http://blogs.chron.com/believeitornot/2010/11/church_state_school_texas_char_1.html
Hello I current work at Harmony School. I need the job due to the lack of jobs available right now. However, I am glad that the school is being researched. I have noticed a lot of questionable practice and I wonder how they are legal and definately think they should be investigated. Here are some practices that should be investigated.
-On their website they claim to have a 1/11 teacher/student ratio. At every school I have visited I have noticed about a 1/26 ratio. Nowhere near 1/11. However, some teachers are labeled "teachers" and teach only one period and do other duties the rest of the time. They may have a large teacher pool but they are not working with students this may be how they get around this.
-Also, most of the newly built schools are hastily built and occupied by students before all safety issues are met. Someone should send safety investigators to newly built schools.
-At my school, there are more American teachers than Turkish teachers. However, many of the Turkish teachers do not speak English well enough to teach effectively. I have witnessed many students drop out due to this reason. I think the school should be investigated as to if all the Turkish teachers can pass the test all the American teachers take in order to be able to teach.
-There is a lot of nepotism at the school. Many of the administrator's spouses teach at sister schools. Most of the administrators are Turkish men. There seems to be sexist and nationalist discrimination in many aspects of the school.
-Muslim religion seems to set a lot of school policy. This can be noticed in the dresscode policy and student food policies at some schools.
-They disregard teacher rights by denying them a duty-free lunch and planning period at many schools.
-They are reluctant to hire substitutes instead they pull out teacher's aides from Kindergarten and teachers who should be having a planning period during that time.
-Their websites makes false claims such as the 1/11 ratio and 0% drop-out rate but they have no free speech forum for others to correct their mistakes.
Please investigate these policies!
Hello I current work at Harmony School. I need the job due to the lack of jobs available right now. However, I am glad that the school is being researched. I have noticed a lot of questionable practice and I wonder how they are legal and definately think they should be investigated. Here are some practices that should be investigated.
-On their website they claim to have a 1/11 teacher/student ratio. At every school I have visited I have noticed about a 1/26 ratio. Nowhere near 1/11. However, some teachers are labeled "teachers" and teach only one period and do other duties the rest of the time. They may have a large teacher pool but they are not working with students this may be how they get around this.
-Also, most of the newly built schools are hastily built and occupied by students before all safety issues are met. Someone should send safety investigators to newly built schools.
-At my school, there are more American teachers than Turkish teachers. However, many of the Turkish teachers do not speak English well enough to teach effectively. I have witnessed many students drop out due to this reason. I think the school should be investigated as to if all the Turkish teachers can pass the test all the American teachers take in order to be able to teach.
-There is a lot of nepotism at the school. Many of the administrator's spouses teach at sister schools. Most of the administrators are Turkish men. There seems to be sexist and nationalist discrimination in many aspects of the school.
-Muslim religion seems to set a lot of school policy. This can be noticed in the dresscode policy and student food policies at some schools.
-They disregard teacher rights by denying them a duty-free lunch and planning period at many schools.
-They are reluctant to hire substitutes instead they pull out teacher's aides from Kindergarten and teachers who should be having a planning period during that time.
-Their websites makes false claims such as the 1/11 ratio and 0% drop-out rate but they have no free speech forum for others to correct their mistakes.
Please investigate these policies!
I taught at a Harmony school in Houston for one year. Poor hiring practices, major nepotism, female teachers fired for being deemed "too sexy" and so on. Huge turnover, building not up to code, absolutely no curriculum or training. It was astounding. So many of the "teachers" were related and there were many who spoke such poor English that we joked that they were level 1 ESL students. The AP didn't have even have a bachelor's degree and was only 22 or 23. They have that online gradebook but the "superintendent" would go in anc change his kid's grades all the time.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same thing we hear reported state to state.
ReplyDeleteTheir teachers (scholars) don't have to be qualified they just have to be loyal followers of Gulen. They are here to get their advance degrees on our dime (they are on the school salary) and spread the word of Gulen.
These so-called scholars usually move on to work at another Gulen front group like Raindrop Turkish House while STILL DRAWING a salary as a teacher.
I am pulling my son out due to bullying issues, constant loss of privileges due to other students that misbehav, a severe lack of communication from many teachers when I have a concern over a grade or assignments, he also says that the food is horrendous. They also make their teachers put in long hours without any kind of compensated pay. And why the hell is the SUMMER trip to Turkey!? They also threatened my "A" honor role 3rd grader that he would be flunked in 3rd grade if he flunks he STAARS exams- I think that is unreasonable for the first year f testing. When I spoke to the TEA I was told since they are a Charter school they can do whatever they want.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry for this, it's not what America was about when they structured our Educational System. I wish you the best of luck and FWIW the cannot do whatever they want, they must follow basically the same laws, regulations. The problem being there is no oversight on these schools on their behaviors or money mismanagement.
ReplyDelete