1/17/06
A refreshing teacher union leader
by Joe Nathan
Morty Rosenfeld, a most unusual teacher union president, insists ìletís stop the inane bellyaching about the horrors of testing to see if students are able to perform at minimal levels of competency in reading, writing and mathematics. Railing against testing only earns teachers more public mistrust.î
Rosenfeld is my nominee for local teacher union president of the year. President of the Plainview-Old Bethpage local teachers union in New York state. He has some of the most refreshing, frank and common-sense views on learning, teaching and testing that Iíve read in a long time.
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Discussing tests, Rosenfeld argues, ìif our nationís public schools were doing better on them, we wouldnít be talking about how awful they are. If the public actually looked at some of the exams, they would be shaken by the ridiculously low level at which students are expected to perform.
Heís right! Minnesotaís eighth grade tests in reading and math are incredibly simple, unless you do not speak English or have a serious mental disability.
Whatís the message that Rosenfeld gives teachers about testing? ìWeíve cautioned them to reject the false choice between solid test preparation and stimulating, exciting classrooms. We easily can and should have both.î
Again, heís right. Over the last several years I have described district and charter public schools serving low-moderate income students all over the nation that have wonderful art and music, along with high academic achievement. It just plain is NOT true that schools have to decide whether to have strong test scores, or, as Rosenfeld puts it, ìstimulating, exciting classrooms.î
You can find Rosenfeldís recent column ìTeacher Talk,î at www.pobct.org/talk86.html I am indepted to Michael Antonucci for telling me about Rosenfeld. Antonucci publishes a highly irrelevant electronic newsletter under the Education Intelligence Agency. It would be fair to say that Antonucci frequently criticizes teacher unions. But he admires Rosenfeld. I can see why.
Rosenfeld is exactly what unions, teachers, schools and most importantlyl, students need - a frank, direct, honest man who does not make excuses.Ý
Joe Nathan directs the Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of MInnesota, jnathan@hhh.umn.edu
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