Blown Away

Today I had the privilege to sit and learn from a dedicated, literacy minded, and caring staff as a facilitated the training. We began to talk about literacy and how to incorporate literacy strategies in our classes; I was blown away by the responses of our staff. We created a lengthy list of ideas to use in our classroom. The sharing went on for a long time. Again, I am grateful for NPHS’s dedicated staff and leadership. It was a difficult year last year, but it was good to come back, hug some necks, talk education shop, and put some new plans and goals in place for the sake of our students. We went home today having our minds refreshed. We had to time to collaborate plan, which is something NPHS teachers have been asking for.

If your child attends or plans to attend NPHS, you would be happy to know how much NPHS staff cares about your child and wants to help them succeed.

Back to School Already!

Approximately 70 teachers reported to NPHS yesterday to analyze our school data, get acquainted with our new gradebook program, and collaborate and plan with department members. I came home exhausted but somewhat excited about the new school year.

This year we broke the data slides down into four teacher groups instead of a lengthy data report. We had teachers analyze the data and make recommendations on how to improve stagnant and declining scores, as well as how to continue to improve the areas with gains in informal presentations. It’s hard coming back year after year and hearing the “score” news. Often sitting in those seats listening makes me feel like I have to do more. I wonder how much more can I sacrifice of my life for students and the school. Having said that, this year I felt like we were in same boat together and many content area teachers were making suggestions about what they could do to help the English and Reading teachers, the school grade, but most of all, our students! We then took those recommendations and worked on the school improvement plan (SIP).

Our department collaboration was about how we could incorporate the things that staff recommended. Many teachers began to use focus calendars, resources, and textbooks for the new school year!

The gradebook training was an overview, but after I left there, I knew I had so much work to do to get my gradebook ready that I had a migraine by the time the day was done. I’m teaching a new subject this year, which I am excited about, but it means new planning and a lot of work.

I went home exhausted but look forward to today’s sessions!

Walking One-Fourth of a Mile in a Teacher’s Shoes

Before I became a teacher, I pointed the finger at a fair amount of my children’s teachers. I did not understand why they did not have it all together and ready to go in the way that I am given to detail. After all, they don’t work all year long. What is it with these teachers?

Now that I am a teacher, I understand why there are a fair amount of teachers who are running around like chickens with their heads cut off as they go back to school. They may have spent a good part of their summer planning for the schedule they were given at the end of the school year, but all of sudden and unfortunately a few days before school starts, they have to teach other classes. Forget the trainings they took and paid for out of their pockets.

Now the teacher is pressed for time. They have to rewrite their syllabus, get the course description, guidelines, and benchmarks. They may even have to purchase materials like a classroom library. You mean they don’t provide one? Um, no! This is just the tip of the iceberg. They have to run copies, set up the grade book, and get new materials. They have to get ready for a whole new subject and get their new materials ready, as well as set up their classroom and go to meeting-after-meeting and training-after-training once teachers report. Some teachers are asked to move their room that week too. By the way, it is not in the janitor’s job description to move boxes. So, teachers do that too.

I do not fault our schools or the administrators. I want to make that clear! It’s the almighty dollar talking. If the numbers drop, a teacher has to go. Now they have to move teachers around based on what they are qualified to teach. In fact, sometimes teachers are not able to teach the subjects or grade level they love because of numbers and tedious staffing changes.

There are so many things that wear on teachers, and this is just one of them. So now I look at teachers and teaching much differently. I appreciate all of the hard work they do! You have no idea what it is like to be a teacher unless you do it. In fact, I invite Governor Rick Scott to shadow me and teach for two weeks. I guarantee he would change some of the laws he just passed. I have to remember that he is ignorant about being a teacher. He has to be. He has not walked a mile in a teacher’s shoe!

There has been a ruckus of information in the news about job cuts, benefits, changes in they way that teachers are assessed etc that I am finding it hard to muster up the gusto to go back to school with a smile on my face. The teacher supply allotment is cut every year. For a while there, every morning I would be greeted with another negative email about cuts, the union, etc. Often, I feel very unappreciated, but I keep going because I do it for the kids and not for the dollar.

Good thing I have saved every thank you note from my students and put them on the wall in my teacher closet. When I think about quitting, I go there and feel better! Then I can do it all over again because I do it for the kids!