High-Stakes Testing

Like many EOC teachers, I recently realized that March is right around the corner.  Unfortunately, the physical science test is one of the first days of the window.  Because of our A/B schedule, I really only have 30 class periods left with my students (minus spring break). With a whole unit left to teach and review needed, I am suddenly feeling the pressure.  As the leader in my classroom, I take full responsibility for my test scores in the spring and strive to improve dramatically every year.  I truly believe that this school year will show the biggest leap in both growth and achievement for my students and my department as a whole.

With that being said, there are still those who do not agree with the use of high-stakes testing for gathering information about student learning.  Though I do believe our scholars are overtested, I believe that we DO need high-stakes common assessments in order to make accurate comparisons between students.  Though I believe that there are individual differences that need to be accounted for when disaggregating data, the data still provide a rich picture into the goings-on of a school, school district, or state.  Other school-wide common assessments can also provide rich information.  These assessments can be quick and formative and don't always have to be of a "high-stakes" nature.

On another note, one of my pet peeves is when my students say "Well I'm just not a good test-taker." I understand that this is possible.  HOWEVER, in this day in age, that simply cannot be an excuse.  Tests are everywhere whether it's the SAT, the MCAT or your bar-tending license test.  So students need to find ways to compensate for their poor test-taking skills. Some of my students see the "bad test-taker" excuse as a way to get out of studying for or trying their best on tests, and I just simply won't allow it.

My goal (definitely a lofty goal) is for 100% of my students to reach the Developing level of achievement or beyond on the Milestones.  We are now grinding towards our goal!

Mums the word

I have observed multiple situations where leaders have abused their power to hurt people because they themselves were offended by feedback. I once had a principal who (mis)used meeting time to denigrate and threaten staff due to being blind-sided by survey results. I have been witness to ostracism, unfair suspensions and the collapse of entire teams, all because people were courageous enough to voice their concerns regarding the morality and ethical nature of decisions being made. What do you do when you witness such atrocities? When you are caught between remaining true to your beliefs and survival?

The world of education seems innocent enough but is actually quite political in nature. Much like the business world, it functions off of networks, partnerships and “You scratch my back, I scratch yours” symbiotic relationships. It is a commonly held belief that you could have all the certifications in the world, it is your principal who ultimately decides your fate. In other words, don’t say or suggest anything not in alignment with those in power, for fear of exoneration. In every undesirable situation one has the option to perpetuate the circumstances endured, or vow to improve, and do better. I choose the latter. But until then, I tread lightly and when pressed, provide palatable feedback. What do you do?

Is there loyalty in leadership?

I’m a pretty loyal kind of girl. In my personal life, I try to be there for my friends. Over the years I have attended countless birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, house warmings, and spent quite a bit of money on the accompanying presents too. But when you realize that you are spending time and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to support others, with no one showing you the same love, or loyalty, it makes you take a step back and think. You think about how you frequently end up on the giving end, and in my case, I conduct a full assessment of my relationship(s), which sometimes results in me making my circle smaller and tighter.

But what should you do when it is a work relationship between you and a superior, when you go above and beyond to accommodate the requests of your boss only for you to be an afterthought on their end?

One example of this was when I worked at a school where the newly hired front office receptionists received business cards, while 80% of the leadership team didn’t have any to offer prospective families. It seems an innocuous oversight, and probably not that big of a deal to most reading this, but the underlying message was that the front office staff was valued more than the leadership team that made instrumental decisions, and served as the face of the school.

Even on a macro level there is evidence of disproportionate loyalty. One can be terminated at any given moment (Georgia is an “at will” state), but is expected to give at least two weeks’ notice if transitioning. In many instances, teachers forfeit personal time off to devote to the enhancement of a school and overall student success. In response, critical days are imposed, PTO is lost, roll over options are limited, and there is often no budget for substitutes, resulting in growing resentment for having to cover other teachers’ classes during planning time, teacher burnout, and high attrition.

As a leader, I would like to leverage loyalty to increase buy in and even shift mindsets, but I wonder if the presence or absence of loyalty is reflective of one’s leadership style, or if it is the system that no longer accommodates it.

Patience in Waiting

I read a verse from the Bible today that says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs, 13 v.12)

I left the financial industry because I feel back in love with teaching. I was working hourly to help a start-up public charter school get off the ground with no intention of having my role shift into a full-time role. However, I did move to a full-time position, and here I am today.

Since the school opened, I have focused my efforts on serving in whatever capacity has been needed. Thus, I have worked in Special Ed., ESOL, Math, History, and PE. Along the way, leadership positions have popped up and other "less qualified" people have been hired for these positions. This is partially due to a charter school's nature and partially due to the educational leaders view on the school of education. However, my resumé is a good mixture of both "real world" and school of education.

I have been asked to be in a support role in SPED this year to coach and train the Director of Student Services and was just asked to do the same for the Athletic Director next year. I am tired of helping others do their job because I do my job and I do it well. I am trying to wait patiently but I am growing more and more "heart sick". The school leadership has a strong bias towards students that they recruit from Hillsdale College, and I am beginning to think that I am just cheap instructional coaching labor. I have some applications out, but if anyone knows of an open position that may fit, please let me know.

School Safety

This week I had the pleasure of joining in a safety meeting at our school. A school resource officer came to our building to assess the safety of our school and give us suggestions of other things we can do to tighten our security.

We have always tried to be a welcoming school, but at the same time we want to be a safe haven for our teachers and students. How do you find that fine line of ways to let parents in for school functions, but also keep your building safe from anyone or anything that is looking to harm it? We are working together as a committee to identify the top tips to find the best ways to keep our school safe, but also a very welcoming environment.

What are some safety precautions your school takes when many parents are in your buildings? How does your school create a safe environment, but also is welcoming to visitors? We are looking for the best and easiest ways to do this, so any input would be wonderful.

Cultural Diversity in regards to language....am I the only one who notices this......

   I guess you could call it nit-picky, or a pet-peeve and I'm wondering if I am the only one this bothers.....

Today in an SST meeting we were meeting with a parent who did not speak English, so we provided an interpreter. We had a table full of school personnel  there to talk about the student which can be very overwhelming to a parent in the first place. What I noticed as we went around the table sharing our observations and data, were two things:
1. Some of the team members looked at one another when talking and did not make eye contact with the mom.
2. The flow of the conversation was a bit stilted because of the interpretation but facilitation to receive the parents feedback was not as present as it is in meeting which have native English speakers.

To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed but was sure to model the appropriate behavior on both a professional and human level.  I was sure to look directly at the parent when speaking to her, not speaking directly to  the interpreter or other staff and ensuring that the parent knew I was speaking to her and was interested in her opinion. I also asked the interpreter to please interpret what I was saying, and then ask the parent if she had any questions of me. I'm not sure if others did not do this because they were unsure of how to act during the meeting with an interpreter or if they were uncomfortable with the language barrier but it was noticeable to me, and I'm sure to the parent as well. I always brag about our staff and their ability to embrace cultural differences but I definitely see this as an area of growth for us. Communication with parents is crucial and in order for parents to feel accepted and welcomed into our school family, we need to ensure that they are treated and spoken to just as native English speakers. This may be merely something that we need to point out, as people may not even realize they are doing it but it sure did rub me the wrong way this afternoon......

What are your experiences with interpreters in meetings? How does your school staff and the culture of the school ensure that all parents are treated equitably through both oral and written communication? Have you had PD in this area or is it something that teachers are just supposed to know? Lastly, how can we, as future leaders, educate our staff to ensure that all are treated equitably, especially in meetings where interpreters are present?

Restorative Circles

This year our school took on restorative circles to replace some of the punitive discipline we use. We hired a restorative justice coordinator and lead weekly professional developments throughout the year. Teachers learned how to use restorative language and teacher were trained to ask questions after a conflict instead of making assumptions. Teachers were trained to ask the following restorative questions: 1. What did you think when you realized what had happened? 2. What impact has this incident had on you and others? 3. What has been the hardest thing for you? 4. What do you think needs to happen to make things right? While our restorative justice initiative is in its first year, we are already seeing a significant change in student behavior. When students have an argument, they are beginning to reach out to teachers to facilitate a circle. After suspensions, students and their families complete a restorative circle with teachers and administration to ensure that the conflict is resolved and the root feelings and emotions are discussed, valued, and cared for. We have not seen a significant reduction in our suspension numbers, but we hope to see that as the program grows.

When PD is a Necessity!

I happen to be the only male classroom teacher in my school. This is a blessing and at times a nightmare. The past 4 years I have been the recipient of the "bad" kids who need to be transferred out of a certain class. These kids are transferred from the same class each time. I recall a post about personal vendettas. It seems that this teacher cannot manage and/or maintain a positive learning environment for all her students or she just can't let things go. She obviously has it out for this kid. Numerous times she would have administration in her room immediately as the kids arrive. I have had my fair share of "tough" kids but through proper training and personal skills, I have done a great job in helping these kids succeed. 

Setting rituals and routines is the main focus of opening the school year. I have created a great atmosphere for my students to learn. They have settled in and we are having a great year. Now I have a kid that has been mistreated by another teacher and placed in my room with 3 months left in the school year. 

For this to happen to me 4 years in a row and the students coming from the same teacher raises a red flag in my opinion. I believe this teacher needs some PD on classroom management. These are  the types of situations when administrators should step in and fix the problem not just send the kid off. I am the type of teacher who can except change and will work my butt off to make it work. 

As a leader, I will lead by example and expect my staff to do the same. Fix the problem, do not make it worse with your words. Remember who the adult is in the situation. 

As for the administration in place......I will save that for a later post!!   

A Faculty Divided

The public charter school where I serve as a teacher has been going through some turmoil recently. Some would call it growing pains while others point fingers at what they deem to be the problem. Sadly, there is a divide among the faculty, staff, and school community. This split is as close to being as polarized as the 2016 presidential election. How the factions solidified is relatively easy to decipher. Many young graduates of a certain small private college from the rural North were recruited by the principal to come and teach here in Atlanta. This group of recent graduates was mingled with many Atlanta natives. We had a culture clash from the very start, and the elephant in the room was never addressed. This cultural divide continued to grow and grow, and here we are today.

Two Fridays ago, our Principal announced his resignation and that he would not be returning to our school for the 2017- 2018 school year. Shortly after that, 3 days later, the assistant principal was named the replacement principal. Many parents wanted there to be an interview process to determine the next educational leader, and others found that to be preposterous. Currently, the school community is waiting on the decision of the governing board to determine if the assistant principal is fit for the job. There is so much uncertainty and change going on all at once and still, no one has addressed the elephant in the room. 

Each teacher at the school is there to serve the student body. We are all deeply committed to the mission of the school. Yet we have this divide. It grieves me to work in this environment because I am such an extrovert and there is so little positive energy. It also hurts because I know the students are aware enough to feel the same tension that is around the school.

How does a school community rebound from something like this? I may be moved from my current role into the position of Dean of Students. Are there any suggestions/ideas out there for how I can close the gap within the school community? I have some of my own but desire as much input as possible.

Davy

Teacher burn out....

This is the time of the year where you can just tell people are tired. Everyone is snippy, referrals go up, and patience is very thin. As grade chair, my job is to take grade level concerns to grade level meetings. Each month I send an email out to my team of 20 teachers, and very rarely do I get anything back. I have maybe 1 a month. This month I sent out the same email. I received 8 emails about grade level concerns. Some were valid and things that we should be worried about. Others were things that have happened all year, and people are just tired of them. One example would be the fact that we don't always have our Special Ed AP in the building to answer questions. Our AP has been part time for more than 4 years.... so why are we just now emailing this as a concern?!?!?

As a leader in my building, I feel like we need to find a way to change the mentality of teachers. I wonder if changing the school calendar would help. I wonder if giving the teachers lunch would help. I wonder if giving the staff 1/2 day planning would help. Is there anything that will work, or is this a time of year where people need to vent? What are some things your building does to boost the mentality of teachers throughout the year?

Political viewpoints with our students

As a teacher of elementary students, I have learned it is best to keep politics out of the classroom. I do not share my viewpoints with my students, nor do I ask them their viewpoints. On the Monday before election day, we had many teachers that had their students complete a mock election. I felt like with the competitive nature of this election, this could turn out to be very dangerous.

Since the election, we have had very real talks with some of our students. We had one student come in and say they were a good Muslim, not the bad kind. Of course we know that she is good and we love her just the way she is, but there are very fine lines about what we can say. We have had students asked about the wall.  As a teacher, we have to find a balance to keep our own thoughts to ourselves about what the president is doing, but we have to make sure our students feel safe and loved.

How do you find that balance?

Advocacy vs. Team

Being a special education teacher, many times I have to choose to advocate for my student in lieu of working with my team.  I voice this because; many times the team of teachers I work with become not only my teammates, but friends as well.  Sometimes, the juncture of teammate and advocate cross and I have to choose to do what’s best for my students. Therefore, it causes rift or discord due to the fact of general education teachers may not understand the advocacy part of my job as a special educator and case manager.  For example, I have one particular student who is considered “a behavior problem”; therefore, in order to curtail many of his adverse behaviors, I drafted a form that would hold the student accountable and make the teachers informed across the team of these behaviors.  In doing so, I thought this would be a good ideal in order to curtail adverse behaviors and collect the data.  However, I received push back from my teammates because it caused them to collect data on a daily basis.  Therefore, I met with my teammates and explained to them the importance of data collection when a student is suspected of having emotional or behavioral problems.  Because this particular student was a problem in their classes, they understood the importance of collecting data and submitting it to further the conversation during parent conferences and IEP meetings.  Therefore, sometimes all it takes is meeting to explain why data collection is important and as the case manager, it is part of my job to gather this data to address certain behaviors to the parents during parent conferences or IEP meetings.  

Retaining New Teachers

This year, I have had the opportunity to serve as a new teacher mentor.  My mentee is new to our school, but not new to teaching.  Therefore, my role has been to help her learn "The Jenkins Way" rather than support her with instruction.  She has taught fourth grade longer than me, so she has provided me with more instructional support than I've provided her with.

I am really impressed with our new teacher mentor program.  This is the first year, since I have been at my current school, that we have implemented a new teacher program.  Currently, they meet every month for about 30 minutes.  Each month, the topic is based on whatever is going on in the building, or their personal needs, as a group (i.e. TKES, parent-conferences, RBES, etc.).

To acquire additional leadership hours, I often sit in on these meetings to support our coordinator in delivering information.  Since there are no administrators present, the discussion is very open and honest.  I feel as though the new teachers are gaining valuable information that they can use immediately.

Also, to attending new teachers meetings, each new teacher has an instructional coach.  The coach completes at least one coaching cycle a month to help support the teacher.  During the coaching cycles, they may focus on analyzing data, co-teaching models, lesson planning, etc.  The coach can provide them with immediate feedback to improve their instructional practices.

I have noticed this year that our new teachers are happier and feel more supported.  One thing that I would change about our mentoring program is that mentors/mentee teachers need to be beside each other, or at least in the same part of the building.  I also think that mentors need to go through some training before being paired with a mentor. Finally, mentor/mentee's should have similar personality traits so that they can work together.

What does your school do to support new teachers?

Connecting Learning

Growing up with three brothers, I have spent many hours watching football.   However, this is not a sports post...it is about the importance of connecting learning to our students' lives.

I have been struggling with helping my students, especially my boys, maintain momentum second semester.  They are doing the bare minimum and have very poor attitudes about school.   So, when I heard the following quote Sunday morning, "You can't play soft in practice and be tough in the game,"  I knew I would use it with my students.  

Today, we had a discussion about the quote above.  We discussed how during a football game, it is important for players to give their best during practice, so they are prepared for game day.  Then talked about how they have to prepare for tests (i.e. classroom tests, benchmarks, district assessments, and GMAS)  by studying and giving their all in class.  They began to make the connection that how they practice correlates with how they perform (i.e. if I continuously rush through my school work and do the minimum,  then I am going to have that same attitude on test day)

The highlight of today's discussion on giving their best for the remained of the year was when one student raised his hand today and said, "Just like the Falcons lost momentum the second-half Mrs. Martin?"  I said, "Yes, and you see what happened to them, except if you lose momentum you risk failing!"  It was great seeing them make the connection.

It was a great reminder for me, as a teacher, to connect learning to my students lives.  As a leader, it reminds me of the importance of making sure I am taking the needed steps