I don’t think teachers who are passionate about teaching should quit, no matter how awful the circumstances.
I know it’s easy for me to say, because I am not there.
But it is important to keep experience and wisdom in the profession.
Don’t let them push you out.
Do what you love and what you believe in.
Be there the day this war on teachers ends, a victim of its inanity, stupidity, and ignorance.
Be there for your students.
This is a teacher who couldn’t take it anymore.
| I retired early with just 20 years because the profession I have been so dedicated to and passionate about my entire life has been trashed by reformers like this idiot who don’t know what they are talking about; by the mayor and his educrats who have taken to vilifying teachers and disrespecting us at every turn; by the principals who haven’t taught long enough to be considered pedagogical experts on anything; by the most micromanaged, scripted, suffocating instructional mandates (everyone teaching the same lesson on the same day at the same time…day1, day2, day 3, day4, day 5, test); by the incessant and overwhelming collection of data that appears to have more value than actual creative planning and professional judgement. We have principals and Network leaders whose english and communication skills are abysmal; superintendents who don’t visit the schools they oversee; and a culture that supports the abusive and punitive treatment of teachers. This is antithetical to everything that made me want to become a teacher. New York City has lost many outstanding and experienced teachers in the past 5 years who left because they refuse to continue working under such conditions. Under the current system of school based budgeting, it’s always a good thing when a senior teacher leaves -they can hire two teachers at half the salary. When you’re looking at numbers and not people, that’s what really matters. |
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What an incredibly sad ending.
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I just left this year as well. And for some of the same reasons. The good news is I’ll have opportunities to perhaps change some of the nonsense in my new position.
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No, I get what she is saying. She is in a terrible, soul-destroying situation in NYC. It is shocking that New York has fallen so far, so quickly…New York used to be the intellectual capital of America, wasn’t it? Here in my suburb in the Midwest, I still have the freedom to plan and create imaginative lesson plans. I can do anything I want (within reason), and that is the part of the job that I really like. I have complete intellectual freedom. Of course I like implementing the lessons as well, but I love the creativity involved in planning, creating, pacing, etc. I can find any book, any article, any movie, any song, etc. I am the captain of my own ship… But for how much longer??
If she has to teach off of a script, then that would be terrible. That wouldn’t be for me either. She probably could keep teaching if she were left alone in her classroom, but it sounds like they harassed and micro-managed her. There is a lack of respect when they don’t trust your judgement, especially coming from those who know “nothing” about education. That is like going to a doctor or an artist and telling them step by step how to do something, and you never went to medical or art school. Imagine that! Forcing a teacher like this to teach off of a script or practice “bubble” tests is not acceptable. These types of teachers will simply quit and do something else. Many of us got into teaching for “the mission.” These kinds of teachers are idealists and went into the profession to inspire and awaken the love for their discipline. That saddest thing is that new teachers coming in will never understand how great it was to let your mind roam free and develop the most interesting lesson plans possible.
I suggest that she take her smaller pension and go abroad somewhere. Europe is great, but expensive. South America is cheap and the people are warm and gracious. She could teach English and have a lovely life. I wouldn’t teach in NYC or Wisconsin (or many other places) for any amount of merit pay, and I wouldn’t have taught in Nazi Germany either. Germany today, however, is outstanding! There are limits.. Sure, it’s sad for the students, but you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror as well…. I also have a “gut” feeling that this terrible time is going to last a lot longer than 12 years..
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I have been teaching for 13 years, and frankly, I cannot blame this teacher. I too have looked at other opportunities. Nothing has been enticing enough to make me give up the profession I love, but it could happen. The climate here in Louisiana is bad and it is not going to get any better anytime soon.
This year, I’ve decided to teach my way, the way I know my students need to be taught, and let the chips fall where they may.
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That’s what I do Vance. I teach MY way. I have been looking too, but I RESENT being pushed out of a job I absolutely LOVE!!
Yes, I plan, but I am an artist, I sketch out my plan (sometimes I am inspired by NPR on the drive in, and my sketch is in my head…and that is OK!!!). But really, do you think I actually write those lesson plan NOVELS. Do you think they they are “legit.” Laugh out LOUD as they SAY: NOPE. ALL FAKE! I print them out and pop them on the WALL. They walk in, it makes them happy (incompetence!). Basically, I shut my door, and I teach. Many times I don’t shut my door, and I TEACH.
Hence, my Title I “low” performing students can write better than most American college students! Guaranteed! They probably write better than President Bush’s grandkids and President Obama’s little girls! I TEACH! I WILL NEVER FOLLOW A SCRIPT. I will never become a slave to a system that is hurting our kids in the name of PROFIT! Let them pull their bullying on me (they dare not), and I will make a SCENE!!
Our kids can read and write well enough to be inspired, and once inspired, they take OFF. And yes, on test day, they remember the teacher that did NOT torture them with worksheets, and they will pass that piece of crap for us if not for themselves. They know. Like us, they are just trying to make it through, and we should not let fear stop us. We need to get them reading and writing and speaking.
TIP: You know what I do as far as grades for my HIGH performing students at my “low” performing school….So I can give them feedback on their papers, I AUTO FILL GRADES!! YEP…tweak them a bit to cue me in to what they individually need help with, and we simply get to learning!! I ask them, “Is it all about the grade?” And they smile and they say, “Nooo, it’s about the learning!!” ha ha… adorable.
Once we show kids how to create what we expect them to know, they never forget it. Once we show kids how to create, they can apply, and they will remember it.
I tell them: “I did not come in to teaching to teach you how to bubble.” In return, they just smile and shake their heads in agreement.
As you know. Multiple choice=meaningless.
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Thanks. I teach one section each of English grades 8-12. I do not have time to write the “model” plan and still be prepared to teach. That won’t stop me from teaching though!
I wrote this on FB. It’s my manifesto if you will.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/vance-nickelson/my-2012-2013-school-year-resolution/10151141491131983
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Exactly.
Wow, four preps?!?; that’s a record.
I will check out.
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Vance, Good for you! It would be really fantastic if every other teacher would do that also.
I hope there are no repercussions for you. T
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TO finish the sentence…The kids will probably love school again Won’t that be great!
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Seriously, Teachers, if you don’t all go out on a massive nationwide strike sometime this year — yes, it does make sense to hold off till after the Election so we’ll all get our chance at the lesser of two insanities — but if it doesn’t happen soon after that, you won’t have a profession worth calling a profession by the end of next year.
The writing is on the wall — remedial reading anyone?
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I agree, Jon, & I’m not just saying this because I’m retired. I was a special ed. teacher who was there before–and when– this craziness started. (Although there were always problems {& NOTHING even compares to the present-day intimidation, harassment}, I was lucky enough to be teaching when one could really teach. To get to the point–as a special ed. teacher, I had a front row seat to the suffering caused by the high-stakes tests. We had no business whatever making some of these students–who were often as many as three years behind (in reading &/or math)–take grade-level tests. We had students hide under their desks, cry, tell us they were stupid, throw pencils into the ceiling, have tantrums (In middle school!), scribble on the Scantron forms, connect all the bubbles, after filling in anything, etc. When I went to a state conference of LDA (Learning Disabilities Assn), I entered into a discussion about organizing a walk
out–that is, EVERY special ed. teacher in the STATE would walk out,
refusing to give the tests. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a buy-in from others.
I took a class in Special Ed. Law after my first year of teaching, as I
worked in a school district where parents either: 1. wanted to do right by their children, but didn’t know how to get services or help;
2. were not readily available or were not involved in their children’s
education. So, when administrators tried to tell me, “Oh, Mrs. X, you’re just a new teacher. Johnny doesn’t really need all that help.
His parents aren’t here asking for anything, are they?” I’d whip out the rules and regs.and say,”Oh, well, we really can’t do that, according to Section 5, Part A…” I guess I could have gotten fired but, as aforementioned, it was a different world (although the superintendent–who was a real jerk–called me at home and badgered me!), and with knowledge, there was some power.
However, there IS hope. Look at Chicago–FIVE THOUSAND red-shirted teachers turned the tide and brought about (and, hopefully, will continue to bring) a good first result. And they continue to show up. And parents/community organizers show up–there is going to be a rally RE: an ELECTED school board this week (City Council almost kaboshed the request for a referendum on this issue, but the people prevailed!). I can assure you that the attendance will be great.
There is strength in numbers; attention will be paid.
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I am in my 44th year as a teacher. I have taught from Prep to Grade 12, but mostly in Primary school and Special Education. I can fully sympathise with the teacher who retired early after 20 years and I have been doing what Vance is doing for most of my 44 years.
Teaching is about children. Each child is unique and each standardised test is an attack upon that uniqueness. There is no such thing as a “normal ” child. The children I taught in the class for those with “intellectual disability” were certainly not “normal children”. each child had his/her own unique set of abilities and interests. Each had a unique set of educational needs and a unique set of pre school life and experience making him/her the person that he/she was.
I am sick of education in general and teachers in particular being deprofessionalised, bullied and harassed by people who have no idea what they would do if they were put before a class; people who have no idea how to teach a child to read from scratch and no idea how to assess a child’s wealth of knowledge, skills and attitudes, and cognitive readiness to move on to the next level.
It wasn’t always like this. This is not to say that at some time in the past we experienced a golden age of education. It is just to say that in the hands of bean counters and politicians education has descended to the sorry state it is in today. And the perpetrators have the unmitigated gall to blame it on the teachers.
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I too have considered leaving, I just don’t have anything else I have an equal passion for. After 18 years, it is just about enough. I hope to get my nine year old on his way into adulthood first. I certainly had more respect shown for me as a private and later a warrant officer in the Army. I have received offers to return to my last career in counter terrorism. I turn them down because I cherish time with my family, that is getting more scarce. At least in my last profession I could directly confront my enemies.
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This year will be my 19th so we joined the ranks of the teaching profession at about the same time after working in other jobs/positions. Fortunately, I’m in a subject area, Spanish, that hasn’t been subjected to the testing mania. But I’ve been fighting since the late 90s when talk of “Data Driven Dialogue/Decision Making” was starting to be bantered about here in Missouri. And have paid the price. But to quote Niemoller “First they came for. . .”, I knew that it was going to come down to the idiocies we are seeing today.
But I would like to address one of your statements “At least in my last profession I could directly confront my enemies.” Better said “. . . my PERCEIVED enemies” or “the enemies I was lead to believe that I had.” If the vaunted Army taught you “strength and courage” why not use those inner resources to “confront your educational enemies” right now? You know who they are. Do you stand up to them? Do you engage that enemy? Do you “do all that you can do” (to paraphrase the recruitment slogan from your service era)? If not then I suggest that all that Army training has been for naught.
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Duane, my main job involved hostage negotiations and extractions. Yes, the people I pursued were holding innocent hostages, they were, without a doubt, my enemy. Not everything you hear of is a black ops conspiracy. Regarding the rest of your comment, I haven’t left the profession yet and I am not the most welcome guest at any of the monthly school board meetings. Of course I oppose this nonsense! I
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The exact same thing is happening in Texas. The scripted lesson plans actually cause me anxiety. Teaching is an ART! How dare they try to tell me to throw away all my lessons that facilitate my kids’ learning, so I can follow their “teacher” proofed script. Never!! Nev-uh!! I shut my door, and when they walk in, I fake it if I have to. My kids are so sweet; they just play along. Once the devils leave, I teach REAL reading and writing–no multiple choice for my kids! Never!!
The full parking lots at schools every Saturday is just sickening. What is that? We sent men to the MOON, and we never took these horrible low-level tests! All this tutoring is ridiculous. Our kids are simply bored and tested to death! They do just enough to make it through the day!
Instead of attacking the real educational issues that stop instruction, the issues that de-motivate students, education prescribes the same old thing, tutoring and scouring “data.” You’d think they’d realize it isn’t working. It’s not about the kids!
It’s not about the kids. A colleague has been telling me, “It’s not about the kids!” I am finally starting to believe her. I just could not wrap my head around it, but it must be true.
Not to mention, I’ve literally heard and seen the extreme bullying of many teachers by these ex-three year teachers turned administrators. It is shocking. I understand we all need our jobs, but to take abuse. I just don’t get it. To take abuse from ex-teachers who did all they could to RUN out of the classroom as soon as they fulfilled their “in-class” requirement. Disgusting. Those that SHOULD be principals can’t bear to leave the kids behind. How ironic.
If I were some of these administrators, I would be afraid. How can they treat people so abysmally and feel safe. Dress code for the kids? I’m more worried about a teacher going Koo Koo for Cocoa Puffs. Goodness forbid, but these fool administrators consciously and unconsciously make many of our schools an UNSAFE environment.
Women need to stand up; we have the power to change the world; this field is abdicating its responsibility.
At times, anger is useless, a wasted emotion. But when it comes to education, ANGER is desperately needed, anger that fuels a change.
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“It’s not about the kids.”
Yes, for the vast majority of public school teachers it is for the kids.
However, for the vast majority of the educRATs/administrators (I’m talking about the ones who spent less than ten years in the class room before becoming administrators) it isn’t about the kids, it’s about keeping their position in the hierarchy and doing what all “good Germans” do and that is follow those above down the road to educational destruction.
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True.
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Counter terrorism, huh? Now, that sounds like there might be a valuable skill set for teachers in the trenches.
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“Terrorism”, the great fear inducing buzz word of the last 12 years.
Guess what’s behind those folks who don’t bow down and worship at the altar of Uncle Sam? It’s called freedom, freedom from having your wife, husband, child, grandfather/mother, or other family members, neighbors and friends randomly killed, freedom from having your country’s infrastructure being completely destroyed, freedom to live one’s life the way of the culture within one is born, freedom to not have natural resources stolen, freedom to believe whatever one wants to believe, freedom to be out from under the control of the “greatest”-ha ha-empire the world has ever known!!!
Yep, fear is alive and well in the US today! Helps keep the masses (teachers) under control and to do the bidding of the bastard elite.
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Remember, Duane, there are people that really do wish you harm. Their motive, while interesting, does not change the reality. You have the luxury of freedom because others have paid for it. I am not in disagreement with you regarding a great deal of what is happening under the guise of “terror.” I would caution you on one point though, there are real enemies and we need to defend against them. This reality will not change.
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Yes Duane..
Our greatest resource, our human capital is being pummeled.
And, too many teachers are not using their voices.
And, as stated by “K,” defending against enemies is real. Yet, the best way to defend against any enemy is through awareness, being able to swim in the deep water, thinking and speaking and reading and writing.
Our nation is losing its edge, no longer the shark, not even a dolphin. We are becoming a nation of guppies, where the majority swim in the shallow end of a vast and shallow curriculum, and those of us who could have schools be their last hope, they are flopping around on the beach.
This testing, in a country that sent men to the moon without testing, is the enemy.
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Funny!
Yes. Counter-terrorism!
A master teacher, a veteran that they ran out, once told me, “They will kill you and simply fill your room.”
This has helped me continue to give my heart and soul in the classroom, but I also know when to say, “NO…not doing it. Go away,” implicitly or explicitly, by any means necessary 🙂
Conter-terrorism is right! OOH Rah!
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My district is just beginning this scripted teaching and to say I am afraid is an understatement. Of course the district is touting it as “the program that will reach all students” because that is what the company selling the program has brainwashed them into thinking. Will it help some students, sure, but at what price? I have been a teacher for 13 years and the implementation of this program has me feeling disrespected beyond belief. I teach first grade and I love it, watching the “I CAN read and write” lightbulb go on in their head is magical. Sad times are coming with this time-controlled, scripted program.
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Scripted learning for 1st grade??? Talk about total insanity! Who the hell comes up with this shit and that is what it is, shit!
Don’t do it if you believe it is not in the best interests of your students. Get good at looking like you’re doing it to at least bide some time to finish out your contract. But make sure you can back up why you might have had to “go off script” that “one” time when the administrator walked in with sound pedagogical reasoning.
And make sure your resume is in order and start immediately, yes, right now, looking for another district for next year, because without switching districts you will be in for more anxiety and angst riven years.
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Do bad ideas never go away?
Didn’t we do this already with operant conditioning, programmed learning, and Skinner Boxism back in the 70s and 80s ???
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You have to be creative and find a way to get around it. I know what you mean when you say, “I love watching the light bulb go on in their heads.” How wonderful. I have met so many wonderful teachers like you. I used to be able to visit them, toting my work in my bag, during my conferences and “steal” all that I could 🙂
I have taught 7-11, and I also see that look–so cool.
You will have to “fake” it if you don’t have a supportive administration. And, even if you do have a good administration that knows YOU CAN TEACH, you have to fake it on order to keep them out of the doghouse when the district GESTAPO check in to make sure you are teaching to the script.
Just (figuratively and sometimes literally) shut YOUR DOOR, and do your thing! 🙂
Power to the PEOPLE!!
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So tragic and sad , but true.
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There are strength in numbers. Veteran teachers should rally together. Keep doing what you know is right, and at the same time play the game if we have to.
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I appreciate the sentiment, but I couldn’t disagree more. Everyone, including teachers, should do what is in the best interest of their health and sanity. Frankly, teachers leaving the profession in droves sends an important message about what is happening in Ed reform. For far too long we have been expected to put up with whatever they throw at us in the name of the children. Teachers like other professionals have a right to a basic level of respect and appropriate working conditions. If they cannot get that and they can leave, they should. For far too long the good will of teachers has been used and abused to the detriment of the profession and those they serve. Leaving is as legitimate a choice as staying and fighting, perhaps even moreso. Why? Because it sends the message that enough is enough.
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I left my school after five years. Three years under a wonderful principal (a rarity in my opinion). Then, I was stuck for a couple years under an absolute maniac. Enough was enough!! At this same school, with a staff of teachers standing at approximately 100, 30 have left…It’s all the buzz as we text-high-five each other as they find other employment. Yes–Good for them.
But how sad. I loved my school. I did not leave because I moved. I did not leave for higher pay. I had to leave (my kids who came back to visit from high school, and those I left behind, were mortified!) because of tyrannical “leadership.” The abuse I had to witness was UNREAL. Although it’s meaningless in a sense, we were a school that received “recognized” status, but half our staff was being put on GROWTH PLANS… lol.
Wow!
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After 27 years, I, too, retired last August. Yes, it was a legitimate choice. I had always thought I’d teach at least 31 years; that was my unspoken goal.
Teaching has been my passion, having told my principal three years prior to my retirement that I had the best position in the district (elementary art teacher, pk-4). At the time, he argued, saying that he had the best job as the newly assigned elementary principal after having been a teacher only a handful of years. We laughed as we argued, and I told him with his leadership, our school would soar.
Unfortunately, this same man was soon named superintendent. Transitioning from teacher to principal to superintendent in such a short span of years, changed the person I thought I knew. Or maybe it just opened my eyes.
As superintendent, his new theme at last year’s opening inservice became “Get on the treadmill with me or get off.” Honestly. Together, the district staff watched a ten minute motivational youtube video of “Will Smith’s Wisdom” in which Smith (the actor) urged listeners to “get on the treadmill” as he stressed work ethic and journeying for success.
I had never thought of the parallels of education and treadmills. However, as I thought about the idea, the treadmill connection was apparent. So many of us are running ourselves ragged just by trying to stay on the treadmill. Even Race to the Top is a treadmill…state against state on the treadmill, with only a few winning those precious carrot-dollars.
After the third day of inservice last year, I submitted my request for retirement. I had to get off the treadmill. This was the day before the official school start. I had a 2 1/2 hour meeting with my superintendent (and NEA Uniserve Director) sharing with him my reasons, my concerns, and my fears for education locally and at state and federal levels.
I’m not certain he actually heard me, but I said my piece. It felt good. I highly recommend it.
I packed my 27 years of teaching and moved out by midnight that very night. Of course, before I locked my room for the last time, I left a lesson plan for each grade level for the next morning with each level’s supplies set out, the all-so-mighty curriculum book that I’d put my blood, sweat and tears into developing, a brief statement about how to use my filing system of three filled five-drawer file cabinets, the updated inventory, the short list of new inventory, blank seating charts for each class, the class lists—if you’re a teacher, you know the routine. It IS all about the kids, even as one is leaving.
Now, after a year of retirement, I know I’ve done what I needed to do for me and for my mental health.
In the nick of time, I might add. Next week, my district begins implementing a four-day school week. Oh, all the money we’ll save, AND it’s “all about the children.” Who are we kidding?
And thus, I can be an advocate for children in other ways. I am. I will forever be.
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At some point you just have to say —
We exist.
We teach.
We will not teach what we know is wrong.
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Teachers united in Wisconsin and were immediately labeled “thugs” by our governor. We will never give up the battle however to insure that our students come first. You can call us whatever you want, but we know what our priorities are and will eventually win our battle when citizens start seeing what he has done to education in our state. Patience, perseverance, and time are needed.
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I am with you Judy! We will have to fight in new ways. We must get parents to understand our work conditions are their children’s learning conditions. We will have to do what may of us have disdained to do, be more adept politically and clearly identify and network with friends and allies. I have to mention it, but we may need to seek broader support in the union/labor movement and help rejuvenate it for our own survival as well as the well being of our poorer students. There is opportunity out ther.
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