Back At It

Missing the Mission

So several years ago I started this blog and then; well like they say "life got in the way."   So how has everyone been (teachers)? Oh! Yeah  2020.  Well same here! So we can approach this two ways. If  you're a seasoned teacher you're thanking God we made it and signing up for a weekly wine delivery service! If you're a new teacher fresh out of college you thinking "what the hell have I gotten myself into!' 

Now as we are told to "finish strong", many of  us are sprinting for the door.  Quite a few of us are not even looking back. I'm I the only one who spells it in the air?  Can you spell that? Its the rising tied BS we have all had to swim in this and the previous school year.  So we all know teachers are over worked and under paid. What we learned this year is that our administrators don't know us or the students who they are charged with caring for!  

I see some of you...shaking your head at my callous words. Well lets step back and take a look at a couple of sources of my comments:

1. Technology  - in lower income districts especially the pandemic is the first time that districts were forced to release their vise grip on tech devices. Out of the locked carts and into a child's hands!  The pause also brought the issue of connectivity down front and center. What? Teachers in a panic when the server drops during whole school digital standardized assessments wasn't a sign of a problem?
2. Social Emotional Health - we all have changed. Look, the literal world just played the worst game of  Freeze Tag ever! Our educational leaders made and are making countless decision that show no evidence of their concern about our emotional health in mind.  Teachers' concerns are marginalized and ignored. More often educators are vilified for expressing concern about the spread COVID or a the desire to protect their family from infection. 

Since we are educators and are always looking for the lesson learned. What did we learn? I don't know about you, but I learned to value myself more. To make a greater effort to treat my time a valuable commodity. To really think about how much of it I am giving away to activities that do not fuel my mission.  What I mean by all this is that this last year and half has gifted us all with a new set of lenses to view out life's work. I like so many of us, I lost my way. Got detoured from my passions or drive away from new adventures.

Those passions and adventures they will be key in these next coming months as we return to the "New Normal."  Because with out them we're not be able to heal. These "dreams" that we have set aside are going to be the tonic to ease our anxiety, and begin building a healing road.

 Stay hydrated. Keep growing. Value yourself!

Really!


Out to dinner with a few friends. This was the thought that came to mind, while out to dinner with several former colleagues.  "So how is the new job going?" 

"Good"

"Just good?"

"It's fine, I'm enjoying it and learning a lot. My coach is great!"

They keep grilling me on what "techniques" or "strategies" do you have? "You know since ya''ll are closing the achievement gap!  Ok, where did that come from? Don't get me wrong these are my girls! I love them but I believe there is some tension about  me going to charter school.

Alright you asked for it. I go through several techniques  and strategies.  When I finish putting on my one woman show; I'm greeted by laughing and heads shaking no.
 "Do you really think that mess is going to work?"

"No real high school student would listen to that mess." 

"Oh! Wait doesn't Mr.????? teach like that?"

"Yeah!" 

"He does and he's a great teacher!"

"Yeah, he is good."

"Can we get the check please?"

I am fuming really, are you guys serious!   What the ****! Oh well I love them. I resign myself to the idea that they will work to close the achievement gap on their end. I will work to close it on my end. We are all in this together.

Common Core Lesson Plan Template

Happy Summer Vacation!

To all those wonderful teachers who are taking a minute to wiggle their toes in the sand. Or have that drink under a shady tree. Job well done! So I know the farthest thing from your mind is lesson plans, but check out this wonderful template I found for Common Core Lesson Plans.

http://www.tstboces.org/node/183

Feel free to share your great finds. Remember we are all in this together. Enjoy!

 

 

Sad News...

I don't know about you but the closing of any type of school is sad to me.  We all acknowledge that education is not an easy line of work.  There are many districts that struggle each day to instruct difficult populations.  What happens when a charter school closes? Aren't charter  schools are supposed to be the solution.  Recently a charter school located blocks from where I work closed.  So what went wrong?  I know the teachers, parents, and the administrators wanted the best for their students. The kids; well we know they can't be to blame.

All to often it seems that many charter schools like public schools start off with the best intentions.  So what goes wrong? I think that while charter schools have a amazing amount of autonomy; they often waste time trying to reinvent the wheel. In particular when it comes to school management and finance.  Charter schools and public schools share similar leadership models. So why does it seem that what puts many charter schools out of commission is administrative and finance problems.  Is it a question of certification ? While public schools would never think of filling school leadership  positions with non certified personnel; charter schools don't follow this same trains of thought always.

While I don't want to turn this into a "my teams better than your team" issue.  I think charter schools need to be careful of who they let hold the reins. It take more than charisma and enthusiasm to run a school.  Charter schools must remember the role they have taken on in some of the nation's most challenging districts.  We need to become established  parts of these communities; not another broken promise in  areas where they have seen so many.

Playing Nice Can Pay

I found this interesting article; it is from a page from the Department of Education. Discussing grant money available to charters that demonstrate collaboration with public schools. Some schools are sharing resources to benefit students in both schools. Others are sharing strategies to boost achievement for an entire community of learners. Enjoy! I hope its of some use to my followers.

When Charter Schools and Non-Chartered Schools Work Together: A Grant to Encourage Collaboration

Thu, April 4, 2013 12:04 PM

“Charter schools were originally created to serve as labs of innovation, developing best practices, and then sharing them widely to improve the work of all students.”
                     —  Shannah Varon, executive director, Boston Collegiate Charter School

http://www.ed.gov/oii-news/when-charter-schools-and-non-chartered-schools-work-together-grant-encourage-collaboration

So interesting update, I believe all educators should look up theirs and neighboring schools School Report Cards.  I just found out that the state of New Jersey no longer refers to this performance data as a School Report Card.  It is now called NJ Performance Report.  Also new is that each school is ranked is comparison to other schools with similar demographics. It also rates if the school is preparing students for college readiness. I am not really sure how I feel about it yet.  The comparison part is a little strange because it is a statewide.