TIPS: PD discussion

Sitting here listening to Katy Anthes speak about CDE's work on teacher evaluation, I think I do believe that this work could merge naturally into teacher professional development. The segue from evaluation to conversation about getting better should be seamless, both in conversations at the policy level and in teacher-principal evaluations. However, the linchpin is the evaluators and their buy-in to the ongoing dialogue necessary to make this organic progression a reality.

That makes me very nervous.

Questions that need answers

This history teacher asks great questions. I wish Harkin or someone like him would answer some of them.

http://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/letter-about-corporate-involvement-education-policy-should-go-viral

Poverty matters

I first noticed David Sirota about a year ago via twitter. Here he is again, and I completely agree with what he is saying. It's also nice to have the link to the study that details how out-of-school factors matter more than in-school factors to a students' academic performance.

"One way to appreciate this reality in stark relief is to just remember that, as Barkan shows, for all the claims that the traditional public school system is flawed, America’s wealthiest traditional public schools happen to be among the world’s highest-achieving schools. Most of those high-performing wealthy public schools also happen to be unionized. If, as “reformers” suggest, the public school system or the presence of organized labor was really the key factor in harming American education, then those wealthy schools would be in serious crisis — and wouldn’t be at the top of the international charts. Instead, the fact that they aren’t in crisis and are so high-achieving suggests neither the system itself nor unions are the big factor causing high-poverty schools to lag behind. It suggests that the “high poverty” part is the problem."

http://www.salon.com/2013/06/03/instead_of_a_war_on_teachers_how_about_one_on_poverty/

They will forget me so soon

Teaching is a thankless job. It's been said before and it'll be said again and again.

Last year, when a colleague left our school because her family moved, I helped organize a goodbye gift and party for her. Her students wrote her thoughtful goodbye letters. She got two or three goodbye bouquets of flowers. I feel that her goodbye was sufficient. I wonder if she would feel the same.

Part of the reason her goodbye was thorough was because she is a special education teacher and she works with the same small group of students for four years during high school. The connections that she has forged with students are long lasting because they are few.

This year, I am leaving. Today is our last day. Students have not reacted to this or said goodbye. I doubt that they will.

Our school uses intensives, short 4-5 day classes, to augment our small school's limited course options with some creative electives. Because I ended my regular classes four days ago and now only see my students in passing, this is part of the disconnect. I know. Because our school has high teacher turnover, as does our district, this is also part of the seeming indifference. Because our students deal with change almost contanstly, in the shape of dads in and out of prison, uncles in and out of the country, families in and out of apartments, this is part of it as well.

Whatever the reason that none of them seem to care, I am sad.

I care. Deeply. I remember Brianna's fight in my classroom her freshman year and the fact that Tyrell broke it up. He was expelled later, but that day he was breaking up fights, not causing them. I remember when Yesenia and Hugo started dating their freshman year. They are still together today. I remember the time Yesenia called me because her friend Penny was dealing with the police and they wanted help. I remember a lot of things.

Students, you have touched me. You have made me more patient and understanding. You have taught me humor in the most surprising places. You have taught me that teenagers are very powerful and that the world should be ready for the impact you will leave.

Goodbye.

Today is ou

News Reports the Wrong Things

In my opinion, eradicated poverty is more important than a cruise ship trip. However, the news disagrees.

The Today Show just interviewed a girl who graduated valedictorian despite being homeless for most of the last six years. She got about the same amount of airtime as the immediately following story: cruise ship has small fire on third floor. A few people are treated for fainting.

?!

Sometimes the news is just too easy to spoof. Colbert and Stewart have it easy.

I hope someone fully analyzes this homeless valedictorian's success so that it can be replicated, instead of minimizing it as an inspiring outlier anecdote.

Instead, someone is getting her name wrong. The Today Show, I thought, called her Jalissa and her sister Chelsea. Every article I'm finding online calls the valedictorian Chelsea and leaves the sister nameless. Shoddy reporting, I say!

http://news.msn.com/videos/?videoid=8928e466-dd17-5799-c399-5dbedde59ea9

I want a full report on what amount of time mom was available to help her kids with homework, to talk to them. What sort of parenting moves led to this self-discipline. I want to know what supports the school provided so that, if it was helpful, other schools might provide the same. I want this girl's success replicated.

Poverty breeds more poverty. We have to stop this cycle. I hope this girl can do it and teach more of us how to do it, too.

Submitted NBPTS Portfolio!

I got to the point where I knew it was pointless to reread my reflections and entries. I'd been over them enough times. I'm already expecting to have to retake at least part of the portfolio.

Despite all the angst, I am very proud to say I have submitted my entire portfolio!

Now on to testing!

Packing

I am packing. Last summer it was to move to a new building. This summer it's to move to a new school.

My current position has taught me much about the importance of flexibility and picking your battles. I realize now that very little of what I thought was my responsibility is actually within my control. My locus of control is minute. Puny. However, if I can excel at those things within my control, perhaps I can still make a difference as a teacher.

The new position is with middle school. It's a charter. I'm anxious. There will be many changes, in terms of student SES, student age, new colleagues, new systems to learn. From what I know, I am excited and looking forward to a positive environment that deeply values both students and teachers. They also seem to have the vision to support those they value. This is not the case in my current position. There are pockets of people or systems that prepare for the future and can therefore support teachers and students. However, it's not the norm.

Often times, when the uncertainty of the new position, even in the face of all the good things I know about it, starts to cloud my thoughts, I think, "I can't be worse than where I am now."

But what if it is? What if the expectations of charter school parents are so much more demanding than my current students that I cannot keep up? What if the curricula I've already designed is irrelevant and unhelpful? What if I have to completely start over?

In the end, I know this for certain: "I can't be quite as naive and inexperienced as I was four years ago." Therefore, this second teaching position will be better, just because of that.

Wish me luck!