text:
This one (should) explain itself (i.e., not reliable, and accordingly, not valid either). When high-stakes consequences are to be attached, this matters even more.
Tag Archives: Bias
Bias in Teacher Observations, As Well
Following a post last month titled "New Empirical Evidence: Students' 'Persistent Economic Disadvantage' More Likely to Bias Value-Added Estimates," Matt Barnum — senior staff writer for The 74, an (allegedly) non-partisan, honest, and fact-based news site backed by Editor-in-Chief Campbell Brown and covering America's education system "in crisis" (see, also, a prior post about The 74 here) — followed up with a tweet via Twitter. He wrote: "Yes, though [bias caused by economic disadvantage] likely applies with equal or even more force to other measures of teacher quality, like observations." I replied via Twitter that I disagreed with this statement in that I was unaware of research in support of his assertion, and Barnum sent me two articles to review thereafter.
I attempted to review both of these articles herein, although I quickly figured out that I had actually read and reviewed the first (2014) piece on this blog (see original post here, see also a 2014 Brookings Institution article summarizing this piece here). In short, in this study researchers found that the observational components of states' contemporary teacher systems certainly "add" more "value" than their value-added counterparts, especially for (in)formative purposes. However, researchers found that observational bias also exists, as akin to value-added bias, whereas teachers who are non-randomly assigned students who enter their classrooms with higher levels of prior achievement tend to get higher observational scores than teachers non-randomly assigned students entering their classrooms with lower levels of prior achievement. Researchers concluded that because districts "do not have processes in place to address the possible biases in observational scores," statistical adjustments might be made to offset said bias, as might external observers/raters be brought in to yield more "objective" observational assessments of teachers.
For the second study, and this post here, I gave this one a more thorough read (you can find the full study, pre-publication here). Using data from the Measures of Effective
Teaching (MET) Project, in which random assignment was used (or more accurately attempted), researchers also explored the extent to which students enrolled in teachers' classrooms influence classroom observational scores.
They found, primarily, that:
- "[T]he context in which teachers work—most notably, the incoming academic performance of their students—plays a critical role in determining teachers' performance" as measured by teacher observations. More specifically, "ELA [English/language arts] teachers were more than twice as likely to be rated in the top performance quintile if [nearly randomly] assigned the highest achieving students compared with teachers assigned the low-est achieving students," and "math teachers were more than 6 times as likely." In addition, "approximately half of the teachers—48% in ELA and 54% in math—were rated in the top two performance quintiles if assigned the highest performing students, while 37% of ELA and only 18% of math teachers assigned the lowest performing students were highly rated based on classroom observation scores"
- "[T]he intentional sorting of teachers to students has a significant influence on measured performance" as well. More specifically, results further suggest that "higher performing students [are, at least sometimes] endogenously sorted into the classes of higher performing teachers…Therefore, the nonrandom and positive assignment of teachers to classes of students based on time-invariant (and unobserved) teacher
characteristics would reveal more effective teacher performance, as measured by classroom observation scores, than may actually be true."
So, the non-random assignment of teachers biases both the value-added and observational components written into America's now "more objective" teacher evaluation systems, as (formerly) required of all states that were to comply with federal initiatives and incentives (e.g., Race to the Top). In addition, when those responsible for assigning students to classrooms (sub)consciously favor teachers with high, prior observational scores, this exacerbates the issues. This is especially important when observational (and value-added) data are to be used for high-stakes accountability systems in that the data yielded via really both measurement systems may be less likely to reflect "true" teaching effectiveness due to "true" bias. "Indeed, teachers working with higher achieving students tend to receive higher performance ratings, above and beyond that which might be attributable to aspects of teacher quality," and vice-versa.
Citation Study #1: Whitehurst, G. J., Chingos, M. M., & Lindquist, K. M. (2014). Evaluating teachers with classroom observations: Lessons learned in four districts. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Evaluating-Teachers-with-Classroom-Observations.pdf
Citation Study #2: Steinberg, M. P., & Garrett, R. (2016). Classroom composition and measured teacher performance: What do teacher observation scores really measure? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 38(2), 293-317. doi:10.3102/0162373715616249 Retrieved from http://static.politico.com/58/5f/f14b2b144846a9b3365b8f2b0897/study-of-classroom-observations-of-teachers.pdf
New Empirical Evidence: Students' "Persistent Economic Disadvantage" More Likely to Bias Value-Added Estimates
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) recently released a circulated but not-yet internally or externally reviewed study titled "The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement." Note that we have covered NBER studies such as this in the past in this blog, so in all fairness and like I have noted in the past, this paper should also be critically consumed, as well as my interpretations of the authors' findings.
Nevertheless, this study is authored by Katherine Michelmore — Assistant Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs at Syracuse University, and Susan Dynarski — Professor of Public Policy, Education, and Economics at the University of Michigan, and this study is entirely relevant to value-added models (VAMs). Hence, below I cover their key highlights and takeaways, as I see them. I should note up front, however, that the authors did not directly examine how the new measure of economic disadvantage that they introduce (see below) actually affects calculations of teacher-level value-added. Rather, they motivate their analyses by saying that calculating teacher value-added is one application of their analyses.
The background to their study is as follows: "Gaps in educational achievement between high- and low-income children are growing" (p. 1), but the data that are used to capture "high- and low-income" in the state of Michigan (i.e., the state in which their study took place) and many if not most other states throughout the US, capture "income" demographics in very rudimentary, blunt, and often binary ways (i.e., "yes" for students who are eligible to receive federally funded free-or-reduced lunches and "no" for the ineligible).
Consequently, in this study the authors "leverage[d] the longitudinal structure of these data sets to develop a new measure of persistent economic disadvantage" (p. 1), all the while defining "persistent economic disadvantage" by the extent to which students were "eligible for subsidized meals in every grade since kindergarten" (p. 8). Students "who [were] never eligible for subsidized meals during those grades [were] defined as never [being economically] disadvantaged" (p. 8), and students who were eligible for subsidized meals for variable years were defined as "transitorily disadvantaged" (p. 8). This all runs counter, however, to the binary codes typically used, again, across the nation.
Appropriately, then, their goal (among other things) was to see how a new measure they constructed to better measure and capture "persistent economic disadvantage" might help when calculating teacher-level value-added. They accordingly argue (among other things) that, perhaps, not accounting for persistent disadvantage might subsequently cause more biased value-added estimates "against teachers of [and perhaps schools educating] persistently disadvantaged children" (p. 3). This, of course, also depends on how persistently disadvantaged students are (non)randomly assigned to teachers.
With statistics like the following as also reported in their report: "Students [in Michigan] [persistently] disadvantaged by 8th grade were six times more likely to be black and four times more likely to be Hispanic, compared to those who were never disadvantaged," their assertions speak volumes not only to the importance of their findings for educational policy, but also for the teachers and schools still being evaluated using value-added scores and the researchers investigating, criticizing, promoting, or even trying to make these models better (if that is possible). In short, though, teachers who are disproportionately teaching in urban areas with more students akin to their equally disadvantaged peers, might realize relatively more biased value-added estimates as a result.
For value-added purposes, then, it is clear that the assumptions that controlling for student disadvantage by using such basal indicators of current economic disadvantage is overly simplistic, and just using test scores to also count for this economic disadvantage (i.e., as promoted in most versions of the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS)) is likely worse. More specifically, the assumption that economic disadvantage also does not impact some students more than others over time, or over the period of data being used to capture value-added (typically 3-5 years of students' test score data), is also highly susceptible. "[T]hat children who are persistently disadvantaged perform worse than those who are disadvantaged in only some grades" (p. 14) also violates another fundamental assumption that teachers' effects are consistent over time for similar students who learn at more or less consistent rates over time, regardless of these and other demographics.
The bottom line here, then, is that the indicator that should be used instead of our currently used proxies for current economic disadvantage is the number of grades students spend in economic disadvantage. If the value-added indicator does not effectively account for the "negative, nearly linear relationship between [students' test] scores and the number of grades spent in economic disadvantage" (p. 18), while controlling for other student demographics and school fixed effects, value-added estimates will likely be (even) more biased against teachers who teach these students as a result.
Otherwise, teachers who teach students with persistent economic disadvantages will likely have it worse (i.e., in terms of bias) than teachers who teach students with current economic disadvantages, teachers who teach students with economically disadvantaged in their current or past histories will have it worse than teachers who teach students without (m)any prior economic disadvantages, and so on.
Citation: Michelmore, K., & Dynarski, S. (2016). The gap within the gap: Using longitudinal data to understand income differences in student achievement. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w22474
Using VAMs "In Not Very Intelligent Ways:" A Q&A with Jesse Rothstein
The American Prospect — a self-described "liberal intelligence" magazine — featured last week a question and answer, interview-based article with Jesse Rothstein — Professor of Economics at University of California – Berkeley — on "The Economic Consequences of Denying Teachers Tenure." Rothstein is a great choice for this one in that indeed he is an economist, but one of a few, really, who is deep into the research literature and who, accordingly, has a balanced set of research-based beliefs about value-added models (VAMs), their current uses in America's public schools, and what they can and cannot do (theoretically) to support school reform. He's probably most famous for a study he conducted in 2009 about how the non-random, purposeful sorting of students into classrooms indeed biases (or distorts) value-added estimations, pretty much despite the sophistication of the statistical controls meant to block (or control for) such bias (or distorting effects). You can find this study referenced here, and a follow-up to this study here.
In this article, though, the interviewer — Rachel Cohen — interviews Jesse primarily about how in California a higher court recently reversed the Vergara v. California decision that would have weakened teacher employment protections throughout the state (see also here). "In 2014, in Vergara v. California, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that a variety of teacher job protections worked together to violate students' constitutional right to an equal education. This past spring, in a 3–0 decision, the California Court of Appeals threw this ruling out."
Here are the highlights in my opinion, by question and answer, although there is much more information in the full article here:
Cohen: "Your research suggests that even if we got rid of teacher tenure, principals still wouldn't fire many teachers. Why?"
Rothstein: "It's basically because in most cases, there's just not actually a long list of [qualified] people lining up to take the jobs; there's a shortage of qualified teachers to hire." In addition, "Lots of schools recognize it makes more sense to keep the teacher employed, and incentivize them with tenure…"I've studied this, and it's basically economics 101. There is evidence that you get more people interested in teaching when the job is better, and there is evidence that firing teachers reduces the attractiveness of the job."
Cohen: Your research suggests that even if we got rid of teacher tenure, principals still wouldn't fire many teachers. Why?
Rothstein: It's basically because in most cases, there's just not actually a long list of people lining up to take the jobs; there's a shortage of qualified teachers to hire. If you deny tenure to someone, that creates a new job opening. But if you're not confident you'll be able to fill it with someone else, that doesn't make you any better off. Lots of schools recognize it makes more sense to keep the teacher employed, and incentivize them with tenure.
Cohen: "Aren't most teachers pretty bad their first year? Are we denying them a fair shot if we make tenure decisions so soon?"
Rothstein: "Even if they're struggling, you can usually tell if things will turn out to be okay. There is quite a bit of evidence for someone to look at."
Cohen: "Value-added models (VAM) played a significant role in the Vergara trial. You've done a lot of research on these tools. Can you explain what they are?"
Rothstein: "[The] value-added model is a statistical tool that tries to use student test scores to come up with estimates of teacher effectiveness. The idea is that if we define teacher effectiveness as the impact that teachers have on student test scores, then we can use statistics to try to then tell us which teachers are good and bad. VAM played an odd role in the trial. The plaintiffs were arguing that now, with VAM, we have these new reliable measures of teacher effectiveness, so we should use them much more aggressively, and we should throw out the job statutes. It was a little weird that the judge took it all at face value in his decision."
Cohen: "When did VAM become popular?"
Rothstein: "I would say it became a big deal late in the [George W.] Bush administration. That's partly because we had new databases that we hadn't had previously, so it was possible to estimate on a large scale. It was also partly because computers had gotten better. And then VAM got a huge push from the Obama administration."
Cohen: "So you're skeptical of VAM."
Rothstein: "I think the metrics are not as good as the plaintiffs made them out to be. There are bias issues, among others."
Cohen: "During the Vergara trials you testified against some of Harvard economist Raj Chetty's VAM research, and the two of you have been going back and forth ever since. Can you describe what you two are arguing about?"
Rothstein: "Raj's testimony at the trial was very focused on his work regarding teacher VAM. After the trial, I really dug in to understand his work, and I probed into some of his assumptions, and found that they didn't really hold up. So while he was arguing that VAM showed unbiased results, and VAM results tell you a lot about a teacher's long-term outcomes, I concluded that what his approach really showed was that value-added scores are moderately biased, and that they don't really tell us one way or another about a teacher's long-term outcomes" (see more about this debate here).
Cohen: "Could VAM be improved?"
Rothstein: "It may be that there is a way to use VAM to make a better system than we have now, but we haven't yet figured out how to do that. Our first attempts have been trying to use them in not very intelligent ways."
Cohen: "It's been two years since the Vergara trial. Do you think anything's changed?"
Rothstein: "I guess in general there's been a little bit of a political walk-back from the push for VAM. And this retreat is not necessarily tied to the research evidence; sometimes these things just happen. But I'm not sure the trial court opinion would have come out the same if it were held today."
Again, see more from this interview, also about teacher evaluation systems in general, job protections, and the like in the full article here.
Citation: Cohen, R. M. (2016, August 4). Q&A: The economic consequences of eenying teachers tenure. The American Prospect. Retrieved from http://prospect.org/article/qa-economic-consequences-denying-teachers-tenure
One Score and Seven Policy Iterations Ago…
I just read what might be one of the best articles I've read in a long time on using test scores to measure teacher effectiveness, and why this is such a bad idea. Not surprisingly, unfortunately, this article was written 20 years ago (i.e., 1986) by – Edward Haertel, National Academy of Education member and recently retired Professor at Stanford University. If the name sounds familiar, it should as Professor Emeritus Haertel is one of the best on the topic of, and history behind VAMs (see prior posts about his related scholarship here, here, and here). To access the full article, please scroll to the reference at the bottom of this post.
Heartel wrote this article when at the time policymakers were, like they still are now, trying to hold teachers accountable for their students' learning as measured on states' standardized test scores. Although this article deals with minimum competency tests, which were in policy fashion at the time, about seven policy iterations ago, the contents of the article still have much relevance given where we are today — investing in "new and improved" Common Core tests and still riding on unsinkable beliefs that this is the way to reform the schools that have been in despair and (still) in need of major repair since 20+ years ago.
Here are some of the points I found of most "value:"
- On isolating teacher effects: "Inferring teacher competence from test scores requires the isolation of teaching effects from other major influences on student test performance," while "the task is to support an interpretation of student test performance as reflecting teacher competence by providing evidence against plausible rival hypotheses or interpretation." While "student achievement depends on multiple factors, many of which are out of the teacher's control," and many of which cannot and likely never will be able to be "controlled." In terms of home supports, "students enjoy varying levels of out-of-school support for learning. Not only may parental support and expectations influence student motivation and effort, but some parents may share directly in the task of instruction itself, reading with children, for example, or assisting them with homework." In terms of school supports, "[s]choolwide learning climate refers to the host of factors that make a school more than a collection of self-contained classrooms. Where the principal is a strong instructional leader; where schoolwide policies on attendance, drug use, and discipline are consistently enforced; where the dominant peer culture is achievement-oriented; and where the school is actively supported by parents and the community." This, all, makes isolating the teacher effect nearly if not wholly impossible.
- On the difficulties with defining the teacher effect: "Does it include homework? Does it include self-directed study initiated by the student? How about tutoring by a parent or an older sister or brother? For present purposes, instruction logically refers to whatever the teacher being evaluated is responsible for, but there are degrees of responsibility, and it is often shared. If a teacher informs parents of a student's learning difficulties and they arrange for private tutoring, is the teacher responsible for the student's improvement? Suppose the teacher merely gives the student low marks, the student informs her parents, and they arrange for a tutor? Should teachers be credited with inspiring a student's independent study of school subjects? There is no time to dwell on these difficulties; others lie ahead. Recognizing that some ambiguity remains, it may suffice to define instruction as any learning activity directed by the teacher, including homework….The question also must be confronted of what knowledge counts as achievement. The math teacher who digresses into lectures on beekeeping may be effective in communicating information, but for purposes of teacher evaluation the learning outcomes will not match those of a colleague who sticks to quadratic equations." Much if not all of this cannot and likely never will be able to be "controlled" or "factored" in or our, as well.
- On standardized tests: The best of standardized tests will (likely) always be too imperfect and not up to the teacher evaluation task, no matter the extent to which they are pitched as "new and improved." While it might appear that these "problem[s] could be solved with better tests," they cannot. Ultimately, all that these tests provide is "a sample of student performance. The inference that this performance reflects educational achievement [not to mention teacher effectiveness] is probabilistic [emphasis added], and is only justified under certain conditions." Likewise, these tests "measure only a subset of important learning objectives, and if teachers are rated on their students' attainment of just those outcomes, instruction of unmeasured objectives [is also] slighted." Like it was then as it still is today, "it has become a commonplace that standardized student achievement tests are ill-suited for teacher evaluation."
- On the multiple choice formats of such tests: "[A] multiple-choice item remains a recognition task, in which the problem is to find the best of a small number of predetermined alternatives and the cri- teria for comparing the alternatives are well defined. The nonacademic situations where school learning is ultimately ap- plied rarely present problems in this neat, closed form. Discovery and definition of the problem itself and production of a variety of solutions are called for, not selection among a set of fixed alternatives."
- On students and the scores they are to contribute to the teacher evaluation formula: "Students varying in their readiness to profit from instruction are said to differ in aptitude. Not only general cognitive abilities, but relevant prior instruction, motivation, and specific inter- actions of these and other learner characteristics with features of the curriculum and instruction will affect academic growth." In other words, one cannot simply assume all students will learn or grow at the same rate with the same teacher. Rather, they will learn at different rates given their aptitudes, their "readiness to profit from instruction," the teachers' instruction, and sometimes despite the teachers' instruction or what the teacher teaches.
- And on the formative nature of such tests, as it was then: "Teachers rarely consult standardized test results except, perhaps, for initial grouping or placement of students, and they believe that the tests are of more value to school or district administrators than to themselves."
Sound familiar?
Reference: Haertel, E. (1986). The valid use of student performance measures for teacher evaluation. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 8(1), 45-60.
The Late Stephen Jay Gould on IQ Testing (with Implications for Testing Today)
One of my doctoral students sent me a YouTube video I feel compelled to share with you all. It is an interview with one of my all time favorite and most admired academics — Stephen Jay Gould. Gould, who passed away at age 60 from cancer, was a paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and scientist who spent most of his academic career at Harvard. He was "one of the most influential and widely read writers of popular science of his generation," and he was also the author of one of my favorite books of all time: The Mismeasure of Man (1981).
In The Mismeasure of Man Gould examined the history of psychometrics and the history of intelligence testing (e.g., the methods of nineteenth century craniometry, or the physical measures of peoples' skulls to "objectively" capture their intelligence). Gould examined psychological testing and the uses of all sorts of tests and measurements to inform decisions (which is still, as we know, uber-relevant today) as well as "inform" biological determinism (i.e., "the view that "social and economic differences between human groups—primarily races, classes, and sexes—arise from inherited, inborn distinctions and that society, in this sense, is an accurate reflection of biology). Gould also examined in this book the general use of mathematics and "objective" numbers writ large to measure pretty much anything, as well as to measure and evidence predetermined sets of conclusions. This book is, as I mentioned, one of the best. I highly recommend it to all.
In this seven-minute video, you can get a sense of what this book is all about, as also so relevant to that which we continue to believe or not believe about tests and what they really are or are not worth. Thanks, again, to my doctoral student for finding this as this is a treasure not to be buried, especially given Gould's 2002 passing.
Another Oldie but Still Very Relevant Goodie, by McCaffrey et al.
I recently re-read an article in full that is now 10 years old, or 10 years out, as published in 2004 and, as per the words of the authors, before VAM approaches were "widely adopted in formal state or district accountability systems." Unfortunately, I consistently find it interesting, particularly in terms of the research on VAMs, to re-explore/re-discover what we actually knew 10 years ago about VAMs, as most of the time, this serves as a reminder of how things, most of the time, have not changed.
The article, "Models for Value-Added Modeling of Teacher Effects," is authored by Daniel McCaffrey (Educational Testing Service [ETS] Scientist, and still a "big name" in VAM research), J. R. Lockwood (RAND Corporation Scientists), Daniel Koretz (Professor at Harvard), Thomas Louis (Professor at Johns Hopkins), and Laura Hamilton (RAND Corporation Scientist).
At the point at which the authors wrote this article, besides the aforementioned data and data base issues, were issues with "multiple measures on the same student and multiple teachers instructing each student" as "[c]lass groupings of students change annually, and students are taught by a different teacher each year." Authors, more specifically, questioned "whether VAM really does remove the effects of factors such as prior performance and [students'] socio-economic status, and thereby provide[s] a more accurate indicator of teacher effectiveness."
The assertions they advanced, accordingly and as relevant to these questions, follow:
- Across different types of VAMs, given different types of approaches to control for some of the above (e.g., bias), teachers' contribution to total variability in test scores (as per value-added gains) ranged from 3% to 20%. That is, teachers can realistically only be held accountable for 3% to 20% of the variance in test scores using VAMs, while the other 80% to 97% of the variance (stil) comes from influences outside of the teacher's control. A similar statistic (i.e., 1% to 14%) was similarly and recently highlighted in the recent position statement on VAMs released by the American Statistical Association.
- Most VAMs focus exclusively on scores from standardized assessments, although I will take this one-step further now, noting that all VAMs now focus exclusively on large-scale standardized tests. This I evidenced in a recent paper I published here: Putting growth and value-added models on the map: A national overview).
- VAMs introduce bias when missing test scores are not missing completely at random. The missing at random assumption, however, runs across most VAMs because without it, data missingness would be pragmatically insolvable, especially "given the large proportion of missing data in many achievement databases and known differences between students with complete and incomplete test data." The really only solution here is to use "implicit imputation of values for unobserved gains using the observed scores" which is "followed by estimation of teacher effect[s] using the means of both the imputed and observe gains [together]."
- Bias "[still] is one of the most difficult issues arising from the use of VAMs to estimate school or teacher effects…[and]…the inclusion of student level covariates is not necessarily the solution to [this] bias." In other words, "Controlling for student-level covariates alone is not sufficient to remove the effects of [students'] background [or demographic] characteristics." There is a reason why bias is still such a highly contested issue when it comes to VAMs (see a recent post about this here).
- All (or now most) commonly-used VAMs assume that teachers' (and prior teachers') effects persist undiminished over time. This assumption "is not empirically or theoretically justified," either, yet it persists.
These authors' overall conclusion, again from 10 years ago but one that in many ways still stands? VAMs "will often be too imprecise to support some of [its] desired inferences" and uses including, for example, making low- and high-stakes decisions about teacher effects as produced via VAMs. "[O]btaining sufficiently precise estimates of teacher effects to support ranking [and such decisions] is likely to [forever] be a challenge."
Massachusetts Also Moving To Remove Growth Measures from State's Teacher Evaluation Systems
Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) last January, in which the federal government handed back to states the authority to decide whether to evaluate teachers with or without students' test scores, states have been dropping the value-added measure (VAM) or growth components (e.g., the Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) package) of their teacher evaluation systems, as formerly required by President Obama's Race to the Top initiative. See my most recent post here, for example, about how legislators in Oklahoma recently removed VAMs from their state-level teacher evaluation system, while simultaneously increasing the state's focus on the professional development of all teachers. Hawaii recently did the same.
Now, it seems that Massachusetts is the next at least moving in this same direction.
As per a recent article in The Boston Globe (here), similar test-based teacher accountability efforts are facing increased opposition, primarily from school district superintendents and teachers throughout the state. At issue is whether all of this is simply "becoming a distraction," whether the data can be impacted or "biased" by other statistically uncontrollable factors, and whether all teachers can be evaluated in similar ways, which is an issue with "fairness." Also at issue is "reliability," whereby a 2014 study released by the Center for Educational Assessment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in which researchers examined student growth percentiles, found the "amount of random error was substantial." Stephen Sireci, one of the study authors and UMass professor, noted that, instead of relying upon the volatile results, "You might as well [just] flip a coin."
Damian Betebenner, a senior associate at the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment Inc. in Dover, N.H. who developed the SGP model in use in Massachusetts, added that "Unfortunately, the use of student percentiles has turned into a debate for scapegoating teachers for the ills." Isn't this the truth, to the extent that policymakers got a hold of these statistical tools, after which they much too swiftly and carelessly singled out teachers for unmerited treatment and blame.
Regardless, and recently, stakeholders in Massachusetts lobbied the Senate to approve an amendment to the budget that would no longer require such test-based ratings in teachers' professional evaluations, while also passing a policy statement urging the state to scrap these ratings entirely. "It remains unclear what the fate of the Senate amendment will be," however. "The House has previously rejected a similar amendment, which means the issue would have to be resolved in a conference committee as the two sides reconcile their budget proposals in the coming weeks."
Not surprisingly, Mitchell Chester, Massachusetts Commissioner for Elementary and Secondary Education, continues to defend the requirement. It seems that Chester, like others, is still holding tight to the default (yet still unsubstantiated) logic helping to advance these systems in the first place, arguing, "Some teachers are strong, others are not…If we are not looking at who is getting strong gains and those who are not we are missing an opportunity to upgrade teaching across the system."
Special Issue of "Educational Researcher" (Paper #8 of 9, Part I): A More Research-Based Assessment of VAMs' Potentials
Recall that the peer-reviewed journal Educational Researcher (ER) – published a "Special Issue" including nine articles examining value-added measures (VAMs). I have reviewed the next of nine articles (#8 of 9), which is actually a commentary titled "Can Value-Added Add Value to Teacher Evaluation?" This commentary is authored by Linda Darling-Hammond – Professor of Education, Emeritus, at Stanford University.
Like with the last commentary reviewed here, Darling-Hammond reviews some of the key points taken from the five feature articles in the aforementioned "Special Issue." More specifically, though, Darling-Hammond "reflect[s] on [these five] articles' findings in light of other work in this field, and [she] offer[s her own] thoughts about whether and how VAMs may add value to teacher evaluation" (p. 132).
She starts her commentary with VAMs "in theory," in that VAMs COULD accurately identify teachers' contributions to student learning and achievement IF (and this is a big IF) the following three conditions were met: (1) "student learning is well-measured by tests that reflect valuable learning and the actual achievement of individual students along a vertical scale representing the full range of possible achievement measures in equal interval units" (2) "students are randomly assigned to teachers within and across schools—or, conceptualized another way, the learning conditions and traits of the group of students assigned to one teacher do not vary substantially from those assigned to another;" and (3) "individual teachers are the only contributors to students' learning over the period of time used for measuring gains" (p. 132).
None of things are actual true (or near to true, nor will they likely ever be true) in educational practice, however. Hence, the errors we continue to observe that continue to prevent VAM use for their intended utilities, even with the sophisticated statistics meant to mitigate errors and account for the above-mentioned, let's call them, "less than ideal" conditions.
Other pervasive and perpetual issues surrounding VAMs as highlighted by Darling-Hammond, per each of the three categories above, pertain to (1) the tests used to measure value-added is that the tests are very narrow, focus on lower level skills, and are manipulable. These tests in their current form cannot effectively measure the learning gains of a large share of students who are above or below grade level given a lack of sufficient coverage and stretch. As per Haertel (2013, as cited in Darling-Hammond's commentary), this "translates into bias against those teachers working with the lowest-performing or the highest-performing classes'…and "those who teach in tracked school settings." It is also important to note here that the new tests created by the Partnership for Assessing Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced, multistate consortia "will not remedy this problem…Even though they will report students' scores on a vertical scale, they will not be able to measure accurately the achievement or learning of students who started out below or above grade level" (p.133).
With respect to (2) above, on the equivalence (or rather non-equivalence) of groups of student across teachers classrooms who are the ones whose VAM scores are relativistically compared, the main issue here is that "the U.S. education system is the one of most segregated and unequal in the industrialized world…[likewise]…[t]he country's extraordinarily high rates of childhood poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity are not randomly distributed across communities…[Add] the extensive practice of tracking to the mix, and it is clear that the assumption of equivalence among classrooms is far from reality" (p. 133). Whether sophisticated statistics can control for all of this variation is one of most debated issues surrounding VAMs and their levels of outcome bias, accordingly.
And as per (3) above, "we know from decades of educational research that many things matter for student achievement aside from the individual teacher a student has at a moment in time for a given subject area. A partial list includes the following [that are also supposed to be statistically controlled for in most VAMs, but are also clearly not controlled for effectively enough, if even possible]: (a) school factors such as class sizes, curriculum choices, instructional time, availability of specialists, tutors, books, computers, science labs, and other resources; (b) prior teachers and schooling, as well as other current teachers—and the opportunities for professional learning and collaborative planning among them; (c) peer culture and achievement; (d) differential summer learning gains and losses; (e) home factors, such as parents' ability to help with homework, food and housing security, and physical and mental support or abuse; and (e) individual student needs, health, and attendance" (p. 133).
"Given all of these influences on [student] learning [and achievement], it is not surprising that variation among teachers accounts for only a tiny share of variation in achievement, typically estimated at under 10%" (see, for example, highlights from the American Statistical Association's (ASA's) Position Statement on VAMs here). "Suffice it to say [these issues]…pose considerable challenges to deriving accurate estimates of teacher effects…[A]s the ASA suggests, these challenges may have unintended negative effects on overall educational quality" (p. 133). "Most worrisome [for example] are [the] studies suggesting that teachers' ratings are heavily influenced [i.e., biased] by the students they teach even after statistical models have tried to control for these influences" (p. 135).
Other "considerable challenges" include: VAM output are grossly unstable given the swings and variations observed in teacher classifications across time, and VAM output are "notoriously imprecise" (p. 133) given the other errors observed as caused, for example, by varying class sizes (e.g., Sean Corcoran (2010) documented with New York City data that the "true" effectiveness of a teacher ranked in the 43rd percentile could have had a range of possible scores from the 15th to the 71st percentile, qualifying as "below average," "average," or close to "above average). In addition, practitioners including administrators and teachers are skeptical of these systems, and their (appropriate) skepticisms are impacting the extent to which they use and value their value-added data, noting that they value their observational data (and the professional discussions surrounding them) much more. Also important is that another likely unintended effect exists (i.e., citing Susan Moore Johnson's essay here) when statisticians' efforts to parse out learning to calculate individual teachers' value-added causes "teachers to hunker down and focus only on their own students, rather than working collegially to address student needs and solve collective problems" (p. 134). Related, "the technology of VAM ranks teachers against each other relative to the gains they appear to produce for students, [hence] one teacher's gain is another's loss, thus creating disincentives for collaborative work" (p. 135). This is what Susan Moore Johnson termed the egg-crate model, or rather the egg-crate effects.
Darling-Hammond's conclusions are that VAMs have "been prematurely thrust into policy contexts that have made it more the subject of advocacy than of careful analysis that shapes its use. There is [good] reason to be skeptical that the current prescriptions for using VAMs can ever succeed in measuring teaching contributions well (p. 135).
Darling-Hammond also "adds value" in one whole section (highlighted in another post forthcoming here), offering a very sound set of solutions, using VAMs for teacher evaluations or not. Given it's rare in this area of research we can focus on actual solutions, this section is a must read. If you don't want to wait for the next post, read Darling-Hammond's "Modest Proposal" (p. 135-136) within her larger article here.
In the end, Darling-Hammond writes that, "Trying to fix VAMs is rather like pushing on a balloon: The effort to correct one problem often creates another one that pops out somewhere else" (p. 135).
If interested, see the Review of Article #1 – the introduction to the special issue here; see the Review of Article #2 – on VAMs' measurement errors, issues with retroactive revisions, and (more) problems with using standardized tests in VAMs here; see the Review of Article #3 – on VAMs' potentials here; see the Review of Article #4 – on observational systems' potentials here; see the Review of Article #5 – on teachers' perceptions of observations and student growth here; see the Review of Article (Essay) #6 – on VAMs as tools for "egg-crate" schools here; and see the Review of Article (Commentary) #7 – on VAMs situated in their appropriate ecologies here.
Article #8, Part I Reference: Darling-Hammond, L. (2015). Can value-added add value to teacher evaluation? Educational Researcher, 44(2), 132-137. doi:10.3102/0013189X15575346
"Arbitrary and Capricious:" Sheri Lederman Wins Lawsuit in NY's State Supreme Court
Recall the New York lawsuit pertaining to Long Island teacher Sheri Lederman? She just won in New York's State Supreme court, and boy did she win big, also for the cause!
Sheri is a teacher, who by all accounts other than her 2013-2014 "ineffective" growth score of a 1/20, is a terrific 4th grade, 18-year veteran teacher. However, after receiving her "ineffective" growth rating and score, she along with her attorney and husband Bruce Lederman, sued the state of New York to challenge the state's growth-based teacher evaluation system and Sheri's individual score. See prior posts about Sheri's case here, here, here and here.
The more specific goal of her case was to seek a judgment: (1) setting aside or vacating Sheri's individual growth score and rating her as "ineffective," and (2) declare that the New York endorsed and implemented growth measures in use was/is "arbitrary and capricious." The "overall gist" was that Sheri contended that the system unfairly penalized teachers whose students consistently scored well and could not demonstrated growth upwards (e.g., teachers of gifted or other high achieving students). This concern/complaint is common elsewhere.
As per a State Supreme Court ruling, just released today as written by Acting Supreme Court Justice Judge Roger McDonough (May 10, 2016), and at 15 pages in length and available in full here, Sheri won her case. She won it against John King — the then New York State Education Department Commissioner and the now US Secretary of Education (who recently replaced Arne Duncan as US Secretary of Education). The Court concluded that Sheri (her husband, her team of experts, and other witnesses) effectively established that her growth score and rating for 2013-2014 was "arbitrary and capricious," with "arbitrary and capricious" being defined as actions "taken without sound basis in reason or regard to the facts."
More specifically, the Court's conclusion was founded upon: (1) the convincing and detailed evidence of VAM bias against teachers at both ends of the spectrum (e.g. those with high-performing students or those with low-performing students); (2) the disproportionate effect of petitioner's small class size and relatively large percentage of high-performing students; (3) the functional inability of high-performing students to demonstrate growth akin to lower-performing students; (4) the wholly unexplained swing in petitioner's growth score from 14 [i.e., her growth score the year prior] to 1, despite the presence of statistically similar scoring students in her respective classes; and, most tellingly, (5) the strict imposition of rating constraints in the form of a "bell curve" that places teachers in four categories via pre-determined percentages regardless of whether the performance of students dramatically rose or dramatically fell from the previous year."
As per an email I received earlier today from Bruce (i.e., Sheri's husband/attorney who prosecuted her case), the Court otherwise "declined to make an overall ruling on the [New York growth] rating system in general because of new regulations in effect" [e.g., that the state's growth model is currently under review]…[Nontheless, t]he decision should qualify as persuasive authority for other teachers challenging growth scores throughout the County [and Country]. [In addition, the] Court carefully recite[d] all our expert affidavits [i.e., from Professors Darling-Hammond, Pallas, Amrein-Beardsley, Sean Corcoran and Jesse Rothstein as well as Drs. Burris and Lindell]." Noted as well were the "absence of any meaningful' challenge to [Sheri's] experts' conclusions, especially about the dramatic swings noticed between her, and potentially others' scores, and the other 'litany of expert affidavits submitted on [Sheris'] behalf]."
"It is clear that the evidence all of these amazing experts presented was a key factor in winning this case since the Judge repeatedly said both in Court and in the decision that we have a "high burden" to meet in this case." [In addition,] [t]he Court wrote that the court "does not lightly enter into a critical analysis of this matter … [and] is constrained on this record, to conclude that [the] petitioner [i.e., Sheri] has met her high burden."
To Bruce's/our knowledge, this is the first time a judge has set aside an individual teacher's VAM rating based upon such a presentation in court.
Thanks to all who helped in this endeavor. Onward!


text:
I arrived late in the afternoon and just found a spot right up the other end of the camp grounds. It wasnt ideal but I was able to park my car where Marcus could set up when he arrived the following day. I am on my solo summer holidays as Michelle was unable to get time off her work.
So I set up, made some food and pretty much settled in and watched some youtube in bed.
The next morning I decided to see if anyone had left the camp grounds up at the preferred end and the answer was yes so I quickly folded my camper up and gently dragged it up to the better camp sites.
I set up camp AGAIN and spent some time in the area taking photos. I think I went and had a hair cut in St Helens and did some shopping. I was having some solar controller issues so I hesitantly paid too much for a new controller and installed it.
I was experimenting with my camera a little on this day.
There were a lot of people fishing and catching fish too I might add.
Later that day Marcus, his son and his sons friend turned up and set up camp.
Marcus was really happy with his new shower tent and hot water unit he had just purchased. I was really happy that he had to pull it all apart to get it work....well not happy but I am sure you can imagine the banter.........
We cooked tea and spent the night sitting around the camp fire.
The boys smoked one of those Vapour machines so the night was spent sitting in a cloud of very smelly steam!
The next morning we went for a drive to the sand dunes in St Helens.
Now remember the banter I mentioned of the hot water unit not working well I managed to break my cheap Chinese free wheeling hubs I had installed on my 4WD so while we were down at the beach I only had 2WD.
It was back to camp to put the original Isuzu hubs back on the car (I keep them in my tool bag, they are quick and easy to swap around) and then we had a second go at driving on the dunes. Second time was fun but it'll take a while before that little episode will be forgotten.
So back to camp for a late brunch.
The we pretty much spent the day messing around camp and the beach etc before making tea and settling into some more camp fire banter.
I was up early the next morning because I wanted to try and capture the sunrise.
I packed up and headed home, as I had more plans to head to another area.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Zephyr Teachout (previously) is a netroots pioneer, a leading competition law scholar, and a progressive candidate for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General of New York State. Read the rest
Zephyr Teachout (previously) is a netroots pioneer, a leading competition law scholar, and a progressive candidate for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General of New York State. Read the rest
Back in the days of the Howard Dean campaign, it seemed that the political left had a near-monopoly on brilliant, technologically sophisticated "netroots" activists, a situation that carried over to the Obama campaigns. But by 2016, the Pepe-slinging alt-right showed that earlier right-wing cybermilitias weren't just warmed over jokes with an unhealthy appreciation for Conservapedia -- they, too, could fight effectively by forming decentralized open source insurgencies that allowed autonomous activists and groups to change the political landscape. Read the rest
Though the crimes and abuses of the GW Bush era seem almost quaint in comparison to the trumpist agenda, the Bush actions spawned a new kind of protest movement, the first mature, networked resistance, which tried (unsuccessfully) to haul the Democratic Party away from finance-oriented neoliberalism and into a labor-oriented, diverse, racially aware left wing opposition party. Read the rest
Bruce Sterling's characteristically acerbic remarks on the US election gets to a really important point: internet-based movements have been amazing at tearing down corrupt establishment system, but have failed (so far) to create the kinds of stable governance structures that build up something better from the ruins. Read the rest
Netroots movements -- grassroots programmers who pitch in on political campaigns -- have been significant factors in US electoral campaigns since the Howard Dean era, and indeed, some of the key players from that era are still deeply involved in campaign tech, but the netroots that's pulling for the Sanders campaign is a significant advance on the netroots of years gone by. Read the rest


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Lorekeeper Polkelt
|The subject of this article was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 5.0.4.
|Lorekeeper Polkelt
|Zombie (Undead)
|43 Elite
|Alliance Horde
|Hall of Secrets, Scholomance
Lorekeeper Polkelt is a level 43 elite zombie mini-boss found in the Scholomance. Polkelt is one of the six mini-bosses that are required to call forth Darkmaster Gandling. Polkelt is notable among them in that he is the only one of the six that does not drop a [Corruptor's Scourgestone]. As we can tell from his name, he was once the keeper of knowledge, knowledge that has sadly been lost, however, as he is now a shambling, unintelligent monster.
Spells and Abilities
- Corrosive Acid - Reduces the armor of nearby enemies by 16 for 20 sec.
- Noxious Catalyst - Reduces an enemy's Nature resistance by 89 for 20 sec.
- Volatile Infection - Infects an enemy for 30 sec., causing it to inflict 6 Nature damage to its nearby allies every 5 sec.
Lorekeeper Polkelt has a chance to drop one of the following items. It is not guaranteed, however, that he will drop anything at all.
|[Ancient Bone Bow]
|[Bloodmail Belt]
|[Bloodmail Boots]
|[Bloodmail Hauberk]
|[Burial Shawl]
|[Cadaverous Gloves]
|[Cadaverous Walkers]
|[Deathbone Legguards]
|[Dimly Opalescent Ring]
|[Dreadmist Wraps]
|[Ghoul Skin Leggings]
|[Hammer of the Vesper]
|[Libram of Divinity]
|[Necropile Boots]
|[Necropile Leggings]
|[Necropile Robe]
|[Totem of Sustaining]
|[Corruptor's Scourgestone]
|[Skin of Shadow]
Patch changes
- Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): Removed.
- Patch 4.0.1 (2010-10-12): Level reduced from 60 to 43.


text:
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BC Hydro Customer Care on Twitter
Getting BC Hydro's Attention on Twitter by GetHuman
Not on Twitter
For Customer Support
Call BC Hydro Instead
Why did you want to tweet them?
Get connected with other customers with the same issue, how they fixed it and pro tips.
Tweet re: Setup service
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734 customers have checked with GetHuman if BC Hydro has a Twitter address for customers in the last 45 days.
BC Hydro does not address customer service issues through Twitter as far as we know.
BC Hydro Customer Service through Twitter
BC Hydro is not on Twitter as far as we can tell. Either that or one of our researchers determined that they don't really help customers through their Twitter handle. Either way, you're better off looking for a different way to get in touch with them. If it makes you feel better, a lot of companies that do have Twitter handles still redirect customers to another form of communication in order to help them with customer service issues. In this particular case, our advice is this: Call BC Hydro.
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text:
by May Li
I was born in a traditional family with two sisters and a brother, and I was the youngest by 10 years. As a result, I was always left out and left behind. I had no authority to voice my opinion on anything, and my views were suppressed. As I came to adolescence, an out-going and talkative girl quickly turned into a timid and quiet teenager in secondary school. My siblings were always teasing and bullying me about my appearance – I was short and fat with a brown/yellow complexion. Depression and an eating disorder soon followed.
Spiritually, I struggled with following my parents who were devoted to Buddhism. I prayed for an hour every morning and evening to a statue of Buddha, hoping that it would help me to solve my problems but it was in vain. I couldn't feel peace and joy. Many of my friends preached the gospel to me and invited me to experience the evangelism of Billy Graham at that time, but I rejected them. I hated Christians for being so annoyingly persistent.
Anorexia triggered many other health issues and damaged my health for years. It ruined my relationship with my father, who abandoned me. He told me to die and not bother the family anymore. I hit rock bottom: no career, no boyfriend (I split with my boyfriend of 7 years), and my mental health was gone. Suicide seemed inevitable.


text:
6W Flexible Folded solar panels Emergency Camping cellphone charger Mobile power. New USB output6W Flexible Folded solar panels Emergency Camping hiking cellphone charger Mobile power. Maximum power (Pmax): 6.0 W.
Max voltage (Vmp): 5.0 V. Flexible Folded solar panels x 1. The product can be solar energy directly into electricity.
The product can be widely used in field work, outdoor travel and other fields. This product can be various types of communication devices, field operations device, and outdoor travel device to provide power. Ambient temperature -40 ° C - +80 °C.Welcome to Eternal Flame Power. We are manufacturers and wholesalers of electronic product and renewable energy products. All our products are carefully chosen from various reputable manufacturers or manufacture by us.
Often times these same manufacturers make the branded versions of our products. Since we put a lot of emphasis on product quality, all of our products are carefully tested for quality assurance purposes (CE, UL Listed, RoHS, and/or ISO 9001/9002 certification) to ensure their superiority and safety Satisfaction and success are the most important measures showing our work performance. Our deal strategy -- "Effective, Unity, Quality, Service, Perfect, Profession " set a good experience for all of our customers! Whole keep on going experienced in.Technical team is behind you and your business. Great Deals: We do our best to give our customers the best deals on all electronic accessories. We minimize our marketing costs in order to maximize our customer savings!
Our customer service representatives are highly trained and dedicated to helping our customers have the very best experience when shopping with us. OEM and ODM services are both available. We would like to be your best supplier in Asia. If you want to do wholesale business with us, pls.International Buyers - Please Note. It takes 5-9 days to worldwide, 5-7 days to USA common city.
Carrier transit time: this information is provided by the carrier and excludes weekends and public holidays. For broken solar panel or damaged parcel you received, please don't worry, we will responsible for your order. Ut firstly please help us to take the photos for damaged item and claim to DHL, at the same time please let us known. We will claim to DHL. Please be make sure the picture should included the broken place, inner package, and the outer package.Only accept the claim with all pictures we mentioned above. Your satisfaction is very important for us. If you have any problems, we are very glad to help you. Checked and packed in good condition before dispatch. Days after you receiving the item.
For return all accessories, manuals and packing must be included. The item "6W Flexible solar panels Folded Emergency Camping cellphone charger Mobile power" is in sale since Sunday, April 21, 2013. This item is in the category "Consumer Electronics\Multipurpose Batteries & Power\Battery Chargers". The seller is "e-rabbit-t" and is located in HK, default.
This item can be shipped worldwide.


text:
Choo Choo! It's time to make your way to the station because we're off for a day at the National Toy Train Museum!
You can spend your next family day out exploring the hundreds of toy trains in a modern museum built like a historic train station! Sounds pretty cool to us!
The National Toy Train Museum recreates a family "train room," but on a larger scale. The building resembles a Victorian Era railroad station in California and is located in the fertile farm country of Lancaster County, PA, so kist can learn about history AND see some pretty cool models and exhibits!
In fact, did you know that the National Toy Train Museum contains one of the most extensive toy train collections in the world? Trains that children pushed, pulled or rode upon are included so parents, you might get your own trip down memory lane as you explore the collection.
The collection also includes miniature trains that are accurate replicas of their full sized counterparts, so kids can really gain an understanding of the intricacies of these locomotives.
Plus, you get to take a trip through the tracks of the history books as the Museum exhibits trains from the mid-1800s through the present day.
Every visitor has the opportunity to help operate the five train layouts within the museum. Each large layout is a different gauge and represents a different period of the 20th Century. Every layout also boasts an interesting array of period accessories and extensive scenery AND each layout allows even the youngest visitors to have an excellent view of the action!
Train videos run continuously on a large screen television system too, if all of the above wasn't enough to fill your family day out with some locomotive fun!
So grab those conductor hats kids, because the National Toy Train Museum is ready and waiting to depart the station, but they want you to join them!
Choo choo!


text:
Proudly Serving Cumming, Georgia
Located less than an hour north of Atlanta, Cumming, Georgia is much smaller than its vibrant urban neighbor. However, Cumming possesses a small-town southern comfort that folks have come to expect from cities and towns in Georgia. No matter where you come from, you are sure to feel at home in Cumming, Georgia!
Cumming draws its name from the courageous and famous American Colonel William Cumming. Cumming was a highly distinguished officer who fought in the War of 1812. 22 years later in 1834, the city that was named after him was incorporated.
The discovery of gold near the area brought many settlers to the city in its earliest days. While many left later to find gold in California, their presence helped Cumming grow in its youth. The city also grew due to its survival during the bloody Civil War. The city was spared during Union General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea.
This Georgia city is still growing today. The completion of the Georgia 400 allowed the city to connect with Atlanta more than ever. Now Cumming serves as a major commuter city for workers in Atlanta.
Cumming is home to several events that will make you feel right at home. The most notable of these is the Cumming County Fair and Festival that is held every October. Additionally, many celebrities call this city home, such as Zac Brown of the Zac Brown Band.
Taking a trip to Cumming, Georgia does not feel like an excursion to an unknown location. Rather, each trip to the city feels just like a true homecoming!


text:
Lost to everyone but myself.
As I stream through the cosmos.
Touching the stars with my fingertips.
Pausing by the swirling galaxies that shine like glistening pools of diamonds.
Would I find you here?
Carved out of something seen by no-one but God.
You speak words of another time and place.
Resting softly in my head like feathers from the future.
Plucked from a comets tail which snakes back to earth.
Threatening the order.
Teasing from above like angels dropping thunderbolts.
All around but absent.
Could I lose you there?
In that place only you and I know of.
Cut in half if you begin to forget.
Faded in the half light of a dawn you once promised.
Erasing the earth like a solar eclipse.
Yet I feel you, on this night.
In this skin that's cratered like the lunar surface.
And I touch the place you once kissed me.
View original post 5 more words


text:
Pearls of Wisdom
ACCEPTANCE: It is a Metaphysical principle that change can only be initiated once acceptance is achieved. Accepting that all is as it should be right now forms a solid foundation for future improvement and Spiritual Growth. Try to see the positive in your situation and then ask for divine guidance to find the best way to enhance and improve it. It does not mean you should be complacent!
ACT IN INTEGRITY: Acting in integrity pertains to your conduct towards others as well as towards yourself. Always ask yourself: Will what I am about to do harm or heal? Am I thinking constructive or destructive thoughts around this issue? And in acting: How much can I really afford to give before I start to feel short-changed and become resentful? Be very honest with yourself.
ALLOW DIVINE TIMING: Also called "In the Fullness of Time". This card reminds you that there is a perfect time for the event you have in mind to happen. Stop pushing, pulling back or blocking. There is an opportunity here to practise your skills of intuitively getting in touch with the world around you. Ask for signs and try to sense when energy is "open" and when it is "blocked". It will take self-discipline in the beginning, but as you see the proof of how much better things work out when you allow them to happen "in the fullness of time", the easier it becomes to follow the signs and heed the warnings!
ALLOW ENCHANTMENT: When this card comes up, you have probably allowed your thoughts and feelings to become resentful and clouded with negativity around the issue you are seeking wisdom about, or the person/people involved. You need to look on the bright side! Think of positive attributes/aspects of the person or about the issue that attracted you initially, and focus on them. Write them down in a prominent place and read them often until you feel a balanced outlook returning.
ALLOW FLOW: Everything in the universe is meant to happen in a divine way, at exactly the right place and time. Because we are divine beings, we have the ability to develop a sense of flow – allowing the right thing to happen at the right time – not pushing things or blocking them. Try to work with Universal Flow instead of against it.
ALLOW GUIDANCE: Divine guidance is available to all of us, all the time – we just need to learn to listen! Sometimes something just "feels right", and other times it just does not. When we are open to being guided, wisdom and clarity will come to us in a way that each of us can clearly understand if we want to. The most important thing is to be OPEN to both where and whom the guidance may come from, as well as to what it may be. Remember that positive information can come from a negative source, and vice versa, so use your own judgment and intuition to assess what is right for you and whether to act on it or not! Each of us has our own personal team of guides and angels who care about us greatly, and with time and intent a relationship can be developed through prayer (See books – "Prayers of Love & Light" and "The Divine Connection").
ANALYZE ALL ASPECTS: This card indicates that you might not be seeing the wood for the trees in a particular situation, or that you are only seeing what you want to see. You need to gather as much information as you can from more than one source and carefully analyze what you are presented with before deciding what to do or how to act!
ASK FOR HELP: Asking for help from Divine guidance is something we can so easily forget to do! When faced with difficult or unfamiliar circumstances, our first instinct is often to make our own plan because we think we have to. To make a habit of asking for help is one of the biggest gifts one can give oneself. Help will always come in one form or another, one need only to develop the sensitivity to recognise it, as well as the self-discipline to act on it!
BE APPROACHABLE: Often when people seem "closed" or "not communicative" to us, we do not realise how unapproachable we may seem to them! Body language and intention play a huge role in wanting to come across more open and approachable to those around us. Look the person you are speaking to in the eye and be mindful of really listening to what they are saying, without interruption. When you know that, you are broaching a subject that is difficult for them to talk about, initiate for instance "You know, I find it very difficult to tell people when they've hurt me, but I realise that if I don't, they'll never know!" (Then listen!) If we keep the intention of approachability in our minds, we automatically seem more open to others.
BE GRACEFUL: Are you an Emissary of Divine Grace? Every human being has the inherent ability to act gracefully, even under unusual pressure. Make it an aspiration to extend Divine Grace to people who you can see need love and support, and accept the challenges you are faced with as part of the path to spiritual growth that you have chosen to walk. As you extend divine grace and act gracefully, so divine grace will be bestowed upon you beyond measure!
BE KIND: When we are under pressure and taking strain in our personal lives, it is very easy to project our unbalanced emotions onto those who least deserve it: the girl at the check-out counter or waitress, the pharmacy assistant, fellow motorists etc. Be extra conscious of taking responsibility for your emotions rather than project them on innocent bystanders. Make an effort of being kind to those in your everyday life who are so often taken for granted.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: When people ignore us or put us down, the reason often has more to do with what they are going through than with us! Try not to take things so personally. You are a unique human being, with many special gifts and talents. Your individual contribution to the whole cannot be duplicated and it is useful to more people that you will ever be aware of!
BE PATIENT: Not everything can always happen when we want it to, and there is often a very good reason for this! Often other aspects of the situation still need to fall into place, and it is in our own best interest not to push, lest the outcome fall grossly short of our expectations! Once you have done all you can, hand the issue over to the universe and concentrate on other things for a while. Your waiting will be over before you know it!
BEWARE OF ESCAPISM: Sometimes we just want to fly away! And in our minds, we often do. Unfortunately very little gets resolved when we keep avoiding the issue, and usually things only get worse when we are "spaced out", because in that state we tend to miss vital clues and information that could significantly resolve our dilemma! Pray for the strength and help, you need to stay grounded and face your problems head-on.
BOUNDARIES: For many of us saying "no" is the hardest thing! This is often because growing up our sacred space was repeatedly trashed by parents or siblings, who did not know to respect our natural boundaries, because they did not have any of their own. As adults, we then have to re-learn how much space we need, and what we can realistically allow and do for others before becoming resentful. We also need to learn how to read other people's signals for how much space they need, and what they can and cannot allow and give us. In the situation you are currently in, is it you who needs to set clearer boundaries or is it the other people who need you to observe and respect their boundaries more? Be honest with yourself.
CALM & BALANCE: Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and breathe out. You need to calm down! Getting all worked up and into a state is not going to help the situation one bit. Close your eyes and look within, concentrate on your breathing and try to feel the centre of your being (solar plexus – just below your rib cage). Breathe soothing and healing energy into this space. Ask for guidance and proceed with caution, eyes & ears open and feet on the ground!
CLOSURE: The drawing of this card could be met with great relief or great sadness, as it indicates that things are drawing to a close. Something is definitely ending and the completion of a cycle, issue or relationship is indicated. Sometimes this card could also indicate that the lack of closure is what is hindering one from moving forward into a new phase. With the obtaining of closure comes a sense of completion, and making closure a clear intent when appropriate, can bring great relief.
CO-CREATIVITY: It takes many different kinds of bricks to build a castle. Are you trying to do it all on your own, using only your own talents and abilities? Do not be afraid to reach out to others, ask for help and even delegate! Everyone has something unique and special to give! Working together for the achievement of a greater whole is a rewarding and hugely enriching experience. When approached in the right way, people can be far more willing to help than you think!
COMMITMENT: When we want something, the very first thing we need to do is commit to the part we need to play in bringing our desire to fruition. Be very conscious of what kind of commitment is required and if you are REALLY in a position to commit yourself. Also, be mindful of not asking others to commit to promises they cannot fulfil.
COMMUNICATION: The cornerstone of human co-existence is communication. Without it, we are doomed as a race. Communication happens in so many more ways than mere words, and we are either open to it or we are not. If you find it challenging to say what you feel, you need to say, write a letter or draw a picture of how you feel. Make a collection of songs that describe your thoughts and emotions, or find a book or card you can give as a gift. If your intention is to open up the lines of communication for the greater good of all, the universe will support you in more ways than you can imagine!
DETACH FROM OUTCOME: Often we are so focused on the way we want things to work out, that we miss all the lessons we are meant to learn along the way. This has the effect of our desired outcome eluding us time and time again, leading to feelings of frustration and indignation. When we detach from our idea of the outcome, and put our trust in divine guidance, things often work out in a far better and more ideal way than we could ever have imagined!
DEVELOP TALENT: Greater skill is required in the handling of this issue! You may have talents and skills that are lying dormant that could be of great use in these circumstances and you need to find ways of tapping and developing them. You may also need to call on the talents and abilities of others to help you cope. You yourself or someone you know may have a special talent for problem-solving, communication, lateral thinking, practical application or organizing that is needed here. Keep an open mind and do not be afraid to ask for help.
EMOTIONAL TOLERANCE: Are you getting irritated faster than you know is justifiable? Does frustration and tension build up inside you over the smallest things? Your emotional tolerance is running low and is impairing your ability to react to your situation in the appropriate way. Take time out, go outside and breathe fresh air, have a salt bath, go to bed early and re-evaluate things in the morning. Note: Our emotional tolerance runs low when we do not get enough sleep, nourishment and time to really relax. Long-term stress can result in a condition called "burn-out", which literally means the burning out of the Heart Chakra. This can cause major damage to the whole system. Pace yourself with regular breaks during the day as well as outdoor exercise and enough sleep.
ENTHUSIASM: Often enthusiasm is the hidden ingredient that makes a project or relationship come together and work. A lack of enthusiasm can have the opposite effect of things just not getting off the ground or falling flat. Are you lacking in enthusiasm? Look at the other aspects of your spread and try to find out what is blocking you and draining your ability to be enthusiastic.
FOCUS: Your focused attention is needed in order to shift, heal or handle your situation appropriately. This could mean you have to be alert and pay extra attention to details surrounding the issue, or it means you need to formulate what needs to happen and repeat it whenever the issue comes to mind, blessing the outcome and praying that the highest and best shift happens for all involved. When you have done the best you can, hand over the issue to the Divine and take care not to start obsessing over it in a negative way.
GROUNDING: Have you been extra forgetful lately? Losing keys? Dizzy, slightly out of touch, unable to connect fully? You might be far more ungrounded than you think! Stand with your feet slightly apart and count down from 10 to 1 to "ground", while imagining your consciousness entering through the top of your head and moving all the way down through the centre of your body into the earth. Now take a deep breath in and out and "feel" your body around you. When we are fully grounded, we are far more capable of picking up on vital information and acting on it in the appropriate way.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND: How many times have we already decided how things will turn out before they have even had a chance to happen? It is a form of self-protection to avoid disappointment by anticipating failure. Just remember constantly to keep an open mind on all possibilities. This way you keep the energy field around you accessible to all the great things the Universe has in store for you! Note: A good idea is to learn some life skills to help you through times when things do not go your way. If we know that we will be able to deal with disappointment when the time comes, we are not so afraid of it and therefore more open to positive possibilities.
LET GO & LET GOD: Whatever it is you are dealing with, it is bigger than you are and you have to give up your need to be the one who makes all the difference. Put the person or situation in a mental image of a "bubble of light" and hand them over to the Divine for intervention. Now you have to TRUST that they are getting everything they need and that you will be clearly shown what role you need to play in the balancing of the situation.
LISTEN TO INNER VOICE: We all have an innate sense of right and wrong, what is good for us and what isn't. Some of us hear an actual voice with our inner ear, and others have a "sense" or a feeling of "open" or "closed" energy flow. Still others see a Cross or Tick with their mind's eye. Whatever the case may be now is the time to pay very close attention to your inner voice. Ask for clarity and additional signs to support your intuitive sense if you are not entirely sure you are hearing correctly, and be open to what you might not want to hear. Only act or make a decision when you are 100% sure, you know what to do and that your decision is in integrity.
LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE: Are you feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances? Are you battling to see the truth and to distinguish right from wrong? Whatever the case may be, it is time to take a step back and get a broader, more objective view on what it is you are dealing with. Beware of getting lost in the details or caught up in the moment. Stand back and take your time when deciding on what to do next – do not make any rash decisions or rush into things. Allow the answers to come to you before making a move, and remember not to allow the little things to upset you. Objectivity is the key.
MONEY: Money is one of the greatest currencies for manifestation available to us, and if you have drawn this card, either you are called upon to put some money towards a worthy cause, or a negative financial situation is an issue right now. If the latter is true, you might consider the help of a professional to point out practical ways of money management. Money issues can also bring people together, so be conscious of defensiveness and make sure you allow help. If your charity is called upon, remember that what goes around comes around and you will be rewarded in ways you have never dreamed possible!
OBJECTIVITY: This card indicates that you need to take a few steps back and re-evaluate your response to an issue or person with whom you might be too closely associated. Are you taking things too personally? Are you taking personal responsibility for things that are really not for your account? Be conscious of standing back and re-evaluating your investment in terms of what you really can afford. How much time and energy is really feasible for you to spend? Be honest with yourself and constantly remind yourself to remain unbiased and objective.
PHYSICAL EXERCISE: Cardio-vascular exercise releases emotions from the muscles. The key for this process to happen is enjoyment.
POSITIVITY: Because thoughts create, it is enormously important to keep your mental attitude positive regarding the circumstances you are in and/or the person/people you are dealing with right now. You might be in a situation where things could go either way and the energy that you radiate could be what tips the scales. We do not always realise how powerful an influence our attitude towards our circumstances has on them. If this card has come up for you, then it is an indication that your positive attitude and input could make a huge difference at the moment, and it will be well worth your while to maintain and radiate as much positivity as you can!
RADIATE OPTIMISM: Optimism is the ability to anticipate good luck. It is a skill, which needs to be honed and practised until it is second nature. Every possible outcome of an event has a most positive as well as a most negative pole of manifestation. This means that the very best outcome is as possible as the very worst, and which one manifests in this case is almost entirely up to you! Expect the best possible outcome at all times, focusing on Divine Love & Benevolence, while committing your actions to benefit the greater good of all at all times.
RELEASE ENERGY OF NEED: The more we chase after something the more it eludes us. When we are afflicted by the energy of need, we are never satisfied, regardless of how much of something or someone we have. Firstly, practice a change in attitude from: "I need everything I can have" to "I have everything I need", then allow feelings of abundance to enter your experience by focusing on the beauty in all that surrounds you. With time and practice, this focus on abundance and appreciation will turn into a sense of fulfilment and joy at even the smallest manifestation of Divine Love & Light.
RELEASE FEARS: Fearfulness is a negative and debilitating state to be in, and the more you feed it, the more powerful and destructive it becomes. Besides trying not to think about everything that can go wrong, you need to identify the root, cause of your fear, and take constructive steps to neutralise and balance your response. We cannot always control what happens to us, but we can choose how we react. There are various ways to release the past trauma that negative responses trigger in us and to develop healthy, balanced reactions to unfavourable circumstances: bodywork, workshops, prayer book and therapy are but a few.
RELEASE JUDGMENT & CRITICISM: Being judgmental towards an issue or person blocks our ability to access a divine solution that works to the benefit of all involved. Criticism is an extremely negative energy that eats away at the ethereal fabric of our energy fields like an acid; it is a highly destructive energy, both for the recipient and the user thereof. Try to find the deeper cause of your need to be critical. Are there deep, unhealed wounds in your psyche, made by a critical parent or authoritative figure in your youth? It is time to heal these wounds through energetic bodywork and constructive therapy. (It is also valuable to remember that things that bother us about other people are usually the unintegrated aspects of ourselves that we fail to see mirrored back to us. It is time to identify your issues and seek healing!)
REPAIR & UPGRADE SYSTEM: This card indicates that you are ready for some bodywork, for issues in your cell memory (that cause blockages in your energy flow) to be released. With the help of a skilled practitioner you will feel greatly relieved, cleansed and much more able to cope when your energetic system is repaired and upgraded. There are many modalities to choose from, and you have to find the modality and practitioner that you feel most comfortable with. Ask for, and allow Divine Guidance to guide you towards the kind of treatment you need right now: Bowen therapy, therapeutic massage and polarity therapy are but a few.
SURRENDER NEED FOR CONTROL: A need for control usually arises from an inability to handle something that scares us. What are you so afraid of? You need to remember that we can never control all the aspects of a person or issue that we are confronted with, but that we can control our reactions. Rather tune into Divine Flow by trying to sense and feel when the timing is right to broach a subject that is sensitive. Respect other people's opinions and points of view, and go into the discussion with a divine and perfect outcome for all in mind.
SURRENDER WORRIES: Being worried about something increases negative energy that might already surround the issue or person. It is very important to place the situation or person you are worried about in a "bubble of silver light" so that they are protected from your "worry" energy while you work out why you are so worried, and look for what would balance your emotions. Ask for Divine Guidance in finding your answer and do not forget to hand the situation or person over into Divine Hands of Love & Light!
TAKE POWER BACK: This card indicates that you have somehow given your power away to a person, situation or issue, by allowing them/it to overwhelm and drain you in a negative way. Carefully examine the thoughts and feelings that come up for you regarding the issue at hand. Does thinking about it make you tired or disheartened? Does coming into contact with the person/issue drain you? You need to identify the level on which you are leaking life-force energy and find a way of healing the leak and taking your power back. Firstly, make a conscious decision not to take responsibility for someone else's thoughts and feelings, and then hand them over to the loving care of the Divine. Lastly ask for healing for yourself on the specific issue at hand.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY: The hardest thing about adverse circumstances is taking responsibility for our part in them. Often these circumstances come about in order to mirror back to us the unintegrated aspects of ourselves we just do not want to see. Be very careful when it comes to shifting blame. If you are presented with a situation you find difficult to face, you are being given a unique opportunity to shift and process an aspect of yourself you might not otherwise have access to. Sometimes it is worthwhile to stay in a challenging relationship for this very reason.
TIME FOR CHANGE: This card indicates that the old way of seeing or doing things simply cannot go on. An expiry date has been reached regarding a certain situation and renewal is on the cards! It could be time to change your opinion about the issue at hand, simply by starting to look at it differently. Maybe you have been going round in circles for quite some time now and Divine guidance is reminding you that it is time for a new direction, a new way of doing things, time to let bygones be bygones and to simply move on!
TRANSCEND ISSUES: Your inability to let go of the past is blocking the flow of energy into a more positive future for all. If you have tried to do this by yourself and failed, it may be time to seek professional help. Remember that bearing a grudge harms the bearer far more than the one it is borne against. Forgiveness and letting go of past hurts is much easier once we have learned a few tools that will enable us to handle conflict and potentially hurtful situations more effectively should they ever happen again. Even if you choose to associate with an unbalanced or hurtful person, it is still necessary to transcend the issues you might have with them and release them into the light. If you do not, you are open to attracting the same situation all over again.
TRANSFORMATION: This card indicates the need for a complete paradigm shift. It means that the balance of the energetic vibration carried by the event or issue needs to change around completely, usually from negative to positive. If this is indeed the case, you need to gather as much positive information about the issue as possible, write it down and repeat it to yourself as often as you can. If that proves difficult, you can make up your own universally true positive affirmations, for instance; "I place this person/issue within the loving care of the Divine", "I think of him/her/it in Love & Light", "I release my attachment to negative thought patterns about this person/issue and place them in a healing bubble filled with Divine Love & Light" etc.
TRUST: Although no-one expects you to put your faith and trust in people who you know might not be able to live up to your expectations, you are asked to trust in the Divine who has the best interests of all at heart at all times. When you put your trust in the Divine, you open up channels of energy for divine flow that enables the manifestation of the highest and best for all involved. Even people who are not particularly trustworthy can be facilitators of Divine Will, without intending it or realising that they are instrumental in bringing about Divine Outcome. (If you know that you have trust issues, this card is indicating that the time is right for you to find help in healing the trauma that might have caused these issues).
WAIT FOR PROOF: It is very important that you wait for proof of what you think the truth is before acting on assumptions. Often our own preconceived ideas can cloud our judgment to such an extent that we cannot see the reality of a situation and make an objective decision. Ask for Divine Guidance to guide your thoughts and insights and do not act until you are 100% sure that your actions are in integrity and will contribute to the highest and best outcome for all.
To book, or for more information, contact
Yvette de Villiers on 082 868 5674
Chrisli on 082 940 8016


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Top 5 Life Skills Your Child Will Learn at Camp
At first glance, Summer camp may seem like it's all fun and games—playing outside with friends, singing songs, and enjoying time off school. But a study supports what camp directors have been saying for decades: camp is a setting for positive youth development where invaluable life skills are acquired and nurtured.
"The major changes in [campers'] growth speaks tremendously of the Summer camp experience," says Troy Glover, the director of the University of Waterloo's Healthy Communities Research Network.
Glover spearheaded the Canadian Summer Camp Research Project, the first-ever nationwide and international research and evaluation project of its kind. Conducted in the Summer of 2010, the study tracked 1,288 campers, aged three to 18, from 16 overnight and day camps across Canada. The research stage was divided into two parts: one-on-one interviews with camp directors to gather anecdotal evidence, followed by camper surveys to measure behaviours, attitudes, and values.
The results demonstrated that for "bubble-wrapped" youth who have been over-programmed and overprotected, camp provides a safe environment to freely learn, grow, and develop their capabilities. Summer camp, according to the study, fosters emotional intelligence (or EQ), self-confidence, independence, healthy living, environmental awareness, leadership, and other skills that prove beneficial long into adulthood.
Five critical life skills that get a big boost at Summer camp:
1. How to Get Along With Others: Talk to any camp alumni and you'll likely hear how some of their most meaningful friendships and lessons on how to get along with others came from camp.
2. How to Overcome Challenges: It's time to unwrap the "bubble-wrapped" generation. Saturated with 24-hour news highlighting crimes in their communities, many parents today are overprotective of their children.
3. How to Get Fit: A recent Statistics Canada study found that only seven per cent of youth aged six to 19 got the recommended hour a day of exercise they need. Enter Summer camp.
4. How to Love the Earth: "Children need nature for the healthy development of their senses, and, therefore, for learning and creativity," says Richard Louv, author of The Nature Principle and Last Child In the Woods.
5. How to Lead: When it comes to developing strong leaders, camp provides both implicit and explicit training.
Learn more about the key benefits of camp, browse and compare 250+ of the best programs and register for the annual Camp Expo in Toronto on February 22nd, 2015 at www.ourkids.net. A great camp is waiting for your child or teen! Free tickets are available online at www.ourkids.net/campexpo.


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Robin Circle gathered for another sunny Tuesday with intentions of bird watching and shelter building. We started our day together playing raccoon steals donut. Lydia took guard of the donut first and was an amazing guesser, it took the rest of us raccoons several times to steal the donut from her! After playing a game we headed to Robin's Rock to eat snack and set intentions for the day. We were accompanied by Mrs. Blossom Eater, a pregnant squirrel who was eating blossoms high in a tree above our rock. Mrs. Blossom Eater was incredibly cute and held our attention for 20 minutes. Lydia build an altar to celebrate Mrs. Blossoms pregnancy, while Kaitlin, Francesca, and Savannah took closer inspection of her through binoculars.
After our lovely snack and time with Mrs. Blossom Eater, we headed towards the creek to look for a good shelter location. Pinar taught us the 5 W's of shelter building: Water, Wood, Weather, Widow Makers, and Wiggles. Looking for a good spot to build a shelter Kaitlin spotted the remains of a Northern Flicker whose bright orange feathers stood out. We learned that the Flicker had been eaten by a larger bird predator because it's feathers had been picked clean rather than sheared off as another predator would have. Several body parts were found in the remains and this opened up a good discussion of the cycle of life. So and Pinar left the girls with the following message. Death is necessary and beautiful, the Northern Flicker's life gave nutrients to the bird that ate it and the bugs the feated on its remains. Those bugs then returned the nutrients to the land to help the plants grow, and those plants helped feed the living things that surrounded them.
We began our time together with the life in Mrs. Blossom Eater, and ended it with the death of a Northern Flicker. It was a great day of learning and connection to nature for the girls.
With Gratitude,
Mariah, Pinar, & So