[EDLING:1418] Silencing Teachers in an Era of Scripted Reading

[Francis M. Hult]

Rethinking Schools Online

Silencing Teachers in an Era of Scripted Reading

By Elizabeth Jaeger 

"I have been told by the district that I will be transferred to another school 
effective Monday. I am very sad to be leaving you, but you are strong students 
and I know you will be successful. I have always taught you to stand up for 
what you believe in, and sometimes when you do that, there will be 
unhappiness. But in the end, you have to do what you feel is right. I will 
think about you every day and wish you all the best." 

I never would have imagined having to speak those words, yet there I was, 
standing in front of my class while the principal looking on silently. I had 
been forced out of the school where I had worked enthusiastically for more 
than five years because I had challenged required instructional practices that 
I believe interfered with teaching and learning. 

Serving nearly 1,000 students, Downer is the largest elementary school in the 
West Contra Costa Unified School District, north and east of San Francisco. 
Its students are predominantly poor, non-native English speaking Latino 
children. I had been hired to work with teachers and students in an effort to 
increase achievement in reading and writing. Having provided after-school 
staff development the previous year, I was well known by the faculty. There 
was no get-to-know-you period; we hit the ground running. In my first two 
years we charted a long list of accomplishments. We developed a list of 
English Language Arts standards that we hoped all 6th graders would meet; an 
accompanying curriculum to promote these standards beginning in 4th grade; a 
Reading Block program in which we grouped upper graders by reading level and 
read short novels and related articles; a Challenge Class for students 
designated as gifted and talented; and Literacy Academy classes for struggling 
readers. These programs were based on several principles: that print knowledge 
and understanding of text develop in tandem, that teachers can adjust 
instruction to provide more support for less proficient learners, and that 
literacy is constructed in social settings rather than in teacher-imposed 
isolation. 

Read the full story here
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/20_03/sile203.shtml