Bloomberg's revolution.Sol Stern's "An Education Revolution That Never Was" (forum, Fall 2005) is neither forthright forth·right adj. 1. Direct and without evasion; straightforward: a forthright appraisal; forthright criticism. 2. Archaic Proceeding straight ahead. adv. 1. about education in New York City Education in New York City is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. The city's public school system, the New York City Department of Education, is the largest in the United States, and New York is home to some of the most important libraries, universities, nor informed about education generally, as his use of sources and data makes evident. He quotes a teacher alleging that she was punished for asking "uncomfortable questions" during training, for example. He neglects to mention the thousands of teachers who applaud our professional development. Nor does he mention that we have had more teacher applications than ever before. On our alleged unwillingness to use phonics-centered reading programs, Stern quotes the developer of one such program whose $27 million contract with the city was discontinued. Stern notes that this reading program helped raise scores in the city's lowest-performing schools in the 1990s. But he fails to mention that the program was part of an intensive effort to improve these schools that included a vast infusion of additional resources, including teachers for class-size reduction, capping of enrollment, coaches, administrators, and restructuring--elements of our reform for all schools. And Stern doesn't take issue with improved test scores unless they are our scores--which represent the greatest gains in memory. Stern's fixed idea about the teaching of phonics phonics Method of reading instruction that breaks language down into its simplest components. Children learn the sounds of individual letters first, then the sounds of letters in combination and in simple words. obscures the central point in our curriculum reforms: phonics is essential to reading instruction, but it is not the only essential skill. Anyone who has taught children knows this at least intuitively. As even a brief visit to our web site indicates, the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of public schools offer a rich and diverse menu of reading programs and interventions for its students. We tailor offerings to a student's needs: not all children need a fortified fortified (fôrt  ´fīd),adj containing additives more potent than the principal ingredient. diet of phonics, but those who do, get it. Stern also fails to mention how some of our early critics are now our supporters--experts who criticized our phonics component in 2003 (his sole point of reference) have been partners and advisors in the intervention strategies we have designed with help from special-education consultant Dr. Eileen Marzola. We value the experience and the different strengths of our teachers. We understand the potential and the strengths of our students. That is why we have a curriculum and interventions that allow for nuance nu·ance n. 1. A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a gradation. 2. Expression or appreciation of subtle shades of meaning, feeling, or tone: , creativity, critical thinking, and academic rigor rigor /rig·or/ (rig´er) [L.] chill; rigidity. rigor mor´tis the stiffening of a dead body accompanying depletion of adenosine triphosphate in the muscle fibers. . The results show it. CARMEN FARINA Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. Department of Education Sol Stern Sol Stern (born 1935) is a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor at City Journal. Stern began his career with the radical magazine Ramparts. replies: Ms. Farina writes that "thousands of teachers applaud our professional development." How does she know? The DOE has never asked the teachers for their opinion. She claims that the Success for All phonics program was only "part" of the reason for academic improvement in the lowest scoring schools. Again, how does she know? Her department didn't study SFA's relative contribution before it recklessly ditched the program. She says some "early critics" have become supporters, but only cites someone who's on the DOE payroll. All of which highlights one of the main points of my article: namely, that we need an independent research agency to evaluate DOE operations and claims of success. Otherwise, all we have is spin from a mayoral agency dedicated to getting the boss reelected. |
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