tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post1706256573323195229..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: Why I'm A Lousy Teacher, And Why Our District's New Evaluation System Will Confirm ThisDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-23099023991452037862015-12-07T20:03:39.474-08:002015-12-07T20:03:39.474-08:00Oh teachers are leaving. Many are simply counting ...Oh teachers are leaving. Many are simply counting the days, not weeks or months, until they can leave. Some are retiring early and getting other jobs. Our head theater teacher, tired of having the district supervisor load him with extra work that she's supposed to do, got a job working for a well known pink Dallas based company handling their productions for about $20K more a year. His last day is this Friday. This is not the case in all districts. There are some that still seem to value the education of the student over the ranking in the UIL book of stats. Richardson ISD, home of Texas Instruments, has always been a good district. Frisco ISD, with its policy of not letting schools get huge, is another. With my years of experience, and my expertise, I'm too expensive to hire unless someone wants a department head without a Masters degree. If you decide to move this way, let me know and I can give you tips.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-23479315577325413452015-12-05T20:11:25.255-08:002015-12-05T20:11:25.255-08:00I don't think I'll be applying for work in...I don't think I'll be applying for work in your district, Ellen. I feel like I stand a fighting chance where I am, but you....Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-12116362260652196182015-12-05T19:36:49.684-08:002015-12-05T19:36:49.684-08:00This is some of the nonsense we've heard as Te...This is some of the nonsense we've heard as Texas also moves toward similar teacher evaluations to replaced PDAS:<br />-To a Latin teacher with years of experience "You should have the students speak more Latin."<br />-To a French teacher who had just presented an opportunity for her students to Skype with an undersecretary to the State Dept who is stationed in Paris. "You should present more lessons where the students guide the learning." (how many students have an uncle in the State Dept?)<br />-To an art teacher with several special needs students including one that runs around the room hooting when he's upset "You really need to learn more classroom management techniques."<br />-To an American Sign Language teacher "Students should be talking more in class" -totally ignoring that they are signing the entire time.<br />-To me, after having produced a movie of our museum trip, and being denied access to the school Apple TV's to show the resulting product "You need to use more technology." Explanation on the project-each student had to submit a still photo of an artwork and a video discussing an artwork. The compilation was a 20 minute movie complete with narration and music. <br /><br />Frankly I don't know what to do anymore. I'm looking at my class list for the new term and out of 31 students total only SEVEN are without some sort of special designation that requires copious documentation. That means on a weekly basis I am required to document information for 24 students. It would be one thing if it was read-but this is just a CYA move to protect administration and SpEd from lawsuits. I've put in information when I think placement is egregious or inappropriate. They will be placing a very low functioning student who is on the spectrum and who hates getting messy, in my painting class. This class incidentally, is already multilevel requiring three different lesson plans. This is serving nobody well.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-8224409558186117242015-12-05T18:31:18.119-08:002015-12-05T18:31:18.119-08:00I have always taught my class (middle school histo...I have always taught my class (middle school history) as a sage on the stage. I know my info and my students don't. Why should I spend 3 days having my students find the information on their own when it is easier for everyone to be done with the information in 30 minutes?<br />After the sage on the stage part, the students on their own answer some questions or write a paragraph of what he just learned. They don't need to do this in groups of answering simple basic questions that we just went discussed.<br />Most students like my class because I spread the wisdom of my knowledge, they learn more interesting information and they get out of doing pesky group work.Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-7742603062967762872015-12-05T18:29:36.903-08:002015-12-05T18:29:36.903-08:00My classes aren't "teacher centered"...My classes aren't "teacher centered", they're "math centered".Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-54059777434428890932015-12-05T18:27:10.606-08:002015-12-05T18:27:10.606-08:00I was recently evaluated and marked down because I...I was recently evaluated and marked down because I don't use enough (ambiguous enough?) variety of instructional methods. Yet, my students consistently make the most progress, year after year. Yes, I do more than lecture, but I am too "teacher centered". Teacher gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13208175008287749994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-52640034264219455792015-12-05T14:57:47.327-08:002015-12-05T14:57:47.327-08:00At our school, alumni who were average students ha...At our school, alumni who were average students have assumed administrative positions. They are in their 40s but lack classroom experience at the high school level. In the 3 years they have been in charge we have retired more than 1/2 of our faculty. That is a lot of years of experience. The administration made no secret that they wanted the old guard to leave and began to make things uncomfortable for older faculty to entice them to leave. It has worked. The emphasis has changed. We have gone from one of the top academic schools in the state to a place that is "fun" for students. They don't believe that the two things can coexist. Students are referred to as "boys and girls" rather than "men and ladies". Apparently we are no longer developing adults but are prolonging childhood through their school experiences. I have been at the school for almost 20 years and am taking early retirement. The children are in charge and it is difficult to continue to be singled out as "too hard" because expectations are "too high".<br /><br />If this is the direction of education, God help us all. Graduates will vote and procreate and have less knowledge than educated students of the 19th century. They certainly lack the courtesies.<br /><br />I am finished and looking forward to the next phase of life.<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com