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Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of columns Dr. Lee Banton is writing for the Herald, using his local, regional and state educational experience to analyze the Prince Edward County Public Schools system. 

There is one thing that needs to be clear. The Prince Edward Board of Education must understand that thorough student learning of the content embedded within the S.O.L. helps ensure the passage of the S.O.L. (Standards of Learning) tests which serve as the major criterion for state accreditation of its schools. 

To do otherwise means local citizens could be paying a ton of tax money for their children to attend a non-accredited school or one accredited with conditions. Although some educators

oppose the idea, teachers need to teach the SOL test. This makes sense, right? If that’s what you’ll be tested on, that’s what you should be taught.

It was interesting to learn that the P. E. County Board of Supervisors publicly questioned the Superintendent of Prince Edward County Schools regarding reasons for the lack of school accreditation and a student attendance problem instead of the County School Board. School Boards and Boards of Supervisors throughout the United States strenuously hold a School Superintendent accountable for the performance of the schools’ instructional program, as well as, the safety of all students and personnel.

Lee Banton breaks down responsibility

Virginia law specifically assigns responsibility for the operation of a local school division to its local School Board. However, a local Board of Supervisors is responsible for the appropriation of funds for a division’s yearly budget. It can only, by law, strike a budget category or adjust the total amount of proposed funding. It cannot adjust individual budget categories submitted by the School Board.

Numerous authorities report there has been a longstanding myth that creative lesson planning is the mark of a great teacher. A more commonsense approach would be to relieve teachers of curriculum development responsibilities and allow them to focus their energy where it matters— classroom instruction. 

Given that teachers spend 7-12 hours per week searching for and creating instructional resources, The P.E. Board of Education would be well advised to ask their teachers to fill out a questionnaire regarding two questions. First, what are the number of hours they spend each week making or searching for classroom instructional materials? Second, are they being provided with enough curriculum-related material to accomplish their instructional objectives? Numerous school divisions across the country have an “Instruction Materials Development Center” which is staffed by parent volunteers. Such a concept could also be very helpful to Prince Edward’s teachers.

A question for candidates

The well-respected researchers Hirsh and Short and The Rand Corporation have found that “nearly a quarter of teachers state they have not had “any” curriculum-related professional learning at all. Surprisingly, 50% of teachers do not feel that their professional development prepared them to use guides utilized in their district’s curriculum”. A question that should be asked of all current teachers, as well as, candidates applying for a teaching position in Prince Edward should be “have you had extensive training in how to use a school district curriculum guide as the basis for your lesson planning?” If the answer is “No”, from either of the two groups, the delivery of effective instruction of Prince Edward’s curriculum to its students is likely not to take place and requires immediate action by the School Superintendent.

A high school student in Wilmington N.C. was recently asked to give his assessment of the instruction he was receiving. His answer was extremely accurate and introspective. “Learning needs to be more interesting. Not many people like to study from their textbooks because there’s not much to interact with. I think that instead of studying from textbooks, more interactive activities should be used instead. Videos, websites, games, or whatever might interest students more. I’m not saying we shouldn’t use textbooks; I’m saying that we should have a combination of books and technology to make learning more interesting and for students to learn more.”

Lee Banton describes an effective teacher

The young man didn’t know it, but what he described was the characteristics of an effective teacher. First, they engage with students in active learning. Second, they create intellectually ambitious tasks. Third, they use a variety of teaching strategies. Fourth, they assess student learning continuously. Fifth, they adapt teaching to student needs. Sixth, they provide clear standards, constant feedback, and opportunities for revising work. Finally, they develop and effectively manage a collaborative classroom in which all students have membership and an opportunity to participate.

Is that what we have here in Prince Edward County?