Sub Vision: A College-student Teacher

From time to time, I have the opportunity to see education from a prospective of a student, not a teacher.

Over the years, I have taken many classes at the local community college, during preparation for teaching credentials; refresher math classes, prerequisite, or classes for enrichment and fun.

Sitting in these classes is not much different from being in high school. Most of the students are barely over 18, just graduated, and are not much more eager to learn then when they were few years younger. College professors are struggling to get them interested, alternatively promising, on one side, and threatening, on the other. Students are being students, trying to get away with doing as little as possible…

I have watched different professors dealing with students’ attitude in different ways. There were teachers who proposed endless ways to get an extra credit, offering extra homework, extra tests, extra projects… I saw teachers declaring that they will drop the lowest tests’ score. Other teachers changed the rules as we progressed into the semester, and as they realized, I guess, how poorly their students are doing. I don’t know if college professors have to show some reasonable students’ passing rate, if their reputation is on the line with the college authorities, or with students using web sites like ‘grade my professor’. Whatever the reason is, demands are much more flexible than, in my mind. should be.

One main problem that constantly spoils the K-12 education system, and not present in college, is unruly behavior... What a relief! If you want to be here, you are welcome, if not - just hit the road… It is not to say that college professors don’t have to shush students from time to time, reminding them why they are there, but the everyday struggle of a school teacher to get students’ attention, in the best case, or stop purposely disruptive behavior (with varying levels of worse…), is just not present. Students who don’t want to learn don’t come, and if signed on to the class it is up to the professor to retain or dismiss them.

Yet, what surprises me most as a college-student, who has a prospective of a teacher, is how much college professors are bending their rules to accommodate students' bad habits, brought from high school, and how they enforce them by being so careful not to enrage their learners.

A typical situation that makes me lough, yet angered me as a symbol of the education system’s failure, is highlighted by encounter I had with a fellow students. Although the teacher had stressed time and time again not using a pen, a student came to class without a pencil. I offered him one, he thanked me and returned it at the end of the class. On the following meeting he had no pencil again and I offered him my extra, that he returned at the end of the class. On the third time, when he still had no pencil I gave him mine again and said, half-jokingly, that he might as well keep it. He didn’t attempt to return it this time, and for the next several classes he seemed to be well stocked, although I realized that he was not using my pencil anymore… So guess what happened on Finals day? Of course, he came to the final test without a pencil. What did I do? Offered him yet another pencil… And at the end of the exam? He left, not returning it, not thanking me; he just left...

Now, here I am, a student who happened to be also a teacher, guilty of the very same wrongdoing that I am so critic of… I am just another enabler who helps students neglect their simple, basic, responsibilities… 

Substitute Teaching: …And take attendance!

Schools are crazy when it comes to recording attendance. I have had frantic office clerks calling me every 10 minutes to check on attendance. No one cared that my trials in the unruly class were in vain. The only thing that mattered was entering attendance in a timely manner. Some schools would not release me at the end of the day unless I obtained a certificate from the attendance office that I achieved my main duty. Sometimes it means wondering through five different offices to find a willing staff member to issue the release form, after begging them for help.

At one middle school, a good school turned bad, I had an unruly 6^th period. Students didn’t bring books on purpose so that they can go to their lockers. They were continuously talking rather than working. All of a sudden, an administrator walked in. I was quite relieved to get the unexpected help, and told him about the misbehaving cases. The administrator listened to me politely but seemed to be completely unconcerned. He was not there to help me with misbehaving students. He came to reprimand me for not entering attendance yet!

It feels like nothing that you do in the classroom matters as long as you have taken care of the roll, and yes, entered it to the computerized system. You are measured only by this ability to enter attendance promptly! And maybe with good reason… Maybe it is an amazing accomplishment after all. Finding a functioning computer is a challenge, and figuring out how to operate it is even a greater challenge.

First, not all computers are created equal. The power bottom can be hidden below the desk, under the monitor, behind the screen. Some schools have laptops, some have apples, some very old computers covered with dust, and it is always an adventure. Once you figure out how to turn on the computer you have to be creative about how to log in. sometimes it follows a certain pattern, sometimes not.

Next, you have to find the site, and enter the code to the attendance system. It is made out of 8-10 characters, numbers, and upper and lower case letters. When you see ‘I’ it might be ‘1’, upper case letter ‘I’, or lower case ‘l’. ‘0’ can be a zero or upper case letter ’O’. After three attempts, the system locks you out for unspecified time period, before letting you renew your trials, hopefully with more success this time.

And then, unexpectedly, you are kicked out of the system and you have to start all over again…

No wonder then, that your main test as a sub is entering the attendance…

Substitute Teaching: Tips for substitute teachers

Substitute teaching is hard, but it has the advantage that at the end of the day you don’t have to stress over tomorrow. Even if committed for a long term, there is always a way out without breaking a contract or much attention. I worked at a school for four years, with assignment ranging from one month to a year long, and although never used the option to withdraw, I had a peace of mind knowing that it is available. Lately, with only few exceptions, I take only one-day assignments.

Here are few tips on how to tolerate the job:

What to carry: Take a bag that is big enough to include a light sweater (classes are always over air-conditioned), water bottle, and a lightweight book or magazine, but not too big or heavy in case you move between classrooms. Having something to read or be occupied, will keep your sanity. In most cases, you are not expected to teach, and being busy will make time go faster, and irritation level minimal. Using a cell phone might look unprofessional, but a good book or magazine will do.

Also, bring some basic supplies; papers to write notes to the permanent teacher, the office, or to yourself, extra pencils, a red pen, and even some dry-erase markers.

What to plan: Plan an activity for a worst-case scenario when teacher had not prepared a lesson plan and the class is unruly; happens often enough. My favorite students’ individual activity is Sudoku. I draw it on the board, let students copy it (keeps them busy for a while), and explain the rules. Other activities can be fun problems solving, or if you have a good control of the class, you may create groups to compete against each other. My favorite subject is geography or general themes.

Tools to control the class: The most critical tool for keeping a class in order is a seating chart. Nothing is more powerful than mastering names. Unfortunately, many teachers do not have one, and thus a hard copy roster is critical. Over the years, I have developed methods to create my own charts. If seating is in rows, I mark student’s seat on the roster with a letter and a number (e.g., row A, seat 4). Otherwise, I draw a simple map and mark seats with student’s serial number; makes locating names easy. If none possible, I wait few minutes before taking a roll, observe students to locate potential troublemakers, and mark them as I take role. Calling a student by name, or better, writing it on the board is very effective.

Tool to keep them busy: Responsible teachers prepare work to keep students occupied the entire period, leave extra work for the over achievers, and instruct to collect papers at the end of the period. Some schools demand emergency lesson plans. Less organized teachers (and schools) do not have plan or clear instructions. For these situations I keep a red pen to mark students’ progress. I may give them a check or a star after the first 10 problems, and another star (stamp, sticker), after the next 10. This way I can control their progress, and motivate them to stay busy.

Other motivators: Some substitute teachers walk around and distributing stickers, prices or candies. I don’t. Partly, because I don’t want to carry stuff with me, and partly, because I don’t believe in rewarding behavior that is part of being at school.

You can choose your own way… but, most important – when things get rough remember – you don’t have to do it again tomorrow! 

Substitute Teaching: The school that had not changed

I worked at a high school for two years, as a volunteer, teacher assistant, and then a full time math/special ed teacher. I was offered to stay as a special ed teacher, but my goal was to become a general ed math teacher, so I left.

As a substitute teacher, I was rarely sent to that school. Being on the lower end of the food chain, I was sent to middle schools, and not the better ones. Then all of a sudden, more than ten years later, I started to get assignment at that school.

During my first few visits, I was very excited. I studied every staff member’s face and, surprisingly, recognized many. I saw my, then, assistant, who helped me become a better teacher, and other assistants and teachers with whom I worked.

What surprised me was that nothing had changed. Same bell schedule (many other schools had tweaked it with the hope to improve students’ performance). Same long (un-heard of) 20 minutes nutrition break, 35 minutes lunch (you can actually finish a whole salad ball), and, yes, 20 minutes of silent reading (long abandoned by all other schools, replaced by useless advisories, or breakfast in class).

At least as surprising, was to see the same teachers, at the same classroom! Wondering around trying to locate my old classroom, I discovered that the teacher next door, who was my mentor, but also my son’s Spanish teacher, was still there. Another of my son’s teachers, then a young and charismatic teacher, I located at the same classroom where he was twelve years earlier. Teachers did not even aged that much, and the ones I thought were, back then, quite old, don’t look any older.

I have marveled over this phenomenon every time I talk to someone who knows that school, until one day a lady who worked there pointed that something had changed dramatically - the main office!

She was absolutely right! Back in the days, there were two office personnel there, with the same first name, both pretty, both with a bright smile that welcomed you every morning, no matter how stressful the morning was. One had retired, the other was let go during one of the district’s unreasonable reorganizations. Replacing them is a new office manager who may be very efficient, but also very unpleasant.

A public school’s “main office” has enormous effect on school’s environment; it is the gate to the school, the first experience…

It has changed! And not for the better…

Substitute Teaching: Good teacher or good Students?

I was called back to the same school about a month later, to replace the same teacher. I hoped to have a different group, since students meet only every other day, but it was the same group. I was nerves about seeing again the kid with the black eye. He was there, but seemed OK and more serious and subdued now…

I distributed the worksheets the teacher had left there, and only later realized that their title was ‘Chapter Test’. Since nothing in teacher’s notes mentioned a test I, first, ignored it, but after confirming with students I established test discipline…

During the test, students had asked me questions and it forced me to look at the test and try to solve it. Parts of it were easy enough, but others were more challenging. At one point, a female student had asked for help on a problem that I could not figure out immediately, and I was wondering how other students solved it.

Not much later, my special student ended his test. I did notice on the previous visit that he was very quick, and the first to complete a worksheet or a test. I checked his solution to the problem the female student had asked, but his answer did not seem right to me. He also left out another, longer and more involved, problem.

I started checking every test handed back to me to see who had solved those two problems correctly.  None of the answers to the two problems seemed to be correct, and only few students even attempted to solve them …

I had only three classes that day, and was curious to see how the second period will deal with those problems. They had the same test, and checking each one, I did not find correct answers to the tricky questions, and very few attempts all together …

The third period of the day was of honors students, a very crowded class that I remembered from my previous visit. Their test was in a separate pile but looking at it, I realized it was the same. Now I was really interested in how they will perform.

The difference between this class and the others was obvious from the start. They insisted on having a review before taking the test, so I did let them ask questions.

We spent about half the period on review, despite my advice to start the test to give them enough time. They wanted to be sure, a sign of motivation and ambition.

At last, I distributed the tests and waited, impatiently, to see the result. When the first test was handed back to me, I saw with delight that the answers were exactly right. I complemented the girl for being the first to answer correctly. Later, not to spoil her pride, I did not mention that every single test was absolutely correct too…

So… here we are - same school, same population, with the same teacher - the students in the more crowded class, on the last period of the day (and week), were just superior to students in the other two classes. They were more motivated to learn, it was quite clear, but they were also… how to say it… smarter!

Teacher’s fault? Teacher’s praise? Is she to be blamed for the failure of the first two classes or to be praised for the success of the third class?

Substitute Teaching: Child Abuse Reporting

I was called to substitute at a good school on the very first week of the school year. Early in the morning, hardly awake, I debated if to accept it, and I did.

The day went well enough. Met a friend from the old school, assignment was not bad, students were mostly obedient, and I even had a chance to teach… But at the end of the day, I left the school with a nagging dilemma - to call or not to call?

On the first period of the day, a kid attracted my attention for being too active, not staying in one place, and disruptive. I called him to order several times, and only then I noticed that one of his eyes is swollen and surrounded with dark circles.

Now, I am a Mandatory Reporter of Child Abuse. Every year I go through training and tests that reminds me of all my duties, and the consequences. The question is - does a black eye constitute a child abuse? And is it my job to inquire and report?

So I did what I thought makes sense. I sent him to the nurse with a sealed note. Few minutes later, when he came back empty handed I sent him back. He returned with a generic form, stamped with date and time and signed, but no comments.

I decided to leave a note for the permanent teacher and wrote a second note to the nurse. Before I left the school, I resolved to check if the nurse was still there, and was referred to an AP.  Surprisingly he knew who I was and what it is about, and before I had a chance to speak he hinted that he’d rather not talk about it; that I know what I suppose to do, he knows what he supposed to do, and we both are aware of the jeopardy to our careers. He gave me a form, a phone number, asked the clerk to help me find the student’s information, and, hurriedly, went back to his office.

It was late on a Friday, and I wanted to go home. I resented the responsibility and felt that it was not my duty, being the most temporary element in a school full of permanent teachers and administrators, to deal with the issue. I thought that I did what I was supposed to do – send the kid to the nurse, leave a note to the regular teacher and two notes to the nurse, and talk to administrator. I documented all my steps, and felt that I can come clear before court. I even entertained the prospect of going to jail and thus highlighting the impossible requirements put on teachers.

I completely understood that I was holding a hot potato that no one wants to hold, everyone tries to escape, and when forced to hold it, attempts to get rid of ASAP. In my heart I was apologizing to the nurse, the teacher and the administrator…

In the end, hours later and back at home, I decided to do the easiest thing, maybe also the right thing, and call the phone number I was given. It was a special hot line to the policy department, and a recording referred me to a child protective agency.

When I talked to a live person, at last, I was glad I called, not because I thought I did the right thing, but it felt good to pass the hot potato to the person who wears the right glove. She was nice, polite, not too inquisitive, checked for prior records, and when none was found said she is going to document it, but no need for me to fill a report. She gave me her full name for reference and thanked me for calling.

So, teachers, substitute teachers and all mandated reporters, when in doubt call a child protective agency! It is a lot easier to unload that burden from your chest, regardless if justified or not, and have others take care of it. It just feels better!

Teacher Shortage III: To Teach or Not To Teach

After I heard about the teacher shortage I emailed some of my friends from the old school and exchanged cheers. Year after year our group would get smaller as we watched our friends dismissed or forced into early retirement. For us the new shortage is what my friend Ellen defined as “SCHADENFREUDE”. I laughed and added, jokingly (or half-jokingly), that they will end up calling us back to work…

Few days later, I had my first encounter with the shortage. I was called to substitute at a middle school on a Friday, and before the day ended I was asked to come back on Monday to cover an “unfilled position”. “Unfilled?” I asked. Yes, more students than anticipated. They are looking to hire a full time teacher (only after “norm day”). Am I am interested?  And despite of everything, I was almost ready to say ‘yes’, with the ever hope that this time it will be different.

Then came the reality check. With Monday’s assignment came the realization that “no way!” It cannot work with middle school students, who have the attitude and nerve of juvenile criminals. I had to call security almost every period, and was close to slapping several young faces. Of course situation was worse than usual; these kids have not had a permanent teacher since the start of the school year, and were already aware of how unlikely consequences are, but no, I don’t want to do it! So when asked later to come the following day I said “Thanks! But no thanks!”

As I left that school, I realized I missed a call from another school. I was so worn-out from the day’s experience that I didn’t want to hear about another job. I waited till later to find out who had called. When I realized it was one of my favorite schools I asked if they needed me for the following day. The only answer I could get was that it was not about working tomorrow but about my certifications, and I was asked to call the next day. It almost sounded like a possible permanent position offer... “seriously?” I asked myself, “after all these years of rejection?”

That night I could not fall asleep. Tossing in my bed, I strained to remember all the things that I tried to do to improve teaching, to make sure that students had learn the material, to create tests that reflect their knowledge; all my failed attempts to make them accountable for their work, responsible for their duties. My struggle to do so without nerves breakdown. I tried to remember if I had a new plan of how to do it better next time. The more I thought about it the more hopeless it seemed…

It turned out to be nothing. All they wanted was to know if I am still substituting and if they should keep me on their list. And I am glad! I know I won’t be able to reject such a good school, yet I know it would have been the same old dreadful frustration…  

Teacher Shortage II: Special Education

Some of the fields mentioned as having specific teacher shortage were Science and Special Education. One explanation for the shortage, according to the public radio article, was that teaching credentialing programs do not consult with the districts regarding their needs and thus not preparing teachers for areas in demand.

It might be true. I don’t know what kind of communication these institutions have, but facts that I observe are not matching the picture they are trying to paint.

Over the years that I have been in substitute teaching, waiting to come across the big demand for math teachers, I kept hearing about a shortage in science and special education. I even considered going back to school to get special education credentials (meaning starting all over again…). Then I was advised not to do it since others did take this route and still could not find a job. A colleague had suggested taking qualifying tests to become a science teacher, which I did, yet I meet science teachers working as substitutes because they cannot find a position.

Situation may have changed in science, but I don’t think there is a real shortage in special education that is not due to incredible inefficiency in the system.

It is a very sensitive issue, loaded with claims of injustice and lawsuits threats, yet, I would like to hear a good explanation to why a class of general education students should suffer overcrowding of 45 students, while a class of 5-10 special education students may have two full time teachers, and three full time assistants! I am not exaggerating! Many of my assignments are in special education classes, that are usually overstaffed even without me sitting there doing nothing.

In the ‘Mild to Moderate’ Special Day Classes (SDC), there is a known, but an unspoken, agreed lie. These classes are homerooms for a random collection of students, with completely different problems. Since it is impossible to find a common ground for students with behavior problems, learning disabilities, autism, ADD, ADHD and others, the class is just a shell for these individuals. It pretends to teach all the subjects, to do assignments and take tests, but in most cases SDC means permission to do nothing. However, since schools and district are sued for not providing adequate education, they have to play the game and pretend they do.

I was recently called to substitute at a school with block scheduling, two hours a block! It was a special education class with 5 students and two (unhelpful) aids. Teacher’s instruction were scribbled on the board in an untidy manner, with instructions to have students solve problems in a science book that they did not have, from a chapter that they did not read, that included experiments that they have not done, and probably will never do!

As it happens quite often in special education classes, it was a very long day, with very unmotivated students, no clear instruction or lesson plans, yet occupying three adults doing nothing, watching five students doing nothing… sorry… but I don’t call it ‘teacher shortage…’

Teacher Shortage – What a surprise!

Greatest news for teachers and the teaching profession! Shortage of teachers! Are you kidding me?

I completed my Single Subject teaching credentials ten years ago; a second career after losing technical job in early 2000. Math teaching should be safe, I was told…

I, since, was one of many teaching applicants at the district that could not find a permanent job. A year after year I took the long, trying, drive to the headquarters, paying application fees and parking fees, carrying all the precious original papers (Nope! No copies), arguing to no avail that they already have all these docs in their system, as well as my health records, finger prints and picture, just to get ‘oh, we already have those in the system’ (dah!), and then never to hear from them again!

Then there were years of long-term sub assignments in the hope of turning to full-time jobs. At one school, doing some impossible assignments, administrators, at last, felt guilty enough to promise me a permanent job. They almost fulfilled it, but three weeks into the school year, after an early than usual norm-day, and before registration ended, I was let go. A year later, I helped train a new, young, teacher at that school, just to see her let go few weeks later. Poor girl! Her first teaching job!

During the four plus years of long-term assignments at that school, I have seen tens of teachers being riffed every single year. Some were re-instituted, but most not. They either retired or shoved to the sub pool. On the following years, I would meet them in every school I worked, some reassigned, but most working as substitute teachers, trying to hold to their tenure for several more years before retirement.

Many of the young energetic new teachers who came to the system full of hope and enthusiasm, left, disappointed and frustrated. Most are lost forever to the teaching profession. They learned, during their short experience, how frustrating, unfair and even abusive the system is, on top of grueling job with nominal reward. Many friends and siblings of those young people, who planned to be teachers, changed their mind too; watching their peers’ frustration decided not to bother.

And those ‘lucky’ teachers who were not riffed, not reassigned, not relocated, not reprimanded for something that they did not do… They had to deal with No Child Left Behind, Standardized Tests, California Standards, Core Standards, Budget cuts, shortage of discipline deans, shortage of counselors, shortage in janitorial services, Breakfast in Class, Technology ‘progress’ that works only sometimes … to name just a few... Add to that the ever-growing population of ‘entitled’ students and parents, fueled by media and politicians’ agenda…

Funny or sad? I can’t decide…

Substitute Teaching: Back to School

This is the time of the year when decisions need to be made - shall I stay with this unsatisfying path of substitute teaching, or shall I give it up; happily retire, find a different activity that may not bring money but peace of mind, or maybe find a way to help a student completely lost on the way to graduation...

Sadly, substitute teaching has nothing much to do with teaching. In most cases, substitute teaching is not more than a glorified babysitting, especially in middle and high schools.

I randomly move between the attitude of a teacher who is trying to capture any teaching moment to enhance the horizons of the uninformed, uninterested, young crowed, and the attitude of ‘leave me alone…’ feeling that my role is so useless in trying to educate a bunch of screen-addicted youngsters that just don’t care.

Kids will be kids! That’s true enough, and talking to my school-days’ friends, we were not that much different. The difference is in the system. There were boundaries and consequences, and parents that thought that education is important, and teachers too…

Why do I go back, then, to substitute teaching?

First, I still want to work. My last long-term assignment convinced me (one more time!) that full time teaching is just impossible! Being a substitute teacher keeps me close to the profession but with the option to back up any time it gets too crazy.

Second, I enjoy returning to the same schools, watching the changes, see people that I know, meet new people, hear stories, and know that at the end of the day I can leave the problems behind and go back to the serenity of my own home…

The heartbeat of a school is the cafeteria. I always go there when I work. Unhappy schools have gloomy cafeterias with very few, isolated, customers. Lively cafeteria hints of supportive staff members finding relief in each other’s company. There is nothing like commiserating with colleagues at lunch. To me this is a happy school.

Having experienced both sides of the employment circumstances; being a full-time teacher as well as a daily substitute, gives me some sensitivity and insight to what I hear and see, and it adds to my understanding as an outside observer.

Watching and writing about it is another reason why I am still doing it…   

Ch 20 of 20: What can we do to improve?

Education used to be a privilege only the well to do or the educated elite could effort, and thus schools were filled with students who knew what they were supposed to do at school, and what the consequences of not doing it were…

The mandatory ‘education for all’ brought along with its blessing the drawback of becoming an entitlement instead of a privilege, a basic right to be used or abused…

I don’t suggest, of course, going back to education for the advantaged only. Young people need education whether they realize it or not. Some privileges of education, however, should be restrictive, not according to ability, but to motivation.

There are two factors that can completely change the climate of education in our country: System’s accountability and student’s accountability.

Student’s accountability has to do with motivation to graduate. Motivation must be part of the picture. In contrary to all the wonderful theories that I learned at the credentialing school, it is not up to the teacher! Motivation should come from the student or at least from his/her family. Despite the disapproving silence from my professors, I still believe this is the key!

With years of teaching experience came the realization that indeed, students’ motivation does not count as a factor in students’ achievement. We talk about teachers’ motivation to teach well, about school’s motivation to perform well, administrators’ motivation as their career is heavily weighted on students’ achievements, but we don’t talk of students’ motivation. As if all the other factors could make up for students’ lack of motivation and be OK…

If there is one big missing link on the way to improving education, it is students’ motivation. You can bring the horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink…

Of course, if we could motivate students to study by invoking interest in the subject, it will be the perfect way of learning, but it is a rare commodity at this age. There are few who learn for their own enjoyment but it is hard to count on it... Furthermore, if a person really enjoys history, chances are that he/she does not care for math, for example, but the fact is that every subject does count...

Ideally, a source of motivation should be internal, but it could be also external; being promoted to the next grade level, being able to choose a good university, pleasing a parent or a teacher, or even appreciation of a certain group of friends…

The source of motivation could also be avoidance of undesirable consequences, like transferring to a lower level class, removal from the school, separation from the group of friends, parents’ punishment or privileges taken away…

Students who attend school with one purpose in mind – disruption (no matter why – teachers are not therapists), should not be in a classroom with students who are there to learn. Students who consistently doing nothing in a classroom should be removed from a regular class and be placed in a program that suits their needs at the time, regardless of ability. They could be channeled to a vocational learning, individual learning, or even to a program that involves part time employment and part time schooling, similar to continuation schools. These students can be engaged in activities in which they excel and happily participate. When ready, mature and emotionally stable, they could be re-introduced to the regular academic program.

I don’t mean to ban these students from an academic lane altogether but to let them decide when they are ready for the challenge. Once they are ready it will take them half the time to complete their studies. In the meantime, their peers in the academic program will cruise without interruptions and be able to learn twice as much…

From time to time, a school would do something creative along this line. A school where I worked decided to remove the problematic and unsuccessful math students from algebra classes and put them in a general math. I was assigned to teach them. My experience over all was quite good and I felt students benefited from the extra help. The real advantage, though, was for the algebra teachers … they experienced such an improvement by the removal of few problematic students … They were actually able to teach instead of fighting discipline problems…

Another school, a private school contracted with the district, was dealing with the disruptive students by isolating them from the general student population. Students were assigned to a special program, working individually, and were not allowed to mix with their classmates, not even during break. These students had to meet very strict conditions before they were able to go back to their general classes.

When I was teaching at the special education program, I noticed that students were so embarrassed to be in the special classroom, they would do anything to hide it from their pals. Coming from breaks, for example, they would walk with their friends pass the classroom and once they were safe, they would sneak back. This is an example how avoidance of a situation might motivate students to do well.

Students should be motivated to be at a certain settings. Students at a Magnet programs, for example, behave completely differently from their peers in the regular program. Schools should create curriculum to which students would want to belong, and face consequences of removal for not complying…

Many things are different now from the “then”, that are beyond our control, like discipline measures, respect to authorities, cultural changes, technology. But one thing cannot change - students must do their job. They must be accountable!

The other factor in improving education has to do with system’s accountability, meaning setting a bar for successful education, and calling for students to reach it, rather than lowering the bar to meet students’ level…

A grade of ‘B’ in math analysis must have the same meaning in a well to do areas as in less fortunate neighborhoods. It should mean that a student is competent in this subject, as well as Algebra and Geometry. There should be one standard level in each subject that defines success or failure. A system cannot be accountable if a grade means different things in different schools. I don’t care what level of math should be mandated for graduation, but this level should be uniformly enforced.

To achieve a standard bar, equal for all students, we must have an objective, state wide (or nationwide) standard matriculation test in every subject; A test that will be fair, straight forward, and will require the same level of competency…

As I write, I know how impossible it will be to implement these changes, for reasons completely unrelated to education, but rather to politics… Nevertheless, to be ready for the future and able to compete with other nations on equal footing we must create an objective bar, measured by objective tools…

Carrying out this plan will dramatically improve our educational level. Creating an accountable system will demand accountability from its students that, in turn, will inspire and motivate them to actively perform, not just passively comply, in order to graduate…

Ch 19 of 20: Why teachers don't complain

Teachers do complain! They complain all the time. If you sit for lunch at the cafeteria with a group of teachers, this is all you hear – complaints… Teachers who share lunch with few friends in their room complain to each other. Complaining is good. This is an outlet, the only relief from the everyday hopeless grind…

The real question is why don’t teachers voice their complaints in the media, in front of the governor’s office, the white house…Well… they do but only when their livelihood is being threatened, when a last straw is added to their heavy load, like benefits being taken away... When that happens, they express anger not only over the specific issue but over the accumulation of all their aggravation; about their indignity, about every day’s frustration dealing with students, parents, administration. About a system directed by people who had never been teachers in their life, but pretend to know everything about fixing the education system…

The main reason why teachers don’t protest the injustice more often is because they don’t have time… They are working after hours, weekends and vacations; checking work, grading papers, preparing lesson plans. At school, during short breaks or conferences, they are always busy; trapped in an endless cycle of work. When, at last, they have a chance to rest, perhaps few days during summer vacation, they are so exhausted that they don’t even want to talk about school…

Another reason for not voicing their frustration is, having their performance and role being attacked so often, and so harshly, by superiors, politicians and media, that, as one of my colleague once said, a self-doubt is creeping into their heart; lack of confidence in their ability of being real good teachers…

Unfortunately, the system takes advantage of this lack of confidence and lashes on teachers left and right…

So why do teachers come back every year to start over another impossible task? Well, we forget how impossible it is… how tough and thankless the grind is and how impossible it is to please any one at all… we just forget…

I remember my second year of teaching, at a charter school, where I, and two of my friends, swore at the end of the school year never to come back to that school, and for that matter never to teach full time again. It was not even October when we were ready to run back to that same school and beg them to take us back…

You see, we are just a naïve, optimistic group of people who keep believing that next year will be better; we will do a better job and as a result everything will be better… just stupidly naïve group of people…

Ch 18 of 20: Budget Cuts

A problem that plugs most public schools is resources limitation. No matter how rich a school district is, shortage in resources always present. Private schools, of course, can raise tuition. Public schools are limited to state and district budgets. There is much inequality in the private education system; some schools provide their students with every opportunity - academic, creative and technology, but it comes with outrages price tag afforded only by the rich and well connected…

However, there is much inequality in the public schools as well. In affluent areas parents are supplementing budget limitations with private funds, and thus afford schools to provide top facilities, rich arts programs, and excellent academics.

Public schools in privileged areas offer an excellent education, that, in turn, provides their students opportunities at prestigious universities. These are schools where professional fathers put demands on administrators and teachers, with the ever presence of law suit threat, and leisure mothers volunteer unlimited number of hour at school, and raise unbelievable amount of funds for its programs.

I watch the school facilities at my area, where my kids went to school, and I see new buildings, new modern theater, state of the art gym, a whole turf football field that any professional team would have loved to have, and hear about the ever-growing academic, sports and arts programs.

Reality bites, then, when I go to work at the city school district; the differences are striking! Mostly old buildings, smelly bathrooms, many classrooms located in bungalows, built in haste to accommodate growing students’ population, far away from the center of the campus, without adequate bathrooms and drinking water fountains. Schools that severely cut their extra curriculum programs -  arts, theater, car shop, wood shop, agriculture, music, foreign languages; programs that are being discontinued one by one, year after year, leaving students with very few options, and displacing wonderful teachers, or forcing them to an early retirement.

The ugly face of budget cuts is not only old building with dirty classroom, shabby, smelly bathrooms, and unclean, littered, yard. It is not only discontinued excellent programs and dispersing wonderful staff members, it is also unsecured schools!

But, of course, the worst face of budget cuts is overcrowded classrooms, shortage of teachers, aids, and counselors. Not enough administrators, and discipline deans!

As a substitute teacher I see the budget cuts consequences every time I step into school premises; results are obvious everywhere I go.

One example is a middle school in the west side, that used to be well managed, and I watch it now getting worse every time I am there. The first thing that caught my eye, recently, was lack of security at the entrance, not even a parent volunteer. The path from the entrance leads to the main office, but also to classrooms on each side of the campus; a stranger can wander in without any disruption. When, at last, I met the sole security person in the school he told me that they are very limited in resources, and sitting at the gate is not a priority…

There are many other consequences for not having enough security on campus, on top of compromised safety; a phenomenon of students wandering around, freely, during class sessions, without supervision. I was surprised and alarmed to read a note from the classroom’s permanent teacher about students ditching during the last two periods of the day. Ditching? At 6^th grade? And the school cannot do anything about it? But of course, with only one security guy for the whole school, and with deans of discipline being considered an unnecessary expense at many middle schools, students are taking advantage of the lax discipline …

I have seen good schools turning into terrible schools, and vice versa, for just one reason, relaxing or tightening security and discipline, nothing else! All it takes is one good administrator, dedicated specifically for discipline, and a school can turn completely around, but due to budget cuts, some schools get rid of this function.

A major consequence of budget cuts is class size. Seating forty students in one classroom, especially in a middle school, has terrible consequences on students teacher’s communication. Class size may not matter in high school honor classes, although I doubt it too, but in lower classes, and especially in middle school, ten extra students per classroom can make all the difference.

One of the effects of budget cuts was cutting janitorial services, causing good, hard working men and women, to lose their jobs because the district had to tighten its expenses, and cleaning was declared unnecessary. As a result, teachers and students step into filthy classrooms, with dirt and papers all over the floor, left there the previous afternoon, and still there early in the morning. Is it an academic issue? Not necessarily! Is it educational issue? Absolutely!

Fortunately, unionized teachers’ contract forbids schools to make teachers supervise during their breaks. This is not the case, however, at charter schools, whose teachers are usually not organized, and “at will”. Teachers not protected by unions must carry extra duties, to fill holes in the budget, like supervision, before, during and after school, and, normally, get no conference period...

There is another side to the budget shortage that never fails to surprise and anger me; the contrast between shortages in necessities compared, on the other hand, with ample of waste. Some school supplies are distributed without any reservation or control, while others are always scarce. A teacher may have to purchase her own white board markers, or pay for her lesson materials’ duplications, while students are provided with endless stock of papers, writing supplies, disposable workbooks, calculators, top of the line computers, and… free meals.

It would have been all good and generous if it served only the needy population, but in most cases, it is unnecessary and wasteful. Students are careless with supplies and are not accountable for their loss or damage. They are making paper planes out of the papers, leaving markers to dry, breaking pencils, throwing erasers and crayons at each other, leaving calculators and computers unattended and unprotected, and disposing their free meals to the trash!

Since the new, free “breakfast in class” program had started, I have seen hundreds of unopened milk cartons left to spoil, meals untouched, returned, in the best case to the cafeteria or donated to some food service, but usually just left to rot, and end up at the trash can. What a waste of food, money, and precious teaching time!

Every aspect of budget cuts, and wastefulness on the other hand, directly effects teachers and their job; large classes, lack of assistance, lack of discipline, lack of support from counselors and administrators, dirty classrooms, breakfast in class, lack of supplies on one hand and excessive supplies on the other, distributing and watching it being wasted.

Teachers are constantly blamed for the system’s shortcoming, but have no voice in preventing senseless decisions; they have no listener or supporter to their real needs or concerns! 

Ch 17 of 20: Charter Schools

In our desperate search for a solution to the education crisis, we agreed to believe in the phenomena of the charter schools, popping up left and right, as the answer.

Charter schools strive on what they are NOT, comparing to district run schools. They are NOT the huge monsters that serve thousands of students. Their teachers are NOT on a contract for the rest of their life. Budget distribution is NOT under a strict scrutiny, thus can be applied to current needs. There are NO layers of administrators between teachers and principal, making parents’ access far easier.

Sounds great, doesn't it? It is like sending your student to a private school but without having to pay the huge tuition fee… right?...not quite…

I have seen tens of charter schools in my area, maybe more. I think I remember only one or two that at least left me with some tolerable impression.

My first experience with a charter school was working at one for an entire year. Wonderful teachers, dedicated administrators, OK students, caring parents… but one thread connected all the problems we faced - lack of professionalism. Staff members were good, smart and dedicated people, but not professionals…

We did not have a defined academic plan or clear goals, nor did we have a specific procedure for discipline. We had no textbooks for two months, and worse – no facility for four months, not until January. In the meantime, we were guests in a church hall, with only thin patricians separating one classroom from another, with flying objects filling the space between the classrooms. Everything was a ‘Work in Progress’, even though the school had been operating for several years.

To make things worse - by March all the school funds were exhausted and we were seriously considering shutting down the school and dispersing our students… 

After that experience, I swore never to work at a charter school again, and to spread the word about charter schools whenever and wherever I could… But reality bites, and after working at district schools for a while, or worse, not working at all, you start wondering if charter schools are that bad after all…

I was, since, interviewed by numerous charter schools. Many of them did not hire me not because I was not qualified, but because I was over qualified; credentialed, experienced, know my rights. It would be hard to make me work extra hours and get paid half of what the public district pays… For jobs that I did get an offer I just could not say yes. I just knew that I will be miserable for the whole time, and yet, knowing myself, would never quit midyear… (Not even if not paid, as before…)

I admit that I still apply to charter schools from time to time, but I can affirm that I never found one that I thought would be right for me…

However, as a substitute teacher, contracted with a respectable agency, I do work at charter schools quite often.

Charter schools, often, choose weird places as their site; I have seen charter schools in strange locations, abandoned buildings, with old ugly structures. I was in a charter school that was right beneath two major freeways intersection. I did not even think of the dreadful air pollution. What bothered me most was the possibility of falling cars off those freeways and smashing into a crowded classroom…

On one of my substitute assignments at a beginning of a school year I was sent to a charter schools in the east side. The area was not bad, the facility was oldish but quite OK, there was even something homey about the small yard in front of the main office and the classrooms surrounding it. I have changed my mind about the homeliness when I entered my classroom. It was not darling anymore. This was a classroom with only few, old, chairs, and even less, decorated with graffiti, desks; for sure not enough for all the students soon to enter the classroom. Something else bothered me as I looked around, but I thought it might be the unappealing look of the bare walls. Then I realized what was wrong – there was no whiteboard or even blackboard… Later on, I discover a spot on the wall that, apparently, was used as a whiteboard, but it was so small, and its quality so poor, that it was unrecognizable.

But this was not the worst part… The bigger problem was that it was the first week of the school year and the school did not have yet… teachers. I am serious! This was a small school that should have employed about 12-15 teachers. On the day I was called to substitute, there were 9(!) other substitute teachers signed up! And this was during a time when hundreds, if not thousands, of teachers were frantically looking for a job… I talked to few of the substitute teachers and they told me that they are trying to get hired at that school but the school would not give them an answer… My guess? The school was looking for a real cheap labor, and knowing how many teachers were out of job, they were waiting to find the people who will be willing to work for the minimum wage they had in mind…

Another charter school, to which I was sent recently, prides itself as a science and math academy… Well, this should be good, I thought. This is probably the model of school that, in our mind, the public education system should have …

I arrived about fifteen minutes before the start of the school day, and with the help of some students located the “Main Office”, the main institution in every public school. I was completely surprised to find it locked. A pleasant looking teacher arrived few seconds later and said “oh, it’s close”, without much surprise, and continued on his way, and I was trying to search my mind for possible instructions that might have directed me to a different destination rather than the main office …

Few minutes later the secretary had arrived and asked if she could help me. I told her I am a substitute teacher and the name of the agency that sent me. Apparently she was not aware of the need of my services, and disappeared for several more minutes to get the information. I was then sent to a science class to replace a science teacher. I am not a science teacher but with instructions and material to occupy the students I can manage to keep a class full of 8^th graders busy.

On the desk I found a big folder with instructions for each day of the week. I was slightly alarmed by a note that asked me to administer a final test and then grade it. I didn't think I was quite qualified for that, but I kept reading the instructions. Then, all of a sudden, I realize that these instructions were intended for the previous week, given by a responsible, previous, substitute teacher… At that point I realized that I was on my own, and tried to seek help from the… students.

The students told me that their teacher had been out for over a month. She was pregnant with twins and probably would not be back after she has the babies. They had, so far, 4-5 substitute teachers. When inquired on what chapter in the book they are, they could not remember, and of course suggested watching a movie…

I returned to the same school a week later, hoping things have changed for the better. From students’ reaction (another substitute???), I understood that not much had changed. A permanent teacher was not yet hired, but few changes had been made to accommodate the situation. A psychology elective class was replaced by a new elective - computers. When I asked where the computer lab is, I was told - at the same classroom. “So where are the computers?” I asked. No one could answer that. In the meantime the class was a “study hall”, fancy name for “doing nothing” class. Other science and math classes became general “tutoring” classes (more “study halls”), and the only substantial class left out of six-period day was algebra …  

The case of charter schools is about public funds, originated in our tax money, intended for public education. Charter schools divert resources from the well-established district, to their un-established institutions. They namely “steal” students from the district, depleting its finances. District schools have a very strict guideline, good or bad, and ample of well-educated and trained academic staff; administrators, teachers and aides. Charter schools offer a very poor replacement.

Charter schools, in many cases, are financial expenditure, generated by business people rather than educators. (Education, apparently, is a very profitable business, benefiting from holes in the system). Unlike district schools, they are not subjected to the same scrutiny, and are given years to prove themselves and become accredited. In the meantime, and even after, they have a very flex guideline…

As much as I disapprove the way the district runs, the type of events described above would never happen under district domain; classrooms without the bare minimum, unsafe locations, a school without teachers… As an educator, it is painful for me to watch credentialed and experienced teachers losing their jobs to unqualified personnel, who work for poorly managed charter school, for less money, and are at the disposal of anyone – administrators, parent, students…  

Do parents blindly believe that their students get more in charter schools than in the public school system? Did they know, for example, that their charter school of choice had started the school year without teachers? Or that their student’s science teacher in that “math and science academy” had been away for two month without a permanent replacement?

Until someone absolutely proves me that students are doing better in a charter school, not because it is located in an upper-class area, and not because it refuses to accept certain type of students, and not because it is quick to send certain students back to public district - I am very skeptical! I do hope that a responsible politician will soon look into it… In the meantime - parents - never assume anything! Do check your premises, at least from time to time…

For more - Read : "The Death and Life of the Great American School System", by Diane Ravitch

Ch 16 of 20: Language Deficiency

Another learning inhibitor that is part of classroom reality, and is originated in student’s background, is language deficiency.

In many parts of the state, and the country, (including the school district where I work) deficiency in the language is a key problem. A large group of students who are defined as English Learners is only part of the problem. A source of a bigger crisis is a population who communicates in English but doesn't master the language beyond its everyday conversation’s vocabulary. The trouble is not even mastering the English language to its deeper layers, but rather mastering any language to a level that connects to abstract nouns and terms. This obstacle is not necessarily rooted in immigration status, but rather in socioeconomic status.

The language deficiency has an absolute effect on learners of literature, social studies and humanities in general. It has no less effect on subjects like science and mathematics. If a student had never heard terms that are used in these subjects he/she will have hard time connecting with them. When words like ‘acceleration’ or ‘friction’, for example – are new to a student, in English or in foreign language, he/she will have hard time creating a mental picture of their meaning, and thus will have difficulties understanding, assimilating and applying the concept.

A subject that all math teachers have trouble teaching is geometry. This field requires language connection to the terms, as well as mental ability to picture it. If ‘diameter’ or ‘perimeter’ is not already part of student’s vocabulary, he/she will have hard time grasping the idea. Skills that are expected from middle, or even elementary school students, are not mastered by so many high schoolers; they struggle with basic computation, but, worse, with their concept. Terms that are meaningless for them are memorized the same way an odd cell’s name in biology is stored; for a short time, to be immediately forgotten after the test.

It is possible, then, that in order to address this problem, a new theory that is now widely used, was conceived. The new idea consists on presenting young students with advanced concept, so that later on, at high school, concepts will be familiar and thus easy to recall and ready to build on and expand with new knowledge.

This theory might have justly earned its merit being well researched and well accepted by educators, but in my experience does not serve its purpose. I feel that instead of advancing knowledge, we limit learning by teaching the same material over and over, skipping other important topics. I notice it when I, periodically, cover social studies classes, but I can, for sure, testify for its harm in math classes.

In mathematics, the progress of the curriculum is almost comic. I had my doubts before, teaching high school students and being dismayed by their poor knowledge of arithmetic, and fractions. But it was not until I taught middle school grades 5^th   6^th  7^th and 8^th math, that I realized how poor the program really is. I was obligated to teach exactly the same material, though using different, grade appropriate, books, to each of my four different grade levels… No kitting… I didn't even have to change the titles on the board from one grade class to another...

When students start their “official” algebra course, they had already been exposed to algebra concepts for years. They had seen equations and already know how to plug a value instead of a variable. No wonder, then, that they conclude they know it all, and listening is a waste of time… The problems start when equations get more complicated and they need to learn new, correct, methods to deal with them. Now a strong resistance starts to build: “but we already know it!”, “that’s not the way our teacher had taught us”, “you are just complication things”. Not only that I waste time defending my competence, but students’ adjustment is much harder.

Algebraic equations are only one example. The sad fact is that while teachers at elementary and middle schools are forced by the education planers to teach algebra concepts – they don’t have enough time to focus on what middle school learners must know before advancing to algebra. They don’t have time to strengthen basic arithmetic concepts, and fractions and decimals are completely neglected. I can’t even count the times that I had to explain the difference between 1 over 2 and 2 over 1 to algebra, geometry and even algebra 2 students.

The harm in introducing high school material too early is twofold. Lower grade teachers don’t have time to concentrate on basic math skills to create a sound base. But even worse - early introduction of a concept that is beyond students’ mental readiness can be either too confusing thus creating math-phobia, or can form bad habits that will be hard to change later. High school teachers are juggling their limited time between those two challenges; closing gaps and uprooting bad habits.

The solution for the language disconnect is not to introduce complicated concepts before their time, to students who are not yet ready, but to intensify and enforce language skills in the lower grades, presenting the terms in their everyday usage, as well as investing massive resources in reading comprehension; enriching vocabulary and developing reading skills will prepare students for higher math, not premature algebra.

Links:

http://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Professional_Development/Focus_of_the_Year/Equity/08%20Lessons%20MacGregor.pdf

http://www.merga.net.au/documents/RP532005.pdf

http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n1/green.html

https://www.dpi.state.nd.us/title1/project/Acd_Lang.pdf