Archives for category: Teachers and Teaching
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Teachers: Make Your Voice Heard

By dianeravitch
August 3, 2012 //
10

Ralph Ratto, the author of the blog admonishing Campbell Brown for her unfortunate and ill-informed editorial in the Wall Street Journal has advice for other teachers:

These are trying times for those of us who love teaching. I refuse to sit back as we get pummeled in the media and on political platforms. We need to answer every accusation using every tool at our disposal. Those on the other side will stop at nothing to steal away our precious resources. We’re seeing that first hand with Student First’s underhanded methods.

I only wish, more of us would flood every social media site with responses every time any of us are unjustly attacked. We need to drive the discussion not respond defensively.

Good advice. If all the corporate reformers in the entire nation gathered in one place, they might fill a convention center. Maybe there are 20,000 of them. Maybe fewer.

There are more than 3 million teachers. Tell your story. Support your brothers and sisters. Speak out in every forum. Don’t let the ignorant and uninformed and self-interested destroy your profession or our public schools.

Categories Corporate Reformers, Education Reform, StudentsFirst, Teachers and Teaching

This Teacher Did Not Remain Silent

By dianeravitch
August 3, 2012 //
4

Thanks to a reader who sent this story in his comment about an earlier post.

When students falsely accused a teacher in Portland, Oregon, of inappropriately touching them, the teacher decided not to remain silent. That was in 2000.

He sued the students and their families. He won a $70,000 judgment and apologies.

Of course, his reputation was dragged through the mud. And his life appeared to be ruined.

But he didn’t take it. He didn’t keep his mouth shut.

He fought back and won.

I have been thinking a lot about this question of why teachers have become targets of so much abuse.

In part, it is because the attackers proclaim how much they love teachers, how much they respect teachers, and don’t we all want “great” teachers? It is a deliberate, calculated ploy to mislead. And they use it to attack collective bargaining, seniority, tenure, experience, credentialing and the very profession of teaching.

The attackers know that teachers can’t fight back, won’t fight back, and are easy targets.

Teachers are law-abiding by definition; teachers tell children to behave, so they too “behave,” and let others smear them.

Learn from ACT-UP. Learn from Occupy Wall Street.

Don’t be silent. Silent=complicity.

Categories Teachers and Teaching

Is the Department of Education Over-reaching?

By dianeravitch
August 3, 2012 //
10

I posted about the Department of Education’s plan to rate the teacher preparation programs in colleges and universities by the test scores of the children taught by their graduates–that’s a stretch, if you think about it. One reader saw the absurdity of it and wondered if others saw it too:

Going after universities – Yowzer! I’ve heard rumors and have periodically seen articles and posts regarding this. I’m past ticked. This is asinine. What is the reasoning? Why should a professor who taught me, be responsible for me and my students? Who thinks dreams and rationalizes this horse mess?

Please, someone, share with me the thought process and decision trees that brought about this policy. This is like something out of the old Andy Hardy movies (I like classic films- I never saw them when they came out). When money was needed, Andy and Polly would put on show. This is similar. Let’s dictate policy. Cool. What do you think about…? Hey that sounds great. Problem solved. NOT!

When I ask will the grown-ups enter the room?  What is going on? I thought the Department of Education was to provide support to the states. Not run the schools, colleges and universities of the United States.

I don’t care what side of the political spectrum you’re on- this is definitely overreach. I’m wondering who he’ll/they’ll go after next. The students or the parents? Shouldn’t they be held accountable? Eventually Arne should be held accountable. Who knows when; if ever.

Categories Accountability, Education Reform, Teacher Evaluations, Teachers and Teaching, U.S. Department of Education

When Talking and Listening Are Not Enough

By dianeravitch
August 2, 2012 //
13

A reader responds to another post:

I agree we need to do all of what you say, god knows I do, but I’m worried that we may exchange the support we give to each other and ourselves for a quiet waiting, a further hunkering down. Make no mistake, teaching is a gender issue for all of us as well as anything else. We are in a classic abusive relationship with ed deform. Most of us are women, and we are being treated in a traditionally determined way because of it. We are being treated like children: told what to do, how to think, our professional lives run from the top, told to “shut up and teach.”

This year, the state I teach in underwent the most devastating pension theft in the country. There were groups that escaped unscathed:judges, correctional officers, and state police. The word was that the legislature couldn’t pass the “reforms” if they angered these male dominated groups. So, of course, who bore the brunt of the theft? Teachers and state worker were the target–women and low wage workers.

This is a fight. This is a time for being a “bad ass,” not in the classroom like some militaristic charters, but outside the classroom, where the battles are taking place. We as a predominately female profession, we cannot continue to make nice with our enemies. We can’t be the nurturer outside our classroom walls. It’s way too late for collaboration, sucking up, keeping our heads down, and getting along.

What should we do and how should we do it? I don’t know. What I do know is that what we are doing now isn’t working. The enemy is at the gate, and we are still trying to figure out what to do. They are attacking and we are talking.

Categories Education Reform, Teachers and Teaching

Should You Game the System?

By dianeravitch
August 2, 2012 //
10

in response to a post about the meaning of fiction in our lives today, a reader sent this advice:

To my dear teachers of America,

I ask you to game the system. Yes, you must teach how to tackle the test, you must teach how to use elimination to solve multiple choice questions. But you can ALSO teach the real thing. Who is stopping you? Take extra classes. Use the normal classes to teach according to the system but take extra ones to really teach.

We are accustomed to a system that works and is now broken. But despair not. Those of us who were product of broken systems did not wait for system to reform. We gamed it. We learnt all the important things through mentors, friends, seniors, and more importantly teachers who chose to guide us in their spare time.

You are faced with similar choice.

The metaphor for you is not Montag [Fahrenheit 451′, but the woman who chose to keep the books. You have to “keep the books” for if you cannot be Montag, at least you will help one when he/she comes along.

Remind yourself of Schindler from “Schindler’s list”. Or the deservingly famous Anne Frank whose family gave asylum to strangers.

Can you give asylum to a way of learning that is necessary when the current system is out to destroy it? Or will you burn the books without questioning?

My apologies if I sound inappropriate. Sometimes anger and passion are difficult to contain.
Categories Education Reform, Teachers and Teaching, Testing

Teachers: Keep Talking, Keep Listening

By dianeravitch
August 2, 2012 //
4

In response to the discussion about why teachers are silent, this reader writes:

The climate of fear and distrust can undermine a teacher’s self confidence – can make a person begin to doubt his/her own competence and perceptions about what students need to succeed.  With the teachers around us trying to keep their jobs and staying silent in the face of harmful policies, we lose our sense of trust in ourselves and our process of learning and working together to bring our students along.  The undermining of the professionalism of teachers, the quieting of teachers’ voices is a fact of life today.  For whatever reason the public is continuing to scapegoat us perhaps because they do not want to look at the realities of poverty and the price tag of really saving our country’s children.  We have to talk to one another.  We have to reach out and share our observations, perspectives with one another.  We have to listen to and protect the teacher in ourselves and each other by having conversations outside of school.  We need to be able to speak the truth -express ourselves about our work with children, about our perspectives on education and what is really happening in our communities and in our schools.  We do need leaders and we do need solidarity, but until we make an effort to support the struggling teacher in each of us we will have no strength to fight with -no one but robots left in the profession. ( I have started getting this blog in my email because I know it is one way for me to get that injection of support from committed teachers everyday -words I need to hear to keep me from losing my teacher-self in this destructive environment I have to work in.)

Categories Teachers and Teaching

Teachers, Be Silent No More

By dianeravitch
August 1, 2012 //
18

This reader says–in response to an earlier post— there is a way for teachers to get involved in fighting for public education without risking their jobs.

Perhaps it would be easier to contact their publicists, agents, or managers:

1. Dave Grohl – Foo Fighters – Agent: Don Muller – WME 1325 Avenue Of The Americas, New York, NY 10019 T.212.586.5100 F.212.246.3583
2. Adam Levine – Maroon 5 singer – Manger: Career Artist Management – 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 1100 | Los Angeles, CA 90024 |310.776.7640 (p) | 310.776.7659 (f)
3. Jack Black – Agent: WME 1325 Avenue Of The Americas, New York, NY 10019 T.212.586.5100 F.212.246.3583
4. Meryl Streep – Publicist: Leslee Dart. Dart Group. 90 Park Avenue. 19th Floor. New York, NY 10016. Phone: 212-277-7555.
5. Viola Davis – Agent: Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) 45 West 45th St. 4th floor, New York, NY 10036 T. 212.687.0092 F. 212.245.5062
6. Morgan Freeman – Publicist: Stan Rosenfield & Associates, Inc., 2029 Century Park E., Suite 1190, Los Angeles, CA 90067, USA. Phone: (310) 286-7474, Fax: (310) 286-2255.
7. Josh Groban
8. Maggie Gyllenhaal (last, but not least)

I’m not sure if these are correct.  I pieced the information together from various sources found on the Internet.  I also noticed that some of these celebs have official website forums and facebook pages.  Maybe if enough teachers started posting the truth, it would get noticed.

Categories Corporate Reformers, Education Reform, Teachers and Teaching

How Reform Destroyed My School

By dianeravitch
August 1, 2012 //
10

This reader will not be silent.

I had a principal who stood up for teachers and students. She had 29 years experience, 11 years as a principal at this school. She was forced to “retire” one year short of full vestment or face firing because we failed to meet our AYP goal by 7 points one year and 5 points the year before.

The school maintained a “B” grade from the state for 4 out of 7 years (the grade was “C” the other 3) and the year she was fired we actually missed AYP by only 3 points (special education and ELL students made AYP) making marked progress every single year in every single category. This all happened in a school with the largest special education population in the county, 93% free/reduced lunch, and 34% English language learners. It didn’t matter.

Once she was labelled as a maverick and a troublemaker her days were numbered. This woman made sure every single one of our 680+ students had shoes, glasses, food to eat on weekends and at school, uniforms to wear, and opportunities they would not have otherwise. She knew the name of every single student in the school. knew their parents, and knew their academic standing. She supported students and teachers with an amazing level of skill and was a master of finding funding for whatever needs arose. I was privileged to be hired by her and work for her for 9 years.

The principal hired to replace her came in from out of state and in her first year oversaw the firing and/or forcing out of 16 senior staff members including the head custodian and the school nurse through transfer or retirement. Her second year saw another 21 longtime employees leave the school through transfer or retirement. She then resigned and moved out of state again. I transferred since it was clear that anyone with more than 3 years experience or over the age of 30 was no longer welcome — we were actually forced to resign from all committees and not allowed leadership roles to “allow younger people a chance at growing”.

A school that had served a very troubled, gang-infested, impoverished neighborhood well and with honor and dignity for 3 generations was torn apart, institutional memory was destroyed, longstanding traditions ended, longterm faculty and support personnel, many of whom had attended this very school themselves as children and whose children also attended are gone and replaced by new, inexperienced teachers with a high churn rate and an ever-increasing number of student transfers.

This is what cemented my commitment to fight and to stand up for what is right. I realize that I have paid and will pay a price for my advocacy but I could not sleep at night if I did not at least try. I’m lucky in that I am only financially responsible for myself; I couldn’t take the risks to do this if I had children or a spouse to support.
Categories Education Reform, Poverty, Principals, Teachers and Teaching

The “Confessions of a Teaching Fellow” Were Spot On

By dianeravitch
August 1, 2012 //
26

A previous post recounted “The Confessions of a Teaching Fellow” who described her revulsion at what she was expected to do. Soon after that post went up, another came from someone who said the writer of the original post was absolutely wrong. Here is confirmation for the teacher who spoke out:

I worked for the TFA program last summer as a supervising teacher (basically a baby-sitter for the TFA candidates who aren’t allowed to be in a classroom by themselves without a certified teacher). The writer discribes the regimentation of this program to a tee.What’s sad is that the children in the summer are the ones needing the most help. Instead, they are placed in a classroom with people who have no experience teaching or working with children. Although I was expected to sit in the back and simply observe, I had to get involved several times when the inexperience of these candidates resulted in violent confrontations with the students.TFA would never fly in the suburbs where my child attends school. The parents would never stand for it! What is it about accepting sickeningly inexperienced and unprepared teachers that makes it ok for the children of the poor?

Originally, I thought these alternative programs were designed to place teachers in hard to place areas. NYC had a hiring freeze for outside applicants for the past two years, except for (you guessed it) TFA applicants. Why are principals hiring TFA applicants when there is a plethora of more qualified, certified applicants? Taxpayers should be demanding why our money is going to finance a system that may have had some reason for existing in the past, but is now not needed and more disheartening, is negatively impacting the lives of hundreds of low income students while lining the pockets of a select few adults.
Categories Education Reform, Teach for America TFA, Teachers and Teaching

Advice to a New Teacher

By dianeravitch
August 1, 2012 //
7

I never tell teachers how to teach. But I listen when experienced teachers offer good advice. Here is some that just was posted as a comment to an aspiring teacher:

…absolutely keep listening to those mentors. You learn so much in your education preparation program, and then you learn so much more on the job. I remember feeling woefully underprepared for teaching after I graduated. I learned more by doing than I had learned in my undergraduate classes, but the most important lessons I learned in college were from my cooperating teachers. They were invaluable resources.

Teaching is a people-centric act. We are taught to teach lessons, but what we are really doing is preparing lessons and teaching people. When you enter your classroom, always remember the importance of communicating with your students. Be real, be prepared, be on top of your lesson and its objectives, and always, always be ready to adjust the lesson so that you can foster an atmosphere of relevance for your students. All the things they taught you in school are useful in the mind. To truly put them into practice, you need to wholly connect WITH those people in your charge. That is, above all, your greatest objective. Best of luck to you.

Categories Teachers and Teaching
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