Developing Insight in Urban School Challenges

State Rep. Steven K. Wieckert of Appleton came away from a tour of Milwaukee public schools with a clearer understanding of the challenges teachers face in the classrooms there. Those include high turnover of students and a lack of quality space for teaching.

After touring Clarke Street School and Westside Academy, Wieckert said he was impressed with the creative energy going into teaching children and with the commitment of teachers and administrators.

Above, Wieckert (back right) tours the computer lab at Westside Academy with Principal James Sonnenberg (foreground); Barry Gilbert, assistant director of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (left); and Marcia Engen, president of the Appleton Education Association. Teacher Lisa Thornton works with children in the background.

Milwaukee teachers forced to do more with less

The dilemma facing Milwaukee teachers was succinctly summarized by Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association Assistant Director Barry Gilbert:

“The needs are greater and the resources to meet those needs are less.”

One of the key solutions was summarized by MTEA President Paulette Copeland:

“Teachers are able to teach much better with smaller class sizes.”

With those introductions, Gilbert took State Rep. Steven Wieckert of Appleton and Appleton Education Association President Marcia Engen on a tour of Clarke Street Elementary School and Westside Academy.

It was part of an MTEA initiative to reach out to policymakers so they better understand the challenges teachers face daily and also observe their successes.

James Sonnenberg, principal of the Westside Academy, which is an MPS school, said one of his biggest challenges results from the high turnover of students – currently at 40% per year.

“We are testing kids we haven’t taught,” he said. “We have kids where this is their third school this year.”

However, he said, Westside Academy – which emphasizes teaching the basics in a highly structured environment – has has had remarkable success.

“Give us any kid when they’re 4 years old and keep them here for eight years, and we’ll do wonders with them,” he said.

Wieckert said he recognizes solutions are not easy, that sometimes you have to spend “hard dollars” to solve problems and that: “Teachers are the answer.”

Posted June 11, 1998