Good-Better-Best

I spend most of my professional life recruiting and onboarding teachers.  I have spent my independent research time during this program researching teacher recruitment and teacher effectiveness.   I travel and network across the nation trying to find new sources of teacher talent.  Anecdotally, I have seen major shifts in the teaching profession in my 11 years as an educator.  Colleges of education are shrinking.  As colleges of education shrink, states relax teacher certification requirements to fill the void; alternative routes to teaching are increasing.  Now, even the alternative routes to teaching are becoming more relaxed.  In the past in Georgia teachers had to have basic skills and subject area test passed before being eligible to teach for a 3-year period.  However, with most Georgia districts moving to waiver and charter systems, the only requirements those entering the teaching profession need are a clean background check, the ability to prove lawful presence in the U.S., a bachelor's degree (except some vocational and military fields), and an online ethics activity.  Districts can set their own requirements after these minimums are met. 

As a Teach for America alumna, I was told I must disavow the organization by some local education advocates within Atlanta during my recent run for school board.   One of the reasons I was told I must disavow was because teachers were ill-prepared.  Given the shortage of teachers in the Atlanta metro area in some schools, the pre-summer institute, institute, and bi-weekly support during the year I received as a Teach for America teacher exceeded the preparation that teachers hired under the new flexibility granted through waiver and charter districts.  There is a scale of good, better, and best scale I believe describes the level of preparedness teachers enter the classroom.

The Best
Experienced teachers with 4-10 years of experience.  There is research that suggests that teachers are most impactful during this time frame.

Better
Graduates from colleges of education.  I have been very impressed with college of education graduates I encounter. Given attrition within the field, districts cannot afford to only hire experienced teachers.  It can lead to a mass exodus at once from a district as teachers leave the field or retire a la the U.S. air traffic controller shortage.

Good
Candidates already accepted in TAPP programs or enrolled in graduate education programs.  I find some paraprofessionals with bachelor degrees who are looking to better their career opportunities are proactive and enroll in programs while still working with students on a daily basis.

???
Candidates without even provisional certification. The jury is still out.  If the teachers without provisional certification do not have substantive experience with students, the transition without intensive support can create a revolving door of teachers from what I have seen thus far. 

Hard work pays off !

Click picture to read article

Recently, the new CCRPI scores were released.  Atlanta Public Schools showed growth in 56th schools or about two thirds.  The district as a whole increased 3 points which was almost twice as much as the state's increase.

I know we won't get much media coverage, but I truly think all educators should be celebrated for the work that was done.  I do believe we will have even more increase this upcoming year.  The district, which is far from perfect, seems to be moving in the right direction.  Sure some changes still need to be made, but I think for the first time in a few years our focus is headed back to the students we serve.

IT NEVER STOPS!!! (Oct. 9)

There are deadlines that have to be met. IEP meetings that must be conducted. Parent concerns that have to be resolved and all these can be managed; however, DO THE INTERRUPTIONS EVER STOP!!!

I like what my adviser recently offered when he asked the question, "Do you have a radio?"  I responded, "Yes." He said, "Get rid of it!"  Lol!  So, I've taken his advise..... Peace at last, Peace at last. Thank God almighty, I have peace at last...until they call my cell phone. I love my job.

Media and Teacher Coverage (Sept 25)

Come on!!!

I can remember my mother saying when I was about 7 years old, "I couldn't be a teacher, because they would have to escort me out of the building."  At one time, she was interested in becoming a teacher until she witnessed the behavior of students in inner city schools. As a young mother, she retired the thought of teaching and sought employment in a grocery chain in Los Angeles. Some of my colleagues mock by saying, "Don't be surprised if you see me at the local grocery chain saying, Welcome to Walmart!"

The media needs to do a better job of promoting educators and not tearing them down.

Mindfulness (Sept 11)

Mindfulness - The space between the situation and my response.

Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, became famous when he was introduced to the world by Oprah Winfrey. He often spoke of being present and in the moment taking in and noticing the elements around you. Learning to STOP, Listen and then respond really helps to develop customer service skills when assisting the most difficult parent, teacher or student. Stepping out of the situation emotionally and hearing what's going on often has a positive calming affect on the most difficult stakeholder.

Miquel Ruiz, The Four Agreements, said, "Always let your words be impeccable. Don't take things personally. Don't make assumtions and always do your best." He says, taking the words of a shouting stakeholder personally and making assumptions about why they are performing...You, create the drama when you get caught up.  Mindfulness - The space (gap) between the situation and my response. If I'm present, I can assess, remain calm and provide the appropriate response and solution.

The Principal and the School: What Do Principals Do?

In our EPEL 8650 we recently discussed the article The Principal and the School: What Do Principals Do?  by Fred C. Lunenburg. As we approach the end of our leadership certification program, I know several of us are looking to move into the role of a  Principal or Assistant Principal, and I personally found the information shared in the article, not new, but still very interesting and eye opening! Some interesting points that I noted from Lunenburg's research includes:

• Heavy work load & Fast Pace: "On the average, elementary school principals work fifty-one hours a week, from seven to nine hours a day. High school principals average about fifty-three hours a week, dividing forty-two  hours during the day and eleven hours on school-related activities in the evening" (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5).
• Variety, Fragmentation, and Brevity"...principals engaged in at least 149 different activities per day, half of which took less than five minutes each. This is a sharp contrast to many professional jobs, like engineering or law, which are characterized by long periods of concentration" (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5).
• "Principals shift gears rapidly. There is no continuous pattern in their work"  (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5).
• "An administrator's effectiveness was measured by subordinates' evaluations of their satisfaction, commitment, and unit performance" (Lunenburg, 2010, p.10).
• "Administrative success was determined by how fast the administrator had been promoted up the administrative hierarchy" (Lunenburg, 2010, p.10).

I invite you to read the article if you haven't already and share your thoughts on the research shared. If you are already in an active role as a Principal or Assistant Principal, how would you compare to  your workload, hours, and schedule to the research shared in the article?

Power of Positive Rewards

http://ectutoring.com/power-positive-reinforcement



Currently, in my new role, I find myself farther away from instruction that I wanted.  Sure enough, I can interact with kids, and I can see teachers when needed.  However, the biggest adjust was to be so far away from instruction or dealing directly with students.


Moreover, since starting this jobs, I am in the process of implementing many new reward systems within the school.  I feel that in Early Childhood Education rewards are a critical part of children's success and their thinking. Noticing that there were not many rewards for students around the school I have to begin to create many platforms for positive behaviors.  One such program is the "Every 5" reading program.  This program rewards students for five books they read and pass on accelerated reader at or above their reading level.  This program is just beginning, but students are asking for more time to complete their books.

Additionally, we will start doing brag tags within the school.  Brags tags are given to students when they achieve or complete a task successfully.  I like this system because it allows for something concrete that students can show off to peers.  This falls write in with what is developmentally appropriate.

Most recent I hosted a poster contest.  I received over 30 projects with one student completing a power point.  Many students were in shock and aww at the quality of work students turned in and the number of students that turned in a project.  This was because I hardly get a chance to interact with students, but I try my best to remain as visible as possible.  A part of the contest was that winners would receive a free pizza lunch curiosity from me.  The pizza was just a small token of my appreciation for students working on projects for me. 

Some teachers have to know ask for my help in promoting their contest or events with students.  I would rather have them review or let me present to them the power of positive rewards.  Additionally, not every reward or positive reinforcement requires money.  I think a lot of the kids would still just enjoy lunch with Mr. L.  They certainty have gravitated toward my kinds words.

District Funding

        As I watch the news, I can’t help but to follow this story. Atlanta and Fulton county funding crisis due to tax revenue.  This financial downfall could potentially result in teacher lay offs, furlough days, and delays in pay. They took this issue to court in hope a judge can rule a favorable decision and mandate a temporary collection order. But I’m not sure if it has solved the problem. It amazes me that one decision can harm the community and school system as a whole. This not only effects the morale of the teachers of these districts, it can also affect the school climate. What are our district and school leaders to do when put in this type of situation?

Elevating the Profession on Teaching

I am the daughter, granddaughter, and goddaughter of teachers.  At a recent family reunion, I found out I am the great, great, great granddaughter of a teacher.  I have respected teachers all of my life; they were the smartest people I knew!  I owe so much to my teachers.  I tried to pursue a career in a field outside of education; however, I soon realized my life's purpose is to work in the area of education.

Once I became an educator, I took a pay cut from my corporate job and felt a barrage of negative messaging around the profession.  It seemed there was a significant public dialogue that teaching was easy, after all, we have summers off and work short hours!  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  I have worked and interned in over 15 companies and organizations, and even in a factory; teaching is the hardest job I held.

I recruit teachers as part of my job; many noneducation majors have a negative perception of the profession.  When I speak to noneducation majors, they are not happy with the pay and the behavior of the students.  I know that teaching is rewarding; however, I know many things need to be done to elevate the profession.

Pay- I do not believe people go into teaching because of pay.  However, I do think pay keeps people from even considering the profession.  New ways to fund teacher salaries must be found.  Property taxes alone are not enough to make teacher salaries fall in line with the wages of other careers for which a college degree is required.

Dialogue- The conversation around schools, especially urban schools, is one of dispair, lack, and failure.  I understand that bad news travels and spreads far and wide; however, there needs to be more conversation about what is going right.  As teachers, when we want a student to improve, we cannot punish, embarrass, and harass our way to a positive change in the student.  We praise what they are doing right.  The negative dialogue does more harm than good to the profession.

Pathways- In teaching, you have to NOT teach students to get a job promotion.  We need the teachers we have to teach longer. There have been some national conversations about pathways for teachers.  I have read studies that state millennials are not necessarily motivated by pay.  They want the opportunity to contribute to society AND a title.  In addition to teacher mentorship pathways, I believe hybrid pathways in other functional areas such as accounting, school operations, or even HR can allow teachers the opportunity to grow outside of the classroom while remaining in the classroom.

Placement-Early in my teaching career, I was given all students other teachers did not want in their classes, i.e., students waiting for placement at the alternative school, students with discipline problems, ELL students, and special education students.  These type of situations can drive new teachers away from the classroom.  It is important to allow new teachers the opportunity to improve and practice their craft before thrusting them into such circumstances.  The most difficult students need the best teachers.  A traumatic experience can make a teacher quit the profession.

What are your thoughts on elevating the profession of teaching?

Starting Small-Week of Oct 16 Post

With all of the racial unrest within our nation at the moment, reading Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades (1997) was extremely therapeutic. I started thinking of ways to support my teachers with teaching tolerance within the classroom through everyday occurrences.  I started to look at times of the day, which were already imbedded into their daily schedule, and discuss various issues related to tolerance.  I particularly looked at Friday as their official class meeting day, to discuss and read children’s literature related to diversity.     During the reading, I was taken back to a multicultural course I had taken in undergrad.  During this course the myth of “solving” issues related to diversity was put to rest and the notion to empower and educate was emphasized.  During the reading, I was reminded that there is not a “one size fits all” model to teaching tolerance, being flexible and knowledgeable to a variety of strategies is the best tool.  I enjoyed this book, because it had three components at the end of each chapter, which were very resourceful: references, reflection, and application.  All of these resources provided me with even more background as to how the stories presented where successful.     

Additional resources to support the book: https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/film-kits/starting-small

End of Semester Anxiety

        End of semester anxiety is a feeling we all have probably have felt. No matter the age, or personal responsibilities outside of school, anyone can have end of the semester anxiety. Why do we wait until the last minute to let all of these assignments to fall on you at once to end up stressed and working harder then you ever have? According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, one in eight grad students has an anxiety, and often become over whelmed towards the end of the semester. This anxiety doesn’t always have to deal with the work load, you can have anxiety from certification tests, or excessive reading as well. Studies show that a certain amount of anxiety is healthy; however, anxiety is identified as a disorder when the indicators are excessive and controls one’s overall functioning. So if you are in-fact dealing with end of semester anxiety just know that you are not alone and it’s ALMOST OVER. What are some ways you may avoid or deal with end of semester anxiety?

Don't Wait Until 4th Grade to Address the Slump...

Before becoming an Elementary Instructional Coach I was a middle school Math Teacher. However, it wasn’t until recently that my thoughts around the drop in student academic achievement and performance, and a student’s academic mindset were challenged. Like many middle school teachers I often placed the blame on students lacking basic skills and knowledge, as well as overall preparedness and motivation on their elementary experiences and elementary school teachers. However, after reading and present the article, “Research Says… / Don't Wait Until 4th Grade to Address the Slump,”  to our current 4th grade team of teachers, I found out that the drop in student performance and academic achievement is much more than a simple blame the elementary teachers, and in fact is a common observance that begins with student as early as fourth grade!

In the article researchers share ideals around the top contributing factors to a drop in student learning and achievement beginning in fourth grade. Three noted contributing factors include: Lack of domain specific knowledge, variations in vocabulary knowledge, and “learning to read” vs. “reading to learn”

Some key takeaways that I gathered from the article that I found extremely beneficial to my work of supporting teachers includes the following suggestions: 1.) Boosting vocabulary 2.)Providing consistent direct instruction to build content knowledge. 3.) Establishing a positive school culture.

I invite you to read the article “Research Says… / Don't Wait Until 4th Grade to Address the Slump,” and to share your thoughts…Do you agree that the positive academic mindset for students really shifts as early as 4^th grade? 

The college and career ready movement?

Many people often wonder what happened to the "American" jobs.  Jobs that traditionally boosted well for the USA have gone and left in large numbers.  Many Americans were unprepared and had no clue of economic impact it would have on our country.  However, the shift now is in technology.

Recently, the tech giant google , has announced it wants to pledge $1 billion dollars to tech education.  This pledge could have tremendous implication for education and many American jobs.  With out a doubt it will certainty influence on many levels. Students will be asked to do more things that are technology savvy.  You can expect it to be a trickle down affect as most of the money will go to companies that can offer scholarships to pupils interested in going into technology fields.  Moreover, because more employers are looking for technology advanced students you can expect changes to come into k-12 education to prepare students to be ready for these employers.

Further, this may create more job opportunities as a by product.  However, Americans that are still struggling to find solid employment will need to retool themselves with technology.  Surely not everyone will and become teachers; however, they should look for the different aspects in technology that they may able to learn.   For example, I am sure some aspect of hardware and wiring will be needed.  Software development is huge and people will need to get a good grasp of coding.  Additionally, the development of applications and ideas are also big in the tech world.

The investment by google is a huge one but it comes with many different strings.  Those strings should begin to create a shift in the educational setting as our focus is now to get students college and career ready.