemed Marion Brady,, the Founder-Director of Sunflower Creative Arts, Susan Caruso, Co-Founder of Parents Across America, Rita Solnet.
References and Resources . . .
- August To June,
- About. August To June.
- News and Events. August To June,
- Renewing our hope in education: "August to June.' By Mark Phillips. The Washington Post. July 11, 2011
- Open Classroom in parent-cooperative public school located in San Geronimo.
- The Whole Child in a Fractured World. By Harold "Bud" Hodgkinson. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) 2006
- Open Classroom Alumni. Lagunitas, California. 1971 to 2006
- Marion Brady. 2011
- Marion Brady. The Answer Sheet. By Valerie Strauss. Washington Post. 2011
- The Schools Our Children Deserve, Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards, By Alfie Kohn. Houghton Mifflin. 1999
- Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test [FCAT] Florida Department of Education. 2011
- Sunflower Creative Arts
- Tying Teacher Salaries to Test Scores Doesn't Work. Parents Across America. March 21, 2011
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