- Most of us want to be judged by student performance.
- Most of us want layoffs to be based on something other than seniority.
- A third of us say human resources put us in a school without interviewing at the school.
- Less than 20% percent said HR was helpful when they got let go.
What do you think? Should layoffs be based on something other than seniority? What about pay for performance? What has HR done for you lately?
I would need to see the questions from the survey to know if these conclusions are accurate. I remember an IPS survey from years ago where teachers were asked by NUA reps what they thought was needed to improve the schools. When teachers mentioned parent involvement and administrative support they were told, "No, not those. You cannot choose those - you must name something else". The results of the survey came out stating that "IPS teachers are crying out for professional development". That was a convenient conclusion since NUA was getting ready to provide years of professional development at great cost to the school system. I never knew any teachers who said the problem in the system was a lack of professional development for teachers.
ReplyDeleteSurvey conclusions like this should include the actual questions that were asked along with the response choices. Only then can readers determine if the conclusions drawn from the results are logical and truthful.
When was this survey done? Who filled out this survey? Were they hand picked or was the survey done by for us by adminstrators?
ReplyDeleteI have never seen this survey? Never even heard of it. Nor have six other teachers (differing schools) I am traveling with to a education conference today.
I agree that making it easier to get rid of poor performing teachers is necessary (still protecting teachers against the administrator that wants a lower costing staff though). I do NOT agree that getting rid of seniority should be done.
This sounds like a fixed survey at at time school system is starting another new school year without a contract.
Sounds like a negotiations ploy to me.
What exactly were the questions? Was this a survey they have just pulled and manipulated one or two lines that were awkward and could be interpreted in different ways?
With many educational policies out there. Who is to decide what is good teaching.
ReplyDeleteWhat about educators who regularly bring up student scores but a new adminstrator does not like or agree with educators way of doing things? Under this it seems that the veteran teacher who is not the puppet of the new adminstrator or in their thinking camp can be let go.
There are policies in place to get rid of poor performing educators. Those policies need to be stream lined and a little easier. Don't jerk back seniority. What teachers took this survey? In talking with teachers today. No one here took a survey asking if seniority should be eliminated.
Most teachers are evaluated every year for the first five to ten years. It is up to the admin.. to properly evaluate the educator. If evaluated properly that poor performing teacher will never reach the 5th and 10th year when seniority rules takes effect.
Even after that their is evaluations and steps admin.. can take. These protections are in place so that new adminstrators with differing philosophies cannot jetison teachers who differ in educational philosophies.
What happens when the district needs to cut cost. Tell adminstratators to evaluate low veteran teachers so they can hire younger ones? Taking away seniority is not the answer to getting rid of poor performing educators. How about follow what is outlined (maybe it does need streamlined) in the contract. Most adminstrators I have seen try to get rid of teachers on whims (usually they are justified) but they do not follow policy. If policy (contract) is followed those teachers would be gone. Instead some are able to stay.
What is wrong with following policies that are set to protect us all from whims of the central office (who usually have payroll in mind) and adminstrators with differing philosophies?
Fixed survey. There is a difference between a first year teacher and a teacher with 5, 10 or even 20 years. We need to get rid of the myth of that big fat tenured teacher sitting behind a desk while the kids don't care. I've seen some pretty clueless administrators on a POWER trip who don't wanna be in a classroom where the REAL difference-makers exist. This bogus poll ticks me off and hope my fellow teachers will feel the same. Seniority is NOT the problem.
ReplyDeleteI won't believe the conclusions unless I see the questions, answer choices, and the answers. Just like tests that have invalid questions and then conclude that the test taker does not know the material. Lots of things to consider before accepting these results as valid.
ReplyDeleteI don't think having a school staffed entirely by teachers placed there by HR is a sound practice. I'm going into that situation in August. In short, I don't know any of the teachers, my way around the building, who my principal will be, anything about the community, or where my classroom will be.
ReplyDeleteThis is really poor management by HR or the School Board.
Most of us want to be judged by student performance, who ever said that is crazy, there are so many variables that affect student performance that we have absolutely no contol over, I certainly don't want to be judged or evaluated by this criteria. Last year I kept track for a month and found I had over 27% absence rate, I had a kid who smoked dope with his mom every morning, another with undiagnosed emotional issues, and many many who were simply not interested. I did everything possible to get these students to work, but as the old adage says you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.
ReplyDeleteAll of the current research says that school problems are merely a piece of the puzzle of social problem, yet our administrative team seems to believe we are the cause, and therefore can also be the solution to everything that is wrong in these kids lives. They tout lines like It takes a village to raise a child, but then heap all the blame on the teachers.
Just for once I'd like to hear the truth come out of someone downtowns mouth. Parents you need to do your part, get your kids to school, check to make sure they are doing their work, know where they are and who they are hanging with, daily stress your expectations-they will do their school work and succeed.
There are many stories of parents whose leadership changed the direction of their kids lives. Think about Ben Carson, his mother saw him floundering in school with a
reading problem, so she demanded he read two or three books a week and write a book report for her. Suddenly his own internal image changed and he started to think of himself as smart. It wasn't until he started med school that he discovered his mom could not read.
STOP BLAMNG TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
Human resources is a joke, they sent out a list of vacancies to the teachers who were not selected to stay at their current schools, and said contact the principals, so I asked if they would send me a list of the principals and they said they couldn't give me that information.
ReplyDeleteAnd the hiring of teachers was also a major joke, performance and knowledge were not a criteria, instead personal friendships was the primary consideration, the interviews were a farce.
Every year special area teachers are thrown into a turmoil. Days are cut from elementary positions but added back on later, secondary teachers change every year due to NCLB or downtown making it impossible to build quality special area programs. I could go on and on. My biggest concern besides not being able to have decent programs due to transfers happening every year is the lack of say a teacher has. Or maybe I should say all teachers, for example:
ReplyDeleteDue to budget cuts/loss of students I lost time in my building. I found it odd when I was placed at a building of a teacher that was not leaving IPS or even changing subject areas. I contacted her because I thought maybe it was a mistake........turns out she is cozy with people downtown and is part of the assignment process! How is it that a classroom teacher like myself has a say in where teachers are placed? She, as well as others, do not know me. We are pawns and it is scary.
Pay for performance? Not an especially good idea.
ReplyDeleteThere are too many variables that come into play.
Paying teachers by performace would be like telling MD's they would only get paid for their patients who lived and not paid for those patients who died.
An MD cannot control if his patients smoke, drink to excess, never exercise, eat fatty foods, consume too much sugar, and on and on.
Teachers are no different. We can't control if our students attend school regularly, pay attention during class, do their homework, bring supplies/textbooks to class, get a proper amount of sleep, have parents who enforce study time at home, and on and on.
In their defense, the survey was sent via an e-mail link on May 22 to (as far as I can tell) all IPS employees. Based on the timing, many of us were simply too busy to get around to it, and didn't expect those kind of questions to be contained in this survey. I did take it, and those questions were on there along with plenty of space for you to explain your answers.
ReplyDeleteMay 22 E-mail:
Dear IPS Employee,
The Human Resources Division is interested in obtaining feedback on the level of service provided to customers, during 2008-09. We would appreciate if you would take a couple minutes to complete a survey (14 questions) about your experience with Human Resources. Please click on the following link to access the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jkvlHbJ16ygpKRy959kOjw_3d_3d
All responses are anonymous and the results will be kept confidential. The survey will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29. Thank you for your time and assistance.
If you have any questions about the survey please feel free to contact Kevin Vahle @ 317-226-4216.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Sincerely,
Kevin Vahle
If an MD has a history of high patient death people will not go to him. If an MD is excellent in his field then he can charge whatever rate he feels he deserves and people will wait months to see him. Parents have choices and if more parents felt that IPS has teachers who are excellent in their field they might rethink where their child will go to school.
ReplyDeleteThe survey appears to be bogus and not a good cross section. We all want the lazy teachers shaped up or shipped out but that is an administrative job and most administrators are too busy planning their next trip or workshop that will get them out of the building so they dont have to be around students. Anyway from this blog, it is starting to appear if you are female that your sexual orientation is the decidiing factor in what job you get. If a man were entangled in all of these relationships with a female, there would be all kinds of EEOC complaints filed.
ReplyDeleteThere are some obvious problems with seniority. However, if you begin to seriously explore the alternatives, you will quickly realize that there is no completely fair way to judge a teacher. Teaching is not like being a doctor or mechanic. Teachers are only one part of the larger picture of education. Our parents, friends, self-motivation, church, neighborhood, etc., all play a role in our education.
ReplyDelete"In their defense, the survey was sent via an e-mail link on May 22 to (as far as I can tell) all IPS employees."
ReplyDeleteThanks for this info. I looked at my emails from 5/22/09 and found it. I'd opened it, but I can't remember if I completed the survey.
Who designed the survey? Sounds strange that HR would suddenly want customer feedback unless the survey questions were slanted.
Complete survey results are now available at this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tntp.org/files/TNTP_Indianapolis_Report_July09.pdf
Thanks Kevin for posting this link!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm really in the minority on this blog. While I can't turn all my students into honor roll students, I do feel like, with very few exceptions, I can teach all children a year's worth of my subject in a school year. Yes, there are things we cannot control. But if teachers don't believe they can teach IPS students, then they're in the wrong profession (or at least the wrong school district). My biggest problem with my profession is not the kids or the parents. My number one problem is the administration. Second is being surrounded by coworkers who believe that my high expectations and results are somehow a betrayal to other teachers instead of the other way around, that low expectations and results are a betrayal to other teachers.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't have seniority, so take that for what its worth.
I question the statements made about this alleged survey. I have asked and called several teachers about it and NONE of them took it or even remember seeing and yet Matt Tully said approximately 75% of teachers took it. I never saw it and none of the people I have talked to saw it. I wouldn't expect that everyone did but in talking to 20 or 25 teachers, wouldn't you think I would find one who took it. I think there is some lying going on...Tully should ask for some evidence.
ReplyDeleteI'm anonymous 1:07, and I wanted to clarify that when I say I'm surrounded by teachers who feel betrayed by high expectations, I don't mean that I'm the only good teacher and everyone else sucks. Quite the contrary, I work with some wonderful educators. I just meant that it's more than just one or two teachers who spread the "culture of can't", it's a pretty significant portion of teachers in my school.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 1:07, I have high expectations for all my students and really try to get them to work, their is a six step statement that is referred to as academic non-compliance, I use this as a referral, I call parents, refer to the social worker, talk to the student, but when they go to the dean, I am told that Dr. White says we can't make them work, and as long as they aren't disrupting the class there is nothing they can do.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that this attitude spreads, it only takes one rotten apple to spoil the whole barrel. Day one it is one kid not working, day two it is two, day four you have three. Once you get three kids not working they start to cause problems, their rolling dice, their destroying things in the classroom, their annoying kids who are working. Someone in my school says 30% of the kids always do the right thing, 30% almost never do the right thing, and the middle 40% can go either way. It is a balance of power between the teacher and the 30% who never do what they are suppose to do. The system needs to come up with programs for these students to help prepare them for life.
How can the administrator at Shortridge Commuity School work on an expired license? Yes Brandon Cosby worked and collected full pay for over thirteen months. License 726428 was vaid only until 4-12-2007, and his new license number 1009693 was issued on 7-22-2008? Great job Jane Hart-Ajabu, just like the survey stated that Human Resources is horrible and unprofessional. So now the Board Members and Dr. White allowed this adminstrator to collect full pay and make important decisions without a licnese? Well the Board will give Brandon a raise for finally getting his license at the next meeting, instead of firing him like they are required under state laws. Jane Ajabu and the Board are one screwed up mess. Check out the information on the DOE web site. Whttp://dc.doe.in.gov/public/EducatorLookup/TeacherInquiry.aspx
ReplyDeletesorry about the error, it should have been they're not their, opps
ReplyDeleteHR Update:
ReplyDeleteI just read the Personnel Report from last night's Board Briefing Agenda and am astounded!
HR has placed at least two folks who last year were Reading First Coaches (elementary positions) into new positions as Secondary Mathematics Facilitators. Both these ladies are fine people and do great jobs with elementary language arts; however, their licensure is for General Elementary 1-6, and 7/8 Non Departmental.
How can HR, in good faith, recommend Elementary Reading Coaches to become Secondary Level Mathematics Facilitators?
I called ten teachers and none had answered the survey that was to be kept internal and not for publication. The numbers are "cooked" and nothing but lies from IPS. I never got the email, yes I checked? Lies, lies from Human Resources, Jane Ajabu have no idea how to be honest and truthful.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting the email survey and completing it because I was a little annoyed that it would come at the close of the school year. I was tying up loose ends, packing to leave another school due to changes--I am going to my 5th school in 8 years--but I do remember completing it because of numerous reminders.
ReplyDeleteI received it too.
ReplyDeleteGee Whiz, I know people who lost their jobs because they didn't have the correct license, yet they let an administrator work for 15 months without a valid administrative license.
ReplyDeleteThe people I know were forced to work for sub pay, and one wonderful teacher was let go this year, because she would not finish her course work for the area she was teaching until mid summer, even though she was licensed in another area. What gives, why the double standard.
CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE AND FINAL SURVEY......
ReplyDeleteIt's a slick looking publication. Lots of eye-catching graphics...plenty of stats...well organized, but for what purpose?
http://www.tntp.org/files/TNTP_Indianapolis_Report_July09.pdf
This HR survey was designed and conducted by The New Teacher Project, so why was I polled? This is my 29th year of teaching.
ReplyDeleteI remember the survey coming from an email sent out by Erin Ferrell back in late May. Her email contained a link to complete the survey.
Here's a "scary thought" about the Human Resources Survey. I read the complete survey and its results at the link another person posted.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tntp.org/files/TNTP_Indianapolis_Report_July09.pdf
In reading the survey results, I quickly noted that statistics were given that referenced the Teacher Evaluation results of those people who participated in the survey.
The May 22, 2009 email that I received with a link to the survey specifically stated that the survey answers were anonymous and confidential.
Apparently they were NOT! If the survey includes tabulated data regarding the survey participants' Teacher Evaluation results, then our participation WAS LINKED to our personal Evaluation information.
Yes, I was formally evaluated, using the new evaluation instrument, during the 08-09 school year as it was my year for formal evaluation. What about other teachers who received this survey via email?
Any responses to this?????
The New Teacher Project lied to the teachers and nothing was kept anonymous and confidential, its just public relations for the New Teacher Project and IPS. I have a hard time with non-for-profits that lie to the public and grandstand for attention. I hope IEA will refuse to allow this to happen again.
ReplyDeleteCopied from the Board Report (7-21-09)
ReplyDeleteTopic: Approval to renew the Contract Agreement between Indianapolis Public Schools and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) for the 2009-2010 school year.
Background Information:
The New Teacher Project Inc. (TNTP) a national non-profit organization founded in 1997, has partnered with Indianapolis Public Schools, over the last three years to increase the number of outstanding individuals who have become teachers in the district.
Since 1997 TNTP has attracted and prepared over 20,000 new highly –qualified teachers via the Transition to Teacher program, which targets mid-career professional career changers. More than 40 programs have been launched in 22 states since its founding. The New Teacher Project can be credited with the recruitment for hiring of 138 teachers, in high need subject areas, since 2007-2008.
The New Teacher Project, Inc. received a Federal Transition to Teaching Grant to partner with IPS to recruit and hire 150 outstanding new teachers in high need subject areas (math, science, special education and Spanish) for IPS over the course of three years. Alternative funding was generated to defray costs to the General Fund during that 3 year period. The funding has now ended. Indianapolis Public Schools, along with support from the Department of Education will bear the cost ($450,000) to extend the contract with the New Teacher Project for one year, to recruit high need subject area teachers, for 2010-2011.
The Indiana Department of Education has entered into a contract with the New Teacher Project, Inc. and has agreed to pay a maximum fee of $150,000 contingent upon Indianapolis Public Schools providing a match of these funds at a ratio of two to one. The cost to the General Fund will be $300,000.
***Superintendent’s Recommendation:
I recommend that the Board of School Commissioners approve the extension of the contract agreement between the Indianapolis Public Schools and The New Teacher Project, Inc. (TNTP), for one year, to recruit 50 outstanding new teachers in high need subject areas (math, science, special education and Spanish) for 2010-2011. The Indiana Department of Education has committed to a grant award of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). The cost to the general fund is $300,000.
Action Agenda Details
Recommended Action:
Brandon Cosby wasn't teaching or acting as an administrator in 2007-08 when his license was expired. He didn't start at Shortridge until this year. His renewed license didn't take effect until after his contract at Shortridge started, I'm sure, but he was probably able to show proof that he had completed the courses and was just waiting for the state to process his paperwork. Sorry, but there's no story here.
ReplyDeleteThe full report of the survey says it was from info collected from teachers in February 2009 (see the "fine print" at the bottom). The May survey from HR must have been something different. Anyone remember getting anything in February?
ReplyDelete1:07, what you should be concerned about is the students who are not on your grade level coming in. What happens is you become responsible for raising two and three years. When you don't bring them up to grade level your administrator says you are not a good teacher. Even though the student progress may have been 1yr or 1 1/2. So, you are labeled a poor performing teaceher because the student is not to the level of your grade.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this scenerio played out several times with different teachers.
There are other variables like this that could cause you problem.
The report says though that Seniority should not be the sole factor. It does not, as the article makes it out to say, that seniority should be totally scrapped. There should be other factors IN ADDITION TO SENIORITY used.
regarding Cosby, they will not let a teacher work one day without a valid license, most administrative contraccts begin July 1st. Why the exception?
ReplyDeleteAnd why was he hired in the first place, I sat in meetings where he said "White teachers can't teach black students" Somewhere in my meeting notes I made a note on day and time this was said, because I was so shocked to hear such a racist remark come out of the mouth of a supposedly educated individual. He also believes we should "hang" with out kids and their families, heck we should spend Saturday night in the hood playing tonk.
Perhaps he is the real hope for John Marshall, someone willing to spend a lot of time hangin in the hood. Let's see what happens when the rubber meets the road.
Cosby started his job on 07/01/08 and was not licensed until 07/22/08. Cynthia Perkins who was selected to be an Academic Dean at Tech, a position which required a license in administration, did not get one for a full calendar year. Everyone was told she had one and only because one teacher happened to check was it discovered that she was unlicensed. But she has connections and the hook up........
ReplyDeleteDid anyone on this blog go to the AVID conference in Orlando? I heard Cosby openly stated that if he heard one more rascist statement, the Shortridge group would leave the conference. I also heard he argued with the workshop facilitator so badly, they had to replace her. I don't hold much hope for him lasting at Shortridge long. After the posting I just read about Michael Sullivan, it seems like he should be at Shortridge since he purports to have legal training. Brandon Cosby should be at John Marshall. Can someone get me a job in Central Office--I'm excellent with logic & decision-making?
ReplyDelete"Can someone get me a job in Central Office--I'm excellent with logic & decision-making?"
ReplyDeleteHmmm...not sure. You sound over-qualified to me... ;-)
I get the tension amongst the teachers and the central office. I have plenty complaints myself. IPS administration is terrible and should be blown up and started all over, fresh. However, I do personally know Brandon Cosby, and he is an amazing man, administrator, leader, and teacher. He is definately NOT racist, and I believe he could do wonders for IPS if Dr. White will allow him. I know that he has issues w/ the central office and the control they have- so be careful how you talk about on here and make sure you get the facts right!
ReplyDelete3:30, so far, I haven't encountered that type of problem. (Knock-on-wood). There are obviously many variables that come into play, but I just feel like if they set up completely unrealistic criteria, then it becomes meaningless, so I'm not concerned. If they do set up realistic criteria, then I welcome it, because it will weed out some of the really toxic teachers, and increase my own value as an educator. Like someone else here said, a few bad apples spread to the whole classroom. I actually do okay with the kids, but I fight that problem with coworkers. I mean how does someone who doesn't think it's possible to teach inner city kids ever even get hired in an inner city school? And why would they want to?
ReplyDeleteRe;9:24a.m
ReplyDeleteI know him too and I think he would be excellent at Marshall. You misunderstood, I never accused him of being racist. I think his issues with Central Office will finally lead him to crash and burn with the bosses. ( Anybody remember another excellent administrator named Jeffrey White?)And my facts...they are 100% correct!
Re,Re: 9:24am-
ReplyDeleteWhat I was trying to convey is that he is bold and not a 'yes' man.
Cosby will be at Shortridge.
ReplyDeleteSullivan will be at Marshall.
Which one will leave first???
ReplyDeleteSullivan will stay because his Momma is a hard-core African-American woman. She's an IPS teacher who finally was certified by Indiana after years of not passing the English Praxis Test, and she is really proud of her son. She's also extremely proud that she still lives in the hood. She brags about that fact to other teachers. If young Sullivan is anything like his Momma, then I pity the poor folks where he's going to be their principal. I hate to disrespect teachers on this blog, but sometimes it just needs to be said.
ReplyDeleteMichael Sullivan's mother is Mattie Sullivan. If any of the readers on this blog have ever worked with this woman, then you can consider that 'the apple does not fall far from the tree'.
ReplyDeleteCosby, they've already got a spare prinipal in the wings!
ReplyDeleteHow did Sandra Towns move up the administrative ladder so quickly and why does her son refer to Wilie Giles as his DAD?????
ReplyDeleteI heard that about Towns and Giles in a meeting this month? Sandra Towns son is older, so its not like he is a baby?
ReplyDeleteMr God, of course new teachers are looking to keep their jobs and would like to do away with senority rights to stay on the job with reduced labor costs. That was truly a self-serving and rigged survey by the New Teachers Group!
ReplyDeletePardon what may at first seem to be a rude remark. What do first year teachers really know? Thinking back to my own first year of teaching, I knew my subject area, and a teeny little bit about teaching, and nothing about the structure of the institution of schools. Thank goodness that we now have mentoring programs. My second year I started to figure things out, and thought "boy I've got this licked", ha ha. The third year is when I discovered how little I actually knew, strategies I had tried in my second year and worked like a charm had lost their effectiveness, oh no I had to try more "stuff" and every single year since that third year I have tried more "stuff", be it discipline tehniques, instructional strategies, or content area.
ReplyDeleteNow with that personal story I will say new teachers know almost nothing, and this survey is based on their opinion, since they know nothing that is about what the survey is worth, nothing. It is important since we lose so many new teachers and we have to discover how to keep those teachers. This survey came out right around the time that these new teachers would have been notified they were losing their jobs. They came through the first semester of the most difficult year of their lives and they found out after all that work they are were losing their jobs, so their bitterness about senority is understandable.
That being said how many administrators do you know who have spent only two years in classrooms, or different positions. These two year superstars never get to the point on the learning curve to discover the only absolute truth in education, there is nothing that will work with all students all the time.
Just a couple of things -- New Teachers Project isn't a group for newly certified teachers. It's a group for new teachers in the innovative/21st century type of thing. It's about education reform and also recognizing the value of good teachers instead of acting like we're simply cogs in a wheel that can be randomly interchanged with any other cog with no change in results.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe it's a generational thing, but I guess I don't think experience is valuable unless you're using that experience to excel in your profession. If I can consistently motivate and engage my students to learn, and a veteran teacher cannot, why should she have more job security and better pay. Yes, seniority should be a factor. But not the only factor.
Now that I have heard a descripton of the New Teacher Project I wonder what they are doing in IPS. I have never seen a system where there is so little regard for individuals strengths and abilities. Viewed from the perspective of the majority of administrators we are all simply cogs in the wheel.
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to motivate and engage students who only attend every other day.
ReplyDelete12:46 -- if the student cannot be motivated or engaged, then merit incentives won't hurt or help. But if some can motivate and engage that student and some cannot, then merit incentives recognize and reward that.
ReplyDeleteYou need to read "Punished by Rewards" Why give merit pay for simply doing your job; engaging, motivating, pushing, pulling, haranging, counseling, nagging your students to engage and succeed is part of your job.
ReplyDeleteI recall talking to a dean, trying to get a phone number that worked to contact a parent of a missing student, the dean cocked his head and said "do you really want the kid back", the answer was "he's a behavior problem in class, but I'm being paid to educate him, so yes I want him back". I am not is school to have an easy pleasant day, I'm there to meet the needs of my students, and their most pressing need is to be prepared for the future; to learn to learn, to function by societies rules, and to get along, while they learn these things I also work on subject matter. What good does it do to be brilliant if you can't function in society? This type of teacing is not quantifiable in testing.
Did anyone listen to President Obama's news conference this PM on CNN? He outlined the Department of Education's plan for the stimulus-funded Race for the Top for the nation's public schools. I'm sure we'll all be effected by this new initiative, sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteHis speech was peppered with 'data-driven' results, etc. He does advocate Charter schools as long as they're producing results with the students.
I think that we have established that this so called survey of New Teacher Project and is solely a propaganda tool of Eugene White to bash, bully and intimidate teachers which he loves to do...How could Andy Gamill get suckered into this and how do we get these comments to him so perhaps he will investigate the fraud?
ReplyDeleteExactly how many teachers responded to the survey? as you quickly read the survey it looks like 75% of the 2253 teachers answered the survey, when in reality only 75% of what number responded? There were two surveys, the first sent only to those participating in the New Teacher Project. So what is that number? What were the questions on each survey? Was the second survey sent as a ruse as create this confusion? And what was the result of the second survey? Once again "lies, damn lies, and statistics"
ReplyDeleteThis is symptomatic of the entire problem in IPS, too much time is spent massaging statistics to make things look better then they are, to make administration look good.
I've taught on several levels, presently I am at the high school level, teachers constantly complain about the low reading level of the students, far too many read well below grade level.
I've also worked in elementary school and saw kindergarteners come in and when the groups were tested 95% of them were developmentally delayed between 12 and 36 months. (Peabody Picture Vocabulary) We're talking 5 year olds who really function like two year olds. At the end of first grade most of these children had made progress, however they still lagged behind the "average".
Miracles happen in grade schools, but there is also cheating on testing. I've seen it with my own eyes, a cheerio given for every correct answer, no cheerio try another answer. In elementary school test scores are more attributable to a single teacher, and if you threaten someone often enough, and they need to feed their family they may cheat.
And who gets hurt in all this statistical smoke and mirrors? Why students of course, we've lost sight of that fact.
Long ago I knew an elementary teacher and a second graders parents came in to complain about his spelling grade. The teacher showed them all his spelling tests, and his grades indicated he should have an F based on the tests, however he had done all the weekly assignments so he got an F, the parents insisted this wasn't possible, she reviewed the information again, and once again the parents insisted the child couldn't have gotten the grade, she tried again to explain the grade, and once again the parents insisted this wasn't possible. Finally she walked over to the office and got some white out, she whited out the grade and asked the parents what grade the child should have and they said a B, so she gave the child a B, and said to the parents "It really doesn't matter what grade is on this report card, because your son can still not spell the words".
Indianapolis Star reporters need a reality check. If any incompetent teacher has seniority, who hired, evaluated, and retained that teacher? Could it be, maybe..... an incompetent administrator? Neither teachers nor the union is responsible if management doesn't or won't do its job which is to make sure every teacher and principal is competent.
ReplyDeleteI heard that IPS administrators won every teacher dismissal they sought this year. If true, that 100% batting average doesn't sound like it's very difficult to dismiss anyone. Yet Dr. White says he needs to eliminate teacher bargaining in order to dismiss incompetent staff. Does anyone believe him anymore besides Andy Gammill and Matt Tully? Does anyone believe THEM?
With the STAR's constant undermining of student and parent respect for IPS, they're also undermining the city's future and their own customer base. Nice going guys. The community is evaluating the STAR on student test scores, and the STAR is failing.
The STAR is becoming more and more like the National Enquirer. If there's any extenuating information that contradicts a sensational headline, it's buried deep inside the paper. But if a parent needs information about the magnet and other instructional options in IPS to make an enrollment decision for their child, they won't find that kind of information in the STAR. No wonder newspapers are going out of business. They forgot what the community NEEDS to know.
Sondra Towne dates Willie Giles and her adult son (Junior) is MI, so he doesn't realize that it is spilling the beans to refer to his mother's boss/sugardaddy as "Daddy" in the office.
ReplyDeleteBut Brandon Cosby says that he grew up on the means streets and gangbanged in the hood... Does New castle have a "mean" street, though? Check yourself, fool!!!
ReplyDeleteBrandon Cosby does openly believe in Blacks educating Blacks!! I am Black and have worked closely with him since 2003. It is no secret. When he was with CELL (before IPS blew through Bill Gates $10 million w/small schools fiasco) he was extremely vocal about his views and goals. Lo and behold, IPS made a position for him amongst the admin ranks when the grant money was exhausted!!!They liked his racist rants!!!
ReplyDeleteI am glad I am not the only one who recalls that racist rant. I believe that we need to have teachers and adminitrators of all races, too often the majority of blacks in any school are the wonderful custodians, not the teachers.
ReplyDeleteHowever when you believe the first criteria for a role model is skin color rather then character you are racist. My own role model was an elderly African American teacher I worked with early in my career. Everyday I dedicate my teaching to this man, and I am a white, suburban raised woman.
We need to be widening our students horizons so they can function in the world, not simply preparing them for what they experience now.
PS. Cell helped blow through that money, you really have to wonder about the entire fiasco when you see the lovely things U of I did with their Cell funds. I think they were a little shocked when Gates pulled the plug on the funding. I'm sure it was a feather in Mary Bushes hat to bring that kind of money into U of I. Perhaps it weighs balances out with the damage she did to IPS.
I still dont understand why Mary Busch is not guilty of a conflict of interest if not worse. She sits on the IPS board and funnels millions of dollars to her employer, the University of Indianapolis....I wish the prosecutor's office would take a close look at this...
ReplyDeleteDr. Greenwood's son became the dean at Washington in August 2008, but according to the state web site, did not get his license until April 2009. Connections + + + +
ReplyDeleteNot connections, its fraud.
ReplyDeleteJust think it wasn't that long ago Cory Greenwood was a special ed teacher who came in late every day, fraternized with the female students and hung out in the athletic office. He's had special treatment for years.
ReplyDeleteand Cory was on a limited license since he did not have a real sped license
ReplyDeleteJackie kept hiring Cory over licensed special education teachers (I applied for the position) at Manual for years. You are right special treatment for years because of his mother.
ReplyDeleteHuman Resources is a joke!!!! I applied for a teaching position on line and no one from Human Resources ever got back in touch with me. I had to call them and email them daily in order to see if and when I would be called in for an interview. I am still waiting to hear from them..........and school starts on August 10th. The people who work in Human Resources take more days off from work. No wonder they can't fill the teaching positions in a timely manner!!! They all need to be fired and have to reapply for their jobs then they could get a taste of their own medicine!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat I love is that some of you think you are talking shit about Brandon Cosby, but you are not. He himself would fully admit to every one of these statements/accusations you've "heard somewhere" and tell you exactly why they were said or done. Maybe you should schedule a meeting with him one day . . . you may find yourself feeling like a complete ass.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Brandon has a defender, do you use that mouth to kiss your momma? I have spoke to him at length several times, and found him to be a racist. I'm preparing my students for a future in the broader world, not just the inner city.
ReplyDeleteOkay, based on the cheap cliche we've established that you are a very small-minded individual, which would explain why you have had conversations with him "at length", yet have not heard a word he has said.
ReplyDeleteJuly 28, 2009 2:28p.m.--
ReplyDeleteAre you Brandon himself or just in love with the man? No one on this blog has used curse words!!!
July 31, 2009 2:28 PM
ReplyDeleteThe use of vulgar language illustrates a lack of vocabulary.