In Video, Consultant Treats CPS Teachers Like Small Children
By John Dodge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A video posted on You Tube apparently shows a consultant running a professional development seminar and treating Chicago Public School teachers like kindergartners.
The woman running the class on several occasions in the one-minute video asks the group of teachers to repeat single-words, or short phrases, back to her.
The author of the video is not known but Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis tweeted about it.
This is what PD looks like in Chicago. Sick. http://t.co/SmF4kPszIS
— Karen Lewis (@KarenLewisCTU) February 28, 2014
Here is an example from the video.
Consultant: "So repeat after me. We will"
Class: "We will"
Consultant: "Use"
Class: "Use"
Consultant: "Accurately"
Class: "Accurately"
Consultant: "Grade appropriate"
Class: "Grade appropriate"
Consultant: "General academic"
Class: "General academic"
Consultant: "In domain specific words."
Class: "In domain specific words."
Consultant: "And phrases"
Class: "And phrases"
This behavior continues throughout the video. Even if the consultant is doing some sort of role-play, it is hard to imagine why professional teachers--or anybody of any age--would benefit from this portion of the presentation.
According to the You Tube video description, the presenter was a consultant flown to Chicago to provide professional development as teachers prepare to give their students the Illinois Standard Achievement Test next week.
Some teachers have reportedly protested giving the test because, they say, it doesn't mean anything in terms of student promotion or school performance.
"This ISAT test is absurd," a teacher at a Little Village elementary school told the Chicago Sun-Times. "It is not tied to anything — it's not used in promotion, it's not used in graduation, it's not used for leveling of the school."
CPS is threatening to discipline teachers who don't administer the test.
CBS Chicago is reaching out the Chicago Public Schools for comment.
