The question was posed, what do you wish other people understood? My answer….
I wish people understood that teachers have a life outside of the classroom
That although they care about the students, all 140 students are not their children
I wish people understood that it is not a realistic thought
for a teacher to see a student for one class five times a week and undo 15 years of bad habits or misinformation
I wish people understood that teachers are more than a babysitter
For on a daily basis, a teacher has to play the roles of teacher, mother, father, brother, sister, friend, counselor, nurse, and police officer
I wish people understood how involved a teacher is to their child’s future
….to the future of the country.
I wish people understood that although a school is responsible for the child’s well being during the day,
the parents are still ultimately responsible for the child, and an answer like “they’re your problem until 3″ is just pathetic
I wish people understood that a good teacher doesn’t start work at 8 and leave at 3
That the day begins early to prepare and set up and the grading goes late into the night, and summer vacation without work and preparation, is a far and distant memory
I wish people understood that the disrespect you show your child at home,
or the disrespect you accept from your child at home, gets transferred to the teacher during the day
I wish people understood that a teacher often loves their job,
while not in it for the money, they still has to pay their own bills, provide for their own kids
I wish people understood that not every child comes from a rich family with plenty to eat and love to go around
and that teachers are charged with making up the difference
I wish people understood that along with the academic standards for instruction,
a teacher is also expected to develop character, morals and ethics, behavior, work ethic, etc.
I wish people understood that just because something is announced as a good idea on the news
Doesn’t make it one.
Please check out the details of the new teacher pay bill and consider if we did everyone’s job this way: a five minute survey after a police officer gives a ticket, or how about the police officer gets docked in pay if the same person gets another ticket for the same offense. What if we gave a public survey out on all politicians and based their pay on the results? What if doctor’s lost 30% of their pay because someone came to them with something that simply can’t be cured? What are we teaching with a bill like this?
I believe this will only keep good teachers away from the students who need them the most. And it’s funny how the only suggestion they have for getting the school districts more money is to give teachers less. http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14222574 It’s also interesting that they say that the pay incentive plan has not been set, but they are not saying that something has been released and circulated in the education world, here is what teachers have been said will determine their pay:
-All teachers will be paid on what they do (subject and content areas will determine your pay base)
-All Teachers will go through SAFE-T (ADEPT) every year – 4 evaluations (2 teacher and 2 administrator) – 50% of your score for pay
-Pre and post test data for your students (probably MAP 75% class growth) – 30% of your score for pay
-School collective test data – 10 % of your pay
-Professional responsibility – 5% if your pay (parents and students will be part of the evaluation process)
-Professional development measured by instructional practices – 5% of your score for pay
All of these points are outlined in the bill. You can gain access to the whole bill at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/3363.htm
