They used to tell me that at this school you really didn’t learn anything because the teachers didn’t care,” she said. “But once I got here everything changed.
Our local newspaper, the Long Beach PressTelegram, reported today that Franklin Middle School is finding success after “failing” for several years.This is good news. Good news for them, and good news for the other half of Long Beach middle schools (mine included) that are on the Federal Watch List.
As I was reading this article, however, here’s what struck me. First, there are some major innovations here. I was pleased, yet astonished, when I read that the school is focused on “realistic goal setting,” meaning setting goals based on things their student can achieve and not numbers NCLB decided on. Good call.
But some of the “school climate” interventions put into place here are ones LBUSD has been advocating for for years, and in my experience, ones that may or may not be successful. Take implementing School Uniforms. I know every single school year our staff has lined up behind a serious 100% uniform compliance (this year, everyone, this year we’ll do it!) and every year it falls by the wayside. Our PTA even bought us all customized lanyards to hold student IDs, but the plan just couldn’t get off the ground. Is it really these kinds of programs that can turn around a school?
No. What really made the difference is clearly identified by the student interviewed:
‘”They used to tell me that at this school you really didn’t learn anything because the teachers didn’t care,” she said. “But once I got here everything changed.”‘
It’s the teachers who are making the difference. Great job, guys!
Read the article from the Long Beach PressTelegram
PS: Wow. I’m on a Federal Watch List. How geeky-cool does that make me?
