Teacher Action Group, A good start…

Last Monday I attended a meeting held by Teacher Action Group (TAG). The group was made up of about 20-25 Philadelphia teachers. The meeting was well organized and TAG had some good informative details about the school district’s “Renaissance” school plan. From my understanding TAG does not see the “Renaissance” school plan as something that can be stopped, an opinion with which I strongly agree. Their goal is to find some key ways in which teachers can influence the way in which the Renaissance plan comes about; another step which I believe is extremely important.

Here is a list of some of the areas in which TAG hopes to influence the Renaissance Process:

- Accountability, TAG wants to ensure that there is accountability for the “Renaissance” schools.

- School Advisory Councils, TAG would like encourage caring individuals (parents and teachers) to be on the committees that will be making key decisions on Renaissance Schools.

- Reconstitution, TAG would like communities and teachers to a voice in which schools are chosen to be “turned around.”

- Slowing Down the Process, TAG would like to ensure that this process is not rushed into without proper time to implement quality change.

- Innovation Schools, these are the schools that will be run by teachers and principals, TAG would like to see that these schools be the number one choice.

My Remaining Concerns -

I agree with TAG on a number of points. I agree that the creation of Renaissance Schools cannot be stopped and that it is important for teachers to try to influence this process. I also agree that drastic changes need to be made in Philadelphia Public School system in general. Where I may differ is that I am and will remain in opposition to this the whole Renaissance plan as it currently stands. I just don’t agree that the majority of the proposed Renaissance changes are the right ones. These changes do not address the biggest issue in Philly schools, discipline, or the myriad of other issues that are pushing quality professionals away. Another problem is that these changes are coming about from the wrong direction. A community will only be given a say in the matter after authorities (who are unfamiliar with the community in question) make the decision to reconstitute their neighborhood school. This translates to an experiment on kids who have already been experimented on before (Educational Management Organizations being the latest example). So while I do feel it is important to try to be a voice in the process, I also feel it is important to speak up when something is wrong. Frankly, I think this entire “turn around” process is wrong. Unless some major changes can be made in the reconstitution process this is going to further damage the students who need the most help.

How Many People Remember the Story of Derrion Albert? Another Reason "turnaound schools" Might be a Bad Idea...

The name probably doesn't ring a bell, but I bet the story will. Derrion Albert's story

was made famous, like many news stories these days, because it was posted on YouTube. One of

Derrion's classmates recorded his murder on a cell phone in Chicago's Southside this past

September. Six other young students were taped beating this boy to death in the most

gruesome fashion.

What I didn't know at the time and most people still don't know is that Derrion was

a student at one of Chicago's new "turnaround" schools. I am providing a link to another

blog that covers the story from an interesting perspective that links Derrion's death to

a climate that was created by the newly "turned around" Fenger high school.

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2009/10/chicago-turnaround-deadliest-reform-of.html

Need to Know Information For Upset Educators, A Meeting to Take Action!

Hey everyone,

I want to inform you all of a great opportunity to have your voices heard. There is an organization "Teacher Action Group" that is strategizing a response to the Renaissance

School Plan. The meeting will be Monday February 8th at 6 P.M, location 4205 Chestnut St. I will be there to help organize a response. Click the link to check out the attached information flier, it is excellent.

Click Here for Meeting Information

ps- No, my school will not be part of the Renaissance model next year, but I still believe some of these changes will do more harm than good. If we don't stand up and say something now we may never get that chance. There are too many teachers who have worked too hard serving kids in Philadelphia to have no say in these sweeping reforms. We are the ones on the ground in these schools our ideas should matter! The district often wants us to look like the enemy and our Union has it's tail between it's legs. Every teacher knows that unless some other issues are dealt with in schools these new policies are not going to have the intended effect.

Empowering Teachers Makes a Difference

A friend sent me this great article that discusses the positive effects of including teacher input when making decisions on school reform. I recommend reading the article. Just click on the link and scroll down to page 16.

Let’s face it; this is the exact opposite of what is happening here in Philadelphia. Instead of including dedicated and committed educators in the decision process teachers are being treated as the villains and often pointed to as the main problem in our schools. I really believe that until multiple parties can sit down together and discuss what needs to be done to change the climate of “failing” schools all these reforms are going to not only be a failure, but a catastrophic waste of hundreds of millions of tax payers dollars.

Stay posted. In the next couple days I am going to post some direct steps educators can take to make sure their voices are heard amid all this change.

“The third- grade teacher has seen a noticeable and positive change since her district began to collect and analyze classroom teachers’ views on the conditions of teaching and learning.” (American Teacher, page 16)

http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americanteacher/at_feb10.pdf

No Longer Employees of the District...?

Charters and EMO’s will be hiring their own staff:

"If selected as a teacher for a Renaissance charter school, the employees will have the option to either request a leave of absence from the School District of Philadelphia for up to five years, or resign from the District and then accept the new position at the Charter School. If selected as a teacher for a Renaissance contract school, the employees will no longer be an employee of the School District of Philadelphia and will need to resign and accept the new position with the contract organization." -Philadelphia Notebook

We were told by Jerry Jordan that the employees of reconstituted schools would remain district employees! Yes, our backs are up against a wall as a union, but folks deserve to know the truth and should be given time to make a calculated decision. We weren’t given that opportunity.

You can’t tell me that Jerry Jordan didn’t know this. I am not here to bash our Union. Yet at the same time I can’t help but feel that the teachers were misled. So where do we go from here? I don’t merely want to be a complainer. Instead, I think we as teachers who care for our students need to make a stand and do the job our Union hasn’t been able to do. If we don’t organize now these sweeping and insulting “reforms” will occur without any real input from the people who have spent tens of thousands of hours serving kids.

The Districts Response to Upset Teachers

Evelyn Oates-Samples and downtown administration continues to insult us as professionals. In the paper she said teachers may not understand the new model. We are professionals who can read! We understand the model because we took the time to figure it out for ourselves. The district didn’t take the time to explain it and the Union officials were hoping we wouldn’t so they could pass the contract through with no ruffles. We realize the potential negative ramifications these turnaround schools may have on already struggling communities that need our support not our experimentation.

Successful March!!!

While our numbers were small our hearts were in the right place! It felt good as a teacher to have a chance to voice our frustration over the lack of teacher input in the Renaissance Schools and to show our opposition. The newspaper reporters who were there seemed very interested in hearing what teachers had to say. I have to say that is what I enjoyed most, real educators who care about kids being able to voice their concerns. There was definitely talk of doing another march on a larger scale. In our next march we could give it a little more time to organize, plan better, and get out more teachers, parents, and students. Talking with teachers I really believe we could get large numbers to take a stand! Thanks to the two or three teachers who organized today's march!

Please give some feedback on your thoughts for a future march. If you are interested send your email or contact info to phillyteachertalks@gmail.com, I would love to chat.