Waiting For Superman.....Teacher Accountability

One aspect this movie did cover is that of the quality of teachers. A major key in the filmmaker's point is if we invest in good teachers, then we can reform education. The problem is keeping good teachers.

Aside from all the issues facing the educational system today, good teachers are hard to come by. Teaching my first year, I am shocked and saddened at some of the people who call themselves a "teacher."

I went in to this school year full of energy and life and passion for teaching young adults. I always plan at LEAST three lab activities for each chapter I teach, and I have no problem paying out of my own pocket to purchase materials for the labs. Everyone tells me not to do this, but I really enjoy the labs and think of it as an investment in not only their future, but mine as well. I can tell what works, and what doesn't work.

I thoroughly grade all papers my students hand in to me. I am going to brag about this because I am told over and over again by my students that no other teacher actually grades their work they hand in. I circle things, write comments, cross things out. I have come up with little codes I have taught my students such as "C.S. - complete sentence, N/A - Not Accurate, EX - Explain this idea more." I also write positive comments such as "Great Idea!, Nice Work, Excellent Answer, Good Choice, and WOW!" A teacher who doesn't grade papers........... how is this helpful? These kids are doing work, getting work wrong, and never told they are doing it wrong? No wonder we have low test scores.

I attend all meetings regarding my students I am invited to. I am ashamed of other adults who do not or who show up unprepared or late to the meeting. We are expecting our students to model excellent behavior. How can we expect them to behave appropriately and turn in their homework on time when we can't even show up to a meeting, or when we do show up late, are not prepared to discuss the students progression?

I enroll in every content area (science) professional development I can (schedule permitting). How can I teach the latest and greatest and coolest stuff if I don't?

And yet.......I am surplussed. There are teachers at my school who do not do what I consider "teaching." There are teachers who lecture, hand out a work packet, and tell the kids to grab a book and start the packet. WHAT?! This is what substitutes can do! How are you a highly-qualified teacher for your content area if you are not even writing a lesson plan?!?

This brings about a point in Waiting for Superman that the director brings up. Tenure. I was surplussed for no other reason (that I know of) other than I have the least amount of years of experience both in the district, and teaching. The only reason I was surplussed is not because I am not good at what I do, but because somebody else has more years experience doing it than I do.

.....and now for the tickle that really irks me...... There is no teacher accountability. None. I have worked in many different fields since I have graduated from high school. Each job I have had a sit down meeting with my superior and they have evaluated my performance. That evaluation affects my pay. Not in education. Yes, I am supposed to have an evaluation done, but no matter what they tell me, my salary or my position as a teacher in my school will not change. Even if I totally suck while they are observing me, I have at least 5 chances to change my ways before any type of discipline action or modifications to my status and pay. How is this a good situation? What is to stop these teachers who are not teaching? Even better question......what incentive is there for them to actually teach? I work VERY HARD! I am at school for 1 - 2 hours outside of school hours on a DAILY basis. I don't stop working! I multi-task like a friggin octopus and it is exhausting. But.....my salary will not change. My salary will not change unless I take more college credit courses, or gain more years of experience. Hmmm...... not much of a carrot.

I value tenured teachers. Their years of experience can teach me things I would not ever have learned. Tenure can be a wonderful thing for a teacher who works very hard to reach the pay scale they are at. It would not be fair to surplus them simply because they cost the district too much money to keep. Tenured teachers know how to reach their students and they have the knowledge to write the lesson plans for student achievement that I am still trying to figure out. But gee wiz! There has got to be a middle ground somewhere.....