I spent the weekend at the Biosphere 2 Science Center near Tucson, Arizona. Many of you may remember B2 as a highly publicized ecological research project back in the early 90s where humans were sealed inside a giant simulation of the Earth to measure survivability; or maybe you remember B2 as the setting for a Pauly Shore flick called Bio Dome. Either way, both ended as big disappointments. While here, I realized that being a teacher has some parallels to what the Biospherians might have experienced.

Fortunately, we are not living in a separate world like B2, but we often teach in a bubble. No one really knows the complexity of what we do, we function with very limited resources, and have become very isolated. We briefly see our colleagues as we gather our students and seldom have opportunities to discuss our work as we are constantly migrating from task to task and working well beyond the school day. Our confinement and isolation, along with having to compete for limited resources, such as technology and supplies, has left us as disoriented as the Biospherians. As teachers, we are often solely responsible for the education of the students that are in our classrooms. Support from the outside is sparse and recently we have become the scapegoats for the failures of educational bureaucracies.

Here we are, twenty years after the first Biospherians volunteered to enter B2 and live in seclusion, choosing to isolate ourselves at a National Board Retreat, analyzing and discussing our teaching practice. The outside world may not understand what were doing or why, however all sixty-five educators at B2 this weekend were working together to strengthen their teaching practice for a better B1.

At least not in the literal sense. Some days I do feel like a rock star or an all-star and maybe even a superstar. But a star is something that I can count on every night to shine in the sky. It can provide light and heat to solar systems such as what the Sun does for ours. Our Sun, a true star, is an infinite resource for heat, light, and energy (if we would learn how to tap it). It will never run dry in my life time. In this sense, I am not a star! Nor is any other teacher. We are not infinite resource for time or energy. We will run dry if we are not taken care of. There is only so much that can be reasonably expected out of us.

My school has been doing a math intervention program for the last four years. Our students take a 5 minute fact test once a month on a Tuesday and we have always gotten the results on Friday. This year, it has taken two weeks to get the results. I have learned that the person who was in charge last year was a full time employee. That position is now a part time position but still required to do all the same requirements. That position lost have of their time and pay. When I complained about this, I found that I had inadvertantly volunteered to help grade the papers. I'm not quite sure where I'm going to find the time to help. Nor am I getting any kind of compensation for this. I also found out that we used to have volunteers that helped grade the papers. Can you imagine a business that starts a new initiative with the hopes of finding "volunteers" to run it? That's absurd! If a business does not have the resources to accomplish the goal or the money to pay people to do it, they won't move forward with it! However, in edcuation we begin many projects or policies with the hopes of finding a volunteer to help. When those volunteers no longer show up, the work falls on the shoulders of the teachers. Everyone knows teachers can't or won't say no.

My school has also started talking about providing breakfast for every student to ensure that every child has to opportunity to be fed to help learning. Sounds like a great idea. However, this breakfast will occur in our classrooms. We will be expected to distribute the breakfast to our students once the bell rings and also clean up once students are done. I know that once it is realized that this is cutting into instruction time, they will expect teachers to open our rooms 15 minutes early to feed the students. And of course, I can expect no compensation nor any extra planning time.

My contract is Monday through Friday from 8-4. I have students from 8:30 to 3:10. I get 5 40 minutes lunch breaks and 3 45 minute planning times a week. How much do administrators feasibly think can be done by me in those "free" times? I only have so much time in my day.

And then you take into account all of the required meetings that I have to go to in a week and the workshops. I can only handle so much learning. I am not Einstein. I need time to practice and implement what I learn from a workshop. You can only dump so much into my brain.

Yesterday was a pretty demanding day. It was bad enough that I decided to take a personal day today to help recover. I felt like a Texas oil field. I had been drilled, prodded, and searched for oil and I came up empty.

How do we convince the powers that be that teachers are not stars? We are more like the oil fields in Texas. Sometimes, we get burnt up or dried out. We need a little more give and take. If you are going to expect something more out of us, than you either have to compensate fairly or else remove another obligation. No matter how hard you squeeze a berry, you are only going to get so much juice.

My district is currently in the search for a new superintendant. Our beloved superintendant is retiring this summer. (Thank you, Dr. Balentine, for your years of service! Your leadership has been incredibly inspiring especially through these very trying last few years.)

I've thought of some ways we can select a new one. We could hold an American Idol type competition and have all of the possible "contestants" do some sort of performance. Maybe sing a song about teaching math facts or act out a scene from a Dr. Suess book. All of the teachers in my district could watch and call in our vote. I heard that when they select a new pope, the Vatican watches to see  who the smoke goes to. We could put all of our contestants on a playground and see who all of the students run to. Or maybe we could just have them all campaign like they are running for president. They could visit all of our schools and make promises of everything they plan to accomplish once they win the office. "I promise that when I am superintendant, all students will turn in their homework every night and every student will excel in all subjects!"

No matter how they are selected, this has got me thinking about what I would like in an educational leader. I'm very fortunate to be in a district where they have scheduled forums for teachers to come and speak their minds about what factors we consider important in a new superintendant. I put some thought into my checklist.

First of all, I want a leader who values teachers. Someone who listens to teachers input. Someone who goes out of their way to make sure teachers have the tools and resources they need to do our job. Someone who trusts teachers and sincerely listens to our problems and our side of the story. Someone who backs us up and does not throw us under the bus. Someone who knows how valuable our time is and does not try to fill it up with meaningless workshops and district agendas.

Secondly, I want someone who has been a teacher and knows what its like. Someone with great business sense would be nice but I would much rather have someone who knows what a word wall is and how to unjam a copy machine. Someone who has spent hours looking at student data. I think it would be easier to listen to someone who has done what I have done and who has walked in my shoes. We've seen in the news what happens to school districts that were not run by profesional educators.

Another thing I want is to have someone who is a people person. Someone who is good at relating to others and who knows how important it is to build relationships. My district has been devastated these past few years with forced transfers and lay offs. There have been great collaborators who have been split apart and families who have lost much respected teachers who they wanted for the siblings in their family. A good superintendant should know how important community and relationships are to a school.

I could come up with more criteria such as someone who loves kids or someone who is willing to pay teachers more money but things like that should be implied or belong on a wish list. What do you think is important in an effective educational leader?

New teacher evaluations: Do they truly evaluate what matters? Our district, like many others across the state and the nation is facing the challenge of evaluating teachers on their classroom teaching practice, as well as, student achievement. As I observe instruction and meet with teachers, I see confusion. Teachers who are questioning their practice, their instructional decisions, their beliefs in an effort not to impact student learning, but to increase test scores.

This concerns me. I am not sure what concerns me more: That teachers are being pushed to the dark side and use data only to drive instruction or that teachers are compromising their teaching “core” and questioning whether they should be teaching to the test or teaching to the needs of the students. At my school we use data to inform our instruction. We look at different layers of data and identify student strengths and weaknesses. Even with these structures in place, I am worried. With a percentage of each teacher’s evaluation tied to student achievement data, I see district personnel, principals and teachers looking only at the numbers. Or worse yet, looking at only one number or one test. I know this has been long in coming, but when did we loose sight of the whole child and what is best for students and learning?

So, what if student input was a component of determining teacher effectiveness? I recently read an article, "The View from the Seats," by Tracy Crow in the December 2011 issue of Learning Forward’s JSD.  The research discussed in this article puts more emphasize on student input. Which makes sense, after all, are students not the consumers of our teaching? This makes me think of the teacher who gets good results as measured by state tests, however, they are not a "good" teacher. We all know that teacher, that “rolls the ball out” so to speak and gets adequate results, but when you ask them about their students or to reflect on their teaching practice, they look puzzled. So would student input help to better evaluate the effectiveness of this teacher?

The research indicated student input was gathered through surveys including the following questions:

1. CARE: My teacher in this class makes me feel that he or she really cares about me.

2. CONTROL: Our class stays busy and doesn’t waste time.

3. CLARIFY: My teacher explains difficult things clearly.

4. CHALLENGE: My teacher wants me to explain my answers-why I think what I think.

5. CAPTIVATE: My teacher makes learning enjoyable.

6. CONFER: My teacher wants us to share our thoughts.

7. CONSOLIDATE: My teacher takes the time to summarize what we learn each day.

Could this survey assist in the teacher evaluation process? What are your thoughts?

Almost 50 years after Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, I wonder how far we’ve come.

On August 28th 1963, Dr. King said: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

In eleven years as a teacher in Title I schools, in several states, I have found some similarities. Two phrases that I have heard in every single Title I school I have entered are “these students “ and “at this school”. I’ve often wondered what was meant by these phrases and why the people using them didn’t say “our students” and “at our school”? Why did they remove themselves from the equation?

I’ve come to believe that this subtle choice of words reveals something that is just under the surface of our societal structure. We don’t believe that all students are “created equal”. This belief is evident in the way that we choose to fund schools, allow Title I schools to be abandoned by talented teachers and implement direct instruction models of learning for our neediest students.

Rising up means not accepting this inequality for any student.

Rising up means changing our belief system. Every student in our public school system is our student; their education is the responsibility of our community.

Rising up means doing what’s right, providing high quality instruction for all students, voting for the funding that will adequately support our public schools and committing to educate every student in Arizona’s public schools.

Rise up Arizona; let’s not wait another 50 years to fulfill “the dream”.

On the eve of the commemoration of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. let me echo the title of his famous oration by saying, I have a dream, too!

 During the era of his speech the equality of all Americans, as our forefathers envisioned, was far from reality.  Our nation couldn’t have been more polarized by race. 

 On August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King shared his dream with millions of people- the masses before him as well as those glued to their radios and television sets across the country. 

 I remember that day-- very well-- and the barely muted excitement of my home as we prepared for the evening’s rebroadcast of Dr. King’s speech, given earlier that day. As a child I don’t recall a greater sense of anticipation, except for Christmas time.

 You see, my parents had a dream for me—when I hadn’t as yet developed a dream for myself.  And Dr. King’s speech seemed to validated their right to embrace lofty goals for their three children. Eventually though, as I grew older and understood the nature of the man-made obstacles born out or racial and gender barriers, I determined to make my parents’ dream, my dream too.

 My parents’ dream for me and my younger sister and brother included good character, a college education, and love for all people- regardless of race or creed.  But the impact of their dream for me was the careful preparation and footsteps they provided for my brother, sister and me to walk in. They carved out a path and modeled for us kids what it looked like to value wisdom, all people, and education, the details of which there’s not time nor space here to elaborate. Suffice it to say, we’ve done our best to follow our parents’ example.

 But it all began with a dream.

A dream shared, a dream believed, a dream lived.

 In living my dream, I have a dream for others, beyond my own family.

 I have a dream for my students- for all students in America...

 

I believe in their innovation and creativity.

I believe in their ability to think critically.

I believe that if they conceive it, they can achieve it.

I have a dream.

 

I believe in their desire to make a difference.

I believe in their ability to communicate clearly and globally.

I believe that if empowered, they will change the world.

I have a dream.

 

I believe in their capacity to love and understand.

I believe in their ability to judge the heart and character of a person.

I believe that if encouraged they will express compassion beyond their years.

I have a dream.

 

I have a dream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you fit and trim, duking it out at your fighting weight?

No?

Don’t tell me that already your well-deserved resolve is slipping!

The week-old New Year couldn’t have created so much of a distraction that your best intentions have become a blur, and succumbed to the dustbin of previous years’ resolutions!

 Please say it ain’t so!  (Pardon the vernacular slip- just like it’s Freudian cousin- it’s symptomatic!)

 Please tell me that you still believe in:

• Drinking plenty of water-
• Eating a balanced diet of protein, fruits and veggies and whole grains
• Reducing the fat and sugar
• The benefits of high fiber
• Exercise- cardio as well as weight-resistance training

 You do?  Well, that’s what I thought!

 Then, teachers in 2012,  let’s resolve to:

•  Liberally shower our students with encouragement and praise
• Provide them with ample opportunities to consume and use 21^st century skills and knowledge
• Diminish the use of time-consuming but standard-poor instructional objectives
• Have high expectations for all learners and provide the  support for them to achieve
• Use assessment as a tool. Skillfully integrate formal and informal assessment in such as way that it not only measures the pulse of learning but strengthens it as well.

 Now, we are well on our way to being fit and trim!

 

What does it take to be an effective teacher? I have been asking that since I attended a teacher of the year lunch in November. I watched as businesses in my state recognized quality teachers. I was very honored to be in their company. Upon leaving that lunch, I thought about what these other teachers had that I did not. I read through the pamphlets and biographies of each candidate. I also read through the requirements of what it took to be a candidate. Each candidate had either a Master's Degree or a Doctorate. The requirements also stated that a candidate was evaluated on their level of education. This proves to me that continued education is valued to be an effective teacher.

However, why would any teacher go on to get a Master's Degree let alone a Doctorate? What motivation is there for teachers to pursue higher education? I checked with my district and it is only a $2,000 a year jump for me. With all of the grading, report cards, planning and everything else a teacher has to do, there's not much time to pursue any other achievements. Plus, I already have a part time job to help cover the bills so my time is very full and valuable. I know money is not the answer to everything but what is it that motivates some teachers to pursue higher education degrees? If it's a factor in teacher effectiveness, why aren't there more incentives  and less obstacles for teachers to obtain Master's Degrees?

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, January.  The time of year when staffing and budget discussions dominate, and I can’t help but sense the parallels to the Billy Murray classic, Groundhog Day.  Only, our reality isn’t remotely funny.

Unbeknownst to the communities around us, who now descend on our schools for winter conferences and discuss the state of their children for 2011-2012, school administrators are facing 2012-2013 realities.  It is at this time that we participate in our annual ritual of doing the math, calculating the budget cuts, and targeting staff as the only viable option to carve out millions of dollars.  

Critics say we’re bloated.  However, those critics have never run a school or a district; the only thing bloated is their incessant rhetoric. 

Many districts are running on empty.  Entire departments are gone; they exist only in the form of a department nameplate on a door.   But hey, who needs professional development or curriculum? We’re only trying to educate children.

It is at this time, just like a succession of years, principals get to tell the same people that their jobs are in jeopardy and that the personal investment they’ve made in building their school’s culture and fostering its success is being rewarded with a heartfelt thank you.

And a transfer.  Or, a pink slip.

Critics will tell us that those teachers should be thankful to have a job and that we should make do with those who remain. 

In essence, we should lower our expectations.

I’ll agree to this when those critics are thankful for the results our cuffed hands produce.  Lower our standards, while everyone is rightfully raising their standards for us?   It’s a laughable and insulting concept.

Those same critics will tell us to downsize and run our schools like a business.  But businesses recoup their losses to stay viable and profitable.   Perhaps we should be allowed to charge baggage fees.  One backpack?  Free.  A backpack and a lunch box?  I’ll need your credit card number.

This year’s budget fiasco has districts again considering dire and dramatic responses in the area of personnel.   In the eyes of these officials, I see the same weariness.  Call it war fatigue, and we’re running out of options. 

Perhaps the 80”s movie parallel is more Platoon than Groundhog Day.

Can such shakeups promote change, invigorate a system, and improve our product? Absolutely.  Unfortunately, many of us will be losing the very people that we need to lead a reinvention of the system. 

Who’s to blame?  Lawmakers? Unions?  School leaders?  To some degree, we all deserve to be assigned a level of culpability; this has been a long time in the making.   Whether through apathy, antiquated policy, unrealistic ideology, or a lack of vision, we’ve all contributed.  Blame?  I don’t care at this point. There’s a reality on the ground that is far more important: children.   

Yes, it’s Groundhog Day, but we desperately need the support of a Platoon-like air strike.