<p>What NCLB Means</p>
<p>As talk of reauthorization swirls around the No Child Left Behind Act, the National Education Association wants everyone to know what happens when the federal education law trickles down to the classroom. That's why the 3.2 million-member group published Voices From the Classroom, a book of teachers' stories about the effects of NCLB. </p>
<p>Stories from each state are online at </p>
<p>PS Yes, we DO listen!</p>
<p>This from Marc Fisher's column in today's Washington Post</p>
<p>
[quote]
Jack Dale is no anti-testing zealot, shielding the little ones from the reality of a competitive world. He's not out there with the activists who believe the No Child Left Behind revolution in American schools has turned education into a grim, mechanistic culture.</p>
<p>But the superintendent of Fairfax County schools, who presides over one of the highest-achieving systems in the land, has taken a stand at the schoolhouse door: "The last thing I'm going to do is subject some third-grader to tears because someone's standing over them saying, 'You must complete [this standardized test], you must complete.' That's not happening. Let them fire me for it."</p>
<p>In the next couple of weeks, either Dale or the U.S. government will blink. Until then, threats and counterthreats are flying across the Potomac. Dale, backed up by his school board and several other Northern Virginia superintendents, insists he will not require newly arrived immigrant children to take the same reading test that other kids take. And the feds reply: Oh, yes, you will -- and if you don't, you'll lose $17 million in federal dollars.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>More of Jack Dale:</p>
<p>
[quote]
All of these new teacher-leadership functions are in addition to the normal 180-day teaching duties. Each underscores the importance of teachers as leaders and decisionmakers in other necessary school endeavors. Because the time demands are different, each will require a different work calendar. But all of the new roles are based on the same lengthened work year: 11 months, instead of the current 10 months. </p>
<p>A complete list of proposed teacher roles includes the following: </p>
<p>School-Improvement Teacher Leader: 11 months of work (including the normal teaching duties), plus additional school leadership responsibilities that are shared with the principal. </p>
<p>Feeder/Cluster-Improvement Teacher Leader: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on connections to and collaboration with schools within a K-12 cluster that students will attend during their school years. </p>
<p>New-Teacher Trainer/Mentor: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on training new teachers prior to the start of school, and mentoring new staff members during the school year. </p>
<p>Extended Student Learning: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on tutoring and nurturing students performing below grade level. Such work would be done after school, during school breaks, and at other times as needed to ?leave no child behind.? </p>
<p>Student-Transition Leadership: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on analysis of individual students? academic and social progress, and coordination of support services for children needing added social or transition skills. </p>
<p>Traditional Role: 180 school days, plus some additional preparation and training days; this includes ?normal? duties that are essentially the same as current teaching duties.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>How well was his proposal to change the 10 months' routine at the NEA?</p>
<p>"How well was his proposal to change the 10 months' routine at the NEA?"</p>
<p>Xiggi, </p>
<p>When you or if you have children please homeschool them.You have my support for doing so. You would be great as it is so easy to do. You should follow your heart and do the best for your children. The world would be a better place. </p>
<p>Ahhh, man?? find me a teacher that only works 180 days? Are they the norm? </p>
<p>If it's such a sweet deal, you should maybe consider it for a career.</p>
<p>From xiggi
[quote]
More of Jack Dale:</p>
<p>Quote:
All of these new teacher-leadership functions are in addition to the normal 180-day teaching duties. Each underscores the importance of teachers as leaders and decisionmakers in other necessary school endeavors. Because the time demands are different, each will require a different work calendar. But all of the new roles are based on the same lengthened work year: 11 months, instead of the current 10 months. </p>
<p>A complete list of proposed teacher roles includes the following: </p>
<p>School-Improvement Teacher Leader: 11 months of work (including the normal teaching duties), plus additional school leadership responsibilities that are shared with the principal. </p>
<p>Feeder/Cluster-Improvement Teacher Leader: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on connections to and collaboration with schools within a K-12 cluster that students will attend during their school years. </p>
<p>New-Teacher Trainer/Mentor: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on training new teachers prior to the start of school, and mentoring new staff members during the school year. </p>
<p>Extended Student Learning: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on tutoring and nurturing students performing below grade level. Such work would be done after school, during school breaks, and at other times as needed to ?leave no child behind.? </p>
<p>Student-Transition Leadership: 11 months of work (including normal teaching assignment) focused on analysis of individual students? academic and social progress, and coordination of support services for children needing added social or transition skills. </p>
<p>Traditional Role: 180 school days, plus some additional preparation and training days; this includes ?normal? duties that are essentially the same as current teaching duties. </p>
<p>How well was his proposal to change the 10 months' routine at the NEA?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I would gladly work more than 10 months but I expect to be compensated for it. Currently I get paid to work 10 months. The only reason I receive a paycheck through the summer is because our system divides our salary by 26 as opposed to dividing it by 20 thereby eliminating the need for its' teachers to save throughout the year in order to have money to live on over the summer. This is not the case everywhere and I am grateful to work for a system that is willing to do this for its' teachers. But if the system wants me to work 11 months it is going to have to pay me for 11 months.</p>
<p>Opie, I'm afraid your argument about my future homeschooling is becoming a tad, shall we say repetitive. Trust me in that I understood the message the first time. Since I noticed your change of handle, I must assume my PM to you must have been lost. </p>
<p>As far as the discussion about "only" 180 days, I wasn't making a point there. I was only wondering how well the ideas of a man who seemingly is applauded for his stance against NCLB (although further research in his position might reveal a position that is a lot more subdued and political in nature) are received at the NEA. </p>
<p>However, since you opened the can of worms, how do you think a poll of our CC participating teachers about the numbers (or hours) of work they'll work from the first day of Spring (March 21) through Memorial Day and then through Labor day would look like? No lengthy discussions about the fine print of contracts and the semantics of a yearly salary divided in uneven pay periods, no discussions about extraordinary demands. Just the numbers of days. Pretty simple proposal, don't you think? If those days are too "misleading" why don't we pick the time from the week of Thanksgiving to the 15th of January? And then, for the sake of comparison, ask the same question to any parent who has a full time job. </p>
<p>Would you think our esteemed Wharfrat would play along? </p>
<p>PS And, please do not repeat the simplistic rebuttal that consists of offering me career advice. I did get that message as well.</p>
<p>ok I do have a comment
I would agree that nationally the education union is very strong- as I would our state and local city education union.
I am privy to contract information for our district including benefits and extra funding and I would be lying if I said the taxpayers were getting their moneys worth, out of all the workers that I am pretty familiar with.</p>
<p>In fact it pretty much makes me ill to realize that because of the strength of the principals union, it is easier to kick someone upstairs and pay them over $100K salary, than it is to find a school community where they are a good fit.</p>
<p>I would agree that some of the positions require more than what they are listed as.
A teacher who is hired to teach only 2 classes for example, and then those classes aren't even scheduled consecutively, is really in a difficult position.
I think perhaps instead of assigning teachers who have been through a program as principals, perhaps we could try people who actually had experience in management .
Maybe assessing how much time is needed in preparation for classes?
Why are science teachers who must prepare labs as well, paid the same per hour and are assumed to be working the same hours as PE teachers?</p>
<p>My H punches a time clock, I assume most union jobs do the same, are there time clocks in schools, or are they pressured to keep working after they punch out? And if they are- isn't that a union matter?</p>
<p>When I am working on a job, and it takes me longer than a higher up decides it should, I have to justify my time if I want to be paid for it.</p>
<p>While I don't think everything can and should be measured, I think we can all agree that in many parts of the country the education system isn't working for many kids.</p>
<p>But instead of trying to "fix" it, there is a lot of defensive posturing, much blame on the students and parents, and everything except for a willingness to actually look at curriculum, at the classrooms, at the process and make it work better for students.</p>
<p>Many districts have shown that more money- isn't necessarily the thing that is going to make the difference.
So what is?</p>
<p>we can agree that parent/guardian involvement is important-
but as I think I have shown- even if the parent quits their job- doesn't homeschool, but is in the building everyday, to support the school & their child- that isn't enough to make THE difference.</p>
<p>It makes * a* difference, but if combined with mediocre curriculum, confusing instruction and meaningless assignments, its not really enough to make * THE* difference</p>
<p>xiggi: You come teach 135 fifteen and sixteen year olds for 180 days, and put in all the hours beyond the regular school day in order to do so effectively and then tell me how little I work.</p>
<p>Great post, EK4!</p>
<p>
[quote]
xiggi: You come teach 135 fifteen and sixteen year olds for 180 days, and put in all the hours beyond the regular school day in order to do so effectively and then tell me how little I work.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Just the answer I expected: the typical ultra-defensive stand!</p>
<p>Why is it so hard to answer a very simple question, and why is this type of question viewed as a direct attack to the integrity and work ethics of teachers?</p>
<p>As surprising as it may sound to you, asking those questions are not meant to question teachers, but are meant to underscore the pitfalls of an unworkable system. If you want outsiders to see --and believe-- that work is indeed done after the bell rings during the year, and especially after the last day of school, you must document that, and not revert to a mere dismissal of the validity of the question.</p>
<p>That is hardly a way to build credibility!</p>
<p>Wharf, </p>
<p>It is far easier for the xigmester to criticize than to know or experience. He's young and what he reads or who he talks to tells him it's so. The xigman is a bright person, but doesn't understand the grey involved. Might make a great CPA or IRS auditor someday. </p>
<p>Every three weeks or so somebody comes out with a break the union/ do away with public education post. That's what Homeschool was ideally made for. Heck, nowdays school districts will even provide the study materials for the homeschooling parent. I strongly encourage anyone who is unhappy with public education to talk to their district and I strongly encourage them to go that route. Why be miserable? teach your own kids and do a better job than trained professionals. Heck with the right website, you could even be your own doctor. </p>
<p>I suggest it to xiggi because I have sympathy for the elementary teachers who will have to meet with him when he or if he attends parent teacher conferences. Nothing like meeting with folks that have udder comtempt for your profession that you spend years on. </p>
<p>I will not try to change his mind about things as he has a right to his opinon. However, he sounds alot like a brother of mine who used to give me child rearing advice when he didn't have kids. Experience counts in some things. </p>
<p>My hope is he will get smarter as he gets older and opens his mind to learn more.</p>
<p>opie:</p>
<p>not sure of your 'hood, but out on the left coast, public school teacher contracts are pretty clear: 183 work days, which is 180 instructional days, and three other days. Our good friends are wonderful, dedicated teachers, so they go back two days early to set up their class room = 185 work days.</p>
<p>Many teachers do work as mentor teachers and perform other roles during the summer as noted on an earlier post, but they are compensated separately for it.</p>
<p>Opie, here we go again ...</p>
<p>Don't like the message, so let's throw some vitriol at the messenger. </p>
<p>I take good note of your advice to voice a "displeasure" with public education by opting for homeschooling. Yes, there is great value in the marginalization of children! Added to the options available to people with sufficient means to send their children to private schools, I assume that you consider both private schools and homeschooling as good choices, especially since they are not threatening the monopoly, and especially the financial hegemony. </p>
<p>I also assume that you must believe that the status-quo will remain forever and a day. You may be right that taxpayers will remain mostly silent about ever growing increases in property taxes and school budgets and lack of accountability.</p>
<p>After all, what is there to be done ... so let's not care about it!</p>
<p>PS "Nothing like meeting with folks that have udder comtempt for your profession that you spend years on." Yep, let's milk that argument for all it is worth!</p>
<p>Why should I as a teacher have to document anything for you? You are the questioning teacher workload, you should be the one to provide the evidence to the contrary.</p>
<p>emerald, good post. Something you wrote caught my eye: the issue of the curriculum, my personal pet peeve. One of my biggest beefs with public schools is the dumbing down of the curriculum. I'm old fashioned enough, and literate enough to prefer my kid to read, say, Homer in his World Literature class as opposed to, say, The Kite Runner. But so often the 'core' classics, which are more difficult to read and more difficult to teach, are dropped in favor of lit-lite. </p>
<p>In your experience, who shapes the curriculum? Who has say over assigned material? Is it the teachers, the principals, the union, individual states?</p>
<p>** Unions? (read below). Nice to see they are looking out for the students, huh? Going out on strike for more money.</p>
<p>It's not like they are greedy. They turned down a 25% raise over the next 3 years. Hmm, that averages to 8.33% each year. (Shall we take a poll to see how many CC readers/posters have received a 8.33% raise each year, for the last 3 years.). </p>
<p>Hey, don't worry about those students who will be missing out on classes, right? Surely, they will understand that the pay raises for their Profs is more important than their graduation. **</p>
<p>===========================</p>
<p>California State University faculty authorize strike</p>
<p>BERKELEY, California (AP) -- Professors for the nation's largest four-year public college system could walk out of California State University classrooms as soon as next month after union leaders announced Wednesday members had authorized a strike.</p>
<p>The vote comes after nearly two years of bargaining have failed to produce an agreement for faculty.</p>
<p>"We are a faculty that is fed up and we're a faculty that's ready to walk off the job," California Faculty Association President John Travis said as he announced results of the vote at the Southern California campus of CSU Dominguez Hills.</p>
<p>Union leaders said if a strike is called it would be limited to two-day actions that rotate from campus to campus to lessen the impact on the system's more than 400,000 students.</p>
<p>Chancellor Charles Reed said in a news release that administrators were doing everything they could to reach a settlement, but if faculty strike, the system has plans in place to minimize disruptions.</p>
<p>In Sacramento, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a news release saying he was optimistic talks would resume.</p>
<p>Nadir Vissanjy, chairman of the California State Student Association, said the organization doesn't have a position on the strike, but it supports having university employees paid competitively.</p>
<p>Both sides agree the professors and lecturers are paid less than peers at comparable institutions. But administrators said they made an offer to increase wages by nearly 25 percent over the next three years.</p>
<p>Union leaders dispute that most faculty would receive that much, questioning the mechanics of how the raises would be structured.</p>
<p>Union officials said about 80 percent of the 11,000 dues-paying faculty eligible to vote on a strike did so and of those, 94 percent endorsed the action. The system has about 23,000 faculty in all.</p>
<p>"We do not want to strike. We want to achieve a settlement, but the administration of the CSU has proven extremely obstinate for the past six months," Travis said.</p>
<p>The system is separate from the University of California system, which has about 209,000 students.</p>
<p>=============================</p>
<p>** I am eagerly awaiting the responses of you teachers, who so strongly support your unions. You will surely tell us how this is a good thing, for the faculty to be going out on strike. </p>
<p>I do realize that an argument can be made that teachers are underpaid. Let's assume for discussion sake that i agree with you. Is walking out - so that students miss important lectures - the way to achieve it? If you say that it won't hurt the students, then are you also saying that the lectures are not that important, since missing a few of them, won't affect the students. </p>
<p>And, if you justify the strike due to "how long" the negotiations have been underway, you need to find some other lame excuse. The last raise, per the articles, was in 2005. This is 2007. That only leaves ONE year without a raise. Does one year (without a raise) constitute an emergency?</p>
<p>For those of you (men and women) who work fulltime, and whose kids are in daycare, how supportive would YOU be (of a work stoppage) if your daycare facility went on strike, and you had to scramble to find someone to watch your kids? How about those of you commute many miles to work on public transit (train, bus, tram, shuttle, etc). Would you be as supportive of a work stoppage by your local transit system, as you are of the Profs going out on strike? How about if your local Police Department or loca Fire Department went out on strike (and you encountered a burglar, or your house caught on fire. Would you support the work stoppage? Oh, maybe it is "different" in that scenario, right ?**</p>
<p>Though I TRULY do feel that Teachers deserve to be paid more, I am so sick of the greed of the teacher's union. (turn down 25% over 3 years?). I could do a quick google search, and compile a LONG list of the many many Education Bonds that have been on the California Ballot EVERY election cycle for the last 20 years. We have authorized billions of dollars for Education. And it is never enough. </p>
<p>Tell you what. Let's have a private phone conversation, and I will tell you how the real world (private industry) works. I have been at my corporation for 33 years. I work for a very well known, highly regarded corporation. There have been many years where we have had raises that are one-third of what your union turned down. There have been a few years that have been even worse. Let's put it this way, I have NEVER (in 33 years) received an 8.33 percent raise. And I receive very positive annual reviews. My work is highly rated, and valued. Do I deserve to make more? I think so. But I don't walk off the job. I don't complain year after year about it - like you do. </p>
<p>You SURELY did NOT choose to be a TEACHER for the PAY. If you did expect to get rich teaching, then you are either naive or not too bright, and in either case, you should not be teaching our children. If you did know ahead of time that "pay" was going to be an issue (for teachers), then you now need to either live with it, or move onto a different career (that's what the rest of us do). There are many of us who work hard in our jobs, and who feel that we deserve to make more money. But you don't hear us whining like little spoiled brats, year after year. It really is not that complicated. If MONEY is what is so important to YOU, then quit your job, and find a job that pays more. Grow up, like the rest of us have had to, and take a more mature approach to life. Either accept your circumstances, or change them (find a new job). </p>
<p>Do you really think that you are the only workers who are undervalued and underpaid? A bit narcistic, don't you think?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Why should I as a teacher have to document anything for you? You are the questioning teacher workload, you should be the one to provide the evidence to the contrary.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>WF, you do not have to document anything to me! It is your decision to stick to a dismissive attitude. </p>
<p>Typical!</p>
<p>Gee out here on the liberal west coast north of you, my spouse quits about June 30th and Starts around Aug 8th, that is, if she's not taking a class over the summer at our expense to improve herself. Then when the "contract" year starts, she usually stays until 5:30 or so, comes home, we go for a walk. Then I make dinner and she sits down and does corrections or as in last night's time, orders books from scholastic or another source so her students can also read books they will enjoy as a reward for achievement. And yes, we pay for them. So she spends about 12 hours a day involved with the education process, not of course counting the 1/2 hour lunch and the couple of recess periods where she can pee. </p>
<p>And yes my wife is a saint and excellent 30 year teacher who has not waivered from day one, just gotten better at her profession. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S EVEN WILDER? She's not there alone gasp? There are always other teachers there when she is or before her and even after her. Her peers are just as dedicated and work just as hard. </p>
<p>I am sure there are a couple teachers who split on the dot, everyday or skimp somewhere. They come and go, just like in any other occupation. Some people aren't meant to a certain occupation. I would venture it's less than a few percent, among public and private educators. The vast and I do mean vast majority do their jobs BETTER than you do yours, under difficult conditions. </p>
<p>That's why I support homeschooling it allows everybody some peace and a learning environment that suits them. </p>
<p>As for your friends are you sure that they aren't working on some things at home? Can the job only be done at the school or infront of students? Have you asked them if they only work two days beyond contract? Or could it be only what you see? </p>
<p>None of my wife's parents are in my home at 11 at night while she works on grading papers. They aren't there in August as she goes in and starts to reorganize the class desks, walls and subjects for the upcoming year. Or do they see the time she spends writing their names on placards in several styles of writing so they can have an example. So maybe some of them think like some of those here, that nothing happens after 3:30 or all summer long. Alot goes on that you don't see. That doesn't mean it doesn't count.</p>
<p>opie:</p>
<p>do my friends work long days during the school year? Absolutley. Do they work from late June to day before Labor Day - nope, unless on a district project for which they earn additional $$.</p>
<p>But they also don't get paid for those days they are off. As is the case with our system, they may get a check but that's only because their salary is divided by 26 weeks as opposed to 20 or whatever the case may be.</p>