This Is Why I Teach

Today was the last day of school for my senior economics students. During 5th period, many students gave me hugs goodbye as they left my classroom for the last time. Then I left my classroom to use the restroom as most teachers do between classes. When I returned, I sat down at my desk to take roll for 6th period. There on my desk was a note that said,

"....Thank you for emailing my parents. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for actually caring. I haven't met a teacher who cared as much as you do in a long time. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it. Not only have you given me good advice for life, but you have also taught me a lesson the hard way."

This student was not a challenge behaviorally. In fact he was a nice, fairly quiet student. He was very late in turning in many assignments and was failing and in danger of not graduating just a few weeks ago. Now he is passing my class and will graduate on Thursday night.

His note brought tears to my eyes. This is why I can continue to return to the classroom year after year despite attacks on my profession, larger and larger class sizes and cuts to my pay check. This is why I teach.

Teaching American History Grant

Last night was the showcase event for the year of learning as part of a Teaching American History (TAH) grant. This grant was sponsored by the federal government, but the funding runs out at the end of next year - yet another victim of government budget cuts. In reality, some of the money the federal government spends does go to very worthwhile projects. The TAH grants were such a thing.

Over the past year, 130 teachers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties attended at least 80 hours and some close to 150 hours of professional development (depending on their status as participating teachers or content leads).  There were several optional sessions and the requirement was to attend 75% of the sessions. This included scholar sessions, reading books and discussing historiography, field studies (Nixon & Reagan Libraries, Museum of Tolerance and the Autry Museum) learning literacy strategies and developing lessons using the latest technology.  I personally logged 92 hours because I could not attend all of the sessions, but what I did attend made me so excited about not only my subject of US History, but also about incorporating more technology into my lessons and student projects.

Many of these sessions were from 4-8 PM, after a full day of teaching. Every day as I drove the hour plus from my school to the site for the sessions I was tired. Every evening as I drove 30 minutes to my house, I found myself wide awake and eager to tell my family about what I had learned that evening.

Yesterday lessons were showcased using Prezi, Haiku, Movie Maker, iMovie and much more. We had a few principals and district personnel present, but not nearly enough. Here I am showing my excitement for technology!

In my district, there is a huge focus on student engagement. Many of the strategies that I learned this year create tremendous student engagement. After I learned about Prezi, I had my economics students create one. I could not show them how to do it as I was learning alongside them. I created one of my own and then had my US history students create one. Every single student was on task and excited about the technology. Now I have students using Prezi for other classes and impressing their teachers, who now want to learn Prezi!

As the public demands better teaching, they must realize that professional development such as the TAH program is what makes people better teachers. So instead of cutting funding to education and eliminating programs that support teacher learning, we must find a way to continue programs such as this. We will have better teachers and thus better students!

Internet Censorship

How do we protect young children from accessing harmful and/or inappropriate pictures and information on the Internet without infringing upon the rights to legitimate information? It is a challenge that those in the education community are currenly dealing with.

Yes, young children (especially those in elementary school) need to be sheltered so that they do not accidentally access a site with inappropriate or sexual conduct. However, should every single site or program that contains key words that might be sexual or inappropriate be blocked? NO! Biology & human anatomy students are one good reason why it is not so easy just to block certain words.

Below is a screen capture from Google images of a search for " Martin Luther King Jr " - this is how it appears on my school computer due to the Internet blocking software they use. I checked at home and NONE of these pictures are inappropriate!

Entire programs, like the poster making Glogster, are blocked by districts because a student could search using the word "boobs" and a poster would appear. Fortunately there is an educational companion, but that costs $99 a year for 200 student accounts. Teachers and districts don't have money to sign up every student with a Glogster Edu account. And what about other great learning tools that do not have a companion site for students?

Is this really the responsibility of the districts to prevent entire sites - many that have educational technology that interests students - because a student might conduct an inappropriate search. Or is it the responsibility of the parents to teach their children how to use the Internet and what they should not be searching for, especially in school?

We all sign acceptable use agreements as students and staff members. Should that not be enough? I am completely okay with the blocking of legitimately inappropriate websites that deal with sexual conduct. But I question the infringement of students and staff members rights that happens with some of this blocking software that exists.

All blogs are blocked. So is You Tube. There is an override button for an hour if you are a teacher, but not for the students. There is so much legitimate content in blogs and on You Tube that we cannot access because a kid might choose to search for something inappropriate. What if I decided to create a blog just for my class. I could request the district to allow it, but should I have to? Facebook is not the enemy. It has legitimate educational uses, but because it is a social networking site, it is blocked.

Instead of a wholesale blocking as is currently done, we need to be taking the time to educate students on what is appropriate and inappropriate for an online environment. We cannot beat these 21st century technologies, so let us surrender to the fact that they exist and teach them the proper use. Students want to use this technology. If we can't beat them, then as educators we must join them!

A Sigh of Relief

My principal brought me a notice today that my lay off notice will be rescinded tomorrow. Finally I can breathe a sigh of relief!

I hate this roller coaster that our current state law makes districts put us on. One minute we are terrified that we may lose our jobs. The next we feel hope from retirements and vacancies.

Sadly, many of my teacher colleagues will not be so lucky as to receive rescissions of their lay off notices. They will be unemployed and left with no jobs to even apply for as districts have no vacancies.

How Does This Make Sense?

There are more than 70 people who are retiring at the end of this year from my district, four in social science. Instead of rescind lay off notices to fill those positions, they have decide to open the positions to inter-district transfers. The job notice very clearly states that those like me who have received preliminary lay off notices are not eligible to apply. This makes no sense at all.

I asked my principal for clarification and he told me that these positions are opened to those who have enough seniority to be guaranteed a spot next year. I asked him what would happened if people fill those positions (3 social science at my school) and then they decide to rescind our notices. He told me that I am only guaranteed a position in the district with a rescind notice and not my position. So in theory, I could be forced to move to a new site. This makes zero sense!

I understand that there are legal issues with seniority, bumping and layoffs....but why not just take the next 4 qualified people (based on seniority) who have lost their jobs and fill them in to the retirees spots? Yes, some people would have to move schools because there are no retirees at their sites, but most could retain their positions. So much time and energy is wasted the way they do the process. Any teacher who is involuntarily transferred is moved by the district - this costs money. Any teacher who volunteers, does so at their own moving expense. So limiting the involuntary transfers by NOT opening the positions and instead rescinding lay off notices not only makes logical sense, it makes monetary sense as well!

A Kindred Spirit

My husband, mom and I were at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf this morning, when a young man interrupted our conversation about education and told us he was a teacher as well. He teaches middle school in a lower socioeconomic neighborhood. This is his fifth year of teaching and he is burned out, not because he does not like teaching, but because of all the politics and students who don't try. We talked for about 10 minutes about technology and teaching. I could tell he was a kindred spirit...someone who cares about doing the best for students, but gets tired of the BS that we have to put up with.

There are so many teachers like him, who like what they do but get burned out. I have been there almost every year since I started teaching. I have almost quit many times, but never because I did not like my students or teaching history. We all get to that point because of all the extra things we have to deal with.....students who refuse to try, parents who don't value education, useless meetings, etc. We only have 57 minutes per day with each student. There is only so much we can do to help them learn. And yet we are expected to perform miracles. That is what burns us out and makes us wonder if it all is worth it. Then add in the politics and we suddenly become the bad guys. The best teachers in the world get tired of hearing how everything is our fault. We all get burned out. That is why we need vacation...so that we can come back refreshed and recharged and ready to deal with all the challenges for another year.

Speaking of Seniority

Yesterday I attended the Reduction in Force (RIF) hearing in my district. This is where an Administrative Law Judge hears from both the district personnel and a lawyer who representes all of the employees who have received RIF notices. Sometimes people bring about challenges as to why someone who is less senior did not receive a notice.

I had a chance to look at the seniority list for quite a long time yesterday. My number is 1246. There are 1393 total people on the list. In theory, this means there are about 150 people with less seniority than me. The problem is that many of them were not RIF noticed because they teach certain  subjects - science, art, special education, French - and that means they have guaranteed jobs for next year, even though they may be first year teachers.

This has always been my issue with the RIF process. It is not just about when you started in the district, but what you teach. In a perfect world it would be "last hired, first fired." But this is anything but a perfect process! Districts have the right to choose which types of positions they are eliminating. That is why there are elementary teachers who have been in the district 9 years who may not have a job next year, but a first year art teacher will. I think this is completely unfair!

While I do support the idea of seniority because it means there are 6 other social science teachers who will be let go before me, I believe it the process is inherently flawed in how it is carried out. I truly believe the first year art teacher needs to be let go before the district considers laying off any 2nd year teacher. I also believe that we need to do more to protect core subject teachers (math, science, English and social studies). Those are the areas that are tested and measured by the state and the public. Art and music are necessities, but in times of economic crisis, those need to be reduced before the core subjects.

I understand there are certain positions that are more difficult to fill because there are less people who hold those credentials. But if a district needs to eliminate positions, should it not start with last hired (regardless of what position they hold)? If the bottom 10 happen to all be math teachers, then some discretion perhaps needs to be given. But eliminate fairly and equally across all subject areas.

Alternate Status

These were the words I read in an email that I received today: Although we cannot offer you a place at this time, the selection committee found your application impressive, and you have been designated as an alternate.

Today is the day that teachers are notified of their application status for summer seminars through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). I am officially an alternate for both of the seminars that I applied to. I don't know why this upsets me so much, but it does. One of the girls I met last summer posted on her Facebook that she was accepted to both of the seminars she applied to and I am jealous.

Each of the last three summers, I have been fortunate enough to attend an NEH seminar. In fact, I feel that my summers are incomplete if I don't spend at least one week at a seminar, learning something new to bring to my classroom for the following year. Fortunately there are other organizations that allow anyone who signs up - first come first serve - to attend, so I will now be looking at those.

So for those people who complain that teachers have time off during the summer, consider that many of us spend those weeks traveling and attending seminars to make us better teachers, improve our content knowledge and network with other teachers.

One of the saddest parts of this economic crisis is the loss in funding for many of the organizations and programs that are funded by the federal government. I have learned so much and am saddened by the fact that future teachers won't have these same wonderful opportunities that I have had. If cries continue to make teacher better, please realize that these programs, like the Teaching American History grant which I am currently participating in, are what makes teachers better. Find some other programs to cut, not teacher education and professional development. It is vital that these programs continue if we want better teachers in this country!

Money, Money, Money

I was reading some comments people had posted in response to an article about 20,000 teachers in California receiving pink slips. One person commented...."Look, California already spends more per student than any other state. What do we get for that? Pretty much at the bottom of student achievement. Texas not only scores better in 4th grade math, but they score *significantly* better."

First of all, California is 47th in the nation in terms of funding and what we spend per student! The state of New York spends over $18,000 per student each year. California spends just $8,452 per student according to a 2010 report comparing states in terms of funding. And that number is declining each year! California is the 7th most expensive place to live and our funding is more in line with states like Mississippi and Arizona, which have far lower costs of living.

And second of all, we have some of the toughest standards in the nation. Of course Texas scores better, they have a much easier test that they give! It is comparing apples with oranges. Our state standards are not the same. Our tests are not the same. So stop trying to compare us! With the addition of common core set to begin in 2014, we will be able to better gage the achievement of all students in the nation. Then we can have a real discussion about testing and student achievement.

This same individual goes on to say, "The purpose of the schools is to educate children, not to spend money."  Yes, schools are non-profit organizations, but if we don't spend money, how can we educate children? This is the problem right now, the public is badly misinformed by politicians and media attempting to target unions, pensions and collective bargaining. Educators need to do a better job standing up for ourselves.

The funding cuts are real. They are not a ploy to increase your taxes to waste money. They affect real people! To all of those who insist we spend less on education and refuse to consider a tax increase, consider this: Should the young people of this state (ages 5-18) be punished for the poor financial managment of a group of legislators who we as adults elected? Or should we perhaps punish the legislators who refuse to fully fund education by VOTING them out of office?

The Face of Pink Slips

Yesterday I attended a meeting for all employees in my district who received pink slips. There were 169 people who received notices for 120 positions to be eliminated. They are elementary teachers, middle school teachers, high school teachers and counselors. Many were like me and had received their 4th pink slip in 5 years. For a few, this was their first experience.

As I looked around the room, it was sad to recognize so many who I have seen year after year. The CTA lawyer knows us by name, as do the CTA representatives who guides us in the process. We are the veterans, the ones who know the process as well as the CTA representatives and could probably run the meeting. We have riden the roller coaster of emotions, calculated how many people have less seniority than us, looked to see who could potentially bump us out of our jobs, attended hearings, fought to save our positions and worried about our futures. We are the face of pink slips.

One thing that it is important for the public to know about these faces is that they are not just the newest, most inexperienced teachers. I have taught for 12 years total and know some of those going through layoffs have taught longer than me. We are not new teachers. We are not inexperienced. We have received awards. We have served on committees. We have coached sports. And...we had the misfortunate to come to our district at the wrong time - right when the budget crisis began.

A kindergarten teacher who has been in the district since August, 2004 received a pink slip - that is 8 years of service to the district. And yet, because our budget has been decimated by cuts from the state and declining enrollment, she is on the chopping block. Both a husband and a wife received pink slips because they came to the district at the same time. Can you imagine what would happen to them and their children if they actually got laid off? Pregnant women are on the list. Single moms are on the list. Real people are affected by these cuts to education. It needs to stop.

The Trouble with Testing

On Friday one of my best students asked..."do colleges see your state test scores?" I informed her that we now put them on the transcripts, so yes they do. She thought that was ridiculous, saying the test was meaningless to her.

If one of my BEST students has such low value of the state tests that are given each spring to students in grades 2-11, then what did the worst students think?

Sadly, politicians in this country have decided that tests are the only way to measure whether or not a student is learning. The problem is that these tests do not measure where a student started, only where they are on a particular date. If a student skipped breakfast, did not sleep well the night before or has a cold, this can affect their ability to do well on a test. I have had students who develop horrible test anxiety and even though they know a topic and can talk about it one on one with me, or even in a class discussion, they freeze up when given a multiple choice test. There is so much pressure placed on them, they simply cannot cope.

There is zero accountability to the students. If my student decides to fail the test and not even try, there is nothing I can do about it. She still passes my class, she still goes on to the next grade level and she still graduates high school. And yet the public (because the government has told them to) thinks it is important that we hold teachers accountable by evaluating them based on test scores. What is wrong with this picture? 

Here is another problem. Teacher A could spend a year in a high performing area like Beverly Hills, where most of her students have parents who value education. As a result the test scores are high. It looks like she is a wonderful teacher. However, if Teacher A went to a low performing area, where most of her students are English language learners, her test scores would drop tremendously. Did she become a bad teacher? NO! Using test scores to evaluate teachers is like evaluating a doctor based on how many patients get the flu or a dentist on how many patients get cavities. Because there is neither an incentive nor a consequence for how a student does on a test, there is no way the teacher can control the outcome. We must first change the way we test before we tie it to teacher evaluations.

Also, the test acts as if all students are the same and expects them all to preform at the same level. A student with a learning disability or one who is still learning the language, is at a significant disadvantage to the average student. 

It is time that teachers are consulted on how to best evaluate whether or not our students are learning. Not all students learn in the same manner, so perhaps not all students can show what they know in the same way. But sadly, the test companies make so much money and have huge lobbies, that politicians are blinded. Lets rethink this and make our priority once again LEARNING not TESTING!

I Hate Pink in March!

Four pink slips in five years! I had the extreme misfortune of moving to my current district five years ago when California's budget crises began. This year my district is anticipating a $23 million shortfall and has decided to eliminate 120 positions, 86 of them from K-5 (elementary)!

Because the state of California has a law that says teachers who may not have a job for the next year must be notified by March 15th, the district decided to issue pink slips to 180+ teachers. They have until May 15th to rescind the notices or make the lay off official. I personally think it is time the state of California rethink this law as it causes undue emotional turmoil on thousands of teachers and counselors every year!

The process is based on seniority and specific types of positions to be eliminated. Even though there are 8 other high school teachers in my subject with less seniority, the district over issues pink slips in case a teacher with more seniority than me holds a credential to teach my subject. In that case, they would "bump" me out of my position. Seniority is based on the hire date and a point system that includes credentials held, number of years teaching and special certifications.

It really is a stressful, crazy process and I wish they would figure out how to make it smoother and more transparent. Those who have never been in my position cannot understand the emotional turmoil of having to wait two months in limbo wondering if you make the cut to keep your job. And so the roller coaster begins for yet another year.

About Me

I am a 4th generation educator so teaching is in my blood. I grew up around education. My mom was a high school English teacher and I spent lots of time as a little girl in her classroom, helped her grade papers and even served as the mascot for the drill team she advised. She also served as a counselor, assistant principal and a principal before she retired after 44 years.

After spending time in the banking and travel industries, I decided to get my teaching credential too. My choice was social science because of my love of history. I earned my credential in 2000 and entered the working world. I spent two years at the middle school level. Then I moved to the high school level where I have spent the last 10 years.

I currently teach US History and Economics and was just recognized as the 2012 High School Social Studies Teacher of the Year by the California Council for the Social Studies. This school year I am participating in a Teaching American History grant along with 120+ other teachers. We spend lots of time learning literacy and technology strategies, hearing from scholars and visiting local historic sites. During my summers, I participate in other learning seminars from organizations such as National Endowment for the Humanities, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Foundation for Teaching Economics.

I moved to my current district 5 years ago (2007), right before California's current budget crisis started. It is March 2012 and I just received my 4th pink slip in the last 5 years. FYI - California law requires that any teacher who might not have a job for the next school year must be notified by March 15th. The district then has until May 15th to either recind the notice or the layoff becomes official.

My frustrations with education reformers, the California budget crisis and the layoff process are why I decided to start this blog. I hope to share my ideas for whats really wrong with education and how to fix it, explain why it is imperative that we stop cutting funds to education and lessons I have learned from being a teacher.