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April 27, 2006
The standard finals-week post
Pray for me.
Pray for my students.
Pray for my church, too, while you're at it.
Posted by Chuck at 08:47 AM | TrackBack
April 04, 2006
Being positive with a purpose
Submitted without comment, from a Washington Post review of high-acheiving primary and secondary schools:
Sharon Brittingham, who retired this year as principal after eight years at Frankford [Elementary School, in Delaware] and 35 years in education:"When I first arrived at Frankford, the school was very low achieving. The attitude and the most commonly heard phrase among teachers was, 'You can't make chicken salad out of chicken [waste].' This had a special significance because many of our parents work in the chicken industry.
"I told teachers to either believe all students could learn to high levels of achievement, act like they believed it, or find employment elsewhere. If teachers made negative comments about not believing their students were going to be successful, then I bluntly told them to look elsewhere for a job...
"I know I sound like a preacher, but it boils down to who is in that classroom --- and until someone in authority says, 'It is about the kids, put kids first and stop being afraid of hurting some teacher's feelings,' then things will not change.
"If you asked them now, the teachers at Frankford would tell you that they can make chicken salad out of chicken [waste]. It is that belief in their ability to make the students successful that is the key."