Why don’t more teachers do this?

This Sunday St. Petersburg Times story took a look at Tracey Keim, a St. Petersburg High teacher who decided to give honors-level material to her regular 10th-grade English class. The kids couldn't stand the standard textbook she started the year with, but now they can't get enough of the new material, including the book Night, about the Holocaust.

"It's not boring," one student said about Keim's class. "I remember everything," said another.

Is it possible to get bigger compliments from 15-year-olds?

The story raised the obvious question: Why doesn't this happen more often? We know lots of teachers do do this. But do enough of them?

Here's what St. Petersburg High principal Al Bennett told the Gradebook about Keim’s decision: "If something's not working, we [have] got to find a way," he said. "I wish there were more teachers that had that let-nothing-stop-me mentality."

Ron Matus, State Education Reporter

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Comments

[iTeach]

Night is in 8th grade honors in many Hillsborough schools, or at least it was.

LOOK INTO SPRINGBOARD! All English teachers MUST teach the EXACT same thing the EXACT same way at the EXACT same time. They are left very little room to teach other things. Boy, the cheating is out of control when every kid is doing the same thing. The curriculum is boring and too easy for honors, but yet some assignments aren't realistic for regular. The kids HATE it too. I have seen the grades in my regular class drop. I had to make a "no complaining" rule. Everytime I say, "Get out your SpringBoard book," (about four days a week) the kids say, "NOOOOO! Oh man!"

But for those who want the cold-hard-facts, I dare you to find the reports that PROVE this horrible curriculum actually improves students' skills and gives a better education than what they already had. But it better be great with MILLIONS of dollars and countless TIME being wasted.

[retired teacher]

She is doing what most good teachers do.........teach children. Put hose pacing guides down and let them collect dust.

Most teachers try to make school interesting as well as relevant and that takes creativity. Somebody in PCS went to a conference that told them teachers didn't know how; so little groups made these cute little scripted guides to take out the creativity and insert boredness. Look where it got us. Put those folks back in the classroom or out to the pasture and let teachers do what they are good at doing..........teaching children!

[sandra]

I'm wondering how the reporter first caught wind of this great teacher. The heading "Why don't more teachers do this" implies that what she's done is unique. She sounds like a great teacher - but not necessarily unique. Why wouldn't a reporter do a little digging......get in the schools, talk to the teachers, the students, the counselors, the administrators. Talk to everyone - not just the ones hand-picked for him to interview. DIG - isn't that what reporters do. Before you run a story that implies MOST teacher do NOT do enough, dig a little and be sure it's true.
I'm proud of Ms. Keim's efforts. And I'm guessing SHE'D tell you she's not unique in her "let-nothing-stop-me-metality".

[Inquiring Minds]

I've never heard of Night as an Honors-only book. In fact, I'd not heard of it being used in 10th Honors at all. It's used often, and regularly, in regular 10th grade classes, has been used in middle school, and, as one of the other posts mentioned, is used in the lowest level of Reading class in Pinellas High Schools.
This is not said to take away from Ms. Keim or the book. (A powerful piece of writing!)
The article implies something different than what is actually happening in local schools.
It's a big district - perhaps too big for the Times to adequately cover.

[Timmy!]

Its been my experience that HCPS wants to be the perfect assembly line model. A student could move from Plant HS to Plant City or Wharton and never miss a beat.

It's also hard to turn down the 3 year grant money Bill & Melinda Gates dangled. Unfortunately I have yet to see data supporting the program.

When is the Times going to get off the dumper and look into this - thoroughly.

[publicschoolteacher]

And last week Pasco administrators were told that any student not passing all 4 core classes for all 3 years of middle school should not be promoted to high school, or else the school will face sanctions according to the state. Yet another state mandate with no plan and no money to back it up. They won't put middle schools on a credit system like high schools, but they want them to perform the same, essentially. Now teachers will be asked to come up with a remediation plan for ANY student who is not passing their class.

I have a plan in place for students to pass. It's called "DO THE WORK AND STUDY!" One article says we don't care and aren't engaging, and now this article says we aren't being innovative or relevant enough. Well, you want to know why? Ask the state!

[Public Ed]

One of the difficulties of teaching innovatively in Pasco is that we are hindered from it because of the inordinate amount of material that we have to cover in the standards and then when do we get time to be creative and inovative with all of the meetings and LFS planning that we have to do. And don't forget about grading papers, tests, quizzes. And if you have family at home... I'm too tired and restrained to be creative this year!

[readingteacher]

"Night" is one of the many novels included in the High School Read 180 program, a highly intensive program for students who read more than two years below the grade level. So, I too was surprised that others held the novel out as being exclusively honors material.

[Mr. Concerned]

high mc here I wanted to say sari for the multiple copies posted above by me my computer crashed and after rebooting I did not see my post so I resubmit! the post I am sorry for any inconvenience

I am also sari for any clerical errors and any of my posts I have a print disability so I use a speech to text rider in order to post my comments not quite perfect yet! but I am striving to improve it and I am hoping to be able to afford the grammar checker software smokescreen in the near future you all think you!! Mc

[mc]

the HCPS school board members spent $33 million on the spring board system without any input from the teachers are their union.
The springboard system was implemented at the beginning of this school year district-wide and is not going over to well with most of the in classroom teachers most say it takes away their individual methods of teaching that they mastered over the years and most students will say it's too easy and too boring.

although they had been some news coverage concerning the $33 million purchase of springboard I do not know of any investigation into the money trail and who all benefited from the $33 million purchase if anybody knows of any investigation please post a link it would be greatly appreciated!!

[Jeff Solochek]

If indeed you know of other great teachers like this one, please send us the information. It's not that we don't want to write about good news, just that we don't always know where it is happening. Send emails to solochek@sptimes.com or matus@sptimes.com

[mc]

the HCPS school board members spent $33 million on the spring board system without any input from the teachers are their union.
The springboard system was implemented at the beginning of this school year district-wide and is not going over to well with most of the in classroom teachers most say it takes away their individual methods of teaching that they mastered over the years and most students will say it's too easy and too boring.

although they had been some news coverage concerning the $33 million purchase of springboard I do not know of any investigation into the money trail and who all benefited from the $33 million purchase if anybody knows of any investigation please post a link it would be greatly appreciated!!

I must say I do agree there is far too much negative press I guess it just sells more news papers then good news does.

I must say I do agree there is far too much negative press I guess it just sells more news papers then good news does.

At my school in Pasco county, all 10th graders read "Night"--it's not looked at as Honors-only. In fact, my regular students have read two novels on their own already this year, outside of all of the reading done in class.

Stuff like this happens at every school everyday. It's just ignored by the newspapers for the most part in favor of anything with the slightest bit of negative connotation.

Doug Tuthill,

Peddle your vouchers somewhere else.

Nobody cares that your out of touch, two decade old teaching experience didn't work out.

You made your way out of the classroom as quickly as you could. YOU didn't stay and reach out to students. You took the union train to free dinners and fancy smancy lobbiest parties in Tallahassee and couldn't find your way back to a classroom.

Just because this wonderful woman succeeded in spite of your instruction, doesn't mean you have the right to disrespect all other teachers.

Some are called to serve others and some can't get past serving themselves.

Doug Tuthill serves no one but himself.

Peddle your wares in a place where you can victimize the unknowing.

[Doug Tuthill]

Tracey was one of my students at SPHS in the 1980s. She was a high energy, dynamic leader who refused to let bureaucracy prevent her from accomplishing her goals, but Tracey is an extraordinary woman. Most normal students and educators get worn down and become discouraged by a statewide education system that prefers standardization and conformity to innovation and entrepreneurship. The future of public education is customization through social entrepreneurship, but until that future fully arrives students and educators such as Tracey will remain the exception.

[St Pete Slime]

more teachers do this!

The problem is the Times would rather report on who got a DUI or something else negative.

Shame on you St Pete Times.