MYTH ONE: Once a teacher makes tenure, they are “home free!”
Every
year for the past three years, I have been "pink-slipped" by my
district. Although I was a tenured teacher for 2 of those years, I was
let go. As long as financial burden requires they make cutbacks,
districts can do this to any teacher, tenured or not. In 2009, this one
district alone “pink-slipped” 400 teachers. In 2010, the same district
“pink-slipped” 225 teachers. In 2011, they are projecting a number
over 75. I was hired back three weeks before school started each year.
Several tenured colleagues were hired after the school year started.
Is this the definition of “home free?”
This
is my 6th school since I started teaching in 2006. The district has
displaced me for various reasons within its schools. With each new
environment, I have been expected to adapt to that school’s principal,
management style, teacher leadership, teaching partners, student
population, school and local community resources, school fundraiser and
event commitments and expectations, bell schedule, duty schedule,
co-workers (staff), discipline procedures, curriculum, support
curriculum, school access during non-student hours, and room conditions.
Is this the definition of “home free?”
I
have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades, a 5th/6th combination, and now
8th grade. All since 2006. Each grade has required a different set of
skills and learning standards. Furthermore, with every new school, I
have been expected to immediately adopt all subject curriculum
associated with that school.
Is this the definition of “home free?”
I
have used more than 15 sets of different curriculum. When I say
“curriculum,” I mean one major set of teaching/student materials per
subject (Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies) along with
sets of supplemental curriculum we are required to adopt depending on
school goals (Social Skills, Protected Reading Time, Writing Workshops,
English Language Development, Intervention). Three different years, we
were expected to drop a current curriculum mid-year and adopt a new one
immediately. This has been all within the same district.
Is this the definition of “home free?”
One
year, our principal instructed teachers to teach only Language Arts and
Math. We were instructed to not teach Science and Social Studies.
(NCLB requires gains in Language Arts and Math only to avoid Program
Improvement.) Unfortunately for me, this was a 5th grade year where my
students would take a national Science test (taken every three years).
Their scores would be a direct reflection on my teaching (skills?).
Is this the definition of “home free?” What exactly is “home free?” I wouldn’t know it.
So,
you might say that I am new to my profession. This is what all new
people do. They pay their dues. Maybe, as in other professions, I have
to endure many changes to experience “home free.” Touché.
Let’s
take my husband as a different example. He has been teaching in the
same district for 11 years. By most working standards, he is a veteran
at what he does. He has been Teacher of the Year, Teacher in Charge
(Assistant to the Principal), and has developed systems that improve
school-wide discipline and academic standards. He has taught 5th, 6th,
2nd, and 7th grades. Before this, he was student teacher in 1st, 3rd,
and 6th grades. He has worked with 4 principals, 2 Vice Principals
(each for about a year), and countless staff members. He has seen the
community population change from military families to public assistance
housing and homeless families. He was required to adopt No Child Left
Behind standards in 2002. His school alone has gone from a K-6th, to a
Pre-K-6th in 2007, to a Pre-K-7th in 2010, and next year to a
Pre-K-8th. He has taught with more than 25 different sets of
curriculum. He has changed classrooms 6 times. He has more than paid
his dues to the district, to his schools, to the profession.
Does this mean he finally gets to be “home free?” I’m afraid not.
He
currently teaches at two different schools. Everyday, he commutes on
his prep period between schools. At one school, he shares a classroom
for two periods. At another, he “pushes in” to someone else’s classroom
for two periods. He has little to no control over the physical set-up
of either classroom. He must carry all of his supplies with him in a
rolling cart each day. He attends two sets of school events and is
expected to participate in additional committees at both schools on a
volunteer basis.
Is this the definition of “home free?” I think you get the point.
We
both continue to teach through multiple curriculum changes, grade
changes, a district merger (with 3 other districts), principal changes,
staff changes, and the uprising of social criticism towards teachers.
With seemingly no end in sight. Needless to say, this is a lot for any
teacher to handle, tenured or not, experienced or not.
I
don’t assume that the title “News Anchor” means that a journalist is
“home free.” I don’t assume that the title “Small Business Owner” means
that an entrepreneur is “home free.” I don’t assume that the title
“Partner” means that a lawyer is “home free.” I don’t assume that the
title “Mommy” means that a parent is “home free.” Please do not assume
that the title"Tenured Teacher" means that a teacher is "home free."
When it comes to our profession, or any challenging profession, there is
no such thing as “home free.” There is still a lot of work to be done.
To
begin conversation about teacher tenure, at the very least become
knowledgeable about State and National Teaching Standards. If you want
to be taken seriously, step into a teacher’s shoes, then speak up.
Here’s a starting point for your research:
1) Visit http://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-prep/standards/CSTP-2009.pdf for California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
2) Visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ for K-12 California Content Standards for students.
3) Visit the California Department of Education website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ps/te/ for more on Teaching.
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