from Ed Ford (950822)
Bill Powers (950822.0400 MDT)
..to me the indicator of how the system is working isn't that the
administrators are happier or that the teachers are happier; it's that the
miscreants understand the system and would rather have that system than not
have it. Somebody tell me that this is true.
It is true, Bill. I've talked with kids, I've watched them play, I've
worked with them in the classroom, I've spent many, many hours at the
school. I've read the letters they've sent to the social skills room (on
their own) thanking Darleen for the help she's given them. Children on open
house night, when they come with their parents to meet their teachers, have
actually brought their parents in to meet Darleen, and showed their folks
where they sat, where they wrote out their plan, so they could get along
better in their classroom, and how Darleen helped them.
The statistics should also show the kids are happier. There was a decrease
of 100% (7 month period prior to the program) from 16 weapons found on
students to none the first full year of the program. That would indicate
their is less fear and concern about coming to school. Physical assaults
went from 98 to 37, a 62% decrease, that would indicate the children are
learning to get along better. Also, fighting went from 85 to 34, a 60%
decrease, another indication they are getting along better. The last day of
school is traditional a very high disruption day. Traditionally if a child
is suspended from school the last two weeks, he is not allowed to return.
They went from nine suspensions to none. All there was were hugs and kisses
and tears. Screaming parents was a common occurence in the office. That
has almost disappeared (about four or five the entire past year). They had
a fashion show last spring, unheard of in an inner city school.
What I wish this boy had said is "Nobody punished me, nobody made me feel
bad. ...In the social skills room they helped me to figure out how to get
what I want without bothering anybody else.
See comments above about letters sent by children to Darleen.
What I wish another boy...HADN'T said when asked about his plan was
"keepmyhandstomyself"
Bill, he was just repeating a rule. Is it not the place of schools to teach
rules? How are children to follow rules IF THEY DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC
RULES OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF WHERE THEY ARE?
I'm ready to learn that I'm being completely subjective about this...
I think this has been taken to the absurd.
having been a smart-ass kid who knew how to work the system myself
And maybe you've created a perception of the people in the educational
system that is somewhat different than it really is. Most of these people
struggle to work with kids who haven't a clue as to how to socially get
along. The average teacher spends anywhere from 30 to 50% of her/his time
with discipline. My process reduces that to less than 5%. George Venetis
has gone from 100% of his time on discipline to 15 to 20% of his time. Yet
these indicators are of no interest to you. Come on, Bill, are you still
out to "get teachers or administors". Is your past perception from school
getting in the way of your present OBJECTIVE way of looking at what we have
done? Shouldn't the fact that teachers are able to teach up to 50 and in
some cases 80% more of their time a solid indicator that kids, being less
disruptive, could possibly be more content? The fact that George is able to
spend 80% or more of his time on bettering the educational direction of the
school should tell you something about the children and their opportunities
in the school. It seems to me you don't trust the testimony of teachers or
administrators that the children are doing better and are happier. If
that's true, then "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion
still." I thought you had bought into the program when you wrote the
forword to my book. I thought the objections you had voiced had been
satisfied.
All I know is that where it has been implemented as I designed the program,
EVERYONE is happier, the children, the teachers, the administrators, the
entire staff. And the children are taking more responsibility in everything
they do, be it at play, at work, or wherever. Parents have come in, saying
their children have changed, getting along better at home, wanting to know
what we are doing. Yes, children are thinking for themselves outside the
school environment as well as in, getting along, following rules, happier.
That's enough for me. And it was all based on my understanding of PCT.
Best, Ed.