DCPS Teacher Shortage

Just read an email by WTU. The message is link to a clip regarding teacher vacancies in DC Public Schools that aired on ABC News Channel 7 on Friday, September 26th. To see the video, click here.

3 Facts:

1. We lost 8% of our student population.
2. Rhee fired more than 270+ teachers.
3. No teacher contract yet.

1 Q: What the ---- is going on?

DC Teaching Fellows and Teach For America Educators

Disclaimer: This is a personal perception based on my personal and working experiences with educators from these programs. Neither is better or worse than the other. Please also bear in mind that this is NOT a generalization. This is not an attempt to box the fellows of each program. No intention of offending anyone. NOTHING but a Gen X Teacher thinking-out-loud or writing-thoughts out.

On Classroom Design
DCTF: Usually traditional in nature. Preferred to be told what’s good for classroom poster, chair arrangement, etc. But if you see a good DCTF classroom— it’s going to WOW you!

TFA: Always colorful and organize. Most materials are handmade and handwritten. Even if they are told what’s good for classroom design, arrangement— most prefer to follow their graduate professors. (Well, you got to get the class credit!).

On Classroom Behavior Management
DCTF: Most of them are soooo patient. They keep following-up on concerns even though it seems no one pays attention. At times, this makes some of them think it’s personal and they have the tendency to become withdrawn to the school community.

TFA: Very assertive and thoughtful in planning rewards and consequences. But if things don’t work their way or no buy-in from school administrator, you’ll hear endless complaints. Never yielding and at times, too stubborn to re-think the approach.

On Building Relationship with Colleagues and Administrators
DCTF: Mostly shy and sometimes timid to a fault. They prefer to be approached before warming up.

TFA: They tend to mingle only with their co-fellows. Sometimes this is interpreted as being cliquish and exclusive.

On Instruction
DCTF: At the beginning, they tend to be transparent with their inadequacies in the classroom. Tend to be good in lesson planning but not in the delivery of the lesson.

TFA: Try to cover-up inadequacies by exuding an elite attitude. Tend to be good in lesson planning, delivery of lesson, PLUS assessment.

(Next: On Extracurricular Activities, On Creative Initiatives/Projects, On School Politics, On Communication, On Dedication to Education. To be continued…)

For more information about the programs click these links: DCTF (http://www.dcteachingfellows.org/) and TFA (http://www.teachforamerica.org/)

How Does DCPS Hire Central Personnel?

I just learned that some of the new ‘hires’ at DCPS Central Office are interns from last summer’s UELIP.

Looking at some of position of these new personnel— I can’t see any “Vacancy Announcement” online. I can’t even recall if there is a verbal announcement for these positions.

Excuse me for not being a law-savvy, but is this legal?

What happened to:

Notice of non-discrimination. In accordance with the DC Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, DC Official Code, §2-1401.01, et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia Public Schools does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex,age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Equal Employment Opportunity Office, District of Columbia Public Schools, 825 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, (202) 442-5424.

Does it mean NO VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT, NO DISCRIMINATION?

Does it mean THE POWERS-AT-BE CAN HIRE ANYBODY THEY WANT?

Please enlighten me…

There is no Best or Worst School

Pic by Bobby Breidholt on Flickr

I was reading DC Chic today and this caught my attention: Vacancy at High Performing Charter School.

Well, I hate to be the party-pooper-- Let's face it, regardless of how 'best' and 'worst' our respective schools are, there will be teachers who will complain and leave the classroom. It’s pretty much expected. Pretty much Maslow-nian.

The state of the school is what the teachers make out of it. Nothing but pure perception.

To put it bluntly, how a teacher sees the school is a reflection of how s/he is as a teacher. (Prove me wrong!)

It's just a matter of time and realization that the best and worst school don't exist. BEST AND WORST TEACHERS DO.

In all of my years of experience in education, the best teachers are the ones who have positive outlook towards the school and the profession in general. The teachers who do less, if not nothing at all are the “best” complainers I have ever met.

Talk about idle minds and idle hands…

That’s why I always take my hat off to teachers who despite of the tough day still show up the following days. And I bow to those teachers who despite of the best and worst in education stick with education for YEARS with a smile.

That’s why I believe that tenureship should become an elite status in education to reflect the years of contribution of the best teachers to the lives of children, of whom some are already been ‘discarded’ even by their own parents.

That’s why I believe tenureship can be the BEST incentive. And any money, say $120K, is just mere icing.

Just a thought...

DCPS Deputy Chancellor of Special Education Got Booted?

News is circulating through grapevine that DCPS Deputy Chancellor of Special Education has been booted out.

If this is true, I applaud Ms. Rhee for this bold action.

From day one I met the Deputy Chancellor during one of DC meetings, I already foreseen the looming 'F' word: FAILURE. Not necessarily for lack of educational knowledge on Special Education but primarily due to her lack of basic knowledge about DCPS, specifically SPED in the district.

I guess the old belief is true: you can be the brightest and most educated but if you don’t understand the people you serve…

The Deputy Chancellor did not come here without tittle-tattle about her previous job. It was a juicy talk among Central Office clique her legacy to Oakland Unified School District which include but not limited to: messy programs, disappointed teachers, angry parents, etc.

One of her latest projects in DC was the opening of school orientation to DCPS SPED teachers. Take note: SPED COORDINATORS WERE BANNED!

Most SPED teachers found the orientation a complete garbage and waste of time.

The Chancellor should consider hiring someone who knows the district— someone who lives and works in the district; someone who knows SPED because s/he works in SPED. Someone who know the kids and parents in the system.

NOT JUST ANOTHER ‘FRIEND’ or ‘A FRIEND OF A FRIEND’...

Paying DCPS Students to be Students?

Wow! Education under the current DCPS administration is officially a COMMODITY now. DCPS is initiating (a.k.a. copycat-ing) a program from NYC called “Capital Gains”. Students on pre-selected Middle Schools will be paid for behavior, attendance, behavior, homework completion, and grades. Officially, DCPS describes the initiative this way:

“Schools will track student performance on several metrics through an online database, created specifically for the program, and will reward them with cash every two weeks. Money will be deposited into student bank accounts.”

Gone are the days that educators motivate students to learn for learning.

Gone are the days when community leaders encourage students to do their best in the classroom to be the best they can be.

Materialism has now reached another level and sadly, it’s happening inside classroom where learning to learn NO MORE. Now, it’s learning to earn.

There’s nothing wrong with earning while learning (OJT, etc.) but to attend school? To behave appropriately? To do homework? Com’mon?!

DCPS can call this program any names but in my book this is a plain and simple form of bribery. Sorry. B-R-I-B-E-R-Y.

The only difference is that the bribe is sponsored by taxpayers’ money.

DCPS Moving Back to Mesozoic Era

In this era when humans have already learned how to stand and walk straight, DCPS proposal of abolishing tenure-ship to get rid itself of non-performing “relics” —for lack of better terms is going backwards.

The argument that tenure-ship hinders the system in removing the non-performing ‘relic’ of the past is weak. My Granny calls this a Band Aid solution. Quick. Cheap.

I have a simple point here: tenure-ship is embedded in the system since the 19th century (Click here). It’s there because it has a reason. Primarily to protect workers from capricious and whimsical exercise of political power/authority. (*ahem)

I hear everybody when they say “Children first!” I’m with you. But please don’t forget that these ‘relics’ are children’s parents, grannies, guardians… Ever heard of the rippling effect?

I’m not saying to bear with these classroom dinosaurs. If must, I’ll be happy to rally with you (out on the streets and congress) to have these ancient nuisances out from our school system! However, not all relics are non-performing. Not everybody deserves to lose tenure-ship. Some of them earned it. With their hearts, sweat, and yes —blood too.

I agree that tenure-ship complicates the process of terminating a ‘dinosaur’ in the classroom but in no means can stop DCPS in eliminating itself from these bad, bad relics.

Why not solidify the 90-day process? The last time I check, most of these ‘relics’ got away from this process because the system ‘forgot’ to educate its army to judiciously and ACTUALLY implement this process.

Why not create an objective and measurable Professional Performance Evaluation Process? Because when we do this, we can pluck and get rid of obtuse people trying to penetrate the good cause of public education before they 'technically' earn tenure-ship. TIP: A thick booklet doesn’t equate to a sound PPEP implementation.

Why not mandate principals to observe—I MEAN, actually observe and evaluate teachers actually ‘teaching’ and OF COURSE, document it? So when year-end evaluation comes, stupid teachers will not have the reasons to stay or say, Mr. or Ms. Principal never been in him/her classroom.

Why not actually get a lawyer or someone with working knowledge with law in contract-negotiation? I’m not underscoring the intellect of the people on the negotiating team but c’mon… Even the best, smartest doctors hire lawyers. Puh-lease?

Why not spend a little more time researching on ways how to get rid of relics? You can start here: http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-925/tenure.htm.

The Chancellor can put a tag price on tenure-ship. For goodness-sake, I can price mine at $150K too!

But in the end, how about the other relics?

Like the pterodactyls, rhinoceros, brontosaurus, and the likes who came before us and fought (and maybe died) their legal rights for tenure-ship?

How about the relics among us who are doing fantastic teaching jobs?

How about the promising, upcoming generations who would want tenure-ship more than $120K?
So please tell me again why does NO tenure-ship equate to better teachers?

And why is it impossible for tenure-ship and high student achievement co-exist?

But hey, who can’t resist a Band-Aid that comes with $120K?