A 3% reduction in teaching staff when faced with a 84M deficit is actually pretty good.
I wonder what percentage was cut from administrative and management jobs.
The little boy's speech was so awesome. Don't you think? Did you listen to it? Of course, it's probably only "priceless and meaningful to teachers and not the general population, but oh well, he touched my heart.
It was presented to us today at one of the many, many in-service workshops that we must attend district wide.
I have to admit that things are getting better for all because of the push to raise test scores, albeit push is the only word I can come up with to describe what should otherwise be a support to raise test scores. But, I can live with what we have for now.
Our Teachers have been attending training courses right and left for several years. This year more than ever. I, for one, enjoy the professional development part of the NCLB funding. I learn a lot. . . even though I have taught for so many years. It's like being a doctor. Who would want to have a doctor "work out the kinks" using 1950's direction?
Today we spent four hours basically going over scores, benchmarks, demographics---not to mention reviewing individual student's scores from the 3-5 grade level.
Our district RDA team has come up with something called "safe harbor". We find those children who did not make proficiency by 1-10 points NP (nearing proficient students). We will focus on lifting their scores to meet Proficiency all in order to make AYP. The hope is that if we bring their scores up and over that measurable fence we will make AYP next year. So much valuable time spent on how to keep from drowning. Damn.
Oh well....such is life because of the State Dept....Oh that bloody State Dept. PED.....and of course it' not the fault of NCLB--
The act is not responsible for the very reactions states are subject to. . . of COURSE NOT>
So, silly stupid individual states for making hell on the earth for public schools.
Just this afternoon we "learned" all over again about Blooms Taxonomy. !!!! I had that in college in the 1970's. Ok, not that there's anything wrong with revisiting the old school idea of multiple intelligences. In fact, if the public schools had not bought into Houghton Mifflin/Harcort Brace/Silver Burdett publishing companies for all these years......teachers could have used what they learned at the university level all these years. BUT no....instead NOW we are presented with the best practices idea. Bloom! Oh call off the dogs...wow....what a great novel idea.
Damn it.....I have to say that someone dropped the ball years ago. So, that's why I can not blame the NCLB ACT. But, by damn this better remain as a new page in the nation's education system and stay as put! ..as Put can be.
Ironically, now the individual States approach of solving the issue of leaving NO CHILD behind is to purchase the very basel programs such as Houghton Miffline, TERC, and Harcourt along with all the rest of the research based programs to solve the problems that have taken the public schools into the abiss all these years.
Bottom line is....as a teacher...that little boy is right on the money. By damn if it takes a freaking village to help each and every child learn...I will do it.
But, in the meantime, we have to be ready to show that the students can read the state standards when a principal walks in the room. ..be able to tell the principal what he/she has learned ON THE SPOT, etc , etc ,etc.
The prinicpals jobs are on the line...and in the meantime the pressure to make the grade affects us all.
Someday all will iron out....but for now, it's crazy making indeed.
My heart was touched by that little key note speech.
Take a listen if you can...Y'all.
Cindy
