Friday, August 27, 2010

Now this is truly encouraging!

http://teachingquality.typepad.com/building_the_profession/2010/08/the-school-reform-policy-gap.html#

This article breaks down a poll, the results of which show that the American public is NOT on the same page as the Obama administration when it comes to school reform.

It seems the public has more confidence in public school teachers than all the recent media and speeching and such would lead us to believe.  The public would rather see teachers improved rather than see mass firings and school closings.  Read the article for more.

That is a truly encouraging fact.

Posted via email from suedensmore.net

Thursday, August 26, 2010

And they're off!

(This article has been cross posted at tritonarts.wordpress.com.)

We have just finished our first week of band camp, and we are off and running with a very good start.

I can hardly believe another year is upon us.  The summer, for me, has been one of reading blogs, conversing with teachers around the country and the world, and checking out all sorts of new resources.  Through Twitter, I have built a valuable and challenging Professional Learning Network, comprised of teachers, principals, educational consultants, and higher education professionals.  These people all have one thing in common - a passion for educating children to the very best of our abilities.

To do this, we recognize that there are some things about our system that must change.  However, we are of the opinion that it should be educators leading the way, because we know what's really going on.  Good as the President's intentions are, he has not been a public school educator.  Secretary Duncan is working to repeat strategies that he implemented in Chicago and which failed.  And our favorite billionaire drop-out, Bill Gates, and the group of "philanthropists" he has put together, simply think we can privatize it all and run schools like businesses.

We can't.  We don't make widgets.  We teach young people.

I have spent some time thinking about what I would like to do professionally this year - thinking about little ways I can begin to, as Ghandi said, "Be the change I want to see."  

I want to find new ways to help my students take responsibility for their own learning.  I would like to teach them how to use the Web 2.0 resources I've found - be it blogging, using online recording tools, or learning new methods - besides PowerPoint - for making presentations.  It will be a challenge to find ways this will all fit into my discipline of music, but if I want to give my best to my students I will do it.

As for our department, we have another busy and event filled year in store, and TMPO is bringing the Polar Express to the area.  We're going to be working long hours together - but that's the best part.  Through these events, through our work together, we connect and build community.

What's better than that?

Posted via email from suedensmore.net

Friday, August 06, 2010

Why Teacher Tenure is Important

It is fashionable right now to attack education and teachers - at least, it's politically fashionable. These attacks are being led by President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. And they are being pushed along by the billionaire boys club, led by Bill Gates, that seems hell-bent on taking over and privatizing education in the US.
Oh, they pay lip service to how much they respect teachers. But the rest of what they say flies in the face of the reality of the respect they claim to hold.
There's a lot to be concerned about, and I applaud those who are attempting to put their concern into action.
The problem is, they haven't bothered to really find out what they're talking about, and they conveniently ignore pertinent research that does not support their ideas and strategies.
There's a lot wrong with the "initiatives" being touted by this happy band. To keep this post focused, and short, I would like to remind readers about why teacher tenure exists.
I think we can agree that children are best served by teachers who are established, confident educators. And our schools need experienced teacher leaders. So the point is not jobs - it is serving the needs of children and the school communities of which they are part.
But, because we work in the public sector, we are not part of for-profit companies that can raise prices or sell more widgets when times get tough. We are in the business of people, and it is a different world. And, as in most every occupation, personnel is the most expensive part of the budget.
As a result, without tenure, come budget crunch time, school boards and superintendents might be inclined to simply fire the experienced, self-assured, established teacher-leaders in favor of hiring inexperienced, raw teachers right out of college.
I am not knocking young teachers. Indeed, the best faculty teams are comprised of a balanced roster of seasoned veterans and enthusiastic younger folks.
But, absent teacher tenure, I believe - no, actually, I'm sadly confident - that we would face the wholesale loss of all of the "expensive" people - our veteran educators.
The argument I most often hear against tenure is that it stops administrators from "getting rid of" the older, lazy, ineffective place-holders who are resistant to the changes being tried in schools. This argument is, quite frankly, bunk.
Administrators with some guts who are willing to follow the contractual process would find themselves able to take care of those issues. Unfortunately, it seems we have few administrators willing to do the job.
At any rate, tenure is an important factor for educators, and it is my hope that this little reminder of why it exists in the first place will help people understand why we must not lose it.