The recent release of school-by-school scores on the firstIllinois Standards Achievement Test no doubt set off warning bells indistricts across the state. Despite cautions not to read too muchinto the test's first-year numbers, the results raised questionsabout our schools' ability to deliver in the classroom. More thanhalf of Illinois eighth-graders, for example, failed to meet the mathstandards established by the new test.
But not all of the news is so grim. The Chicago Schools AcademicAccountability Council made its own headlines not long ago when itannounced that reading and math scores are soaring at 39 cityschools. Since 1995, more than 20 percent of the students in suchschools as Albany Park and Ebinger moved from below to above thenational norm in math and reading. What's more, these schools haveachieved dramatic improvement over a relatively short period. But theimprovement isn't happening just because someone wished it so. It'shappening because the schools are making an investment in improvingthe quality of their teachers.
Eight of the 39 schools cited have taken part in an innovativeprogram established by the Teachers Academy for Mathematics andScience. The program was developed based on two simple assumptions:First, that the best student results come from teachers who teach inbetter ways, and second, that teachers equipped with solid, coreknowledge of their subjects will elicit better results.
It sounds fundamental, but the truth is that many of the teachersinstructing our children in math and science have not themselvesmastered the concepts, theories and equations that make up so much oftoday's curriculum. Under the academy program, teachers - like theones at many of the "most improved" schools - are immersed in a whole-school, content-driven, three-year process emphasizing science, math,technology and research-based teaching methods. They learn whatconcepts to teach and the best methods for teaching them. When theycomplete the program, they are better teachers. You need look nofurther than at their students' test scores to see the positiveresults.
The academy is not alone in realizing the importance of teachertraining. The National Staff Development Council released a reportjust this week concluding that school districts across the countryare failing miserably when it comes to providing adequateprofessional development. According to the report, a typical schooldistrict spends just 10 percent of what the experts recommend shouldbe devoted to teacher training.
We cannot expect our students to achieve their fullest potentialunless the people leading them in that effort are bringing a highlevel of knowledge and expertise to the classroom. Schools that actto make this a reality will continue to break the mold - withspectacular results. Lourdes Monteagudo, executive director, TeachersAcademy for Mathematics and Science Clean lungs for all
Today is a historic day for the residents of this state becausethe General Assembly has been presented with a once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity to reduce tobacco use. The first payment - $111 million -from the tobacco settlement has been deposited into the state'scoffers, and now it is time for the General Assembly to spend itcorrectly.
A recent poll conducted by Half for Tobacco Prevention revealedthat an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans agree that settlementfunds should be spent on tobacco prevention.
Ninety-one percent favor spending a portion on programs that helpchildren and teenagers stop smoking and prevent others from starting.Seventy-nine percent support spending on programs to help adultsquit, and nearly half of Illinois' registered voters said they wouldbe less likely to vote for a candidate who opposes programs thatadvocate tobacco control and smoking prevention and cessation.
We urge legislators to remain focused on the reason we receivedthis money - to repair the damage inflicted upon the people ofIllinois by decades of tobacco use. Don't waste this opportunity.Diana Hackbarth, Half for Tobacco Prevention An idea bearing fruit
The Board of Trustees and the staff of the Golden Apple Foundationare delighted with the unveiling of some of the details of theNational Teaching Academy (news stories, Dec. 6). When we firstoutlined the idea to Chicago School Board President Gery Chico lastyear, we said that as far as we know, there is no similar institutionanywhere in the country. In the last 12 months, we have spenthundreds of hours developing the notion that master teachers shouldplay a significant role in passing on the craft of teaching to thenext generation of professionals.
The Teaching Academy offers us the opportunity to serve thechildren of Chicago as well as the teaching profession. We lookforward to continuing the work with Chicago Public Schools,developing a fruitful partnership. Peg Cain, president, Golden AppleFoundation Our return to nature
I applaud Chicago Gateway Green's mission of transformingChicago's sterile roadways into beautiful landscape. But I have aconcern. Illinois is rich in beautiful, hardy native species. Whyimport even one plant from abroad?
Why not restore the view beheld along Illinois roads in 1847 whenJ.H. Buckingham of Boston traveled by stage? "The tall grass . . .looked like the deep sea. There were all sorts of flowers in theneighborhood of the road - and all the colors of the rainbow wereexhibited on all sides . . . as if the sun were shining upon the gayand dancing waters. We saw the white-weed of our New England, thewild indigo, the yellow mustard, the mullen, the clover, red andwhite, the purple nettle, the various colored phlox, numerous yellow,pink and crimson flowers and almost everything else that isbeautiful."
Today, 99.9 percent of Illinois' 22 million prairie acres areforever gone. Extinct are the passenger pigeon and the carolinaparakeet, Illinois' only native parrot. With so little prairie leftin the "Prairie State" little exists to prevent Illinois' endangeredcreatures from going extinct.
Next to habitat loss, introduced species are the biggest U.S.environmental problem. Purposely introduced exotics like Siberiancrested wheat grass, Norway maple and Japanese honeysuckle now areinvasive pests.
Chicago has a unique opportunity to restore and expand the habitatthat greeted its first settlers. Miles along Illinois roadwaysrestored to resemble historic Illinois should be the goal. CharlotteAdelman, Wilmette Big world, tiny minds
This mild-mannered grandmother was not in Seattle kicking inwindows, but I too oppose the World Trade Organization as it exists.President Clinton is acting responsibly - not "pandering," as the Sun-Times would have it - when he says the protests have raised issuesthat must be addressed.
Essentially, the WTO is the legal arm of multinationalcorporations and industries. It allows national governments tochallenge one another's domestic laws and regulations as violationsof WTO rules. A tribunal of just three people hears and decides allcases. Proceedings are always secret. Dissenting governments can beheavily fined or otherwise penalized, or simply be locked out ofworld trade.
The WTO is promoting two broad principles. First, products may notbe banned on the basis of their method of production. Second,restrictions must be "necessary," as defined by those secret panelsof three with their probable corporate ties. The United States has toaccept tuna caught with Mexico's dolphin-killing nets, and importedshrimp caught in ways that harm endangered sea turtles. Since 1997we've had to accept imported high-polluting gasoline, even thoughusing it here violates the U.S. Clean Air Act.
All this is only tip of the iceberg. And consumers who thinkthey'll be keeping things under control by shopping wisely can thinkagain. The Clinton/Gore administration now wants the WTO to crackdown on labels that reveal the method of production.
Clearly, we need to go back to the drawing board with the WTO. Anyfair-minded government that would accept it "as is" needs to have itscollective head examined. Margaret Nagel, Evanston Voice of thepeople
I was amused by reading your editorial denouncing the World TradeOrganization protesters as "anti-democratic." What does the WTO haveto do with democracy? Who elected them?
Apparently anti-democratic actions are just fine when imposed fromthe top down. It's only when they move from the bottom up thateditorial writers burn with righteous outrage. David Stein, UptownStart building an ark
Much has been said about zero tolerance in our schools. The pastorof my church said it best: "Would we have Christmas if God had a zerotolerance policy? The answer is clear. If God had a zero tolerancepolicy regarding our behavior, he would have sent another floodinstead of sending the Messiah." Dean Koldenhoven, Palos Heights
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