Eli Broad says he absolutely is not interested in privatizing public education. (Scholastic Administrator)
A teacher describes the “iLearn” program that the city approves for credit recovery. (Chaz’s School Daze)
A principal describes an interaction that is possible when teachers put their ego aside. (Practical Theory)
After his school’s career day, a teacher ruminates on his own career in the classroom. (Assailed)
A dedicated UFT voter wonders whether he should still have the right when he retires. (NYC Educator)
A mother describes her ideal New York City high school and concludes it is a fantasy. (Insideschools)
Researchers say they are finding that white New Yorkers would choose diverse schools. (SchoolBook)
Les Vegas
Since you did an article about union dues, how about GS does one now entitled “Where Does Success Academy Funding Go?”
I bet many here would be interested!
A.S.Neill
The above teacher (“Assailed”) ruminated on career day: “Be prepared to wake up early, sleep late, get paid less, do more, have control over nothing and be blamed for everything”.
Some outside teaching might think this is an exaggeration, but from teachers I talk to, not by much. I cannot think of any other place in the world or for that matter any time in history, where the morale of teachers has sunk so low as in this country at the present time (TFA is an exception of course but then 50% leave teaching within two years). There is something very seriously wrong here and if any educators thinks this is the way to revitalize education, they have a serious problem with leadership. Throw in the mass hysteria about teacher “effectiveness” and flawed studies about charter schools, cheap virtual learning, and the rest, my feeling is that a perfect storm is brewing and the country is soon about to go off the cliff educationally. And who will they blame then?
http://twitter.com/BNiche B
I’m clearly not a writer at GS, but this article in the Huffington Post was quite interesting to read:
Spending some time in New York City’s system, I have to agree and frankly, I’m not impressed with what I’m seeing.
The increasingly hostile working conditions in many public schools are driving away the people with sound morals and values who are (or could be) fine teachers in other circumstances. And those are the kind of people that the public apparently wants to work with their children. (Funny, huh?)
At the schools I’ve worked at so far, I see that those who are eligible to retire are filing for retirement at the earliest opportunity. Those that have other jobs lined up are leaving, sometimes very abruptly. Newcomers are more reluctant than ever to join the profession. Can’t blame them. (In my particular case, I can’t seem to land a full-time position in a “high demand subject” at a school that’s NOT a dysfunctional wreck. Substitute teaching is not a sustainable way of life either.)
The only types of people remaining in the very battered profession that I see are: (1) those who will run through hell and back because they absolutely love teaching, (2) those who have nowhere else to go but still need the money, (3) those who have “issues” (charitably speaking) that could possibly make them oblivious to the problems surrounding them or (4) a combination of the three.
Problem is, I’m seeing more people in the former categories slowly being
driven to insanity too. (Which gives me pause for thought if I should
continue down this path myself).
What I’m seeing is a waste of talent and a lack of sustainable vision for the mid/long-term future. As part of the older end of the Millenial generation, I think I can say this to those in charge now: If you burn us (the students and aspiring teachers) now, we’ll still be able to figure out a way to make a living in spite of what’s being done to us. But it’s on you if we can’t provide for you at your time of need – we just might not be able to even if our hearts and minds are all in the right place.
vanna
This is a great post and is totally accurate. The corruption in our NYC schools is beyond crazy scary. I believe the powers to be realize that many of NYC kids are just plain lazy, not educationally motivated, constantly want to fight others, etc…other teachers know what im talking about. So, with that said, the system is a total wreck. Why? Because now you have fake teachers working with these kids and thats not working …..look at the scores…look at the attitudes….kids bark at every chance to make an excuse….i did not do it it was him or her….omg
If memories serve me, in 2009 or 2010 there was an article in the Daily News where it mentioned that 72% of the HS graduates who entered a community college need remediation.
So Bloomberg’s education reforms have definitely shown an 11% increase in students not being prepared for the future nor for the rigors of college.
I figure in 3 year the newspapers will report that over 90% of those students who used ilearn to accumulate credits will not be allowed to even fill out a college form because those students will not be able to handle the rigors of remediation.
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