Encourage Others in Tough Times!

Yesterday teachers talked and encouraged each other at lunch. I think we need to do more of this right now! Lunch is a perfect place to praise one another about the great things that are happening in our classrooms!

A Twinkle of Hope

Some encouraging news on the education front! Eric Kleefled reports from TPM: Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi has just blocked -- again -- Gov. Scott Walker's (R-WI) new law curtailing public employee unions, after the state Republican leadership moved last Friday to circumvent her previous order that blocked the law on procedural grounds. But that's not the end of the discussion, as it appears the state will continue to defy the order. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports: "Further implementation of the act is enjoined," said Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi. She noted her original restraining order issued earlier this month was clear in saying that the state should not proceed with implementing the law. The Walker administration did so after the bill was published Friday by a state agency not included in Sumi's earlier temporary restraining order. "Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of Act 10 was enjoined. That is what I now want to make crystal clear," she said. But minutes later, outside the court room, Assistant Attorney General Steven Means said the legislation "absolutely" is still in effect. Click on the above link to read more!

FCIR Exposes Hypocrisy in FL's Government: Is this Babylon?

Are Rick Scott's actions (education cuts) unconstitutional? Did Florida legislators turn their heads? What are they doing for our kids and our future? Read this article from FCIR and find out more! A friend posted this on FB last night. Thought you might want to read it, though it is making many of us frustrated. I am committed to getting the word out. Please do the same!

A Recent Update on the Status on HB 61, HB 1331, KC03, HB 255, and Many More Concerns on the Education Front!

Here is where FL is right now with much of what is news. This is a report from FEA Frontline report. It is a PDF file.

Please read and share!

Felonies Later, Gov Rick Scott Wants Taxpayers to Fund His Clinics (reposted from: www.politicususa. and FB)

Another informative article that Florida residents need to read. The good news is that I hear that there is a group of activist moving to put into law the ability to impeach a governor in the state of FL in 2012. This is the target year; I sure hope we can get this going! 14 Felonies Later, Gov Rick Scott Wants Taxpayers to Fund His Clinics www.politicususa.com Rick Scott (R-FLA) transferred 62 million dollars in Solantic stock to his wife and now he’s passing a bill that will enrich Solantic... http://www.politicususa.com/en/rick-scott-taxpayers-clinics

150 Walk Out at 8:30 am on 3/18/2011 in Michigan

History is in the Making!

http://mikeshighschoolnews.com/blogs/clarisa-trevino/03/25/2011/history-making-lansing

The above is the actual link to the article below:

History in the Making in Lansing
March 25, 2011
Clarisa Trevino
Lansing, MI print
send email 12Share2comments The events of March 18, 2011 were history in the making. It was a collective idea to walk out of our school at 8:30am. There were at least over 150 people that decided to walk out of Eastern High School. We, as the next generation, are fully aware of the decision that the Governor is making and how those decisions “will better our future.” 30% of our school budget will be cut in order to reduce the deficit. That means fewer teachers, more students to a class, and less money for extracurricular activities. It will truly be a brighter future for the children of tomorrow.

We decided that we mattered. Since we had such a great understanding of what was truly at risk we took the steps we found necessary. We marched up to the Capitol -- full of pride and excitement -- ready to stand up for not only what we believe in, but to exercise our right to speak about this belief. We were met by other schools such as Sexton, Everett, and Waverly. We stood on the capitol steps with our signs and chants.

Of course we had those who joined the rally just to get out of school, but this was our chance to educate these students. Since this was our first time with an event such as this, it was a little unorganized -- but you have to give credit where credit is due, we tried. It is our future as well as the generations after us. Somebody has to stand up for our rights.

Remember The Alamo; Remember Our Children

Dear Friends,
This blog entry is quite special to me because I have been to the Alamo, I appreciate our country's history, and I hope our education system can be saved! It is no longer about which political party I am aligned with or which education initiative (s) I am mandated to follow. It seems both of these band wagons have slapped stakeholders, mainly teachers, in the face after doing what we have been told do for the past three decades! It's a sign of the times: the Legislature has made a mess of education. They don't know what to do, and now they want to clean up their 30 year mess, while blaming teachers, who are the obvious scapegoats to this political and idiotic agenda. What about the kids? The truth must be told and true to this blog: I am keeping it real!

Thus, I am reposting an insightful entry from the Washington Post. It was reposted by Valerie Strauss who came across a up-to-date Remember the Alamo letter written by a "Texas district schools chief" . She writes: "This is an open letter issued by John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt Consolidated Independent School District. Addressed to Texas legislators, this plea for help is modeled on the famous letter that William Barret Travis sent from the Alamo right before it fell in 1836 (the text of which follows Kuhn's). Kuhn refers to plans by Texas Gov. Rick Perry to cut billions of dollars from public school funding."
Please read the actual letter below and consider clicking on the link below to get more information about this educator advocate.

1. Youtube Video of John Kuhn at a recent rally!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlEM4MGNeTY&feature=player_embedded

2. Interview with John Kuhn from Education Week: Living in Dialogue: - A Teacher Blog
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/03/i_am_educator_hear_me_roar_an.html

3. The Alamo Letter reposted by Valerie Strauss.From: John Kuhn, Superintendent, Perrin-Whitt CISD
To: Senator Estes, Representative Hardcastle, Representative Keffer, and Representative King during these grave times:

Gentlemen,
I am besieged, by a hundred or more of the Legislators under Rick Perry. I have sustained a continual Bombardment of increased high-stakes testing and accountability-related bureaucracy and a cannonade of gross underfunding for 10 years at least and have lost several good men and women. The ruling party has demanded another round of pay cuts and furloughs, while the school house be put to the sword and our children's lunch money be taken in order to keep taxes low for big business. I am answering the demand with a (figurative) cannon shot, and the Texas flag still waves proudly from our flag pole. I shall never surrender the fight for the children of Perrin.

Then, I call on you my legislators in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy of public schools is declaring that spending on a shiny new high-stakes testing system is "non-negotiable"; that, in essence, we must save the test but not the teachers. The enemy of public schools is saying that Texas lawmakers won't raise 1 penny in taxes in order to save our schools.

If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and fight for the kids in these classrooms like an educator who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his community. Make education a priority!

With all due respect and urgency,

John Kuhn
Superintendent
Perrin-Whitt CISD

Here is the text of the 1836 letter:


Commandancy of the Alamo------

Bejar Fby. 24th 1836

To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world------

Fellow citizens & compatriots------

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna ----- I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man ----- The enemy has demanded a Surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken ----- I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the wall ----- I shall never Surrender or retreat

Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch ----- The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country ----- Victory or Death

William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt


P. S. The lord is on our side- When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn--- We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves---

Travis

Please join my blog and forward or send this to others via Twitter, email, and or Facebook!
Let our voices be heard!

Marcus Freeman Will Never Be Forgotten!

On March 15th, 2011, North Port High School suffered a great loss: Marcus Freeman. While I was not his teacher, I knew of him. He had walked through my classroom during 4th period to use the interior restroom and or to get an item or two for his Honor English teacher Ms. Anderson-Moore. Today she told me about how he impressed her with his work ethics and that she found this paper today. “Marcus got a 97% on this! He used me as an example in his vocabulary test”, she cried. I cried too! I comforted her. I thought to myself. I have to write about this. I was amazed on how the whole school and community came together to honor such a precious student.

Here are my thoughts:
When the bad news came, teachers, staff, parents, and students cried, hugged, and clung to each other in classrooms and hallways all over the campus and in our community. Marcus was a significant individual who touched many lives in life and in his tragic and instant death. I know this because I asked my 10th grade students to write what was on their minds this past Friday. Most of them wrote about Marcus and the strong impact he had on their lives. Yes, they wrote about how life is something to appreciate and cherish, but mostly how they will miss Marcus. Many wrote that his life will live on through theirs and that he will never be forgotten! I also learned that he was an awesome athlete and student leader as I read. He was an encourager. He cared deeply about the popular and unpopular. I also learned that he was a spiritual person who was sensitive to the needs of many.

I am also reporting on the unity of our school and community as we pulled together to mourn and celebrate his life. On Friday, another student ran in his place for a track meet, and they honored him at this meet. And after the funeral at Biscayne’s church on Saturday, they came back to the football field at NPHS to celebrate his life. In addition, bracelets are being sold for $3.00 that say R.I.P. MAF 3-15-2011 to help the family with costs etc.

In short, NPHS and its community will miss Marcus Freeman. He has taught us a lot about ourselves through his life and death. MAF will be missed but never forgotten!

Commisoner Smith Resigns Today; His Last Day Will Be on June 10th, 2011

In my attempts to "keep it real" and as things continue to heat up in the education climate, here is the most recent news I was made aware of this afternoon: Commissioner Smith resigned today and his last day will be June 10th, 2011.

The following is a copy of the email I received by JUSTFORTEACHERS-L@LSERV.FLDOE.ORG today. The message below shows the progress Florida's educators have made over the past three years; there are other initiatives that have begun as a result of many peoples' hard work.

One has to wonder why public education is taking so many steps backwards. We worked so hard for so long. Feeling like we have been jumping through hoops that have been delivered down from the House, we have still made strides but we are still faced with the recent changes in legislation. Are more stakeholders going to abandon this ship? Please ponder the implications of his decision though I respect it. I hope it inspires you to stand up and speak up for public education. Sometimes resigning is one way of speaking up and out.
___________________________________________________________
Earlier today, Commissioner Smith informed the public of his resignation effective June 10. I've worked closely with Dr. Smith for many months now and I can say with complete sincerity that he has always appreciated the work of Florida's teachers and the extraordinary job they do for the benefit of students. Please see below for Commissioner Smith's full resignation statement which includes the successes of which he is most proud to have worked with you to accomplish.

This past weekend, I informed the members of the State Board of Education of my intention to resign as Florida’s Commissioner of Education effective June 10, 2011, the last day of this school year. It has been my privilege to serve as Commissioner during a period in which Florida demonstrated bold national leadership in the field of education. The time has come, however, to allow our newly elected Governor to have input through the State Board of Education on the type of leader to pursue his goals for education.

I am very proud of the significant accomplishments achieved by the hard work and aspirations of Florida’s students and educators during the past three years. The following are highlights:

• Florida was ranked 5th in the nation in the 2010 Quality Counts report by Education Week up from 31st in 2007, which tracks state policies and performance across key areas of education.
• Florida was one of only four states in the nation to improve significantly in both fourth and eighth grade reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), with significant gains for Florida’s African-American and Hispanic students outpacing their counterparts in the nation.
• Florida’s graduation rate climbed to 79 percent in 2010, a new high for our state, with significant increases for minority students.
• More than 120,000 students entered kindergarten better prepared in 2010 as a result of their participation in our state’s Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) program.
• In 2010, the number of AP exams administered to Florida’s public school students increased 19.5 percent and the number of students receiving a passing score on an AP exam jumped 14.5 percent. Because of this achievement Florida has the third highest number of students taking the AP exam compared to the nation and ranks fourth in the nation for the number of students scoring 3 or higher.
• At the same time, participation in Dual Enrollment coursework increased 18.4 percent, with a 12.2 percent increase in the number of students earning college credit in these courses.
• For the eighth year in a row, Community College Week’s 2010 annual top 100 report honored Florida’s state colleges with the top spots in terms of degrees earned.

While these are impressive achievements, over the past three years, we have also developed and have begun to implement the following strategies to drive future progress:

• In August 2010, Florida was named a winner in the Race to the Top competition, securing $700 million in federal funds to revolutionize the state’s education system.
• Last week, the Florida Legislature passed landmark legislation called the Student Success Act that will reform the teaching profession and allow our state to better attract and retain high-quality teachers and remove the low-performing teachers from the classroom.
• The Florida Department of Education took a leadership role nationally, developing Common Core Standards and now serves as the fiscal agent for the national consortium of states to develop assessments that will measure student performance on these standards.
• In 2010, legislation was enacted to require more rigorous graduation requirements to ensure that students leave high school better prepared for college and a career.
• A new high school grading formula was implemented that gives parents a more comprehensive look at their student’s school in terms of college and career readiness.
• Florida integrated federal and state requirements resulting in a reduction in reporting and a solid process was implemented to identify and support the state’s persistently low achieving schools.

The foundations are in place and the expectations are clear that Florida will be number one in education! The future is promising and very exciting for our students.

It has been an honor to serve both the State Board of Education as well as the members of the Florida’s Legislature. These individuals have made incredible efforts to build upon the bold education reforms established by Governor Jeb Bush allowing us to progress both quickly and successfully. It also has been a pleasure to work with the talented individuals in the Department of Education who continue to demonstrate commitment to serving students, parents and teachers of our wonderful state.

I thank the state of Florida for the privilege and honor to have served as its Education Commissioner. There always will be a special place in my family’s heart for this blessed state and its students.

Eric Smith


Kelly Seay
Teacher Liaison
Florida Department of Education
Office of Communications
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1524
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

How Will Senate Bill 736 Effect Us? Inquiring Minds Want to Know!

Dear Friends,
It's not too late to act and call Rick Scott and tell him NOT to sign SB 736! He has no idea what he is talking about. He should NOT sign this bill. What nobody is talking about is the unfunded mandate for new assessments that will come down and hurt our students. That's right! This money will not magically appear. Instead, districts will have to find the money. This will mean more cuts that will affect our kids! Read the following document from the Florida Education Association to find out more about what this bill means for teachers too! I will continue to post things as they come.

I received information below via my email this morning and am sending it out on my lunch. RTTT means that less teachers will collaborate because they are racing to the top and want to get the best scores. The eperts will close their hands to the neophytes.

Senate Bill 736 Facts!
1. What will these new evaluations be like?
Every district is developing its own evaluation system. Districts participating in the Race to the Top (RTTT) grantmust submit their new evaluation system to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) by June 1, 2011. Districts not in RTTT will have to alter their current system to include the required range of ratings. This bill requires that every teacher be rated as Highly Effective, Effective, Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory. For more information about your district’s new system, please contact your local union.

2. How will FCAT teachers be evaluated?
At least 50% of the teacher’s appraisal will be based on of at least 3 years of data on student learning growth using a value added measure (VAM) that has not yet been developed. Your district’s new evaluation system contains an evaluation rubric to document and rate classroom and professional performance.

3. How will non‐FCAT teachers be evaluated?
Districts have until 2014‐15 to develop other assessments that measure student learning growth. The bill does not specify how non‐FCAT teachers will be evaluated between 2011 through 2014 although it does require that districts use available student learning data for at least 40% of classroom teachers’ evaluations. The bill does allow districts to use school‐wide data or instructional team learning growth in reading and/or mathematics for non‐FCAT teachers whose students do not have other measures of learning gains.

4. What happens to non‐FCAT teachers in 2014‐15 and how will they be evaluated under this bill? By 2014‐15 each district must develop and implement end of course exams for all non‐FCAT subjects. Districts also may use nationally recognized assessments and/or industry certification exams. Please contact your local union to learn about the student measures proposed in your district’s evaluation system.

5. When does the new evaluation system go into effect?
Districts must implement the new evaluation system during the 2011‐12 school year.

6. I have held a PSC for more than one year and have had perfect evaluations every year. Will I have to be evaluated using these four performance levels?
Yes. Every employee on an Instructional Personnel contract must be rated and identified as one of the listed performance levels.

7. I am a PE (music, art, vocational) teacher, what test will be used to determine a student learning growth measure? Districts have until 2014‐15 to develop and implement tests for all non‐FCAT subjects like PE, music, art, vocational. Your district’s evaluation system may address the means by which student growth data will be applied to non‐FCAT teachers. Possibilities include some sort of measurable learning targets based on the school improvement plan, school‐wide or instructional team data. Ask your local union for information on the
district’s evaluation system specifications.

Prepared by the Florida Education Association 3/16/2011
8. I am an ESE teacher. What test will be used to determine growth for my students?
Your district’s evaluation system may address the means by which ESE student growth data will be applied. Learning growth data should be based on the student’s IEP. Ask your local union for information on the district’s evaluation system specifications.

9. How does this bill affect non‐classroom instructional personnel?
Non‐classroom teachers, such as media specialists, guidance counselors, school psychologists, reading and math coaches, will be evaluated using your district’s new evaluation system. The student growth portion must include 3 years of growth data on state assessments or a combination of growth data and other measurable student outcome data. Student growth data will count for 20‐30% of the evaluation depending on the number of years
of data available for the individual teacher.

10. How long will the evaluation process take from start to finish?
The evaluation process is in two parts: part one is the traditional classroom evaluation documentation (50%); part two is the inclusion of student learning growth data (50%). Classroom evaluation documentation is traditionally completed before April 1. As soon as student growth data is available it will be added to the classroom documentation score to complete the final score on the teacher’s evaluation. The timeline for the
evaluation completion of parts one and two may be adjusted before the end of the RTTT grant in 2014.

11. What happens to teachers who don’t perform well on the new evaluation system?
Annual contract teachers would probably not be awarded another contract. PSC or CC teachers will move to annual contract if they have unsatisfactory performance for two consecutive years, unsatisfactory performance for two out of three years or three consecutive ratings of needs improvement and/or unsatisfactory.

12. I have heard that, unlike SB 6, this bill will not impact my teaching certification. Is this correct? The bill does not directly speak to teacher certification. However, the bill does require that all teachers’ evaluation ratings be reported to the Department of Education. There are still many unknowns as to how evaluation ratings could impact certification or future employment.

13. Will progressive discipline still count if it's in my local contract?
Yes. The bill gives PSC or CC teachers sufficient time to participate in a progressive discipline plan. First year annual contract teachers must be evaluated twice. These teachers can receive professional development and/or assistance to improve prior to their final evaluation. Please contact your local union for more information.

14. Since seniority can no longer be a major factor in decisions related to reduction‐in‐force, transfers and promotions, who decides my placement to or from a school ‐ the school administrator or the superintendent and on what criteria do they base their decisions?
Terms and conditions of employment, such as placements, transfers and reduction in force, are subject to collective bargaining, and the decision‐making process varies by district. Nevertheless, this bill requires that teacher effectiveness will be the primary factor used in all decisions related to placements, transfers and reductions in force.

15. Will the bill impact transfer language?
Yes. The bill gives school principals the right to deny transfers into their school unless the teacher has been evaluated as Highly Effective or Effective, even if the district initiates the transfer.
Prepared by the Florida Education Association 3/16/2011

16. Are there special considerations for teachers in F schools?
No. Teachers’ evaluations are tied to student learning growth not student achievement. This statute assumes that all students can show progress in learning no matter where they go to school.

17. What parts of my pay will be considered for retirement?
For retirement purposes, teacher pay includes the base salary plus adjustments based on achieving a Highly Effective or Effective evaluation. The base salary can include an advanced degree differential as long as the advanced degree is in the teacher’s certification area.

18. Will members with advanced degrees lose their supplement?
Teachers with advanced degrees may keep the supplement as long as the degree is within the teacher’s certification area. If the advanced degree is not in the teacher’s certification area, inclusion of the “degree differential” supplement is not permitted. Bargaining teams must consider how to include required and related advanced degrees when they negotiate the “grandfathered” schedule before 2014‐15.

19. Does the bill eliminate automatic supplement for advanced degrees currently added to my salary?
Probably, unless the advanced degree is in the teacher’s area of certification. Districts are only permitted to make salary adjustments based on a teacher’s achieving a Highly Effective or Effective evaluation. Bargaining teams must consider how to include required and related advanced degrees when they negotiate the “grandfathered” schedule before 2014‐15.

20. I am a guidance counselor who must have a master’s degree in counseling. Will this change my pay?
Since your advanced degree is in your certification area it should be part of your pay. Bargaining teams must consider how to include required and related advanced degrees when they negotiate the “grandfathered” schedule before 2014‐15.

21. Does a teacher have to give up their PSC or CC in order to be on the performance salary pay system?
Yes. This statute requires a teacher who moves from the “grandfathered” salary schedule to the performance salary schedule relinquish his/her PSC or CC for the duration of employment. Teachers who opt into the performance salary schedule may not return to the “grandfathered” schedule.

22. How will teachers not on the performance salary schedule be compensated?
Beginning July 1, 2014, districts must have two salary schedules: a “grandfathered” schedule and a performance salary schedule. The “grandfathered” salary schedule will be used as a basis in paying any teacher hired before July 1, 2014. Teachers on the “grandfathered” schedule will be paid the salary they earned the prior year, including any adjustments for a Highly Effective or Effective evaluation.

23. If I am not on the performance salary schedule, how will I receive a raise in the future?
If there is funding available, annual salary adjustments (raises) are granted for teachers who receive Highly Effective and Effective evaluations regardless of the salary schedule on which they are paid. However, adjustments for teachers on the performance salary schedule will be at a higher rate compared to adjustments on the “grandfathered” schedule. It is important to note that this bill does not include any additional funding for the salary schedule.

24. Will teachers on PSC or CC lose it under this measure?
Not necessarily. Teachers may keep their CC or PSC as long as they: (1) remain in the district that granted the long‐term contract, (2) receive a Highly Effective or Effective evaluation, and (3) do not opt into the performance pay schedule. If current CC or PSC teachers opt into the performance pay schedule, (s)he must give up their PSC or CC status permanently.
Prepared by the Florida Education Association 3/16/2011

25. I was planning to move to another county in Florida. Will I lose my PSC or CC?
Yes. Teachers who leave the district that granted the PSC or CC will be placed on an annual contract in their new district for the duration of their career. Given the statutory timeframe, the new district may only offer annual contracts for hires after 2014 when the third annual contract is completed.

26. When does the performance pay schedule go into effect?
By July 1, 2014, every district must adopt a performance salary schedule.

27. I have a PSC or CC, if I go on maternity leave will I lose my PSC status? What about sabbatical, military and Family Medical Leave?
Teachers may keep their current contracts status if their leave is approved by the district. Approved leave can include: maternity, Family Medical Leave, sabbatical, and military. Please check with your local union or your contract for a list of approved types of leave.

28. I am a second year annual contract teacher for the 2011‐12 school year. Will I be eligible for a PSC?
That is unclear. You will complete your third year annual contract at the end of the 2012‐13 school year. Unless a collective bargaining agreement is reached, it is likely districts will only be offering annual contracts to teachers not already on a PSC or CC.

29. What will happen to DROP for those who are already in it and those who are eligible this year?
DROP is part of the retirement system and is not addressed in this bill. Please follow the progress of SB 1130 and other legislation.

30. Doesn’t this bill just affect new hires?
No. It affects current teachers including veteran teachers on PSC and CC. Every teacher will be evaluated using the new evaluation criteria and student learning growth. Veteran teachers must demonstrate Highly Effective or Effective performance; if they are rated unsatisfactory two consecutive or two out of three years, they will be placed on an annual contract then, if there is no improvement, terminated.

31. Where will the money come from to pay for the performance salary schedule and “reward the highest performing teachers”?
The bill does not speak to the funding source for the performance salary schedule. Districts receive funding based on number and types of students and negotiate salaries with local unions. By 2014, districts and local unions must bargain local funding for two salary schedules. SB 736 requires that the performance salary schedule be significantly higher than the “grandfathered” schedule. It is logical that “grandfathered” salaries will decline as the performance salaries increase. With no new money, the more teachers who achieve Highly Effective and Effective ratings and qualify for performance pay, the smaller the merit pay award will be.

Graffitti Tells a Good Story Too!

Today I considered my dry erase board and its clutter. It was crowded with student graffiti. When I would go to erase their notes, they would beg me to stop. To tell you the truth, I was worried that administration would walk through and comment on my busy board; it could be considered distracting to the learning environment. Again, it was hard to tell what the daily agenda and benchmark is/ was because of all of it. These notes were special to me and to them; there had to be a way to preserve them! There had to be a solution.

I decided to take my camera and take photos of my classroom board. I then erased it. I put a large post-it up on the board for them to make new praise notes. I told them that I had preserved their notes and that they would see them on my Education Blog that is linked to my school website. I told them that I would save their notes and add them to my thank-you and dedication wall in my teacher’s closet.

By the end of the day, I saw more and more notes on the post-it. It touched my heart. It also showed me that my students truly care about me, they cherish me, and they appreciate me! They know I care about them! Honestly, there are days I have to be so tough on them and say and do what they need that I wonder why they care about me. I am often reminded by them that I could do like many teachers have done in their past and turn my back on them and let them fall through the cracks. I am not perfect, but I think the graffiti tells a good story. I am happy to know that I am making a difference! This bond that we have makes them work harder. This equals better student achievement and scores!

A Tough Decision Works Out Perfectly!

Today and during my 8th period, I had a student communicate to me about her absence in my class earlier. She was clearly upset. I had given classroom instruction about today’s lesson; thus, students were logged into FCAT Explorer, working, and compiling information for the FCAT Explorer evaluation exit activity at the end of our class. They also knew that if finished, they should read silently.


Well, I needed to talk to this young lady, and I could not do this in front of them. I also needed to listen. I made a decision! I went out in the hall with her, and I shut the door peering through the classroom window every few seconds or so. She poured her heart out to me for at least ten minutes. It felt like an eternity; her heart was broken, but I couldn’t find out why!


What was amazing was that my 8th period class must have understood that sometimes teens need to know that someone cares and is willing to listen. No, it was not the best time for this interruption, but it was necessary. When I walked in, they were all on task. I quickly asked them if I could take a picture of them for my blog! I was so proud of them and thankful. They exclaimed, “Yes!”


Of course, I saw that they were working, while I was checking via the window, but I could hear a pin drop when I entered. They were on task the entire time; they could not see me as well as I could see them. This illustrated the level of commitment they had towards their academic instruction too! Also, the amount of respect they gave us was admirable and genuine.


While crying students is a rare occasion where I work, I was so proud that my students understood and let me comfort her. I know that they know that if they are having a bad day, or they need someone to listen to them or talk to them, that I will be there for them. This awesome moment awarded my entire class an honorary class True Blue Award. It also reminded me that making a difference and the role of a teacher is quite demanding, unique, and rewarding!