I'm So Green with Envy

DCPS website posted an update about "Seven DC Public Schools Earn Over $1 Million in Performance Bonuses." This is one of the programs that keeps me believing that DCPS and WTU can ACTUALLY create programs and work TOGETHER.

In part it says:

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the faculty and staff at seven District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) received over $1 million in performance bonuses for posting dramatic gains in student achievement.
…

TEAM Award Winners

The following schools met the TEAM award criteria for the 2007/2008 school year: Aiton Elementary, Mammie D. Lee School, Raymond Elementary, Sharpe Health, Winston Education Center, and Thomas Elementary.
…

Teachers who work at these schools received TEAM awards of $8,000, with assistant principals receiving $9,000 awards and principals receiving $10,000 awards. All other instructional support personnel, including librarians, counselors and social service workers received awards of $4,000 each. Paraprofessionals, support staff and custodians each received $2,000 awards.

Congratulations to the recipients! You make me proud as a member of DCPS educator community.

Believe It or Not

Last Saturday, DCPS held a professional development for ALL Math developers/teachers in the system. I repeat: ALL.

There were only 25 teachers who took advantage of the PD.

What went wrong:

a. Teachers didn't get a memo about the PD details?
b. DCPS PD is notorious for being boring and it s*cks?
c. No $30.00/hour Administrative Premium?
d. It's freakin' Saturday?
e. Who cares these days?

Of Teachers and Horse Blinders

I can't believe that SOME teachers are seeing one end of this contract negotiation and completely, foolishly blinded on the other end.

ENOUGH with who did what and did nothing. The Union (as a group or in part/individual members) or GP is not the sole responsible for the failure of this contract negotiation.

It's a basic principle that when you go to a contract "NEGOTIATION"-- ALL parties, YES INCLUDING RHEE, should be ready to actually negotiate.

RHEE did not really negotiated. She merely put on the table WHAT SHE WANTS and leave no room for the other members to negotiate for. It's an old case of take it or nothing.

It reminds me a form government. It's called DICTATORIALSHIP.

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/)

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...