AF vet offers own plot at Arlington to Boston Bomber

[Forever_frost]

National Education Association’s retiring top lawyer, Bob Chanin, speaking at the NEA’s annual meeting in July, 2009:

“Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power.”

“And we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year, because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them, the unions that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.”

“This is not to say that the concern of NEA and its affiliates with closing achievement gaps, reducing dropout rates, improving teacher quality and the like are unimportant or inappropriate. To the contrary. These are the goals that guide the work we do. But they need not and must not be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining. That simply is too high a price to pay.”

http://nation.foxnews.com/culture/2011/02/23/teachers-union-big-wig-says-its-not-about-kids-its-about-power

[ceyko]

Don't get me wrong, I do realize there are problems at multiple levels on this, but he seems to be putting it all off on everything but the teachers. We fixed our problem with public schools by taking our children out of the equation.

Fair enough, I was under the impression you were blaming only teachers.

[Pro Trash]

Don't get me wrong, I do realize there are problems at multiple levels on this, but he seems to be putting it all off on everything but the teachers. We fixed our problem with public schools by taking our children out of the equation.

Denny I do not agree that my statement held that teachers hold no accountability, that is your assumption. I concur that there are many teachers in Texas classrooms who do not need to be there due to poor performance; however, I disagree that the majority of teachers fall into that category. You specifically stated in a prior post that

"Until the teachers and police have a majority of decent, productive personnel, I will keep the same outlook and keep it pretty vocal, thanks".

I then pointed out how many teachers are in Texas and hold that your statement regarding the majority of teachers not being decent or productive was not valid in that I hold that more than 70% of our states teachers are productive and decent.

It has also been asserted that because I am an school administrator my opinion is tainted, I do not disagree with this; however, I contend your opinion is tainted as well, for you feel so strongly about the poor performance of the schools in your area, you have opted to home school. I would say we are simply on opposite sides of this issue. I respect your opinions, I just choose not to agree with them.

[DallasSleeper]

Pro trash I have a question that maybe you can answer. Why is The Battle of Athens (McMinn County War) never taught in US History classes?

[Pro Trash]

Pro trash I have a question that maybe you can answer. Why is The Battle of Athens (McMinn County War) never taught in US History classes?

I honestly had never researched that particular issue, thank you for bringing that to my attention, very interesting event. I do not have an answer as to why it is not taught in U.S. History classes, it seems to be on the same line as the John Brown raid, your guess would be as good as mine.

[Forever_frost]

Denny I do not agree that my statement held that teachers hold no accountability, that is your assumption. I concur that there are many teachers in Texas classrooms who do not need to be there due to poor performance; however, I disagree that the majority of teachers fall into that category. You specifically stated in a prior post that

"Until the teachers and police have a majority of decent, productive personnel, I will keep the same outlook and keep it pretty vocal, thanks".

I then pointed out how many teachers are in Texas and hold that your statement regarding the majority of teachers not being decent or productive was not valid in that I hold that more than 70% of our states teachers are productive and decent.

It has also been asserted that because I am an school administrator my opinion is tainted, I do not disagree with this; however, I contend your opinion is tainted as well, for you feel so strongly about the poor performance of the schools in your area, you have opted to home school. I would say we are simply on opposite sides of this issue. I respect your opinions, I just choose not to agree with them.

What are you doing to get rid of those bad teachers?

[Forever_frost]

Pro trash I have a question that maybe you can answer. Why is The Battle of Athens (McMinn County War) never taught in US History classes?

I hadn't even heard about that until last year.

[DallasSleeper]

I hadn't even heard about that until last year.

Neither had I, and instantly I was wondering why not. To me that is one of the most important domestic events in history the since Pearl Harbor.

[Forever_frost]

It's been a careful coverup to remove any indication that the people have the authority in this country, not the cops, not governors, not the federal government.

[Pro Trash]

What are you doing to get rid of those bad teachers?

There is a process we follow that has been approved by the Texas Education Agency. Each year a teacher has to have a formal evaluation completed, sadly quite a few administrators wait until the end of the year to complete these. In order to place a teacher on a growth plan and start the correction or removal process the teacher has to be given a growth opportunity. If a school administrator waits until May to complete the formal evaluation then the growth plan cannot be properly implemented and the teacher will be back next year.

The proper evaluation process starts at the beginning of the year with a teacher self report, counseling and purposeful classroom walk-throughs that occur weekly. I prefer to complete all my formal evaluations before November 15th. This way I have 2 months to identify which teachers are struggling, complete numerous walk-throughs, issue directives followed with emails and counsel struggling teachers. I then place the struggling teachers on growth or TINA's ( Teacher in need of Assistance) plans. From there two things can happen, the struggling teacher can work to improve their practices, engage learners, implement technology, utilize formal and informal assessments, promote critical thinking, connect learning to real world issues or not competently meet these expectations. If they fail to meet the expectations of the growth plan they are then non-renewed and their future has been freed up. My process is completed before March 1st, so if I plan to non-renew a teacher they receive a letter in March and the school board receives a recommendation to non-renew with accompanied documentation. I have grown and removed teachers in this fashion every year since I have become an administrator. I have watched teachers completely turn it around with the right mentoring/training opportunities and sadly the opposite as well.

[Forever_frost]

In other words "We warn them we're coming so they can be on their best behavior and if they still fuck that up, we warn them some more while milking taxpayers for their pay and benefits."

Bad teachers should be fired by the end of the semester. You can tell you're an administrator. "Engage learners, implement technology, utilize formal and informal assessments..." All of that means is bad teachers get a lot of leeway and taxpayers are out the bill while more admins are hired to cover up more while providing nothing to education

[Pro Trash]

In other words "We warn them we're coming so they can be on their best behavior and if they still fuck that up, we warn them some more while milking taxpayers for their pay and benefits."

Bad teachers should be fired by the end of the semester. You can tell you're an administrator. "Engage learners, implement technology, utilize formal and informal assessments..." All of that means is bad teachers get a lot of leeway and taxpayers are out the bill while more admins are hired to cover up more while providing nothing to education

The tax payers voted for those who make the rules that govern the process I follow.

[Forever_frost]

Really? Taxpayers vote for unions and to put BS administrators in place that accept mediocre behavior?

[stevo]

I honestly had never researched that particular issue, thank you for bringing that to my attention, very interesting event. I do not have an answer as to why it is not taught in U.S. History classes, it seems to be on the same line as the John Brown raid, your guess would be as good as mine.

Spoken like a true politician.

Stevo

[Pro Trash]

Spoken like a true politician.

Stevo

Thank you