Teacher Layoffs Coming to a District Near You!

"Layoffs, they say, hurt school cohesion, undermine student achievement and rupture ties with parents" says an article recently in the New York Times. I realized the truth of this statement last night while speaking with some parents from a school I used to teach at.


There was quite a bit of grumbling about a certain class that was about to be dropped from the courses offered to students. The teachers that teach that class are either being laid off or "reassigned." Parents are angry with the school about this decision. But the anger is misplaced.


It is not the school's fault this is happening. And when I say "school" I mean the teachers and administrators at that school. "Teachers become the face of the system for parents,” Dr. Green said. “We hurt relations with a lot of parents by laying off their child’s teacher.”


Students and parents alike feel a sense of betrayal. But they're not alone. With shrinking budgets and unresolved arguments over class sizes, districts are choosing to cut what research has determined is the most influential piece in student achievement - the teacher.


Teachers feel betrayed, abandoned, and basically inconsequential.


And yet ask any one of the parents I spoke to last night and you will hear how well they know the teacher makes the difference. The kids know it too. It seems like the only ones who don't know are the ones making the decisions.


Silence means agreement, so if we are not telling the decision-makers that we think they're making a mistake, then we have no reason to complain when they take away what really makes a difference to our kids - their teachers.

Wordless Wednesday

Do Gifted Education Strategies Work for All Students? Yes, They Do!

In a recent article in newsobservor.com, experts are asking whether the teaching strategies used by teachers with gifted students might work with all students?

I've always thought they do. In fact, in my own classrooms, whether I taught students with learning disabilities or students in a traditional average or below average classroom, I've used gifted strategies It always made a difference.

I would go further though and tell you that as a parent, you can employ many of these strategies yourself with your children at home and it will help all of you find a more "excellent way."

Giving Your Child the Excellence Edge offers parents just that - 10 ways, all from gifted education strategies, that lead to success.

Don't wait for your child's teachers to learn how to improve your child's achievement in school. You can give them what they need today - now!

Click here for a discussion guide for the book. Gather some friends together and learn what it takes to give your child the excellence edge!

You Learn to Work Harder When You're a Little "Different"

"When you are weird, you learn to sell your work"  -Temple Grandin 

In my experience as a teacher, especially a special education teacher, I've learned that being "different" is a lot more work. It is relatively easy to be a part of the dominant culture or to maintain the status quo. But be a square peg when all that is available to plug into are round holes, and you start to understand the monumental changes that are necessary in order to "fit."


And it seems that everything is about "fit." Are you the right fit for this job? Are you the right fit for this school? Are you the right fit for this lifestyle? Are you the right fit to even be my friend?


Students with disabilities have to work awfully hard to "fit" into the standards we've set for "typical" learners. This bothers me for two reasons. First, should all square pegs have to find a way to fit into round holes? And second, why aren't there any square holes?

If you want to "fit," then you need to find a way to sell yourself and your work in a way that "fits." It depends on what's most important to you. The other option is to find people and places that "fit" you instead.

There is no right or wrong way here. It's what you can live with.

Temple Grandin talks more about what it takes for autistic students to "fit."

Read more:CSU's Temple Grandin says high expectations can help autistic students succeed - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17687028#ixzz1HcYSjfNm
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

You Were My Voice When I Couldn't Speak

According to a new report, children with special needs are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied.

An actress on the popular show "Glee" - Lauren Potter, who has Down Syndrome reported

In a strong but emotional voice, Potter described the bullying that she endured in school, and spoke about the boys who thought they wouldn't get in trouble because she was "just a Downs girl."

"But this Downs girl spoke up," Potter said, referring to Down syndrome. "I'm here to tell you that enough is enough. I found my voice and I'm able to speak up for other kids."

Potter "found" her voice, but there are countless other children who have no voice. Who will speak for them? 


Silence means agreement. Bystanders who do nothing when a child is bullied are a part of the problem, not the solution. None of us can afford to be Switzerland when it comes to bullying!


Personally, my siblings and I ran home from the bus stop every day in escape of the bullies who tormented my brother. He was different. They knew it and they never let him forget it. There were times we couldn't run fast enough and my sister and I stood firm and faced the boys who meant our brother harm. 


It's not just up to our own children to stand up to bullying, it's up to us as adults - parents, teachers, "bystanders." Kids watch how we respond. If we say nothing, do nothing, neither will they.


Be the voice for the silenced. What's the worst that can happen? You might save a life!

No Applications, Only Commitments!

I took a tour of the web to see how various institutions handle teacher recruitment. What are we doing to attract people to the field - a field that is under fire! A field that is often misunderstood, yet everyone seems to have an opinion about. A field that some people enter by default, while others plan for their entire lives.

I found a variety of recruitment approaches. Some were pretty touchy, feely. Others were bland and almost apologetic. And some tried to add some glitz and glamor to the image of teaching - like the image above. But do we really need "rock star teachers"? Rock stars are just that - "stars." They do not work well with others. Rock stars aren't the most reliable or appropriate role models. I'm not lovin' the image being branded by this recruitment ad.

Then I saw another ad, and this one nailed what I think about those who we recruit as teachers.

"No Applications, Only Commitments!" This is the Marine's new slogan. And it's powerful!

If you're not ready to sacrifice and work hard, don't let the door hit you on the way out! If you want a challenge, a test of your abilities, and a chance to change the world, then teaching is for you! If you want loan forgiveness, then teach:


English for Speakers of Other Languages
Exceptional Student Education Programs (ESE)
This ESE certification area also includes:
• Autism
• Emotionally Handicapped
• Hearing Impaired
• Mentally Handicapped
• Physically Impaired
• Specific Learning Disabled
• Speech and Language Impaired
• Varying Exceptionalities
• Visually Impaired
Foreign Languages
Middle and High School Level English/Language Arts
Middle and High School Level Mathematics
Middle and High School Level Science
Reading
Technology Education - Industrial Arts

We may not have enough teachers, but we're not beggars. Beggars can't be choosy. Not only can we be choosy, but it's up to you to sell to me that you are ready to make a commitment.

Our children deserve that at the very least!

Let's kick it up a notch! Make a commitment - Teach!

What Makes a Teacher "Competent"?

According to dictionary.com "competent" means

1.

having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience,etc., for some purpose; properly qualified: He is perfectlycompetent to manage the bank branch.

2.

adequate but not exceptional.

I've spent a lot of time lately defining for others the competencies expected of beginning teachers. There are dozens of categories under which there are then dozens more indicators. We are moving away from the specialist model to a generalist model.

If you want to teach elementary school, you need to know how to teach every subject on that level, but there's more:

• you need to take additional courses in ESOL in case 1 student in your class doesn't speak English as their first language
• you need to take additional reading courses in case you have students in your class who come to you reading below grade level
• you need to take additional courses in special education (general) in case you have a student with a disability in your class
• you need to take additional courses that help you become "culturally competent" in case you have students coming from a different culture than your own

If you want to teach secondary school (middle or high school), you need to know your own subject area for grades 7-12, but there's more:

• you need all of the above as outlined for elementary teachers!

The interesting thing is that we haven't changed how many credit hours are needed to obtain a bachelor's degree in education, even though we've changed how much has to be learned. The declaration of competency is a shaky one in my opinion.

Of course we want competent teachers - but personally I'd rather have EXCEPTIONAL teachers. Going back to the definition of "competent" we find that it means "adequate, but not exceptional." How sad.

I know that I hope my doctor is "competent" but again, I'd much rather he or she is "exceptional"! I will go to a specialist to ensure I get exceptional care and that the doctor is well versed in my needs.

We've put an awful lot on the shoulders of new teachers. They have to be everything to everyone - a jack of all trades. Well, you've heard what happens if you are a jack of all trades, right? You're the master of none!

Can we find a way to prepare new teachers to be "exceptional" and not just "adequate"?