Resource Teachers - How?

Yesterday I commented that the two things most needed by teachers that leads to job satisfaction, being motivated and inspired. Provide teachers with the resources they need and accord them the respect, dignity and concern they deserve as professionals. In other words treat them like family.

Let me tackle the first one...resourcing teachers. Okay, it sounds easy but it often turns out to be anything other than easy.

First of all, administration needs to ask staff what they need and administration should fight like crazy to obtain those supplies and resources. Administration should not make teachers jump through hoops and red tape to acquire what is needed. In fact, administration needs to trust their teachers in terms of making such requests.

Often, teachers have to go through many catalogs and brochures to find the exact items needed for the classroom. The budget can't be the only thing that justifies the purchase of needed items. If dept. chairs and teachers do their homework, that should be enough for administration. We trust teachers with the kids, we need to trust them with spending.

These are reasonable suggestions and should be followed.

Dick

Two Things, Just Two

I can vividly remember getting into education as a profession well over 40 years ago. I made less than $10,000 in my first year and to the day that I retired I couldn't tell you what I made in that final year. No, I didn't intentionally forget what I made in 2005. It was more a matter that the amount of money didn't matter.

What mattered in the early 70's, as well as in 2005 and 2015, is something far more important than the bucks.

Teachers teach because young people matter and to effectively help students two factors are critical to making the enterprise of teaching and learning bloom. If teachers are asked what resources they need and are provided with ALL the necessary tools, that will go a long way towards reaching that goal. The final piece of the puzzle revolves around how one is treated.

If the community, boards of education, and school administration accords the staff with genuine respect, makes clear their shared concern for excellence, seeks their input (and follows it), and really care about others. To get right down to it, their is a fabric woven akin to a well-functioning family. Trust, respect and loyalty prevail.

Find a successful school and the above prevails.

Dick

What do Teachers Make?

Of course, many people want to know "how much do teachers make?" Of course the question is always posed as a dollar amount and there is commonly a snarky comment or leading idea that "teachers make too much"

Well, since people want to know what teachers make, I will tell you, from experience and from watching my fellow colleagues over the past few decades, how much teachers make.

Teachers make believers out of students. Often teachers make students see that the choices they make are significant now and well into the future. Teachers make extraordinary efforts to help their charges come to understand that their futures can be impacted for the better through education. Teachers gladly make sacrifices for the kids and teachers make it a point to avail themselves to help young people long after students have been in their classes.

Quite simply, the next time someone asks you "how muchdto teachers make,?" tell them that they make a difference in the lives of young people.

Dick

Springing into Action

Okay, so it isn't spring yet...not by any stretch of the imagination!! But, in a few short weeks, Schools Count will be reaching out to past donors, friends and neighbors as we start our once-a-year solicitation of funds to help area schools.

Our efforts to help those in need stretches from the deep south side of Chicago to the northwest portion of the city. From Harvey to Robbins, from Englewood to the Austin neighborhood, we endeavor to help students and their families forge ahead in the classroom and beyond. We bring support to students who are in need of everyday classroom supplies, school uniforms, band instruments and much more.

I'll be sending out our annual mailer in a few short weeks and you will be able to get a first hand glimpse of just how successful our efforts have been over recent years.

Looking forward to making 2015 a resounding success!

Thanks,
Dick

Here's an Idea

Say what you want, but I still think the most important thing the public and everyone connected to education can do is to find a way to work together in a cooperative manner. Many may be dismissive of this notion or think that is it some esoteric platitude with little meaning. They could be further from the truth.

By cooperating I mean that people seriously and respectfully listen to one another. I am referring to posing the serious questions about education. The art of compromise must fill the board room and community. If you don't think compromise works, just take a look at some of the lessons of history.

Finally, for today that is, it is time for groups to stop being so disagreeable. Oh, one can disagree with another individual but we don't have to be so disagreeable.

Just an Idea!

Dick

Productive Teachers

It might well be argued that today's students and teachers are more productive than ever. First, teachers have more mandates thrown at them than ever before. Both students and their instructors are forced to give up a number of days for standardized testing that has little, well maybe none, affect on learning.

Teacher certification in most states is more stringent than in the past and, oh, by the way, most teachers realize that keeping up with material and staying fresh is important.

There are always news books, new online materials and new magazines that teachers are eager to read. Plenty of course work in ones chosen field is always a must.

Keeping up with the latest software, rules on handling Special Education initiatives, and reconfiguring curriculum in light of Common Core are just the tip of the iceberg. School related responsibilities outside of the classroom take up considerable hours and are rarely viewed with a keen eye towards the commitment of teachers.

By the way, lesson planning, writing curriculum, delivering lessons and assessing student work are still the foundation of the critical mass known by teachers as central to their mission.

I know many of these productive professional!

Dick

Don't Beat Them Up

I find it interesting and most revealing that the so called 'reformers' are hell bent on complaining about high teacher salaries or the fact that they have summer vacations. What I find even more intriguing is the fact that none of these 'reformers' ever discusses the work load of teachers or students.

The field of teaching has changed in many ways over the past couple of decades. Bottom line, whether reformers want to believe it or not, we ask teachers to perform more in-class and out-of-class tasks than ever before. In short, we expect teachers to be more productive.

One word to the wise for everyone willing to pile more obligations onto the backs of teachers. Look out, you just might break one of the most precious commodities that exists in terms of raising and caring for your children.

I think it would be interesting to take a look at the longer hours worked and the additional responsibilities placed on teachers relative to their pay and then compare it to 20 years ago.

Here's my guess...people are continuing to get a real bargain with America's public school teachers in 2015!!

Dick