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?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
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!
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!
Friday, March 9, 2012
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.
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.
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.
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