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.
No comments:
Post a Comment