Wow. It is incredible to me that anyone who hasn't done/isn't doing the job of teaching even comments. I would hardly consider myself qualified to comment on the techniques a surgeon uses to remove a gall bladder...so I would just shut up about it.
I have taught for 31 years-27 in Arizona. I am now in another state, and the morale and respect for teachers is MUCH higher-as is the pay. Yet I am still the same teacher I was in Arizona-where I didn't get one penny of a raise for 10 years. One of my very gifted, amazingly talented former colleagues (in Arizona) left the public schools this year-against her wishes. But she received a $10,000 raise, so.... Yeah. It is criminal what is happening to public education-the bedrock, the great equalizer, of our democratic society, in Arizona.
As a new TUSD retiree, if they just "discovered" some money they've had on hand for the past few years, I'd like one or more of the pay raises I DIDN'T get over my final 8 VERY demanding years of teaching in TUSD...Please!!!!
After 27 years, I can tell you that I am working longer, harder, with fewer resources FOR THE CHILDREN, spending more of my own paycheck ( which hasn't seen a raise in 8 years). Anyone who believes that TEACHERS are "benefitting" from having educational resources absolutely gutted, is just uninformed. (That's the nicest word I can think of!) The trust fund being spoken of is OUR COMMUNAL PRECIOUS CHILDREN. It is being plundered in the misleading name of "choice". Choice is something that has always been available-you just have to pay for it. Thinking that making it "free" will provide equity is just folly. I just returned from a trip to the Midwest where I toured many schools in several districts. There, they GET equity; every child in every school in every district has state of the art technology, reasonable class size, art, music. PE, counseling services....while at the same time teachers are paid fairly. A miracle? No. Simply prioritizing our children, our future, our trust fund-every one of them! If we continue gutting PUBLIC education....well, get used to wearing the scratchy Depends when you are old and relying on Medicaid-since THESE children will be in the workforce...and paying taxes!
Oh for cripes sake! CC is just a set of objectives children need to learn...the real problem is the "high-stakes" testing the government wants hand-in-hand WITH the common core....of course, they will attach THE TEST to whatever they (sigh) decide is next. Common Core is pretty much the best I have seen in my 27 years. I wish the ignorant "never really read 'em types" would find another profession to crawl all over!
i have just returned from a visit to the midwestern city where I will soon move and continue my teaching career....and the difference in the schools and what they offer is appalling. I visited three separate districts and a total of 6 different schools, in every type of neighborhood. the AZ state legislature should be ASHAMED. In every school I visited, EVERY child receives instruction in art, music, PE, and library/media lessons. Every classroom is equipped with mounted whiteboards, projectors, and document cameras, in addition to laptops for every, or at least, every other child. The buildings are updated and beautiful, not to mention secure. Arizona students are not receiving the benefits of their peers in other parts of the US....and that is CRIMINAL. It makes me unbelievably sad for our students.
I am SO tired of hearing that "professional educators" are at fault, especially if by that you mean teachers. I have been one for 28 years, and trust me when I tell you that no teacher (and by that I mean those of us who truly do the educating, not the policy making!) would ever suggest or espouse the lowering or elimination of standards. The deseg lawsuit should have gone away decades ago and should no longer be influencing anything to do with our schools; now they call it "unitary status" and it still hovers.... But please, enough with dumping on those of us in the trenches. One day, if I live long enough, the politicians and other careerists who haven't been in a classroom, much less run one of their own in YEARS will get out of the way and let the true professionals, teachers, do what is truly best, beneficial, and in the interest of educating our students!!!
Recent Comments
I have taught for 31 years-27 in Arizona. I am now in another state, and the morale and respect for teachers is MUCH higher-as is the pay. Yet I am still the same teacher I was in Arizona-where I didn't get one penny of a raise for 10 years. One of my very gifted, amazingly talented former colleagues (in Arizona) left the public schools this year-against her wishes. But she received a $10,000 raise, so.... Yeah. It is criminal what is happening to public education-the bedrock, the great equalizer, of our democratic society, in Arizona.