Driven

It's funny, the words that stick in your head at important junctures. Today is my final day of teaching at a school that needs good teachers. It is also potentially my last day of teaching in the classroom because I've accepted a new position as an Academic Dean.
Driven came to mind this morning. The uncertainties of teaching in one of Connecticut's "Network" schools has driven me to want out of the school.  As of the last day of school, many of my colleagues don't know where or what they will be teaching, despite years of great reviews.
Driven came to mind two days ago when I asked a student twice to put away a cell-phone during the final exam before taking the test away on the third time it came out. I am tired of being blamed for the failure of students like that and so I am being driven out in order to take care of my self.
Driven came to mind a week ago when I realized that there are plenty of people who doubt I can handle this new position. Sure, it is a stretch for me, but I hate failing. It is that fear of failure that has caused me to read anything and everything about this profession. It is that fear of failure that makes me ask questions of the people who I think can guide me.
Yes, driven is the word of the week.

As a supporter of education reform, including the charter school movement, it is disappointing that the reform movement is focused not on the actual education of students, but on creating a brand or a name for themselves.  Over at Ctpost.com, an interesting article explores the money trail in Connecticut's attempt to "reform" education.
Finally, a news organization in this state is willing to look at what is happening in our State.  Perhaps, now someone should look at the complete authority given to Dr. Steven Adamowski as he dictates his reform agenda to Windham Public Schools. Someone needs to follow that money and his decisions.

Missed Opportunities

Every morning in schools around the country, the P.A. system beeps on and the daily announcements come on. Some schools use broadcasts, which is at least much more interesting than the voices in the sky.
But, I can't help but think that these modes, especially the P.A. system is hopelessly outdated.
In a generation where schools are constantly looking to draw their students in and engage them, it seems to me that we are missing many great opportunities to deliver messages through Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Youtube. Schools are still fearful of these social media sites, and the result is a greater divide between the students and the school leaders.

Governor Malloy Must Just Show Up for Four Years Pt. 2

Unless I am misunderstanding Governor Malloy's Education Reform movement, he would like to see teachers held accountable for poor student performance. But for the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team, Governor malloy finds it "ridiculous" that the NCAA has banned the team from post-season play for poor academic standards in the past.
Interesting. I guess it isn't politically advantageous to call out the UConn Huskies and Coach Jim Calhoun, but those poor, incomepetent teachers...

Caught off Guard

My best guess is that if the quality of my teaching was to be judged on student outcomes this year, I might end up as ineffective, especially when compared to last year's scores. Surviving this year has undoubtedly been difficult, and it has often left me feeling ambivalent. And yet.
In his powerful book of essays, The Hungering Dark, Frederick Buechner writes a prayer:
"Catch us off guard today. Surprise us with some moment of beauty or pain so that for at least a moment we may be startled into seeing that you are with us here..." My wife and I had the entirety of the prayer read at our wedding. The truth of it encompasses so much of what we do.
Last week, on a Friday no less, a student or two caught me off guard. For the entire school year to date, this one student, full of good intentions, has failed to accomplish any reading assignments at home.
But here she was, eight chapters into The Lord of the Flies, up to date on her reading and with the type of annotations I expect from my students. Tucked into her notes was a deep and profound question, but I can't remember it. Instead, I remember the lump in the throat, the "moment of beauty."
I have learned this year to not let my highs get to high or my lows get to low. It is what it is as the cliche goes. But I was thankful for the moment.

Governor Malloy Must Just Show Up for Four Years

Now, I am an advocate of school reform. However, I am not an advocate of school reform being led by people who can't even follow a basic line of reasoning, and thus completely misunderstands the statements of the very people he disparages. That Governor Malloy did not understand the speaker's premise or the speaker's ultimate conclusions is an embarrassement to the State led reform.

The Socialist Experiment

The motto of my new, state run education system will be, "from each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her need." My father won't be happy with this new socialistic leaning, but Governor Malloy and other reformers have inspired me to join the movement.
In our new education system, the state, presumably me because I will have that kind of authority, will determine who the best teachers in the entire state are, and where they teach. I will clearly begin my search for the best by heading to Avon and Simsbury and, well, Fairfield County for sure. Those commodoties, the best teachers, will be delivered to the neediest schools in Connecticut, those in Hartford, Bridgeport, and Windham.
Once those needy schools have the best teachers, I will then transfer the crappy teachers, the ones I've replaced in Hartford, Bridgeport, and Windham to Avon, Simsbury, and most of Fairfield County.
The middle of the road schools found in Tolland, Mansfied, and Torrington will get left alone because while their scores are good, they aren't great and thus don't have any teachers to move up or down.
I would clearly have to force all of these transfers because those really good teachers (the capitalists I guess) are only concerned with their well-being--that is why they don't teach in those terrible and failing schools.