Hedgetoad Teaching

I know T.S. Eliot favored April as the most cruel, but we teachers know that May is… even more so these days. Most importantly, it is the final testing month. National ‘assessments, state ‘assessments’, district ‘assessments’, school ‘assessments’… on and on. It’s impossible to actually get anything done. Toss in graduation activities, planning for the upcoming year and the 2011 bonus, lay-offs and transfers, and you have to wonder if it wouldn’t be better to save money by simply shutting down school entirely except for a few test proctors. Meanwhile, there seems an air of hopelessness permeating the education world. Plans to lay-off thousands are coming to fruition. Schools are being closed, despite protests. Charters are increasing where they can whether they should not. Unions have lost a lot ground and teachers are trying to decide if it’s even worth it any more to continue talking about education . ( not that I blame anyone for that, we all have lives to live ) For myself, I...

I hear that a lot these days. It used to be mostly from various teens trying to negotiate the drama unfolding in their lives as they wandered into that no-man’s land between adult and child. These days it’s from adults trying to navigate the education scene these days. So many people talking and no one listening. The other day I was reading a post by a blogger I’ve been following for several years. Before there was such a thing as “blogging.” We all know spring is IEP review season. This blogger wrote about his daughter’s. Among the various elements, there was the discussion about the state assessment tests. She did not pass. There was discussion about what this means… and why said student needed to pass this test. Would she be taking a modified test? While reading, all I could think about was what would happen to that child as she entered middle school and high school. A history of not passing the assessment test vs. teachers who will now be evaluated on how many students pass t...

We’re starting our wind down for the school year. Most state testing has finished, although there are still the End of Course (EOC) exams to be done and AP tests start next week. College acceptances have been received and deposits sent back. Students are a little stunned to realize that only six weeks are left and that there aren’t many assignments left with which to rescue their grade. My formal last observation for the year was today. I was a bit nervous – things haven’t gone well for others and who knows what’s going on behind the scenes. Once again, I am reminded that working in education is only slightly less political that working on Capital Hill… fewer political  ideologues, more personal vendettas. The deadline for RIFs and transfers looms. Basically, we greet each other in the morning, at lunch and after school with the words “have you heard anything?”, every day. God forbid anyone is out of their normal spaces at any point in time. The rumors immediately start flying....

One the biggest problems I face in working with reading intervention students is the curriculum. Or rather that lack thereof… As a part of the whole Response to Intervention (RTI) process, the only resources we are allowed to use are ones that are research based. Ones with lots of research behind them, showing that they worked on x number of students and raised their reading level by y points in z amount of time. Or that they monitor progress for x students, showing improvement based upon y test. I’d say it’s really boring, but if you’re in the business, it’s a little interesting. It is, however, not like reading anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence is very interesting. It’s a story of how program x worked for teacher y and all the students became voracious readers. There’s a plot! Conflict! Possibly even movie rights! Not a lot of numbers, but a lot of touching and heartwarming sentiment. For high schools students (NOT “secondary” – which in RTI land really means 7th graders),...

Met a former student today. He told me he’s planning on becoming an English teacher. Cue dismay. I told him to go for remedial math too. He told me another adult told him he needed a back up plan in case he couldn’t get a teaching job. Like his music. Yes, rock star is now the back up plan for kids who want to be teachers.

Not for summer. Our state legislature has no clear budget plan. Apparently, they are confused by Bill Gates recent epiphany that taxes might have to be raised and that unions aren’t the big stumbling block to financial solvency.  (not shockingly he mentions disappointment in school not embracing technology more… personally, I’m glad our school keeps toilet paper in the stalls, but perhaps Bill has ascended the more banal bodily functions.) Will they cut levy equalization funds? The Arts? Will there be any sports left? Textbooks? So we’re all waiting for April to end and find out if we have a job or not. Hundreds of thousands around the country are doing the same.Will I be able to sell my house if I have to move? How many long term teachers will be walking away from their mortgages as they have search farther afield for work? How many will leave the profession and find something new?

Why is that we NEED to pay tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses to executives in the financial industry because otherwise "we won't get good people"? But a government employee should be paid next nothing because they work for the government? Creating infrastructure, saving lives, educating people... that's a waste of money. Gigantic yachts, trips to Aruba... those create jobs. (for those in Aruba) Boy! Was PT Barum right. If I didn't like having a soul, I'd run out and get a banking job.

First we had the competition for funding. Now we have the competition for students. The number of school age children is going down in many, many areas. Even districts that couldn’t build schools fast enough a decade ago, are seeing the drop in numbers. Throw in a religious/cultural gap that no one seems want to bridge any more, a discipline or parenting entropy, a decline in anything not labeled “math” or “literacy” (Physical Education class are now using the computer labs more than the English teachers) and it’s becoming a free for all in what education means to people.  Some days it seems like the role of administrators, legislatures, “reformers”, etc. is throw something new at the wall and see what they can make stick. Even though WA state does not allow charter schools (unlike the federal government, WA citizens can vote down laws they don’t like – in this case twice!) it hasn’t stopped districts from trying to attract students with specialized schools. Online schools were t...

Have you been following the coverage in Wisconsin? Really, I have no chance to watch news any more - it's really hard to hear over the wailing for Hand*y  M*ann*y... so I'm reduced to face*B^k and T*witt*r. So the best tweets I've seen: "Let's just all give the nation's wealth to 1 old Republican white guy named Steve & stop pretending" "CONFIRMED: Further violence in WI Capitol. A woman just entered hallway, unsolicited, and gave us all homemade cookies" "HS Student responded: 'you're wrong. I am learning a lot here. I am learning about democracy'" "Teachers of Wisconsin: Please being your red pens tomorrow to correct the Tea Partiers' signs" ***updated****8pmPST "They underestimate a protest by people who are used to standing on their feet all day" (and I would also add... no bathroom breaks!) "We're getting called a lot of names. Good thing educators taught us to ignore...

Over at Schools Matter – great response to the same shite-same answers speech given by Obama. Contest winners announced later today. Swim lessons in 20 minutes!

You watched the State of the Union speech right? Of course you did… and if you were like me, you were waiting with baited breath for something really inspiring. Or you had assigned your AP Language and Comp. students to watch the speech and identify the rhetorical strategies, so you could all discuss what BS fine elocution it was the following day. Either/Or. And the President did mention education. Nothing new. Race to the Top was a huge success! (for how many states?4?) And demanded changes that are not feasible or economically sound in many parts of the country… but whatev’s. Then he said “Become a teacher. Your country needs you.” Because, apparently, the country does not need the several thousand teachers who are about to be laid off – that would laid off… not fired for ineffective teaching. Laid off, because not only will the state of Washington (not a RTTT winner) cut funding next year, but they cut funding this year – after everyone was hired, books purchased, and pro...

Don't forget to go out and vote today - mail it in, stand in line... whatever you do in your local area, just do it! Even if you think your vote won't count - do it!  Over the past three elections, many contests have come down to a handful of votes... your voice won't be heard if you don't cast a ballot. Even if you think your candidate has no chance of winning - do it! At least someone else will realize they're not alone and may lead a new group. Grassroots organizations do make a difference and they had to start somewhere. Even if you think you can't fit one more "thing" into your daily schedule - do it. Will stopping to buy yet another overprice coffee drink affect your future? I mean, beyond the your personal financial bottom line? Skip it today and vote. Who knows what kind of world you'll wake up to tomorrow if you don't.

The other night, while watching the news, NBC ran yet another story comparing US schools to Finnish schools. Because they're so great and all... and I'm not going to disagree with that. Those video clips looked darned good to me! The segment started with a sound bite from, the now infamous, Gov. Chris Christie complaining that since teachers hadn't "produced the product" wanted, they should be fired. Of course, the segment on NBC ended with a colorful graphic showing how US teachers are mostly stupid and Finnish teachers are all from the top of their classes; at least I'm pretty sure that was the intended message. We suck, they're great! It also, however, mentioned some things that I've yet to hear anyone mention as a great new idea... like, THREE teachers per classroom! Two teach, one walks around helping those who need. Please note that the segment stated three TEACHERS - not aids, not volunteers. Imagine, three teachers in your own room? I'd...

There's been much talk about paying teachers based on merit, pay for performance and about a dozen other popular euphemisms floating around. School critics love the idea and seem to, at least, promote the idea as the savior of education. The big news last week was that it doesn't work . Really, I can't comment on what other teachers do or what would motivate them. I can tell you if a bonus for higher test scores would motivate me... I would be slightly excited for about five minutes. Then I'd start to think about what I could do to bring up the test scores and get depressed. Really, what I could do that I don't already do? More practice tests? No more novels... just short passages? And since I no longer teach classes which take THE test, does that mean I'm ineligible and I should demand to teach at least one of those classes even though it would mean reduced access to shared resources for all and huge increase in work load? After all, I MIGHT get a bonus at ...

Our state was not a finalist in the second round of RTTT funding . Were we even in the running? I mean, seriously in the running? Honestly, I can’t remember. I do remember something about changing teacher evaluations… but really, state driven evaluations seems a bit odd for WA state. The east side using something handed down from the west side sounds more than a bit far fetched. There are still people running around trying to split off and form their own state . I’m sure the real killer for us was the lack of charter schools. Unfortunately for those in the other Washington, the citizenry here has rejected charter schools multiple times. And even worse, our state constitution allows the citizens to reject legislation passed by the state government, as they did in 2003-2004. Some would say that our “strong” teachers’ union is the reason it didn’t pass, but my personal opinion is that charter schools are a somewhat stupid idea for a state with a huge number of rural schools. According...

Last year we started using a new screening test for Response to Intervention (RTI). It’s quick to implement, doesn’t require me to beg for EA to be pulled from other schools (because ours has NONE!), and gives results quickly without the use of spreadsheets. Plus the company provides lots of graphs and scientific looking data charts, which is the most important factor in RTI. Especially the graphs*. We test all 9th and 10th grade students three times a year. Then we are supposed to sit around and discuss the findings of the testing; the growth of students, what each class looks like, what needs to be focused on and all that other jazz. Exciting stuff, let me tell you. Or at least it could be if we could ever get passed discussing classroom size. But I digress. Last winter, the principal told me that after examining all the data, everyone (administratively) was very impressed with one of my sophomore classes. The over all score for the class had jumped up about 20 points. They wanted...

You hear a lot these days about how unions are ruining the country and we’re all going to die some horrible depression-era starvation type death because some teacher/auto line worker/grocery store clerk refused to give up his/her pension. Oddly, in this dire prediction no one ever dies because the CEO makes roughly 1000 times more than said teacher/auto line worker/grocery store clerk. They NEED that money because it’s the only way to get “a good CEO”. Apparently only CEO’s work ethic responds to monetary compensation.  Everyone else should just be grateful for a place to go every day. So what if union jobs did go the way of the dinosaur? Would our economy suddenly jump start? Products flying off the shelves, houses snatched up by prosperous buyers, new companies starting up by the thousands? I’m guessing that it would take awhile for things to settle down and I’m not so sure it would be a happy place to live. I’m also sure that insurance rates would be out of range for most peop...

You have male students, right? At least half of them “hate” reading, because it’s “stupid” and “boring”. It’s a never ending quest to find something that will interest them enough to read an entire book or at least an entire sentence. Found in the NYT – Guys Read Devoted to books that “guys” will read. Handily arranged in categories such as “Robots” and “At Least One Explosion”, with reviews and user ratings. Take a look around during your break and maybe find something for the reluctant reader in 3rd period.

Much has been posted about the recent firing (and rehiring) of all teachers in a consistently low performing high school. As some have already noted, there probably wear/are teachers at all over the effectiveness spectrum. If, however, a super-majority of the teachers were on the low end... how, pray tell, did they all end up at the same high school? Who hired them? Who interviewed them? Did only ineffective teachers apply? Did the effective teachers bolt as soon as a new job opened? Was it some nefarious plot by the district human resources department to stack the deck with dead weight at this particular school? It's not random, as someone hypothesized, that ALL of the teachers were ineffective and I don't believe that only through some magical twist of fate do "good teachers" end up at a school. Many good teachers prefer to work at schools with issues . Somewhere along the line, there was a reason the "good teachers" and "bad teachers" chose to ...