The severe ineptitude
of academic decision-makers, administrators, and teachers at the Minneapolis
Public Schools is seen most readily in the figures giving proficiency rates in
mathematics, reading, and science, as follows:
MPS Academic Proficiency Rates for 2014, 2015,
2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019
Math
2014 2015
2016 2017 2018 2019
African 23%
19%
19% 16% 17%
18%
American
American
23%
19%
19% 16%
17%
18%
Indian
Hispanic
31% 32%
31% 29%
26%
25%
Asian
48% 50%
50% 44%
46%
47%
White
77% 78%
78% 77%
77%
75%
Free/
26% 26%
25% 24%
22% 20%
Reduced
All
44% 44%
44% 42%
42%
42%
Reading
2014 2015
2016 2017 2018 2019
African 22%
21%
21% 21% 21% 23%
American
American
21% 20%
21% 22%
23% 25%
Indian
Hispanic
23% 25%
26% 26%
27% 29%
Asian
41% 40%
45% 38%
44%
50%
` ` ` ` 9
White
78% 77%
77% 78%
80%
78%
Free/
23% 23%
23% 25%
25%
25%
Reduced
All
42% 42%
43% 43%
45%
47%
Science 2014
2015
2016 2017 2018 2019
African 11%
15%
13% 11% 10%
11%
American
American
14% 16%
13% 16%
13% 17%
Indian
Hispanic
17% 18%
21% 19% 17% 16%
Asian
31% 35%
42% 31% 34% 40%
White
71% 75%
71% 70%
71% 70%
Free/
14% 15%
17% 16% 15% 14%
Reduced
All
33% 36%
35%
34% 34% 36%
Even more embarrassing, since only class
attendance and a modicum of good behavior are necessary to graduate from the
Minneapolis Public Schools, are the low graduation rates. Rates have risen in recent years as ways have
been found to speed a few more students through the system without improving
the quality of education, but the wretchedness of the data is still daunting:
Percentage of Students Graduating
2013 2014
2015 2016 2017
2018
Student
Category
African 44.8% 47.8%
52.8% 59.5% 56.9%
61.7%
American
American 38.1%
25.6% 36.3% 37.4%
29.8% 37.8.%
Indian
Asian 69.7% 78.8%
83.3% 85.6% 82.5% 87.1%
Hispanic 42.8% 44.5%
57.6% 50.6% 56.7%
57.1%
White 75.8% 77.4%
82.5% 85.1% 86.0%
86.7%
Free/ 47.4% 49.7%
56.8% 56.9% 56.7%
61.4%
Reduced
Lunch
Homeless 26.1%
26.1% 37.3% 35.7%
40.1% 37.8%
Highly
Mobile
Advanced 85.6%
86.7% 90.4% 89.3%
83.3% 90.8%
Learner
Female 60.3% 62.1%
69.0% 71.7% 69.3%
71.8%
Male 51.9% 55.6%
61.3% 63.0% 63.1%
66.6%
All 56.1% 58.8%
65.1% 67.3% 66.0%
69.2%
Students
…………………………………………………………………………………
Officials of the
Minneapolis Public Schools indulge in the conceit that white and middle class
students are well educated by the district.
In fact, all students
who do manage to graduate walk across the stage to claim a piece of paper that
is a diploma in name only; no one is
truly college or career ready.
One-third of MPS
graduates need remedial instruction once matriculating on a college or
university campus.
Others muddle
through.
A very few dig deep
within their own resources to find their way to a knowledge and skill base that
is above average. But most Americans
graduate even from college and university institutions with limited education; they never make up for what they did not get
at preK-12, so that even those who succeed in their majors and go on to
graduate or professional school emerge well-trained in specialties but limited
in their grasp of subject area knowledge across the liberal, technological, and
vocational arts.
………………………………………………………………………………………
The maladroitness of
academic decision-makers, administrators, and teachers is stunning when one
considers the limited skills base involved in getting academic proficiency
rates to grade level in mathematics and reading.
In mathematics, there
is so little to learn. An entire preK-12
mathematics sequence consists of just the following:
addition
subtraction
multiplication
division
fractions
decimals
percentages
ratios
proportions
tables, charts, graphs
algebra I
geometry
algebra II
trigonometry and statistics
calculus
That’s it.
Given competent
instruction, all students except those facing truly exceptional cognitive
challenges master the addition through graphs sequence with alacrity and have
little trouble with algebra I and geometry.
Mathematics courses from algebra II through calculus get a bit more
abstract but are entirely comprehensible to students who proceed on a firm
mathematical foundation.
Instead of wasting so
much class time with manipulatives and inefficient activities, teachers first
need to get their own mathematics skills where they need to be (a very real
challenge for most preK-5 [elementary] teachers but also for many teachers
presiding over math-specific classrooms) and then just teach the material.
Teach addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages,
ratios, proportions, tables, charts, and graphs.
Impart the necessary
skills directly.
Work in word problems
for a few applications.
Get basic math conveyed efficiently.
Make sure that all
students are comprehending these basic skills.
Spend extra time with those who are momentarily struggling but have full
confidence that this material is not difficult and that with just a bit of
extra explanation all student can achieve fundamental math mastery. Teachers should understand that they do not
have to stand on their heads or engage in a lot of gimmickry; just explain again, varying the examples a
bit, engaging in lively banter, letting students know that the instructor cares
and has confidence in the student’s ability to master the material.
They will.
And then, as they
move from preK-5 (elementary school) to grades 6-8 (middle school) and grades
9-12 (high schools), upon this strong basics skills base, students will be able
not only to survive but to thrive, so that by the time they get to high school
they will be able to proceed to Advanced Placement calculus courses.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
As to reading, quit
teaching this skill so tentatively and terribly.
Forget the wars over
phonics versus whole language.
Forget you ever knew
that forlorn creature known as an education professor.
Move through phonics
and phonemic awareness efficiently at grades preK-2
and then
start students on a
knowledge-intensive curriculum focused on, in addition to mathematics, what
should be the reading-heavy subjects in the
natural sciences
(biology, chemistry, physics, health),
socials sciences and
humanities (government, history, geography, economics, and psychology),
English literature
and usage,
and the fine arts
(visual and musical).
Have students read
broadly.
Most teachers should
acquire the new and novel habit of reading broadly themselves; most teachers are not good readers across a
wide swath of literature.
Reading high quality,
challenging material, across the liberal, technological, and vocational arts
develops that sophistication of vocabulary that will make reading a pleasure,
stock up on subject area knowledge, result in high scores on the ACT and SAT
assessments of college readiness, find students reading better than their
post-secondary peers, and enable them to achieve the three great purposes of
preK-12 education:
>>>>> cultural fulfillment
>>>>> civic awareness
>>>>> professional satisfaction
Ability to read well
across a wide range of subject areas will follow students their whole
lives. Newspaper and website articles
will come alive. Life will have more
depth and meaning. Knowledge will
accumulate and with knowledge the world will come alive and a sense of personal
power will be internalized, giving the person high probability of living
happily, confidently, abundantly.
……………………………………………………………………………………..
Academic
decision-makers, administrators, and teachers should first but quickly, because
there is no time to waste, go to work on themselves. They must read. They must improve their own knowledge bases
and believe fervently that reading and the acquisition of knowledge is vital to
their students. They must feel in their
guts that all students with an IQ of 85 or above can learn anything; someone with an IQ of 125 or above will learn
more rapidly but all students will learn the material over time, at grade
level. Confidence in student ability is
crucial.
Get basic skills done
quickly and efficiently at preK-5.
At that level, set
aside an hour each day for what shall be termed “academic enrichment.”
For students still
needing to acquire grade level skills at given academic year junctures, the
hour should be spent each day until mastery is achieved. If additional assistance is needed, via
teacher’s aides, Educational Support Professionals, or volunteer tutors, then
do what is necessary. For most students,
the properly handled class day will be sufficient, but for those needing
additional assistance, then such should be rendered after school. Meanwhile, for students who have achieved
mastery, the hours per day can be used for exploration of driving personal
interests.
Do what is necessary.
Have confidence.
Students can achieve
basics skills mastery and go forth to ever increasing levels of
knowledge-intensive, skill-replete curriculum.
Failure of academic
decision-makers, administrators, and teachers do impart foundational skills to
students is appalling.
They must follow the
above approach to highly intentional skill acquisition in mathematics and
reading, get the job done, or head quickly out the Davis Center (MPS central
office, 1250 West Broadway) door.
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