The word fidelity is defined by Dictionary.com as “strict observance of promises, duties, etc.,” “loyalty,” “adherence to fact or detail,” and “accuracy or exactness.” The idea behind fidelity is that you stick to what you said you’d do, even when you don’t necessarily like it or it’s not particularly easy to do. The concept of fidelity slapped me in the face today during our third teacher workday back at school. And the root cause of it all is money.
Our district adopted a “supplemental” reading program two years ago. It was supposed to address the weak areas of our “core” reading program (of which there were several at the upper elementary level). This supplemental program was very effective with my students during the past two years. I saw tremendous increases in the areas of comprehension and vocabulary. Students were writing more and with more quality. Many of my students even made greater-than-one-year gains (the holy grail of reformers) on assessments of literacy skills. I also was pleased with the new program anthology selections because they better reflected the culture and interests of my students, which is something the core program did not. Students were making connections with their personal lives and between stories. In three words, I was happy.
Today, my happy little world was shattered. Apparently, my district screwed something up. The supplemental program was being used more as a core program by many teachers – myself included. Unfortunately, this didn’t quite jive with the stipulations of the grant that was written to fund this purchase. Many of the teachers questioned this decision at the time and even warned the district that the mandated use of the new program was considerably more than “supplemental.” But the new program worked for my kids, and I embraced it. Today, my district informed all teachers that we were returning to the core reading program “with fidelity.” This includes site visits with checklists, electronic monitoring, and other intimidating practices.
So I sit here at my computer tonight pondering. With whom does my fidelity lie? Is it with the district, which pays my salary and can more easily dismiss me due to changes in Michigan teacher tenure laws and replace me with fresh young teachers who won’t know the difference between the two programs nor the impact on students? Or is it with my students, who desperately need quality materials and instruction? For how much longer can I continue to shut my door and do what’s right by the kids?
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Back to School Shopping Anxiety
Each year I eagerly start shopping the back to school sales at the local stores. Colleagues and I text and email each other when we find good buys. I purchase enough of any supply so all of my students (even if there’s 36 of them – you never know) will have the supplies they need for the school year. I get excited when I see their desks on the night before the first day all organized with some of the crucial tools they need to flourish in a learning environment. I enjoy making the classroom an oasis, a place where students who may not have had favorable school experiences feel welcomed and valued.
Ever since I was five years old, I’ve looked forward to selecting pencils, notebooks, crayons, folders, and myriad other school supplies – first for myself and later for my students. Today, I walked past the school supply section of Target. I felt the usual thrill of excitement when I saw the sale sign for notebooks, and took one step toward them when a little voice in the back of my head said, “STOP! What are you doing?” Then I felt the disappointment. I just effectively took a $17,000 pay cut this school year due to salary and additional cuts as well as increased costs. I realized I can’t really afford the usual back to school purchases, and that it was fruitless to look for further buys.
As I walked away from the school supply section, I suddenly became extremely anxious about the upcoming school year. I realized I wasn’t going to provide the notebooks, folders, pencils, paper, crayons, and other supplies I depend on students having for instruction. As a teacher in a poor urban district, I understand and fully expect to not have textbooks and instructional materials in a timely fashion and for students to come to school ill prepared with supplies. That’s just the nature of the beast. I have always been able to address this through the use of my extensive personal classroom library and the materials and supplies I provided for my students.
This year that security blanket is gone. As I walk into my classroom at the start of this year, I have many unanswered and unanswerable questions. What supplies will I have available? Will there even be pencils and paper? Should I inform my parents that I don’t have these things so they can pressure the administration to provide them? Will that get me in trouble with my administration? What will I do for my first few days? How will I introduce journaling and writing and all the other necessary things for students to transition into a new year? Will this year get off to a bad start because I couldn’t properly plan for the first few days/weeks? WHAT WILL HAPPEN????
One might argue that I can easily spend time instead of money preparing for the year. But when it gets right down to it, students still need basic classroom supplies. You see, public schools are the last safety net available to ALL children in society. Teachers are at the front line in a battle against poverty and apathy. The cuts teachers are taking DO end up affecting the classroom, and they often impact the very students who can least afford them.
Ever since I was five years old, I’ve looked forward to selecting pencils, notebooks, crayons, folders, and myriad other school supplies – first for myself and later for my students. Today, I walked past the school supply section of Target. I felt the usual thrill of excitement when I saw the sale sign for notebooks, and took one step toward them when a little voice in the back of my head said, “STOP! What are you doing?” Then I felt the disappointment. I just effectively took a $17,000 pay cut this school year due to salary and additional cuts as well as increased costs. I realized I can’t really afford the usual back to school purchases, and that it was fruitless to look for further buys.
As I walked away from the school supply section, I suddenly became extremely anxious about the upcoming school year. I realized I wasn’t going to provide the notebooks, folders, pencils, paper, crayons, and other supplies I depend on students having for instruction. As a teacher in a poor urban district, I understand and fully expect to not have textbooks and instructional materials in a timely fashion and for students to come to school ill prepared with supplies. That’s just the nature of the beast. I have always been able to address this through the use of my extensive personal classroom library and the materials and supplies I provided for my students.
This year that security blanket is gone. As I walk into my classroom at the start of this year, I have many unanswered and unanswerable questions. What supplies will I have available? Will there even be pencils and paper? Should I inform my parents that I don’t have these things so they can pressure the administration to provide them? Will that get me in trouble with my administration? What will I do for my first few days? How will I introduce journaling and writing and all the other necessary things for students to transition into a new year? Will this year get off to a bad start because I couldn’t properly plan for the first few days/weeks? WHAT WILL HAPPEN????
One might argue that I can easily spend time instead of money preparing for the year. But when it gets right down to it, students still need basic classroom supplies. You see, public schools are the last safety net available to ALL children in society. Teachers are at the front line in a battle against poverty and apathy. The cuts teachers are taking DO end up affecting the classroom, and they often impact the very students who can least afford them.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Are We Doing This to Ourselves?
This week I am attending the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) annual conference in Washington, DC . The preconference session I attended Wednesday focused on Advancing School Reform through NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher) Leadership. One of the presentations in this session focused on the “Faces of NBCT Leadership” and some of the different ways leadership can be demonstrated. As I listened to one of the presenters, I began to wonder if there were unintended veiled messages we ourselves as teacher leaders were sending.
Our presenter spoke about teacher leaders. She indicated that for teachers to really make a difference in our field, we must become leaders who have an impact outside of our classrooms. This makes sense to me. I understand this. She indicated how important it is for teachers who want to make an impact to still be connected to the classroom – particularly by continuing to teach, but with a reduced schedule or reduced classroom responsibilities if possible.
I began to wonder. How do you do this in real life? How do you make this time? Then it hit me. In order for this to work, the presenter pointed out a reduced classroom schedule. Aha! I get it. Unfortunately, I began to wonder if this sends a different message to outsiders and even people within the profession. The very premise that shortening the class day would provide enough time for this is (I think) flawed. By assuming that shortening the class day translates to less work time in the non-school hours is a mistake. Just cutting three hours from the class day to do leadership tasks does not translate to half as much time spent working outside of the classroom. This can lead to a very narrow view of classroom related work teachers do outside of the classroom. Yes, teachers may have fewer papers to grade and parents to contact, however, the amount of planning, research, and reflection teachers do is not changed in the least. By promoting this approach, are we unintentionally demeaning the profession by feeding into the belief that the outside-of-the-classroom work teachers do is neither time-consuming nor important? Are we doing this to ourselves?
Conversely, is this a cost we must pay to have greater impact on our profession?
Our presenter spoke about teacher leaders. She indicated that for teachers to really make a difference in our field, we must become leaders who have an impact outside of our classrooms. This makes sense to me. I understand this. She indicated how important it is for teachers who want to make an impact to still be connected to the classroom – particularly by continuing to teach, but with a reduced schedule or reduced classroom responsibilities if possible.
I began to wonder. How do you do this in real life? How do you make this time? Then it hit me. In order for this to work, the presenter pointed out a reduced classroom schedule. Aha! I get it. Unfortunately, I began to wonder if this sends a different message to outsiders and even people within the profession. The very premise that shortening the class day would provide enough time for this is (I think) flawed. By assuming that shortening the class day translates to less work time in the non-school hours is a mistake. Just cutting three hours from the class day to do leadership tasks does not translate to half as much time spent working outside of the classroom. This can lead to a very narrow view of classroom related work teachers do outside of the classroom. Yes, teachers may have fewer papers to grade and parents to contact, however, the amount of planning, research, and reflection teachers do is not changed in the least. By promoting this approach, are we unintentionally demeaning the profession by feeding into the belief that the outside-of-the-classroom work teachers do is neither time-consuming nor important? Are we doing this to ourselves?
Conversely, is this a cost we must pay to have greater impact on our profession?
"That's What She Said" in DC
So I finally decide to visit Washington, DC after putting it on the “someday list.” I am attending a conference here and thought it’d be fun to add a day on each end for sightseeing. I was very excited to finally get to see the National Mall and all the monuments I’ve seen for years on TV and in the movies. Here’s a brief rundown on my thoughts and impressions:
• Scale and size are MUCH different than I expected. I knew the Lincoln Memorial was large. I didn’t know it was that large! (That’s what she said…. Hehehe.) On the other hand, I was surprised with how small the Vietnam War Memorial was. I’m not trying to minimize its power (more later), but somehow thought it’d be bigger. (Again, that’s what she said….) Many of the sights I visited were different than I expected, however they all seemed larger than life when I experienced them face-to-face. UPDATE: After touring the Capitol building today, I was struck by how small the Senate chamber was. (That’s what she said….) It looks much larger on C-SPAN.
• I have to give a huge shout out to the National Park rangers. Upon arriving at the Lincoln Memorial, I found the Reflecting Pool to be under construction and completely drained. All that remained was a field of mud with wooden beams sticking out of it. As I was lamenting the misfortune of my timing to a National Park ranger, he deftly reframed my disappointment by pointing out that few Americans ever see the bottom of the pool. He also pointed out that this gives me a reason to revisit in the not-too-distant future (but after October).
• I approached my visit to the National Mall as something I had to do just because I was an American visiting my nation’s capital. I was totally unprepared for the visceral and emotional response I had to both the Korean War Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial. When I visited the World War II Memorial, I didn’t have the same reaction and I was puzzled by that. Upon reflection it may be because of the materials used in construction, or just the fact that many people feel both Korea and Vietnam were not “necessary wars” while WWII seemed to be a more justified war. I still don’t know for sure, but it in a metacognitive way I was puzzled by this difference.
• It’s hot here! I’ve heard people talk for years about summers in DC and how hot and humid they are. I’m from Michigan. I can handle hot and humid, but I gotta say hot and humid for my
entire week here kinda stinks. I’m not a fan of taking two showers a day when I only packed clothes for one week. I think I may come back in the fall for another visit - but after October, so I can see the improved Reflecting Pool.
• When they call the legislature “Capitol Hill,” they mean HILL. I never expected DC to be so hilly. For those of you who know me, I walk. I walk a lot. (Like 60 miles in three days – shameless plug for the Susan G. Komen Foundation) I even can walk up and down hills. I didn’t expect this place to make me think of SanFrancisco, though. The unfortunate thing for me on my first day here is that my hotel is at the top of a hill. Although it’s only a four block walk to Dupont Circle and the Metro, after walking all day, that four block UPHILL walk really stinks. I will say that by the end of day three here I was more used to it and it was much easier. I also think my calves look MUCH more defined – a definite bonus.
Overall, after being in this remarkable city for three days, I can honestly say I regret not visiting here sooner and definitely plan to return. There are soooooo many sites I want to see and places I want to explore I can hardly wait to get back.
• Scale and size are MUCH different than I expected. I knew the Lincoln Memorial was large. I didn’t know it was that large! (That’s what she said…. Hehehe.) On the other hand, I was surprised with how small the Vietnam War Memorial was. I’m not trying to minimize its power (more later), but somehow thought it’d be bigger. (Again, that’s what she said….) Many of the sights I visited were different than I expected, however they all seemed larger than life when I experienced them face-to-face. UPDATE: After touring the Capitol building today, I was struck by how small the Senate chamber was. (That’s what she said….) It looks much larger on C-SPAN.
• I have to give a huge shout out to the National Park rangers. Upon arriving at the Lincoln Memorial, I found the Reflecting Pool to be under construction and completely drained. All that remained was a field of mud with wooden beams sticking out of it. As I was lamenting the misfortune of my timing to a National Park ranger, he deftly reframed my disappointment by pointing out that few Americans ever see the bottom of the pool. He also pointed out that this gives me a reason to revisit in the not-too-distant future (but after October).
• I approached my visit to the National Mall as something I had to do just because I was an American visiting my nation’s capital. I was totally unprepared for the visceral and emotional response I had to both the Korean War Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial. When I visited the World War II Memorial, I didn’t have the same reaction and I was puzzled by that. Upon reflection it may be because of the materials used in construction, or just the fact that many people feel both Korea and Vietnam were not “necessary wars” while WWII seemed to be a more justified war. I still don’t know for sure, but it in a metacognitive way I was puzzled by this difference.
• It’s hot here! I’ve heard people talk for years about summers in DC and how hot and humid they are. I’m from Michigan. I can handle hot and humid, but I gotta say hot and humid for my
entire week here kinda stinks. I’m not a fan of taking two showers a day when I only packed clothes for one week. I think I may come back in the fall for another visit - but after October, so I can see the improved Reflecting Pool.
• When they call the legislature “Capitol Hill,” they mean HILL. I never expected DC to be so hilly. For those of you who know me, I walk. I walk a lot. (Like 60 miles in three days – shameless plug for the Susan G. Komen Foundation) I even can walk up and down hills. I didn’t expect this place to make me think of SanFrancisco, though. The unfortunate thing for me on my first day here is that my hotel is at the top of a hill. Although it’s only a four block walk to Dupont Circle and the Metro, after walking all day, that four block UPHILL walk really stinks. I will say that by the end of day three here I was more used to it and it was much easier. I also think my calves look MUCH more defined – a definite bonus.
Overall, after being in this remarkable city for three days, I can honestly say I regret not visiting here sooner and definitely plan to return. There are soooooo many sites I want to see and places I want to explore I can hardly wait to get back.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Did They Have to Be Nekkid?
One of the best things about teaching 4th Grade is the grown-up-enough-to-get-humor, but still innocent-enough-to-believe-teachers-can-do-anything mentality of the students. Just to illustrate, I wanted to share a story that occured a few weeks ago in my classroom.
One of my girls, who I'll call K, noticed my drawer of contraband and confiscated items. (I believe all teachers have one of these.) K immediately launched into a story about her "last year's teacher" who had a drawer just like mine. In K's opinion, my drawer was boring. Of course I have Pokemon cards, Silly Bandz, and other assorted items, but K wanted me to know that was nothing compared to her previous teacher. According to K, her last year's teacher had "nekkid boy Barbie dolls." She was terribly scandalized by the whole experience and couldn't understand why her teacher would have such things. I explained to her that teachers don't get to choose what's in the drawer, but that they get whatever it is they confiscated from the students. Her response was, "Yeah Mrs. A, but did they have to be nekkid?!?"
Gosh, I love 4th graders!
One of my girls, who I'll call K, noticed my drawer of contraband and confiscated items. (I believe all teachers have one of these.) K immediately launched into a story about her "last year's teacher" who had a drawer just like mine. In K's opinion, my drawer was boring. Of course I have Pokemon cards, Silly Bandz, and other assorted items, but K wanted me to know that was nothing compared to her previous teacher. According to K, her last year's teacher had "nekkid boy Barbie dolls." She was terribly scandalized by the whole experience and couldn't understand why her teacher would have such things. I explained to her that teachers don't get to choose what's in the drawer, but that they get whatever it is they confiscated from the students. Her response was, "Yeah Mrs. A, but did they have to be nekkid?!?"
Gosh, I love 4th graders!
Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions
I originally wrote the following blog entry on March 22, in response to an EduSolidarity request for teachers (and others) to explain their thoughts on unions.
Initially I told myself I should write this blog entry. Sunday and Monday came and went along with little time to do much else outside of my classroom work. This morning, I thought I could bang out an entry. Today I figured I could probably take a pass on writing it. After all, why does it matter? What will it accomplish? I read a couple of blogs from colleagues and figured I would probably write similar things, so why bother? Then I realized my obligation. Not an official obligation, but rather a personal obligation to one of the largest safeguards of a profession which seems to be changing so quickly I hardly recognize parts of it anymore.
I began teaching just over a decade ago. My first position was in a public non-union charter school in a very urban setting. One of my friends said it was located at the corner of "Get Mugged and Run." This school was a start-up K-8 school. At the time, my starting salary seemed almost ludicrous when compared to my hourly rate of $5.25 an hour at a local drug store. As new teachers at a new school, we were expected to report two weeks in advance of the students to "plan" for the year with our teams. Planning for all of us consisted of running up and down stairs (I had a second floor room) with boxes of books, supplies, and materials. We also thought nothing of helping each other carry up our own teacher desk, file cabinets, computer stations, and student tables and chairs. That doesn't even include our own personal materials. Besides, most of us were just excited to have positions making the luxurious salary of $29,500 annually. And, as newbie teachers, how could we dare complain or even realize that this was not right nor in the best interests of students. If we had had a union and a collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on planning for student instruction. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
As the year progressed, I noticed some disturbing trends. The veteran teacher I heavily relied upon across the hall from me left in early October. She said something about things not being what she expected and that student learning was being compromised. Her replacement - later in November - had originally interviewed for the position of secretary, but was needed in the classroom, and thus, my new "partner" arrived. We muddled through on our own. We worked with each other, and the other neophyte teachers to carve out some semblance of high quality teaching and learning in our hallway. I began to joke about feeling like Dracula because I only ever saw the sunlight on the weekends. I worked sunrise to sunset in my classroom. If we had had a union and collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on implementing effective student instruction. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
Toward the end of the year, the school postponed scheduled conferences and required teachers to make adjustments and work Saturday conferences or lose a day's pay. This was done because some of the principal's favorites (she had brought them from her previous charter school) hadn't gotten their grades and report cards prepared in time. We were mandated under threat of lost payment to attend meetings often scheduled at the last minute. I actually missed over 100 preparation periods that year. If we had had a union and a collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on evaluating student achievement instead of worrying if we were upsetting the principal. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
The following year, I applied and was hired in the public school district. My salary jumped to almost $39,000! I was jokingly chastised by the building engineer for doing things like installing a pencil sharpener or adjusting table legs because as he put it, "It's my job to allow you to focus on the kids." I haven't had the horrid experience of a truly vindictive administrator, but believe me, if I had, I would have been glad for Union representation. I have seen firsthand the power a union has. That power is what enables me to do the best job I can in the classroom for the kids I have at that place and in that time. It allows me to do what is truly in the best interest of students without fear of reprisal. It creates predictability in the classroom and school setting which helps students succeed. I have walked a picket line on strike twice for my union and the students it ultimately serves. Do I always agree with everything it stands for? NO. But that's OK. I'm still young(ish). I'm still enthusiastic. I still make a difference.
The union helps me make a bigger difference.
Initially I told myself I should write this blog entry. Sunday and Monday came and went along with little time to do much else outside of my classroom work. This morning, I thought I could bang out an entry. Today I figured I could probably take a pass on writing it. After all, why does it matter? What will it accomplish? I read a couple of blogs from colleagues and figured I would probably write similar things, so why bother? Then I realized my obligation. Not an official obligation, but rather a personal obligation to one of the largest safeguards of a profession which seems to be changing so quickly I hardly recognize parts of it anymore.
I began teaching just over a decade ago. My first position was in a public non-union charter school in a very urban setting. One of my friends said it was located at the corner of "Get Mugged and Run." This school was a start-up K-8 school. At the time, my starting salary seemed almost ludicrous when compared to my hourly rate of $5.25 an hour at a local drug store. As new teachers at a new school, we were expected to report two weeks in advance of the students to "plan" for the year with our teams. Planning for all of us consisted of running up and down stairs (I had a second floor room) with boxes of books, supplies, and materials. We also thought nothing of helping each other carry up our own teacher desk, file cabinets, computer stations, and student tables and chairs. That doesn't even include our own personal materials. Besides, most of us were just excited to have positions making the luxurious salary of $29,500 annually. And, as newbie teachers, how could we dare complain or even realize that this was not right nor in the best interests of students. If we had had a union and a collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on planning for student instruction. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
As the year progressed, I noticed some disturbing trends. The veteran teacher I heavily relied upon across the hall from me left in early October. She said something about things not being what she expected and that student learning was being compromised. Her replacement - later in November - had originally interviewed for the position of secretary, but was needed in the classroom, and thus, my new "partner" arrived. We muddled through on our own. We worked with each other, and the other neophyte teachers to carve out some semblance of high quality teaching and learning in our hallway. I began to joke about feeling like Dracula because I only ever saw the sunlight on the weekends. I worked sunrise to sunset in my classroom. If we had had a union and collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on implementing effective student instruction. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
Toward the end of the year, the school postponed scheduled conferences and required teachers to make adjustments and work Saturday conferences or lose a day's pay. This was done because some of the principal's favorites (she had brought them from her previous charter school) hadn't gotten their grades and report cards prepared in time. We were mandated under threat of lost payment to attend meetings often scheduled at the last minute. I actually missed over 100 preparation periods that year. If we had had a union and a collective bargaining agreement in place, we would have been able to focus on evaluating student achievement instead of worrying if we were upsetting the principal. But it was OK. We were young. We were enthusiastic. We were going to make a difference.
The following year, I applied and was hired in the public school district. My salary jumped to almost $39,000! I was jokingly chastised by the building engineer for doing things like installing a pencil sharpener or adjusting table legs because as he put it, "It's my job to allow you to focus on the kids." I haven't had the horrid experience of a truly vindictive administrator, but believe me, if I had, I would have been glad for Union representation. I have seen firsthand the power a union has. That power is what enables me to do the best job I can in the classroom for the kids I have at that place and in that time. It allows me to do what is truly in the best interest of students without fear of reprisal. It creates predictability in the classroom and school setting which helps students succeed. I have walked a picket line on strike twice for my union and the students it ultimately serves. Do I always agree with everything it stands for? NO. But that's OK. I'm still young(ish). I'm still enthusiastic. I still make a difference.
The union helps me make a bigger difference.
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