Teaching and Learning Environment
We believe that every student, teacher, support professional, and paraprofessional deserves and requires a safe and orderly teaching and learning environment. If our schools are not safe and orderly, then educators will not be able to give their best, will not be evaluated fairly, and most importantly students won’t achieve to their full potential.
The “blame-teachers, ignore reality” culture must be discarded and replaced with a rational, fair and inclusive system to support positive and healthy teaching and learning environments. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students all have a responsibility in this essential endeavor.
Many educators in Pittsburgh Public Schools (including teachers, counselors, social workers, other professionals; paraprofessionals including educational assistants, security staff, and other paraprofessionals) are victimized by violent student behavior. We are fully aware that many children are exhibiting behaviors related to the trauma that they endure. Ignoring this situation means the opportunities for more healthy childhood development and greater student success is being squandered.
Neither student trauma nor educator trauma should be treated simply as a classroom management issue. Whole-school strategies such as Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) and restorative practices (RP) are not well supported and in some schools are being wasted. This has to change.
The moratorium on K-5 suspensions for non-violent acts was seen as a ban on suspensions across the board. Even though it is not the case that no students are being suspended. In general, students do seem to be more likely to misbehave because they believe there will not be a consequence.
We support the work of discipline committees, the use of the Working Conditions Survey (WCS) as an instrument in school improvement, and the Learning Environment Specialist role.
When data from the WCS are correlated with school progress data based primarily on student achievement -- the results are striking: the PPS teaching and learning environment is closely related to school success.
Teachers, non-classroom professionals, and paraprofessionals want to work with parents and administrators in a productive way to ensure that all children have an opportunity to learn. We won't be successful if the classroom relationships between teachers and students are undermined by interruptions, compliance tasks, and little quality feedback. Do RISE right, or don't do it at all.
Obstacles to learning are not solely in the realm of pedagogical delivery and quality of content. We are committed to working with the District to improve student success in terms of both cognitive and character development. The intellectual and social growth and maturity of our students are also dependent on addressing the behavioral, emotional, and mental health obstacles to learning.
The “blame-teachers, ignore reality” culture must be discarded and replaced with a rational, fair and inclusive system to support positive and healthy teaching and learning environments. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students all have a responsibility in this essential endeavor.
Many educators in Pittsburgh Public Schools (including teachers, counselors, social workers, other professionals; paraprofessionals including educational assistants, security staff, and other paraprofessionals) are victimized by violent student behavior. We are fully aware that many children are exhibiting behaviors related to the trauma that they endure. Ignoring this situation means the opportunities for more healthy childhood development and greater student success is being squandered.
Neither student trauma nor educator trauma should be treated simply as a classroom management issue. Whole-school strategies such as Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) and restorative practices (RP) are not well supported and in some schools are being wasted. This has to change.
The moratorium on K-5 suspensions for non-violent acts was seen as a ban on suspensions across the board. Even though it is not the case that no students are being suspended. In general, students do seem to be more likely to misbehave because they believe there will not be a consequence.
We support the work of discipline committees, the use of the Working Conditions Survey (WCS) as an instrument in school improvement, and the Learning Environment Specialist role.
When data from the WCS are correlated with school progress data based primarily on student achievement -- the results are striking: the PPS teaching and learning environment is closely related to school success.
Teachers, non-classroom professionals, and paraprofessionals want to work with parents and administrators in a productive way to ensure that all children have an opportunity to learn. We won't be successful if the classroom relationships between teachers and students are undermined by interruptions, compliance tasks, and little quality feedback. Do RISE right, or don't do it at all.
Obstacles to learning are not solely in the realm of pedagogical delivery and quality of content. We are committed to working with the District to improve student success in terms of both cognitive and character development. The intellectual and social growth and maturity of our students are also dependent on addressing the behavioral, emotional, and mental health obstacles to learning.