Baton Rouge, La
I throw that little tidbit to let you know I am away for the holidays. So, I do what I can, but I felt compelled to share this latest idea in education with you folks. Consider it a chuckle before the holidays as I hope no one takes this seriously. Friday was our last day of school in 2009. Academy had been generous enough to donate about 50 bikes to the cause. We gave them away to students with perfect attendance. It seemed only fair.
Since the assembly took place in the middle of the day, we called the parents of the winners to see if they could pick up their bikes. Most arrived before the assembly was even over. This means they got there within 15 minutes. This spawned a new idea in education that I wanted to share with the regular Hurricane readers.
The Prize Patrol
Being as that parents don't show up for regular meetings we thought we should spruce up the offer with a call from the prize patrol. In every instance, they would be offered a prize and then get invited into a meeting for their child while they are there. I figured we could use code prizes for the following scenarios.
1. Child Expulsion or Suspension: 40 Ounce Bottle of Malt Liquor
I'm just guessing here, but if your child got suspended wouldn't you want to drink off the embarrassment? Considering the cost I would say this is a prize the "prize patrol" can actually afford. Principals could easily pull parents in on a quick meeting about their grades as well because most kids that get suspended are also failing.
2. Your Child won a bike: Intervention or Regular Academic Meeting
Unlike the booze, you don't want a parent to be angry in this case necessarily. Sometimes a student is honestly struggling and you need a parent there to sign some forms. Since they can't be bothered to show up usually then just say their kid won a bike. I'm sure Academy is game for a few more to stash away.
3. You've won a boat: Initial ARD or 504 meeting
Okay, this is one you can't use a lot, so you better save it for a big occasion. Holding an ARD or 504 meeting without a parent is possible, but it's a pain in the backside. I hate to lie to a parent, but the truth simply doesn't work often enough. This tactic worked on The Simpsons with parking tickets, so I would think it would work in this case.
4. Non-specific item: Parent volunteers
I reference the timeshare deal they used to try on me when I was single. They would promise you a prize if you sat in on their spiel. Usually you wound up winning a gift certificate for a Bloomin Onion at Outback Steakhouse, but one or two folks actually won a real prize. I would think it would fool enough people to work.
At any rate, I hope everyone realizes I'm joking, but I have to find creative ways to say the same thing. Education is really about parent involvement. It is sad when people will drop everything to pick up a bike, but suddenly can't be reached or can't speak English when there is a genuine need. Happy holidays everyone and I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year.
I've always said that the job of high school principal is the toughest in the district. I won't begrudge any high school principal their salary. Elementary prinicipals are a different story, but many in HISD get incentive pay based on accountability ratings. For some areas, they deserve a lot of credit if they are recognized or exemplary. ROTC instructors are sometimes partnered up with whatever armed force they are affiliated with. I am in Cajun country so I haven't read the Chron in about a week but I find these reports to be irresponsible. Rarely do the ever give context to the salary. People would be less apt to questiona salary when they find out what is involved with the job. A high school principal works 70-80 hours a week during the busy part of the school year. They are expected to attend all of the social, athletic, and academic extracurricular activities. It's VERY time consuming. I can't speak to ROTC but there are a lot of details we aren't getting.
Personally, I didn't think the Chron had any business posting that information. I might feel differently if they had accompanied the information with a point of view advocating that they either make too much or too little but they didn't.
Scott, you are priceless.
Since I have your attention...I was looking at the Houston Chronicle list of HISD salaries. Now YOU know I think educators are one of the three MOST important people in the world along with police and garbage collectors. (I'm serious, that's not a joke) All three WAY underpaid. But I got a shock when I discovered some of the HISD salaries.
Elementary school principals routinely making over $100K. A guy I met, a 34 year old principal at Westside HS making $116,000. And the ROTC directors at two HS making $96K.
WTF???????????
It reminds me of the smartass I had one year that suggested putting alligators in the Rio Grande. I had to say that was inappropriate but like with the booze, a part of you says, "well...." I suppose most of this comes in teaching most years of my career in what most people would consider the ghetto. You have to have a little gallows humor or you'll go crazy.
A funny school counselor? I'm not sure I ever encoutered one before.
A few points: First, I consider a free "bloomin' onion" at Outback a genuine prize. I would have attended school meetings for my kid on that basis. for a free meal, I'll attend 3.
Secondly, when one is in a hurry, Schlitz Malt Liguor is the express lane to a good buzz. Makes an excellent reward OR anti-anxiety treatment.
Clearly, even in humor, you have hit on someting. "Punishment versus Reward". NOT for the kids but FOR the parents. I'd OK an experimental program in that arena.
Scott, keep it up.
I'd think if the school made a habit of keeping 40's on hand that you could probably get a lot of the parents to hang out at the school for most of the day.
Good tactic, but it would likely only work once or until the word got out.
It's a pity that fear is unavailable as a tool to get the parents working with you. Threat of stiff fines, jail or deportation could be wonderful methods for encouraging parental involvement. Since the tax base is an investor of sorts in public education maybe a referendum could make it real.
I don;t understand why people don't want to discuss their childs problems. Hell, we always went to school to talk about the kids and what they were doing. Right or Wrong.