10/29/2009

Where Teachers Are- a post script

The day after this note was posted the NY Times editorial page endorsed an AFT agreement in New Haven to consider a formal review of student achievement in teacher evaluations and further options for failing schools to be reorganized with new staff and administration.  The editorial acknowledges that the devil is in the details, but warns that the measures of achievement must be given preponderance of weight with a “fine-grained analysis that tells teachers where they stand.”  Apparently, the details are what and how things are measured and the levels required for success. Committees of teachers and administrators will “hash out” all this.  We might not wish to know how this hash, like sausage, is made.

It is also reported that the plan will need to halve the achievement gap between the wealthy and poor students.  The news of the editorial is that AFT is negotiating on this program.  At this time questions overwhelm us. How does the evaluation review deal with different teaching assignments in assessing success in reducing the gaps?, Is this a value-added pre-post testing, feed- back system or do we just calculate the percentage of students reaching the proficiency targets?  What public access is there to process data involving individual students? Who assigns which students to which instructor?

Yet the traditional teacher is oriented to providing the best class- meaning one with thorough and instructive and entertaining activities. This is frequently regarded as the professional nature of the job.  Now, The Times would have these talents subordinated to corollaries of test rankings.  The editorial warns that the teachers’ participation is only recognizing the inevitable, rather than an actual conversion.  What we use today as the measures of learning have severe limitations in analyzing and diagnosing an individual students. Certainly these measures were not developed to be instruments of continued employment.  However, most significantly, The Times is right. If the professionals don’t come on  board,  there is a strong political will that will do it for them.

Oct 29, 2009 4:16:34 PM

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Budget Crisis Solved by Arizona’s Teachers In a special session the Arizona legislature passed a budget which will make substantial cuts to education at the state universities ($142 million) and in K-12 ($133 million). State Superintendent Tom Horne estimates the cost will be about 2% in each district and includes restrictions that will change the meaning of getting hired as a teacher forever. When considering a reduction of force dismissal or recall from same, senority will not be allowed to be considered. Teachers salaries will be set individually and not by experience. Existing salaries can be reduced on a person by person basis rather than equitably across the board. Evaluation deadlines are reduced or eliminated.

Sharron and Virgil Walker

Virgil Walker, M.A. and Sharron Walker, Ed.D are a pair of educators who have been teachers and administrators for a combined total of more than 80 years. Although, they spent most of their time in smaller public secondary rural schools in West Africa, California and Arizona, they have worked at all levels of education with a diversity of ethnicities and academic preparation. Mr. Walker is a reading specialist with practical experience in school and district wide programs. Dr. Walker’s is co-author of Principals as Maverick Leaders: Rethinking Democratic Schools and author of Keeping Democracy Alive: Principals and Teachers as Maverick Leaders.

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