Did anyone watch
Undercover Boss after Super Bowl? It's a show where bosses go do their employees' jobs undercover to see what it's really like. Does anyone here think anyone in the Central Office could actually last more than five minutes in a classroom?
Just like teachers, I think there are good administrators and bad ones. I think some of them could be very effective in the classroom and some of them have no business in education at all. I think slamming all administrators is no different than slamming all teachers. The problem isn't any one group. It's the fact that we keep so many weak links in each group. Ironically, I think if we could get rid of weak teachers, then we could eliminate about 80% of administrative positions (obviously only keeping the really good ones). That's why I get so frustrated by the idea that protecting weak teachers benefits our profession.
ReplyDeleteDisclaimer: I am not a teacher nor an administrator.
ReplyDeleteOn the above comment. Who determines who are "weak teachers?" How can that be accurately measured? Have you heard the story of the Indian blind men (from birth) who are allowed to touch an elephant. Each one touches a different part of the elephant, so each one gets a different idea of what the elephant actually looks like.
There are too many variables in a purely linear, analytical process of trying to judge teacher performance.
There are too many variables in a non-analytical process of judging teachers. One principal believes one teacher is excellent. The teacher is transferred to another school and this new principal believes this same teacher to be terrible and incompetent. This happens over and over again in schools.
If there was a really proven and fullproof way to evaluate teacher performance (as apples to apples and oranges to oranges), I would agree with the above poster.
But there isn't. At least that I've heard of.
Really, the big problem with IPS is that it is too big. School districts should never have been allowed to have 25-30,000 students and 2-3,000 teachers and untold numbers of administrators.
It creates all of the problems associated with bureaucracy. Smaller versions of the government - the mess that it is.
I don't expect to see any major improvements in IPS until it becomes smaller (either by state mandate or families pulling out).
How do you determine who the weak administrators are? If we need to cut the fat out of central office, how do we determine who is "the fat" and who is an important and integral part of the process? Is it all subjective? Do we have to keep them all because there is no foolproof way to evaluate administrators?
ReplyDeleteThrow a dart in the Ed. Center and you will hit an administrator who is weak. Many are there because they could not function at the bulding level either with students, parents or teachers.
ReplyDeleteThe "fat" takes two hour lunch, attends every workshop offered, and a prime example is Dexter Scuggs. What other school system wanted Dr. Greenwood with her questionable degree?
ReplyDeleteLOL You are beyond hope! Your lack of capacity for critical thinking undermines your position. As does digging up people to insult whenever you can't think of an intelligent response. You may as well just say "I'm not smart enough to hold an adult conversation." Isn't that what we tell students? That changing the subject, namecalling, insulting, all of those are things people do when they are insecure? Strong people with strong arguments make their case without degrading others. Do you honestly not see the parallels between ineffective teachers and ineffective administrators? Do you really think all teachers are good and all administrators are bad? Really?
ReplyDeletePrudence Bridgewaters, Jerry McLeish,Prudence Brudgewaters, Dexter Suggs, Prudence Bridgewaters Jackie Greenwood, Prudence Bridgewaters, Kay Kelly, Prudence Bridgewaters, Rocky Grismore, Prudence Bridgewaters
ReplyDeleteI second the above post! Kay Kelly ruined School 88 within a matter of months with her strange almost OCD ways. Lets put these wonderful adminstrators on E-Bay for other school systems to bid on hiring them out from IPS, and yes we would released them from their contracts. Not one single school system would bid on them.
ReplyDeleteYou know for a fact Dexter Suggs is good. You may hate his guts because he does not play. I have witnessed him in the classroom as a guest teacher on many occasions, and the man can really teach. He is not yet removed from the classroom or the school long enough not to be effective in the classroom. If he is around 37 give him another 10 or 15 years.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Dexter Suggs that won the National Educator of the Year Award. If so, how could you say this man would not last in a classroom when he has the ability to turn around a school. It appears that someone has taken something that he has done to them personal.
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure if it is logical to have a top level administrator work inside a classroom. While a very legitimate argument can be made that the person (or people) in charge need to know what the rest of us go through, the skill set required to run the school district is closer to that of a corporate manager, and not a classroom teacher. That is why it has always seemed backwards to me that Superintendants are former teachers and principals. I don't think my particular training and abilities would lend themselves to effectively running a district. I think a corporate CEO could much more efficiently run the district instead of a career educator.
ReplyDeleteJoan Harrell, Phyllis Barnes. Neither of them can write an email without a dozen grammatical errors or misspellings. Add to that, Harrell is just a strange, crazy old woman with really bad hair and odd clothes. Hardly worth the huge salary she's making now.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the person who said IPS is just too big to be effective. We do have a lot of people that get paid to run things and have very little concept of what is really going on at the building level.
ReplyDeleteI believe the district should be broken up and that a number of problems would be solved.
I'm sorry, but what school exactly did Dexter Suggs turn around? If you say Arlington, I may pee my pants.
ReplyDeleteDexter turned around Arlington?? It got so bad Dr. White had to get him out. He thinks he is going to be the next superintendent. The guy can't even write.
ReplyDeleteBarnes, Harrell, Bridgewaters, and Jane Kendricks would never be employed by another school district. Look at their track records.
ReplyDeleteBridgewaters lived with another teacher for almost a year and refused to pay rent. The teacher had to kick her out.
Dr. White nominated Dexter for the award. It was all political. Look at Dexter scores at Donnan and McFarland. The bus screw up says it all.
ReplyDeleteWasn't Harrell one of Adams' Madames back in the day?
ReplyDeleteMcFarland was the first secondary school in IPS to make AYP. Donnan had the highest growth 5% to 14%. You can not be nominated for the award. My aunt is a supervisor in transportation and she stated Gene Moore screwed the busses up. Don't hate. Yes, I am a teacher and proud of it!
ReplyDeleteJeff White, your posts sure do crack me up!
ReplyDeleteA word to the wise, Jeff White is not the only one frustrated with Central Office. I have spend over twenty years watching nonsense occur within IPS. Dr. White and his croonies take the cake. If it were not for the kids, I would have left years.
ReplyDeleteDr. Giles takes the "I'm Stupid" Award. What a waste!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is me or has IPS received the worst publicity of any Marion County school district? What is Mary Louise doing all day???
ReplyDeleteIs it me or has IPS received the worst publicity of any Marion County school district? What is Mary Louise doing all day???
ReplyDeleteDexter Suggs has been removed from every job that he has had........since he is a friend of Eugene, it results in a promotion. The bus screw up was a product of Suggs, McFarland became a battle ground and the Arlington community was raising so much hell that Eugene had to remove him. These women need to quit writing in with their weak defenses of Suggs. I wonder why they do that.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog. It is much better than watching the History Channel. All of the old dirt comes on via IPS-BS. For what its worth, Prudence Bridgewaters should have never been allowed to return to IPS. I remember an old story about her stealing money to take her girlfriend on some fancy excursion.
ReplyDeleteFunny how people lie
ReplyDelete"Is it me or has IPS received the worst publicity of any Marion County school district?"
ReplyDeleteIt's you. IPS has benefited greatly in the past 10 years from coverage in the Indy Star.
Now this is a new one!! It is Tuesday morning at 6a.m. and I have decided that I do not wish to attempt to drive to school today so I tried calling in sick. The Sub Line is down. Coincidence or a deliberte attempt to keep teachers from calling in??? It won't work for me. In a few minutes when someone answers at the school, I will tell them I am not coming in and that they will have to arrange a sub. Maybe even an admnistrator will have to be around the students. We all know how they hate to have student contact.
ReplyDeleteSuch crap. Every school is closed BUT IPS. How do they justify putting everyone in danger?
ReplyDeleteI am scared to get on the streets but I must...
ReplyDeleteGOing back to the second entry on this subject--YOu know you have a weak teacher when the teacher does not use the required books to teach reading. As a matter of fact they only teach letter recognition in Kindergarten and don't attempt to teach reading or writing. She/he singles out one student in their room and says " I don't want to hear you because I don't care one thing about what you have to say" Then 10 seconds later they say "I love each and every one of you"
ReplyDeleteTHere also the teachers that are constantly on the computer. No matter what time of day you visit the teacher is sitting working on his/her computer. The children are at their seats doing dittos.ALL THE TIME.Most principals don't want to hear about it because that would cause them some paper work, so it continues. I have to be in many classes and I have seen it all. I have also seen some wonderful teachers, but don't tell we can't judge a weak teacher
OK for all those English critics out there"don't tell me we" I know, I forgot a period. I'm at home snowed in today, so I'm not on the clock.
ReplyDelete"I have decided that I do not wish to attempt to drive to school today so I tried calling in sick."
ReplyDeleteThe person that wrote this is yet another example of poor attitudes in IPS. Sick days are for when you are "sick" or have a medical appointment, not for your personal whims. If you're not willing to use a personal day, then you need to get your butt to work like everyone else. Apparently, you believe you are so valuable that we (taxpayers) should be willing to pay you for not being there while paying a sub at the same time just because you feel incompetent to drive to work when thousands of others seem to able to make it just fine.
I went to school all of this week and don't understand the fear of driving the roads of Indiana. Try driving in Rome, L.A. or Mexico, I love the rush. Dr.Dexter Scuggs is one huge loser, he has failed in every position held and Dr. White moved the fool before his poor performance came to light. The "Bobble-Headed Board" just nodded.
ReplyDeleteMany remember P. Bridgewaters taking her girlfiends to her school on Monday mornings.
ReplyDeleteMost hetrosexuals do not take there significant others to work.
Didn't IPS release her in the early 1980s for working at her private busines establishment when she was suppose to be at school?
DOES THE PRINCIPAL AT COLEMAN HAVE AN ASST.?? YES SHE DOES, POWELL, EVERYWHERE YOU SEE GAGYI, YOU SEE POWELL, THEY COME IN TOGETHER,(LATE) BE IN THE CAF, TOGETHER, EAT LUNCH TOGETHER, DO 3-6 TOGETHER. WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON. SPECIAL PEOPLE AT COLEMAN, GET SPECIAL TREATMENT. SOME STUDENTS GET SPECIAL THINGS. I DIDNT KNOW SOCIAL WORKERS, SECT, AND SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, DONT HAVE WORK SCHEDULES, OH HERE IT IS, ARRIVE AT WORK 20MS LATE DAILY, HANG OUT IN THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE, LEAVE GET LUNCH, THEN HAVE THE NERVE TO COME BACK AND SIT DOWN ANOTHER 1HR. WOULDNT IT BE NICE IF ALL COLEMAN STAFF GOT TREATED LIKE THAT. THE THREE TO SIX STAFF IS A JOKE TOO. LEWIS TALKS ON THE PHONE, GAGYI AND POWELL IN HER OFFICE DOING NOTHING, LEEBROCK AND JOHNSON LETTING THE KIDS RUN WILD. NOBODY WORKING BUT POOR MR. JACKSON AND WILSON. HOW WOULD DR. WHITE FEEL IF HE NEW THE MONEY HE PAYS THEM IS A JOKE. I WISH I COULD GET PAID TO HANG OUT IN THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE. THIS WAS SUPPORT WEEK, WE DIDNT GET NO SUPPORT FROM GAGYI. WITHOUT HER SUPPORT TEAM SHE WOULDNT BE SHIT. BUT WAIT TILL PRINCIPALS WEEK ALL HER FAN CLUB MEMBERS, ADAMS, LEEBROCK, WATTS, ALLEN, LEWIS, ASST. PRINCIPAL POWELL WILL BE ALL UP IN HER ASS. IT TOOK MS. MCKOY TO COME OVER TO GET GAGYI OUT OF THE OFFICE IN THE AFTERNOON. I SURE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THE MONEY GAGYI MAKES JUST TO EAT EVERDAY. NEVER SEE HER IN A CLASS RM, NEVER SEE POWELL WITH A STUDENT, LEWIS ALWAYS IN THE HALL, NEVER WITH A STUDENT. BUT ALWAYS WITH SOMETHING TO EAT IN HER HAND, WHOS GETTEN LUNCH TOMORROW?? CAN THE BUILDING ADMINSTRATOR AT LEAST BE ON TIME?? SHOULDNT THE PRINCIPAL BE THERE BEFORE HER STAFF, NOT WALK IN LATE WITH THEM. SURE HOPE SONDRA READS THIS. WELL GOT TO GO ANOTHER DAY IN THE HOOD SCHOOL.
ReplyDeleteWhoa!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoever wrote that statement about Coleman is all wrong. The principal is always where she is suppose to be, and on time, both secretary's are there from either 7-3:30 or 8:30-5:00 neither being late and most of the time not taking a lunch, as for Ms McCoy what exactly is she here for, as for the Social Worker she does a wonderful job with the students, morning and evening.....Some one is mad that they are being made to actually work instead of do nothing all day, as for Adams, Leibrock, Watts, Allen, Lewis, and Powell they are always on top of their game and go way above and beyond their job description.....SO WHOEVER IS MAD JUST NEED TO GET OVER THEMSELVES AND GET A LIFE.....
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand the importance of freedom of speech, and the unequivocated necessity of venting about struggles in the workplace, I'd like to note that the comment above about Coleman is a powerful indicator of necessary changes in how we perceive our responsibilities. Our jobs as educators are to be focused entirely on student achievement, to ensure that everyday we enter our classrooms with the single most important goal of moving our kids forward. If we are going to defame members of a staff, and in the process defame the very school and students we serve, we have lost sight of that most valuable of missions. If you have a complaint about what's going on in your building, you should approach it as if you are indeed a professional person. A cowardly attack on people that devote themselves to this mission is absurd. If you want to sling arrows, do so on the grounds of data-driven, student-centered results.
ReplyDeletePretty bad when people have to throw out names, So what that people respect their principal at Coleman, I am sure she must be doing something right or there would be more issues going on over there, maybe what downtown needs to look at is the fact that Coleman teachers don't miss any time at work. If people would do their own jobs and not worry about other things that go on around them there wouldn't be all this trash talk on this website, I personally thing that IPS needs to put a stop to this, peoples reputations can be ruined on here by the lies that are being told. My child attends Coleman and I personally feel that all the teachers/staff/admins do their job, I don't worry about my child going into school, my childs teachers are wonderful. I say keep up the good work Mrs Gagyi and teachers.
ReplyDeleteFor the monitor at Coleman monitoring what everyone is doing.
ReplyDeletePEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSE, SHOULDN'T THROW STONES!!!!!
What qualifies as support staff for a school, lets see. Custodians, Cafe Managers, Instructional asst, Intervention Specialist, Media Asst, Parent Liaison. Narrows down who is placing this stuff on the blog.
ReplyDeleteWith cuts to school police I saw on channel 13 the chief of school poice say he will come out and handle the problems in schools.I hear he gets chauffered around by the guy that does his job. These kids would eat him alive. He cant even see that Dr. White threw him under the bus saying that the chief po po said ips does not need half the police force to keep schools safe.How would he know he never worked in education. He worked undercover in 80's as homo male in sex stings. who are they kidding? WAKE UP 2010!!!!
ReplyDelete