A teacher in Miami asks these questions. Can you answer and help us understand?
“I am writing out of anxiety and fear .. I have been a bit down for a year, I realize I may have to switch careers or move to another state.
“I could be wrong but I feel the greatest school reformation in the US is occurring in Miami-Dade county public schools.
“Miami-Dade is the 4th largest district in the country (392 schools, 345,000 students and over 40,000 employees). Miami-Dade has a WEAK union (right to work state)… The union is so weak, it feels as if the union is part of the school system.
“Miami insights
– teachers contribute 3% of our salary for retirement
– salary tied to Testing
– VAM
– weak union
– Eli Broad award
– Common Core
– $1.2 new technology bond (My fear, Bill Gates’ cameras will soon be in the classroom.)
– charter schools/ virtual schools
– 11,000 new immigrant students a year, 68,000 esol .
– financially, it is difficult for teachers to make ends meet … Miami is an expensive city, I wonder if some teachers are on Food Stamps and or have lost their homes — our salary scale is shocking
http://salary.dadeschools.net/Schd_Teachers/
***( I have been teaching 14 years but I am on step 11 due to frozen salaries ($42,128) , I just advanced a step, $300, which the school system considered a raise ( it was a step)….. No cost of living expense was factored in)
– the school system pays for teachers health insurance but high out of pocket expenses (Dr visits, prescriptions are VERY high, I pay an additional $2,400 a year with dental & vision) .
What do you see happening in Miami Dade County public schools??
Are my fears a reality???”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’m also in Florida, though I’m not a teacher. Florida is a laboratory for Jeb Bush’s reforms. My advice to this teacher is to get involved and make her union stronger. Organize against these “reforms,” beginning in your own school. Union membership is low in Florida and that’s one of the reasons teachers are subjected to such abuse. There are already numerous parent groups throughout the state that are fighting back, so you won’t be alone.
Dear Miami teacher–the ugly conditions you report in your district are happening all across the country, with some places far in the lead, like Louisianna. This is a national rampage against public education and the public sector. Like you, my own salary has been frozen for 4 years, and I teach at a public university. At this moment, ALL union workers in New York City are working without a contract, essentially freezing everybody’s wages and benefits until we all cry uncle. And like the sleeping teacher unions, all the other union leaders refuse to unite and lead a rebellion, except for laces like Chicago and Seattle and a few more where independent teachers and leaders have the edge. Any chance you and other veteran teachers can force your union local to start fighting back? Evidence is on our side–their “reforms” are disastrous and not based on any research, just a lot of media bluster and piles of billionaire cash.
It may help in the short term to change States, but less than you may think, and it may help in the short term to change professions, but I think it’s critical to recognize at this point that what we are seeing is the Oligarch’s plan for Global Neo-Feudalism. The middle class will be hollowed out and no profession anywhere is safe.
I have thought about this question a great deal. First of all, history tells us that the current attack on public sector workers, especially teachers, has a great deal to do with the economy. When the economy is really bad, citizens start to resent the people with fairly secure jobs. To my way of thinking, the only real solution will be an improved economy and a scarcity of teachers.
So I will tell this teacher what I just told another young teacher just a few weeks ago when she asked, “Should I stay in teaching?”
My answer was “No, I would not stay in at this time. Find out where the jobs are and prepare for another profession while you can.” The teachers I feel most sorry for are the ones who feel too old for a career change. But even they can do it if they really want to.
If a person’s life ambition is to be a teacher, then I would recommend the person look for a teaching position where she will have professional respect and autonomy. Where that would be I don’t have a clue. I wish the national teachers unions would help groups of teachers start their own teacher-run schools but few people seem interested in this.
On the positive side: This “reform” movement cannot last much longer because these people have forgotten to ask the crucial question: Who will agree to teach? “Not I” will be the legacy of this terribly misguided “reform” movement.
Unfortunately the reform will quickly replace classroom teacher with computer based “teachers”. This is a crime being committed in real time. An undeclared war on our nation. Go to blog “Invisible Serfs Collar” . Go back to earliest posts , print as many as you can as you will need to read and absorb the info. His do they CHANGE a nation? Read and weep but know that TRUTH is the best defense. God Bless
Where can I get a certification or traing for teaching online??? …. Is there a workshop that teaches the craft of teaching online ?? A degree …. Any big name College/University where I can attend (will travel, and will find a sponsor to help pay)
Lol – I don’t want to take an online class that teaches how to teach online –
I am not sure why you wouldn’t prefer to take an online course about online teaching. It would give you a students perspective.
There are a number of universities offering certificate programs, including UC San Diego, Drexel, University of Illinois, and the University of Wisconson.
Thanks
I love teaching but I don’t enjoy being in front of a camera
I am a visual learner. I would like to see studio setup – and other teachers, teaching techniques … I like brainstorming with others – easier done in person.
I wish Stanford’s D-School offered a 1 week program (boot camp, workshop) to show how to teach online.
A good place to start might be to check out some of the tools available for online asynchronous communication. They can be helpful in a traditional class as well. One I use is educreations. It creates screencasts from an iPad. There are many others.
Be afraid when your salary is dependent on the testing results.
Living in Indiana… many republicans and democrats alike were (but mostly anyone in education) grateful to be rid of Tony Bennett… and now I see he’s contributing to the havoc in Florida… know who to vote for (and NOT vote for) in the next election. I know of folks who voted an almost straight republican ticket with the exception of Tony Bennett… good luck… and I feel your pain.
I love teaching but I am going into debt on my credit cards just to pay for my rent, food and gas (my car is 10 years old, I barely buy clothes). I believed the system was looking out for the teachers. Now every day I keep thinking – Where should I move? What should I do? I am not in a position to pay for another degree.
I am not sure why the Miami Herald does not cover what is occuring to Miami-Dade teachers.
Miami states the average teacher’s salary is $52,000. ?? After 14 years, I would think my salary would be considered average. Miami teacher salaries were frozen for three years and all teachers have lost 3 steps. (A 7 year teacher is on step 4, they make $40,000)
After 14 years – $42,128 salary + $675 (bonus for being an effective teacher), 3% is then deducted for retirement, then taxes.
In November, Miami approved a $1.2 Billion bond issue for school improvements and technology advancements – I would think 1.2 Billion would free up money in other areas for teacher raises.
Florida’s Governor proposed a $2,500 raise for every teacher in Florida – however, I am not sure if teachers in Miami will get a raise because Miami-Dade public schools have stated they pay too much for teacher insurance.
Kathleen McGrory used to cover education for the Miami Herald and she was excellent. They put her on a different beat about a year ago and it’s been a tremendous loss. She covered the Florida Legislature during this last session and was great on the education issues. We need many more reporters like her.
Stsmith222,yes, Kathleen McGrory’s coverage of charter scandals in Miami has been incredible. So sorry she is not covering education there anymore. But Tallahassee is a good place to keep track of the charter lobby and the Jeb-Rhee machine.
The following is the current (not final) creation of hours and hours of mediated meetings between the St. Lucie County (Florida) School District and the Classroom Teachers’ Association (Union). After several years of not receiving a step increase but suffering increased medical insurance premiums and Governor Scott’s universal 3% pay cut, the teachers are now being told that the best deal for 2014 is as follows.
(Note and for purposes of context, after 10 years of teaching, I net approximately $21,000 per year.)
Consider that the following has a “no insurance first dollar deductible of 1500/3000—that means, add the deductible to the employee paid premium to get the more accurate out of paycheck cost of this “great deal.”
Coverage Type—Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plan 5180/81 (HSA-eligible)
Employee Only $667 (per year) $27.79 (per check–24 checks/year)
Employee +1 $8,949 $372.88
Employee + fam. $13,011 $542.13
*By the way, the Union and district are so uncomfortable with their “great deal” that they have yet to share this with the membership and claim to intend to share this with the membership, via email, during the weekend. “They” also want the teachers to vote on it a couple days later. This is a classic Washington, D.C., tactic. Once again, teachers are being out-maneuvered by the politicians—this time it is those in the Union that has conspired with the State and the District. How sad.