Dear Colleagues
Most people I talk to lately are pretty stressed – you may be one of them. Everyone is in this state of increased agitation for different reasons, so here are my opinions about some common issues:
OTES: If you are not “ineffective” then stop sweating it. I know teachers all are high achieving and want to be accomplished, but our legislators, the ODE, and the corporate goons that think this stuff up don’t want you to feel that you are doing a good job. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE RATED ACCOMPLISHED – get to know the rubric, organize what you already do so it is easy to plug into the rubric, but don’t obsess between “developing” and “skilled.”
COMMON CORE: I think there will be modifications on this once everyone figures out that students in rich districts won’t do well. How can anyone possibly do well on something that was never field tested and has no research to back it up. The best reading I have seen on this has been in the articles by Mercedes Schneider in the Huffington Post in her excellent series following Gates money to fund every possible foundation, institute, and even the AFT to guide the fallacy that Common Core is what everyone wants. The tides are changing as more people become informed about where this is rooted (or read Diane Ravitch). Personally, I do not believe that every child should go to a 4-year university. Many students will be much better served going to trade school or other post-secondary training options after high school. There, I said it.
TEACHER X HAS IT BETTER THAN I DO: Don’t worry about other people and how good they have it. What is equitable is not always equal. Maybe you will have it better next year. People who get into this kind of negative thinking remind me of all the people who have crappy health insurance and think teachers should also. This is the “my life stinks and so should yours” mentality that does not improve anyone’s condition.
WHY ARE WE DOING THE “X” INITIATIVE IN MY BUILDING: I actually have a lot of confidence that the programs we have been accumulating in the District are going to be evaluated through Dr. Celico’s office this year. Our District has always adopted too many different programs to do than we can possibly do well. I am hopeful this will be the year when we pare down and try to focus our energy on things that work. Until then, we do our best within the time we have to devote to work.
Life is too short to destroy your personal life for work. Please don’t let stress get the best of you.
In Union,
Ari Klein
CHTU President