Results tagged “bostonpublicschools”

Sam Yoon needs a tricorn hat. Immediately. June 17, 2009 is Bunker Hill Day and nobody could ever forget it in 2009 because no one will ever shut up about it. Mayor Menino seems to think no child in Boston has ever heard of the historical event it represents despite apparent proof to the contrary reported by the Globe. Yes, the Mayor of Boston actually said Boston Public Schools no longer teach students about the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Globe said Bunker Hill is specifically mentioned in the state's Department of Education curriculum guidelines. The Globe also reportedly couldn't reach school officals because they had the day off. Some people worked, though, even if school officials didn't. And that is the whole ever-loving point, isn't it? (Yes, a line from Primary Colors)Should it be a day off ONLY in Suffolk County? It could be worse, it could be St. Patrick's Day Evacuation Day, which we know exists just to cover a bender.

Do you want your children taught by people who are not certified teachers? Are five weeks sufficient to learn how to command classrooms full of troubled kids? Should inexperienced, uncertified teachers be paid the same as those with years of training and experience? Teach for America says yes; Boston Public Schools says no. In an apparently controversial decision, BPS has refused to employ Teach for America recruits, asserting that the district already has enough qualified, experienced teachers. Teach for America is a somewhat ironic endeavor: the organization's own literature lauds the superior power of experienced teachers, yet the two-year program involves no certification, no experience, and often does little more than Ivy League grads something to do for two years between college and graduate school. The corps members may be educated, but that doesn't mean they can educate, and throwing them into a classroom for a brief amount of time does a disservice both to the corps members and their students. Additionally, Teach for America does nothing to solve the troubling problem of insufficient teacher training in America; it's merely a band-aid that falls off when its corps members move on. BPS is right to hold its ground and stand out for teachers who will commit to a career of education, not a brief stopover on the way to "better" things.

Since MEFA won't offer loans this year, Boston Public Schools is holding college financial aid workshops to help families find alternative ways of funding education. Boston School Committee and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson says, “We want to be sure that all of our graduates who have been accepted to college--or are thinking about enrolling in college--have the opportunity to continue their education." The workshops will be held on August 11 and 18 at 6pm. On the 11th, the workshop will be at Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School (75 Malcolm X Blvd., Roxbury); on the 18th, at Hyde Park Educational Complex (655 Metropolitan Ave., Hyde Park).