Teacherlinx Blog

Earn Points and Badges Today!

2011-08-31T17:21:00.001-07:00

What is the Teacherlinx Race?

- The Teacherlinx Race rewards teachers who contribute to our community. Through posting links, videos, lessons, worksheets and more, teachers receive points and badge recognition!

How do I start?

- To begin, register or login and post through the "Post" page.

What do I get for posting?

- Users who post receive points and badges. Posting a lesson, worksheet or assessment receives 10 points! Posting a link or video receives 5!

I gain points, but what are the badges?

- Badges are symbols of contributions to our community. Once you gain points, you automatically start to receive badges. The Freshman badge is 10 pts., Sophomore is 50pts., Junior is 150 pts., and the Senior is 250 pts..

When can I get started?

- Get started today!

Featured Interview with Andrea Knope

2011-04-14T21:19:00.001-07:00

Andrea Knope

- What grade and subject do / did you teach? Why did you want to become a teacher?

I have taught 4th, 1st, and kindergarten. I also taught for two years at Sylvan. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was young, but I managed in retail for several years while my husband was in the military and when my son was young. I finally went back to school in 2001 for my degree and just in 2010 received my masters in teaching.

- What is your stance on education?

Education is more than academics; it’s motivating and inspiring students to learn and grow. Furthermore, education is not just in the classroom; it’s a myriad of learning experiences that come from home, the community, families, friends, varying cultures, and life experiences. Also, the education of life should and hopefully is a positive one for our youngsters. We, as teachers & parents, strive to assist and guide our children towards the most healthy, constructive and prosperous education, in both the social & academic avenues of learning.

- Do you believe in merit pay? Why or why not?

Personally, I do not feel merit pay is fair simply because of the fact that every teacher’s classroom of students is different with a variety of needs, especially for special education teachers. Not every individual student is the same, they all have different weaknesses and strengths and some take longer to learn, whereas some learn quickly. One cannot base a teacher’s effectiveness on how much a student learns from a single test in a small amount of time. This is not a true measurement on how each student was able to learn and how much he/she has grown academically.

- Do you have any horror stories dealing with your class or students?

Every teacher has had ups and downs throughout their years in teaching, but what’s most important is knowing that the children are learning…truly learning and seeing that “spark” in their eyes once they have understood a concept.

- Can you recall an inspirational or memorable experience you had while teaching?

My most memorable experience is when a student has said to me “Learning is fun!”

- If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be?

My advice to myself would be “take one step at a time” and “move a little slower”. I tend to get very enthusiastic when I teach and find that I may speak too fast or loud and I have had to learn to slow things down a little, as well as tone down the volume.

- What would you tell someone thinking about becoming a teacher?

You must truly want to teach-it’s not an easy job. It takes dedication, patience, strength of character, flexibility, and a motivation to continue to learn and improve on one’s own skills.

- Public or Private school? Why?

Either school is fine. I have taught in the public school setting but would not have a problem teaching in the private school setting, as well. Teaching is teaching. However, I do not think private schools have the ability to insure their employees as much as the public schools.

- Do you think that education in America is improving? Why or why not?

{Oh dear! That’s a tough topic.} I think that it has improved through the years since I went to school, because there is a more thorough set of standards for the school curriculums, and teachers are held at a higher standard. What I mean by this is that teachers are required to go through stricter procedures and schooling in order to become a teacher. However, I personally feel that education has NOT focused on the fact that each and every child is different in their strengths, weaknesses, how they learn, and how they grow.

- Can you please share with us your website? What is it about?

My website is Knope’s New Educators’ Website at http://www.knopesneweducatorswebsite.com/.

I first developed the website to help my colleagues with activities to use in their classroom. Now it has grown into a website for any teacher to find ideas and activities they can also utilize in the classroom, along with articles and other rich resources.

- Teaching is……………….an art, a skill in all skills, a commitment, and a myriad of inspiring ideas transferred from one mind to another.

“…one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater. “~Gail Godwin

“..leaving a vestige of one-self in the development of another.”~Eugene P. Bertin

“…cultivating a garden, and those who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers. “~Author Unknown

One thought on Teacher Evaluations and Education in 2011

2011-01-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

The year of teacher bashing

Yes, it’s that time again. Time to look at where your tax dollars are going in education. Around five years ago I wrote about how there were multiple instances of wasteful public spending in education that included teacher ed. Programs and lavish lunches for training sessions all paid for by “The District.” As we have seen, those expenses have been cut back due to the downturn of the economy and state funding for education across the nation. Yay! Order has been restored, for now……

Now, we’re into teacher bashing. With films such as “Waiting for Superman,” the public now knows the truth. They know teachers don’t work hard enough and unions are a huge umbrella protecting their jobs. It’s the union that shot that kid in a Gardena public school. Or, it was because of a teacher that a school lockdown kept students from going home for around five hours. Let’s look at “teacher scores,” and not “student scores.” As the L.A. Times suggests, let’s evaluate the teachers. Wait, what year are we in? Isn’t it a little late in the year 2011 to finally suggest this. No one must have thought of this idea before. Why golly, haven’t they done this before, shame on you public education.

So let’s take a little look into the reality of teacher evaluations.

Teacher Evaluations:
“I demand that a public employee such as a teacher perform to their best potential. I pay them for that!” So, here comes the good ole’ L.A. Times to the rescue. The same newspaper that has gone scummy by adding an LA Extra section to develop a tabloid reputation. And we all know how credible tabloids are. So, L.A. Times to the rescue to publish almost all elementary school teacher test scores over a range of around four years. One teacher commits suicide over their test score. Thanks L.A. Times. But, thankfully I can rest easy at night knowing my child’s teacher ranked as “very effective.” That makes me feel better because I know at least they’re not going to a babysitting service Monday morning like I thought they were the past five years. I was getting used to the free lunches and after school programs that the public schools offer. I was getting so used to it, I even thought of looking into charter schools.

Test scores to the rescue. But, one wise veteran teacher once told me, “if you want to know what’s going to happen in the future, simply look at the past.” But, what exactly has been the past of public education? Has it been good? Has it been bad? I wonder what my teachers evaluation was when I was going to school? Why couldn’t I look it up online? I missed out!

But wait, I do remember the principal walking in the classroom from time to time and not only evaluating the teacher, but making sure the class was ok. Ask yourself, how many times a year did the principal actually do this. Now, let’s do some “elementary” Math. If your principal came in at least five times a year, and there are around 180 school days a year, what’s the percentage of him visiting for either evaluation or supervision. Now, ask yourself if you feel that 2% visitation percentage is enough to fairly make a decision to fire your hard working Mrs. Magu who works so hard everyday trying to help you with spelling. And my friend, you have just solved the equation to the problem with teacher evaluations and public schools today. Congrats, and for the L.A. Times, please do your homework before you come to class.

Featured Interview with Mr. Perez, Educator

2010-12-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

What do you think about the concept of Teacherlinx?

- I think it's an excellent concept. It builds on what is already out there and offers more. One can say that Teacherlinx is not new, because there are websites out there for teachers, which is true. But, they're not really user friendly. Second of all, it seems that Teacherlinx has more interactive criteria effects and it's a way for teachers to directly communicate with each other. I think that message boards are great and hopefully we can see chat-rooms where teachers can talk to each other on real time. I like it and it's great to be a part of that community.

What grade and subject do you teach? Why did you want to become a teacher?

- Currently I teach eighth grade Algebra I and Physical Science. The reason I got into teaching is because I've heard other people say, when asking the question, "Teacher wise, who do you remember as a one who has had an impact on their lives?" When I look back on my education when I was younger, I honestly couldn't tell you one teacher who made a difference in my life. So, it seemed interesting that I never had someone who made an impact on my life as a role model. I thought, if I were to do that myself, what kind of teacher would I want to have as a student? I said I would do this. I'm not here to be popular and not someone's favorite teacher. I'm here to do my job, which is teach. Which is to have them come away from this classroom and learn something. Learn something to help them in a positive way. Some kids aren't into Math or Science, but we have that in our lives. We experience it everyday. So even if you don't like it, you're going to have to deal with it. What I see as my task as a teacher is to teach them these things and show the students that they must deal with this. So learn.

What is your stance on education?

-Well, it's the key. Education happens everywhere. It's not just inside the classroom. It's outside. It happens at home, walking down the street, everywhere. You can't just categorize education into the subjects you teach at school. Education is being book smart and street smart.

Do you believe in merit pay? Why or why not?

- I think that if you do a good job, yes you should be rewarded. We give our students rewards for doing a job well done. Years ago, companies used to give out bonuses. I'm sure not everyone in the company got one. If you were a below average worker you wouldn't get stuff like that. As far as the teaching profession, I do see teachers who are here until six and seven o'clock at night. They're putting in time, effort, passion, and love. They don't see the financial rewards. Maybe they do get rewarded by seeing the students learn and grow their knowledge. But, what's wrong with also saying that you can earn a bonus. Wouldn't that motivate you to keep doing a good job over and over? So who doesn't like money? Yes or no? So I do believe in merit pay. Definitely.

What's the worst thing that has happened to you while teaching?

- As far as hearing people tell you that we're here to support you and actually getting the support. All these people tell you we're here for you and if you need help come to them. When you do need help, they're not there. That's definitely something we all relate to because unfortunately it happens more than once. I think it's a sad thing. When you have a strong faculty and administration relationship, things are run much better. You can tell which schools have that strong relationship and what schools don't by their overall performance and the appearance of the school itself.

What's the best thing that has happened to you while teaching?

- The best thing has been when I start a lesson and ask a question, and they don't know the answer. I end the lesson and they can summarize what they have just learned. Basically, give me the answer they didn't know before. That's the best thing. When I see the kids learn and get it. Go from confusion to knowledge is the greatest feeling in the world.

If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be?

- I would say to really know what it is to be a teacher inside out. Know that it's not only presenting a lesson an that's it. There's so many other facets to it. Your not just a teacher, you're a counselor, a mediator, a ear, a listening ear, a psychologist. You're a business man because you have to keep tabs of supplies. It's so many things. Not just teaching. To go into teaching you need to understand that. It's not only one title, you have so many. Also, know what level you want to teach. The level you're best suited for. Some people enjoy high school, some people want to work with kids when young. Some people want to teach Science, English, or Math. Know what you want to get into and not so much what you're best at, but know what you're going to enjoy teaching. If you enjoy it you're going to do it well and you're going to reap the rewards of it. The kids will pick up on that and they'll see your motivation and you're going to be motivated as well. Not all of them. Remember you have twenty-five to thirty individuals. You need to learn how to work with each individual to get them motivated.

Public or Private school? Why?

- I believe you should add charter school. If I had my choice I would say private school because there's more structure. There's more control over what you can and can't do. Meaning, it's less politics. You're not dealing with government anymore. You're dealing with education. Where as in public schools and charter schools you have to deal with these government entities that are in charge of these institutions. Sometimes, what happens is that because of that you're not necessarily allowed to have control of the situation. That's not a good thing. If somebody else is controlling you from a distance then they're telling you what to do without them actually knowing what's going on here. That's not a good thing. So, my choice would be private school. Maybe it can change later. Maybe there will be public schools that will run on a private school structure.

Do you think that education in America is improving? Why or why not?

- I think it's improving in some places but it's also failing in others. To say in a broad spectrum I think that if we compare ourselves to other countries we're doing bad. We're not keeping up. You go to countries in Europe, you go to countries in Asia, South America, they value education because they know what it's like first hand to not have education and not have any form of support. In contrast, people who have education are well off. Many countries don't have public services. They don't have these agencies there to help you. It's either you sink or swim. Even with me going to other countries and see what's going on, kids look at school as a privilege not a right. I'm glad it's a right here, but kids should come in here thinking it's a privilege to be here. It could be way worse.

Teaching is................. learning and then teaching, and then learning. It's a cycle that never stops and that's the great thing about it.

Featured Interview with Educator Ansonwood

2010-07-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Can you tell us a bit about your history as an educator? I received my teaching degree from SUNY Oswego. I have been teaching for two years now in a 9-12 high school setting at Hudson Falls Central School District. I teach high school technology grades 9-12. I teach many different classes including power mechanics, manufacturing systems, pre-engineering, computer graphics, design and drawing and my newest course Alternative Energy Systems.
If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be?
I often just have to remind myself to slow down and be thorough with my lessons. Remembering that I know the information but the students may need more time to catch on and grasp an understanding for the material. Patience is a must in education.
Public, Private or Charter schools? Why?
I attended a public school and now I teach in one. I enjoyed the integration with all different kinds of students, no dress codes and the academic freedom.
A common notion that society has on teachers is that they have a lot of vacation time. How do you spend your vacation time and is all the time off as good as people portray it to be?
My vacation time is typically spent with family and friends in the outdoors, hiking, hunting, fishing and just being in the fresh air. But while I am out there I am constantly looking around and thinking about possible projects for my classroom. My Pre-Engineering class is currently building 10' kayaks out of PVC tubing, zip ties and shrink wrap for a structural engineering unit. This unit is something I thought of while on vacation kayaking with some friends. People think teachers get a log of time off but we use it to re-work lessons, write and align curriculum and prep for future projects to come. There is more to teaching than people think. I remember spending a lot of my Christmas break last year getting ready for my upcoming spring courses. I teach five courses in the fall and 6 courses in the spring. There isn't a lot of time to make this transition and if you don't use your vacation time to prep you may find yourself unprepared.
How do you feel technology has impacted education today? (Cyber-bullying, Social Networks)
Technology has had a significant impact on education today. I currently have a Smart Board and twelve classroom computers. I can't imagine what I would do without them. My district has done an amazing job keeping up with the technological advances. As far as cyber bullying and social networks are concerned, I am a huge fan of social networks outside of the classroom. It helps friends and families stay in contact and up to date on family life. Where I teacher cyber bullying has not been much of a problem, but I know it happens. Our district has great filtering software to keep the social networks out of the school. Students can only contact one another via e-mail. There is no chat software which I think is a very positive thing. It still forces the students to have the face to face contact to learn interpersonal skills like body language and eye contact.
What are your main interests in the field of education? What educational topics do you focus on?
As a technology teacher my main interest is technology and engineering. My goal is to introduce students to all kinds of different learning opportunities. I want them to get a feel of different career options. I introduce the newest technology to keep the students up to date. I recently added an alternative energy course so that the students know what is available to them alternatively. The students are our future. They are going to become electricians, contractors, and engineers. I want them to learn how to build the best way to also help our environment. If they learn alternative ways now they are more likely to use it in their future. I also focus on brain storming, critical thinking and teamwork. I use the "Ideal" problem solving system. It helps the student centered groups brainstorm and think of possible solutions before jumping the gun on building. It cuts down on the waste of materials and building time. Pre-Planning is always key.
What influenced you to want to become a teacher?
I always use to spend time with my great grandfather in his work shop "Tinkering" as he called it. I learned a lot from him about building. I enjoyed taking the technology courses while in high school but it never hit me that I wanted to teach until after two years of college. I enjoyed drawing house plans but didn't like sitting behind the computer doing it all day. So I decided looking into teaching CAD/Drafting and technology. I wouldn't change a thing!
Do you have a recommended teacher link you would like to share with our community?
http://www.hfcsd.org/webpages/awood/
Teaching is...creatively expanding the minds of the students; our future.

Featured Interview with educator Nadie Distel

2010-07-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Can you tell us a bit about your history as an educator?

Absolutely! I studied to be a teacher in Brisbane, Australia, and have loved being an international teacher. I taught in Australia, the United States and Hong Kong prior to writing The New Teachers Kit. I've taught everything from Kindergarten, to High School Special Needs, to teaching other teachers how to be more effective in their practice. It's been a wonderful, varied career thus far!

If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be?

Work smart, not hard! In fact, this is now on the logo for the New Teachers Kit, as it is such a passion of mine. I spent way too many hours in my first years of teaching making resources and learning 'new teacher' lessons, the hard way. I really should have learned from the experiences of the thousands of others who went before me, but I could not find any quality resources online for new teachers. So I decided, once I had 'found my feet', to put all my stuff online for other new teachers to use. I feel passionately that Educators who share their expertise create better outcomes for their students, and the New Teachers Kit was borne from this passion.

A common notion that society has on teachers is that they have a lot of vacation time. How do you spend your vacation time and is all the time off as good as people portray it to be?

Absolutely - I love that being a well resourced teacher allows me to invest my time off in the people and activities I love. I love to travel, scuba dive, do yoga, run and cook. I also enjoy web design, and have an interest in photography.

How do you feel technology has impacted education today?

We are so fortunate in this day and age as teachers to have technology available to us, as it enables us to work together so much better. There are some fabulous resources online that make teaching so much easier than it must have been years ago. I love that we are part of one worldwide community, connected by the Web, and that we can work together, as a result of technology.

Teaching is... enjoyable, challenging, interesting, collaborative, dynamic, and most of all, rewarding.

Featured Interview with Diane Dahl – For the Love of Teaching blog

2010-07-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Diane Dahl – For the Love of Teaching blog

Can you tell us a bit about your history as an educator?
I’m going into my 4th year teaching 2nd grade.
- What subjects have you taught?
I teach Language Arts, History, Math, Art and Technology.
- After being in the classroom, what have you learned about kids?
I have learned that kids are so much more capable than we give them credit for. They continue to amaze me every year.
- If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be?
My advice to myself or any new teacher would be to not worry if the students like you or not. As long as you show them love and respect, you will get the same in return.
A common notion that society has on teachers is that they have a lot of vacation time. How do you spend your vacation time and is all the time off as good as people portray it to be?
I spend my vacation time enjoying my family. However, I don’t forget about teaching either. I use the summer months to search out new teaching techniques and lesson plans. Even the best teachers have room for improvement. Therefore, if some people think that a teacher’s vacation time is all play and no work, they are wrong. It’s still wonderful though!
- How do you feel technology has impacted education today?
Technology has made it easier to share information. Therefore, it is not difficult to find new and unique teaching techniques, lesson plans, and other facts for the classroom. I have found by using a Wiki with my 2nd graders that it creates a wonderful home-school connection. I write about that on my blog. Smartboards make for more engaging lessons. Tools like Successmaker help students improve their math and reading skills in a fun way. However, technology creates a whole new subject for educators to teach: Digital Citizenship. I think this needs to be taught much more than it is. That is another subject I cover in my blog. Technology has expanded our Professional Learning Community to include other districts and even other countries!
- What influenced you to want to become a teacher?
Prior to teaching, I was impressed by the level of dedication and love that Edmond teachers showed my two sons. That inspired me to become a teacher.
- Complete this phrase: Teaching is…………….
Teaching is one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs a person can have.

Featured Invterview with renowned blogger: Farah Ghazale

2010-07-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Can you tell us a bit about your history as an educator?

- I first started teaching when I was at University. I taught preschoolers in the morning for 3 years and then in the afternoon I would go to University. I just wanted a job to fill my time but then I realized this is what i really want to do. My major wasn't even education it was business. I changed my major to English Language then I studied one more year after i graduated for my teaching diploma in Elementary. After I graduated, i had enough experience to start teaching at a school. I was chosen to teach first grade and as a homeroom teacher. I taught at Beirut Baptist School in Lebanon for 3 years. Then I felt I needed something new. I wanted to teach abroad. I wanted a new experience and seek different cultures. So i applied to the Gulf region specifically in Kuwait. I got accepted and this is my second year teaching at the American Creativity Academy as a first grade homeroom teacher and I love it.

Public or Private school? Why?

- In many areas of the country, there’s a lot of middle-class anxiety and guilt these days about sending children to public schools. Private schools cost money. Private schools do not receive tax revenues, but instead are funded through tuition, fundraising, donations and private grants. However, most of us prefer private schools because they have the flexibility to create a specialized program for students. For example, private schools may use art or science in all classes, or take children on extended outdoor trips that blend lessons across the curriculum. Private schools can create their own curriculum and assessment systems.

A common notion that society has on teachers is that they have a lot of vacation time. How do you spend your vacation time and is all the time off as good as people portray it to be?

- Teachers do have a lot of vacation time and most of my friends envy me on that issue. However, we deserve to have that amount of vacation because people in other fields don't understand the pressure and the responsibilities we go through. We don't sit behind the desk all day we are always mentally and physically tired. We have to be creative and come up with new things all the time. We have to deal with parents and students concerns on a daily basis. Since I am in Kuwait at the moment during summer time i go back to Lebanon and spend it with my family and friends. However when i was in Lebanon I used to find something else to do, like giving private lessons for a month and I travel the month after. I believe we deserve it :)

How do you feel technology has impacted education today?

- Technology in education is very important nowadays. Preschoolers have started using computers as well. All our work includes technology like using the overhead projector, playing math games on the computer, reading online stories etc... Some schools have even provided parents to viewing their student's gradebook from the internet and Live webcams for parents to see their child performing at the nursery.

What are your main interests in the field of education? What educational topics do you focus on?
- My main interest in the field of education is the method of teaching. Education should be fun. The topics that i teach are English, Math, Science, and social studie

What influenced you to want to become a teacher?
- I was influenced by my advisor at the university. She was the one who saw that potential me and encouraged me.

Teaching is... listening, questioning, being responsive, and remembering that each student and class is different.It is also about style. Good teaching should be entertaining. It is caring, nurturing, and developing minds and talents. At the end of the day, teaching is about having fun, experiencing pleasure and intrinsic rewards.

Interested in learning about Miss Farah's classroom? Feel free to visit Miss Farah's Classroom Blog at missfarahsclass.wordpress.com

Featured Teacher Interview with Rob Salter

2010-07-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

- Can you tell us a bit about your history as an educator? How long have you been teacher? How would you like to summarize your teaching career? Explain the ups and downs.

I’ve taught French, Drama, Media Studies and Special Education in High Schools in London over 18 years. I suppose that I have always preferred to move sideways rather than up to management in schools. I like being in the classroom and I like reinventing myself as a teacher. Biggest ups probably being able to direct theatre productions with enthusiastic and able students. The downs were mainly when I encountered negative adults but I have always tried to learn from those experiences.

- What’s education like in the UK? What’s the structure like? Do kids go to elementary, middle, then high school like in America?

Here in the UK we have a National Curriculum and kids go to primary school up to age 11 and then transfer to secondary school until age 16 or 18. So, only two schools. School Uniform is common as well. Subjects like Drama are compulsory for the first three years of secondary school. Pupils can then opt to study it to age 18. At 16 you take exams in up to 10 subjects. English, Math and Science are compulsory but only up to age 16. If you want to take University Entrance exams, you elect to study three or four subjects, with no choice restrictions, for two more years.

- What are some similarities and differences between education in the UK and the United States?
I don’t know too much about the US curriculum, but I suspect that you may have slightly less choice as to what you study and for how long. My impression is that sports are far more important in US schools, in terms of amount of teaching time and money spent on facilities. We have a dreadful lack of facilities and curriculum time for sports in the UK.

- After being in the classroom 18 years. What have you learned about kids?

Most kids want to learn, whether they realize it or not. Our job is to work out how to motivate them. Kids are naturally good at learning but not all of them are good at being taught. Teachers need to give kids time and space to learn. However we operate in what some people have labeled a ‘bulimic’ system. We put random facts in; they regurgitate them back out. Not a pleasant analogy but it may explain how some kids feel when teachers don’t take the time to answer the ‘What’s in it for me?’ questions about their subject, for their students.

- If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself about teaching, what would it be? What would you tell someone thinking about becoming a teacher?

As I describe in my website, my theory is that we are attracted to this profession for much more complex emotional and psychological reasons than we may realize. It took me a good few years to understand that I needed to deal with unfinished business from my childhood and was actually ‘using’ teaching to help me practice the assertiveness skills that I hadn’t learned as a young person. So I had to first teach to kids what it was that I needed to learn myself.

Teaching, if you have the self-awareness, is the best free therapy you’ll ever get. Kids respond to you honestly, whereas adults may not. Learn to value that honesty and use it as useful feedback to improve as a professional and as a person.

- Public or Private school? Why? In America, teachers get paid more to teacher in public schools. Does that hold true in the UK?
For good or bad, our class system is alive and well. The wealthiest parents still send their children to private school, in the hope that they will go to Oxford or Cambridge Universities and get the top jobs through contacts made. Salaries are slightly higher in private schools but not by much.

- A common notion that society has on teachers is that they have a lot of vacation time. How do you spend your vacation time and is all the time off as good as people portray it to be?

Remember that holiday prices go up dramatically during school holidays so if we go away, we pay more. Generally, you spend the first couple of weeks of any holiday recovering from the previous term. However, I’m not going to lie. The holidays are great and a massive perk of the job!

- How do you feel technology has impacted education today?

In the UK, most classrooms will have an electronic, interactive whiteboard, which revolutionizes the way in which subject content can be delivered; using internet resources for example. I am very much for the idea that your site encourages, of content sharing. In theory, all students can have access to the best possible lessons on any particular topic, if all teachers shared content in this way. I think that technology in class, is as good as the teacher using it. It can be time-filling ‘busywork’ or well integrated into a scheme of work.

- What are your main interests in the field of education? What educational topics do you focus on?
Over the years, I have become more and more interested in behavior management, as I feel that my background in drama and theater gives me some unique insights into how to create presence on the ‘stage’ of the classroom and how to create an effective teacher ‘persona’. In my current job, I train new teachers as well as work with pupils with special educational needs.

- What influenced you to want to become a teacher?
I had done a lot of drama in youth work and liked working with kids in a creative way. I was working in professional theater at the time and began teaching part-time to supplement my income.

- Complete this phrase: Teaching is… the greatest personal challenge you will ever encounter and one, which if you rise to it, will offer the most profound rewards.

The Paradox of School in America.

2010-07-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

What is a paradox? A paradox is a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. To say that schools are succeeding in America may be just that, a paradox. However, in taking a look around our educational landscape, who's to say that schools aren't serving our children to the best of their ability. Some say teaching is easy. Some say, "the corporate world would not have such lenient firing practices." Summers off! Not to mention 2-3 weeks for Christmas, 1 week for Thanksgiving, and 1 week for Easter Break. With all this time off, isn't this part of the problem contributing to the notion that education is failing in America. I would beg to differ. What other profession is scrutinized so closely by those who don't know lick about it. Do teachers go around and say, "what's with the cubicles, computers, hour long lunch breaks, and water-cooler talk?" No, because they don't hate on others. That's why they're teachers. They chose a profession to help youngsters make sense of their life, family and selves. They chose a profession that demands that you work first and ask questions later, which is way later. Here's a simple brain teaser; Try standing in front of a classroom of 25-30 students and be lazy. Now try standing in front of that classroom with those same kids 2 weeks in a row and try to be lazy. Now, try standing in front of those same kids for 3 months straight and be lazy. The students will make sure you're not standing if you don't care. So, we come back to the paradox of education at the time being that schools are succeeding. Well, of course they are, how the hell else have you made it to this blog post!

- Anonymous Teacher

What is Teacherlinx?

2010-06-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

We are a small group of people working to improve standards of education by connecting teachers in new and innovative ways. Teacherlinx.com gives users the opportunity to share their teaching ideas and methods in a free and safe community. Focusing on only issues that affect education we are committed to helping teachers become aware of all the resources available to their classrooms.

What can I do on Teacherlinx?

2010-06-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

What can I do on Teacherlinx?

Teacherlinx offers many features aimed at improving the educational standards in America and across the globe. Teacherlinx offers the following;

- Social Networking platform for teachers to find, share and create lessons

- News and Resource Links that keep educators up-to-date with their profession (Post an educational link or resource to share with the community)

- Jobs and Rewards allow incentive and monetary growth for the profession

With these current and future features, the Teacherlinx team builds upon the educational foundation set and expands upon it.

Meet Teachers, Share Lessons and Improve Education on Teacherlinx.com

New Updates to Teacherlinx in May!

2010-04-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

Something big is on the horizon for all Teacherlinx members! Coming early May, a brand new feature will be added to the Teacherlinx homepage that will vastly improve the streaming of information that teachers will find useful and practical.

Look out! It's coming sooooon!

- Teacherlinx Team

What's New with Teacherlinx in March?

2010-03-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Teacherlinx, an online community where educators can keep up to date with all the breaking news and resources available.

A couple of new features that are now available for our users include:

User Information Display (Find and Communicate with teachers from your State, Grade Level, and Subject!)
Breaking News (Check back daily for breaking educational NEWS affecting your profession)
Post Links (Do you have a great education website that other educators could find useful? Please post a useful teacher link today!)

For future reference, Teacherlinx will continue to add new features that will benefit your profession as an educator. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, concerns or recommendations for the site.

Welcome to the 1st online educational hub for teachers!

Teacherlinx in 2010!

2010-01-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

Teacherlinx.com hits the 2010 year in stride with new updates! Message from Stephen Tom (CEO) of Teacherlinx.

First off, welcome to the Teacherlinx community. My name is Stephen Tom and I am the CEO of Teacherlinx.com, a website aimed at improving education and supporting teachers. The Teacherlinx team has been working extremely hard to continue to improve our teaching site so that educators may preview all the resources provided online for their benefit.

We update our site every 2 weeks. So check back and see what we have been up to and how we can improve your user experience on Teacherlinx.com. Here are some of the updates that took place towards the end of 2009 and that are currently live;

1) Educational links can now be viewed and posted

2) Our linx feed is now open to anyone who wishes to post a link to the public

3) New Featured Teacher Interviews!

4) Educational Videos

5) We have reached 1,000 users and 1500 Lesson Plans!!!

Upcoming Features on Teachelrinx.com include; User Identification Displays, Breaking News, Link Archiving for reference, Teacher Groups, and so much more.

I hope you enjoy the site and all it has to offer.

Stephen Tom (CEO)
Website: Teacherlinx.com
Email: info@teacherlinx.com

Dropout rate declines almost 17% in L.A. schools

2009-08-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

The decline is one of the largest in the state. Officials credit teams that identify and help at-risk students and the conversion of larger high schools into clusters of smaller academies.

By Howard Blume and Jason Song
August 4, 2009

The dropout rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District declined almost 17% -- welcome news in a school system beleaguered by budget cuts and ongoing battles over future reforms.

The dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year came in at 26.4%, down from 31.7% for the previous year and among the largest improvements in the state. L.A. Unified still trails all other large urban school systems in California except Oakland Unified.

"We're starting to see the results of three years of work," said Debra Duardo, a onetime dropout who began the district's dropout-prevention unit. For one thing, there were 16,000 duplicate student records that, in effect, inflated the dropout rate. More important, school teams better coordinated diffuse services, she said, "to identify students at risk and decide who's working with a student and who's contacting the parents."

District officials also credited the conversion of large high schools into clusters of smaller academies, with the goal of quickly intervening to help students at risk of failure.

At South Gate High School, which has about 3,300 students, the dropout rate fell 1.5 percentage points to 20% while graduation rates jumped nearly 15 points to almost 83%.

Six-year Principal Patrick Moretta, who recently retired, attributed gains to factors including increased teacher support, a mandatory study hall for ninth- and 10th-graders, and diversion of more funding to the classroom. Athletics sometimes had to take a back seat, he said, with practices no longer held during school hours so coaches and students could devote more time to schoolwork.

Overall, the district's graduation rate rose 7.9% to 72.4%.

Both the graduation and dropout rates are approximations. The dropout rate is a four-year estimate based on two years of data that, for the first time, tracks individual students. But it can't tabulate dropouts who are listed as having left a California public school for another school. The graduation rate uses four years of data, but does not yet track individuals. L.A. Unified provided the data in advance of its official state release.

Among the results: Hollywood High cut its dropout rate nearly in half from 36.3% to 18.8%. Birmingham High in the San Fernando Valley increased its graduation rate from 77% to 91.1%. On the other hand, Jefferson High had an improved but still poor graduation rate of 48.6%. Ditto for the Santee Educational Complex, with a dropout rate of 41.2%.

These results burnish the record of former Supt. David L. Brewer, who was forced out in December although test scores rose. Brewer, reached in Orlando, Fla., credited Duardo as well as district principals and teachers who accepted responsibility for taking on the dropout problem.

"I kept telling people we were turning the corner," he said.

Whether these gains will be sustained could depend on how well the school system adjusts to reduced resources in the wake of state budget woes. The number of counselors taking part in the district's Diploma Project, for example, has been cut in half.

"I hope that program survived," Brewer said, "because it really focused on kids."

howard.blume@latimes.com

jason.song@latimes.com

Obama chides California for not using test scores to evaluate teachers

2009-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

At stake are billions in federal stimulus funds to be allocated in 'Race to the Top' grants. Schwarzenegger says state law will be amended if necessary to comply.

By Jason Song and Jason Felch
July 25, 2009

President Obama singled out California on Friday for failing to use education data to distinguish poor teachers from good ones, a situation that his administration said must change for the state to receive competitive, federal school dollars.

Obama's comments echo recent criticisms by his Education secretary, Arne Duncan, who warned that states that bar the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers, as California does, are risking those funds. In an announcement Friday at the Education Department in Washington, Obama and Duncan said the "Race to the Top" awards will be allocated to school districts that institute reforms using data-driven analysis, among other things.

California threatened with loss of funds...

Times investigation: Failure gets a pass

"You cannot ignore facts," Obama said. "That is why any state that makes it unlawful to link student progress to teacher evaluations will have to change its ways."

The remarks escalate a disagreement between the Obama administration and California education leaders. While a 2006 law prohibits the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers on a state level, it does not mention local districts, where state officials say pupil data can be used to judge instructors. A handful of districts currently are doing that; L.A. Unified is not.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday he would push to amend state law if necessary.

"We will seek any reforms or changes to the law deemed necessary, including changes to our data system laws, to ensure California is eligible to compete" for federal funds, Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

California's top education officials sent the Obama administration a letter earlier this month saying no changes were needed to state law and that any attempt to modify it could distract from reform efforts, but the administration has not responded.

Obama's speech could also mark the beginning of a protracted fight with teachers unions, which have resisted some of the reforms advocated by the administration, including performance pay and data-driven teacher evaluation.

The state's teachers unions have already voiced their opposition to such a move. When the 2006 law was drafted, teachers unions insisted that it include an amendment saying: "Data in the system may not be used . . . for purposes of pay, promotion, sanction, or personnel evaluation of an individual teacher or group of teachers, or of any other employment related decisions related to individual teachers."

Obama and Duncan made their position clear. "This competition will not be based on politics, ideology, or the preferences of a particular interest group," Obama said. "Instead, it will be based on the simple principle: whether a state is ready to do what works."

"Race to the Top" applicants must show progress in four key areas to compete for the $4.35 billion: adopting rigorous academic standards, recruiting and retaining talented educators, turning around chronically low-performing schools, and building data systems to track student and teacher effectiveness. But Obama also pointed out that teachers should not be judged solely on student test scores.

Seven states have already lifted restrictions on public charter schools to better compete for the funds, the Associated Press reported Friday. Other states, such as Colorado and Massachusetts, are trumpeting their recent progress on issues like merit pay and higher educational standards, which they believe will give them an inside track to secure the federal dollars.

Federal officials have said that California legislators do not have to necessarily revise current law. Instead, the attorney general could certify that the state law is not a barrier to teacher accountability.

But some California education officials questioned whether it would be possible to comply with the administration's demands.

California ranks 41st among states in collecting and using data to evaluate teachers, according to a 2008 survey by the Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit based in Austin, Texas.

"There is . . . [a] possibility nobody will apply" for the funds, said California Deputy Supt. for Public Instruction Rick Miller, who stressed that state leaders share the Obama administration's goals. "They're asking for fundamental changes in all sorts of areas, and you have to commit to all of it by October. . . . That's a heavy lift."

The draft guidelines for the federal funding released Friday are open for public comment for 30 days. States are required to submit applications by October for the first round of grants.

The money is a portion of the roughly $100-billion educational stimulus package approved by Congress. But much of that money is expected to be used by districts to make up for state budget cuts.

Jason.song@latimes.com

Jason.felch@latimes.com

Kristina Sherry in the Washington bureau contributed to this story.

Bypassing education for NBA wealth. Black Enterprise

2009-07-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

An unprecedented number of talented high school basketball players made plans to skip college to enter this year's National Basketball Association draft, following in the sneaker prints of NBA stars such as league MVP Kevin Garnett and last year's No. 1 draft pick LeBron James. This trend, while celebrated by some, is a source of alarm to many others, including NBA Commissioner David Stern, who has advocated the implementation of a minimum age requirement for drain, eligibility.

Not so long ago, being athletically gifted was one of the few avenues for the economically disadvantaged to gain access to higher education. While the ultimate hoop dream may have been to become the next Jordan, the real prize was the college degree that would serve as the foundation for success long after the sports heroics became cherished memory. Now, instead of athletic ability serving as a means to a valuable end, it has become the goal itself. This is a recipe for disaster, especially for young African American males.

Those who support the right of young athletes to skip college and go straight to the pros argue that an 18-year-old is an adult who should be free to pursue any vocation he or she proves qualified for. If that means passing up four years as an unpaid "student" athlete to earn millions of dollars (not counting endorsement income) as an NBA phenom, what's the problem, they ask.

First, the rare successes of the likes of Kobe, LeBron, and KG must be weighed against the shattered dreams of the dozens of high school seniors who failed to make the leap to the pros over the past several years. Even the few teenagers truly capable of competing at the NBA level will always be one fast break away from a career-ending injury, with few, if any, marketable skills to fall back on. The vast majority of them lack the life experience necessary to cope with the off-the-court demands of being a professional athlete. Think back to when you were 18 years old. What did you know about income taxes? Credit card interest rates? Paying bills? Had you learned to balance a checkbook--or did you even have a bank account yet? The combination of financial illiteracy and sudden wealth makes these young men ripe for exploitation. As the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted.

And what of the thousands of black boys who will decide they don't need to take education seriously because they have been convinced--by friends, family, coaches, handlers, groupies, and others who see a 6'9" eighth grader with a 40-inch vertical leap as their winning lottery ticket--that they are destined for NBA stardom? Why bother taking the challenging courses--foreign languages, algebra, physics--necessary to qualify for play at a Division I college? Why worry about excelling in high school, or even in middle school?

How many generations of black youth are we willing to hoodwink in order to find the next, LeBron James? How many undereducated, unemployable, and disillusioned young black men must we create, and then discard, in order to produce a high school athlete who can generate billions of dollars for athletic apparel marketers, television executives, and team owners--the vast majority of whom are college educated? The reality is that past and present teen phenoms such as James and Garnett, Tiger Woods, Venus and Serena Williams, and Major League Soccer's Freddy Adu, are the exceptions that prove the rule that the odds of achieving the riches and fame of professional sports stardom are astronomical. There's nothing wrong with an athletically gifted youth aspiring to a professional sports career. However, it is irresponsible to the point of economic genocide to make it acceptable to bypass academic achievement and educational opportunities to do so.

Teacher loses fight to keep job

2009-07-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Judge gives L.A. Unified permission to terminate Matthew Kim, who has done no work for seven years.

By Jason Song
July 14, 2009

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has given school district officials the go-ahead to fire a special education teacher seven years after they decided he did not belong in a classroom because of alleged sexual harassment.

In his decision made public Monday, Judge David P. Yaffe sharply criticized the state panel that oversees contested teacher firings for disregarding earlier judicial orders. The commission's decisions show their "profound contempt for, and disrespect of, the judgments and orders of the courts of this state," Yaffe wrote.

Teacher Matthew Kim

Times investigation: Failure gets a pass

The ruling involves Matthew Kim, who was accused of touching co-workers' breasts and making improper advances toward students. He was featured in a Times article last spring as an example of the district's inability to act swiftly against teachers accused of egregious or immoral acts.

The decision is a result of years of legal wrangling before a state board that oversees contested teacher firings as well as Superior Court and appellate judges. All told, the Los Angeles Unified School District has spent nearly $2 million, including Kim's pay and benefits while he was barred from the classroom.

Known as a "housed" employee, he and about 160 others reported every day to administrative offices, where they were assigned no work.

Kim was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair; he has argued that any touching was involuntary, an assertion he made again Monday in an e-mail. "I have not touched anybody intentionally," Kim said.

After he was fired by the school board in 2003, Kim appealed to the state Commission on Professional Competence, which unanimously found that some of Kim's actions could have been considered sexual harassment but ruled that he should not be fired. The district appealed the decision and a higher court ordered the commission to rehear the case.

Late last year, without considering any new evidence, the same three-member panel again ordered that Kim be retained. The district appealed and Yaffe ruled in its favor.

Supt. Ramon C. Cortines said Monday that he would order the district to stop paying Kim, a move that the teacher's attorney opposes.

"I hope [the decision] sends a message that we need to do more to protect children and other employees," he said.

Kim, who was reassigned from a district office to his home last spring, plans to appeal. "I'm sure it'll work out my way," wrote Kim, who received his undergraduate degree in physics from UC Berkeley but said he became a teacher because he wanted to help disabled students.

Yaffe also criticized the state commission for changing its findings. In its second decision, the commission reversed itself and did not determine that his actions constituted sexual harassment.

"What the commission has done . . . is to try to change the facts of the case to support its prior decision, instead of changing its prior decision to one that is supported by the facts of the case," Yaffe wrote.

He also questioned why the commission did not consider -- as ordered -- the consequences of returning Kim to the classroom, especially because he required a full-time aide while teaching.

"Should the women who are hired [to work with Kim] be told that they must submit to 'non-volitional arm movements' by Kim that touch their breasts, in order to accommodate his disability?" Yaffe wrote.

Officials with the Department of General Services, which oversees the state panels, declined to comment because the case is still technically active. The district must still respond to Yaffe's order before it is finalized.

In 2002, while his case wound through the firing process, Kim was placed on administrative leave. He received his full annual salary of up to $68,000 and benefits.

Kim was one of about 160 district employees who were housed in district offices while allegations against them were investigated. Cases can take years to resolve and officials say they are prohibited from assigning the employees chores such as filing or answering telephones because of a clause in the teachers union contract.

The Times found that other school districts finish their investigations faster and give their employees work while they are reassigned.

Kim's case was featured in a Times story in May about the practice. He declined to comment for the original story but after it was published, he asked for an interview to say that he had never willfully touched anyone and that he was the victim of discrimination.

In commission and court documents, a co-worker said Kim touched her breast with his left hand, the only one over which he has some control. Another co-worker made similar allegations. A student said he asked her if she had a boyfriend and if she was a virgin and another said Kim stared at her and urged her not to change her hair color, documents showed. Over a one-year period at Grant High School in Van Nuys, he was accused four times of sexual harassment, according to a court document.

Kim's attorney, Lawrence Trygstad, said the judge's directives to the commission were unclear and that his client was eager to return to work.

"He wants to go back to the classroom," Trygstad said.

jason.song@latimes.com

President Obama's Stance on Education

2009-07-09T15:17:00.001-07:00

The Current Situation

At this defining moment in our history, preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students accountable. We will prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring that American children lead the world once again in creativity and achievement.

The Solution

Improve K-12 schooling:

We will recruit an army of new teachers and develop innovative ways to reward teachers who are doing a great job, and we will reform No Child Left Behind so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.
Expand access to higher education:

After graduating high school, all Americans should be prepared to attend at least one year of job training or higher education to better equip our workforce for the 21st century economy. We will continue to make higher education more affordable by expanding Pell Grants and initiating new tax credits to make sure any young person who works hard and desires a college education can access it.
Make sure our children are prepared for kindergarten:

One of the most critical times to influence learning in a child's life is the period before he or she reaches kindergarten. We will invest in early childhood education, by dramatically expanding Head Start and other programs to ensure that all of our young children are ready to enter kindergarten.

Education secretary treads where teachers unions don't want to go

2009-07-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

By Jason Song
July 3, 2009

Reporting from San Diego -- The country's top education official challenged teachers unions Thursday to embrace historically controversial ways of promoting teacher effectiveness, including offering merit pay and evaluating instructors based on student test scores.

"You must become full partners and leaders in education reform. You must be willing to change," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the National Education Assn. at its annual meeting in San Diego.

The proposals are particularly charged in California, where such suggestions typically are met with fierce union resistance. In fact, a state law prevents districts from using California student performance data to evaluate or compensate teachers.

Duncan's audience was slightly more welcoming than in the past. Dennis Van Roekel, president of the 3.2-million member NEA, agreed that reform was needed, especially in teacher evaluations. And many rank-and-file union members at least politely nodded during Duncan's speech, a change from last year when President Obama -- then a candidate -- was roundly booed by the same convention when he discussed merit pay.

Not that the crowd was won over Thursday. "Quite frankly, merit pay is union-busting," said one educator to loud applause during the question-and-answer period.

Audience members cheered when one teacher questioned the merits of linking student test scores to teacher evaluation or pay.

When one NEA member shouted angrily at the mention of merit pay, Duncan said, "You can boo [but] don't throw any shoes, please."

Duncan has mentioned many of these ideas while traveling the country addressing educators, but Thursday was his first speech focused on teacher quality. And he made it before a potentially antagonistic audience.

Still, he said the Obama administration wants to work in partnership with the unions to ensure that students have the best teachers. "We are not going to impose reform but rather work with teachers, principals and unions to find what works," Duncan said.

He also advocated changing tenure rules, saying protecting poor teachers hurts students and effective instructors.

He also made it a point to say that charter schools -- independent, public schools that are free of many school district regulations and restrictions and often are not bound by union contracts -- should be treated the same as regular campuses.

"Charter schools are public schools, and they should be held to the same standards as everyone else," he said.

A group in the California section of the audience booed loudly when Duncan praised Green Dot Public Schools, which independently operates more than a dozen schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District with union contracts. David Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Assn., called the anti-Green Dot contingent a "vocal minority."

Duncan pointedly advocated using student test score data to assess teacher effectiveness. "It's time we all admit that just as our testing system is deeply flawed, so is our teacher evaluation system."

Test scores should not be the sole measurement of teacher quality, Duncan said, and any merit pay needs to be shared on a campus-wide basis. When he headed the Chicago public schools, Duncan oversaw the creation of a program that rewarded some schools for increasing student achievement, which was measured partially by test scores, by giving extra pay to all employees.

Unions agreed to the program, said Duncan, who added that rewarding only individual teachers was wrong.

"You cannot pit teachers against each other. Such programs will always fail," he said.

He also said that administrators need to be given more support and training, but if they are ineffective they "need to find something else to do."

Van Roekel said he was willing to work with Duncan and the Obama administration because they appear to understand the complexities of reform and of using testing data to evaluate teachers. But Sanchez said he did not favor using that data.

"It shouldn't be on the table," he said.

Sanchez said that local unions need to negotiate their own contracts, but that he doesn't believe merit pay should be a bargaining point. Still, he said he was pleased that Duncan was reaching out to unions.

When reform "comes from the top down, it never works," Sanchez said. "We need to be inclusive."

jason.song@latimes.com

Twenty-first Century

2009-06-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

On November 16, 2007, the WorldNet Daily posted "Battle-scarred 'sub' in L.A. barrios speaks out" by Migdia Chinea Varela, a screenwriter and former substitute teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Chinea stated that, in many schools she served, the students had no interest in learning, abused the teachers, vandalized property, and joined gangs. Chinea, who was injured on the job, stated that teachers are underpaid and under-appreciated in the district. She described the campuses in LAUSD as a "mess, filthy, dilapidated and without supplies." Chinea believes that the district is taking little action against the conditions rampant in various low-income schools. ^[19]

On January 5, 2008 Sandy Banks of the Los Angeles Times reported that vandals and thieves targeted LAUSD schools in various neighborhoods during holidays. Banks said that the lack of police presence allows thieves to target schools. ^[20]

33-year old Alberto Gutierrez sued the Los Angeles Unified School District, saying that the principal of the San Fernando High School, where he was assigned, retaliated against him when Gutierrez asked students to "think critically" about the role of the United States in the Iraq War. Jose Luis Rodriguez, the principal, says that he spoke to Gutierrez because some parents did not appreciate Gutierrez requiring students to attend off-campus screenings of Fahrenheit 9/11 and Crash.^{Wikipedia.com}

Cuts Cost L.A. Unified its Teacher for America Instructors

2009-06-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

The district, facing a steep budget shortfall, says it won't be able to afford new teachers from the program, which places college graduates in low-income schools.

By Seema Mehta
June 19, 2009

The financially strapped Los Angeles Unified School District says it cannot afford to hire any new teachers next year from Teach for America, a prestigious program that places high-achieving college graduates in low-income, underperforming schools.

The district has worked with the nonprofit since the early 1990s; more than 600 Teach for America members have taught in L.A. Unified classrooms since 2004. Now, in addition to taking no new teachers from the program next year, the district is considering laying off a third of its current 67 first-year Teach for America members.

L.A. school board votes 4-3 on motion to ease teacher firing

"Over the years, Teach for America corps members have made a tremendous impact on the students and schools they serve," said Deborah Ignagni, L.A. Unified's administrator of certificated employment operations. "This impact toward improving student achievement and the social condition of their school communities is immeasurable."

But for now, the district's decision means that in Teach for America's Los Angeles region, which is among the organization's largest nationwide, most members will teach at charter schools, not traditional public schools. Charters are publicly funded schools that operate independently and are free from many state and district regulations.

"So long as we are serving students from low-income settings in public schools, we are agnostic about the governance model of those schools," said Brian Johnson, executive director of the nonprofit's Los Angeles operation. "We want to have a significant presence in traditional public schools. However, if there are no vacancies in traditional LAUSD schools this year, we want to ensure that we are still bringing top talent into classrooms in Los Angeles."

Teach for America is a highly selective program that places recent college graduates in low-income classrooms across the nation.

Some educators are critical of the program, saying its young teachers lack the training of traditional teachers and sometimes use the time to add an altruistic flourish to their resumes before they move on to more lucrative careers.

Supporters point out that teacher turnover in troubled schools is high regardless, and that after Teach for America members finish their two-year commitment, two-thirds continue to work in education. Research also has shown that the Teach for America members are as effective as teachers with conventional credentials.

For the coming school year, the program accepted 4,100 out of 35,000 applicants for placements across the nation. About 140 of these teachers will be based in the Los Angeles area, and more than 100 of them will be placed in charter schools.

The program's 14 placements in the Compton Unified School District for next year appear unchanged for now. But 13 placements in the Pasadena Unified School District are uncertain as the district struggles with state budget cuts, officials said.

"All things told, we have . . . felt very fortunate to have the caliber of teachers we were able to bring on the Muir staff from TFA," said Tim Sippel, assistant principal at Pasadena's John Muir High School, where five were placed this year. "We desperately hope we can retain them in the midst of the budget crisis we are facing as a district."

In Los Angeles, the Teach for America members who recently received pink slips are among some 2,500 employees in the district facing layoffs as the district struggles to find $132 million in additional cuts this school year, and $143 million more for the coming year. Teachers in the program are paid $39,788 annually, the same as other new teachers with alternative certifications. The district also pays the organization a $3,000 training fee for each member it hires.

Libby Pier, 22, an eighth-grade English teacher at Los Angeles Academy Middle School, was angry and hurt when she received her layoff notice in the mail. The Boston native, who graduated from Northwestern University last year, said her year of teaching in South Los Angeles has been rewarding and challenging, and a learning experience.

"I've fallen in love with my school, with my kids, and the idea of being able to help even one student and make a difference in their lives and make them love learning," said Pier, who has interviewed at four inner-city charter schools and may pursue a doctorate in educational psychology if she can't find a classroom position. "I was definitely planning on remaining in teaching. . . . Now, I don't have a job."

seema.mehta@latimes.com

US Department of Education

2009-06-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

Nearly $4 Billion in Recovery Funds Now Available for California to Save Jobs and Drive Reform
Application for Part 1 of California's State Stabilization FundsApproved Today

FOR RELEASE:
April 17, 2009

Contact: Sandra Abrevaya, (202) 6...
sandra.abrevaya@ed.gov

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that nearly $4 billion is now available for California under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts. California will be eligible to apply for another $2 billion this fall. Today's funding is being made available per California's successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available April 1. California is the first state to be approved for the first round of state stabilization funding.

"The $4 billion that California will receive today is part of the single largest boost in education funding in recent history," Duncan said. "The President's leadership and support from Congress have made this historic investment possible. California can now utilize these funds to save jobs and lay the groundwork for a generation of education reform."

To date, California has received nearly $1.3 billion in education stimulus funds-- representing a combination of funding for Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation Grants, Independent Living Grants, Impact Aid dollars and Homeless Education Grants. On April 1, California received more than $562 million in Title I funding and more than $660 million in IDEA funding. This represents 50 percent of the funding for Title I and IDEA funding that California is eligible for in total. On April 1, California also received more than $28 million in Vocational Rehab funds and more than $5 million in Independent Living funds. One April 10, California received nearly $1.5 million in Impact Aid Funding and nearly $14 million in Homeless Education grants.

In order to receive today's funds, California provided assurances that they will collect, publish, analyze and act on basic information regarding the quality of classroom teachers, annual student improvements, college readiness, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments, progress on removing charter caps, and interventions in turning around underperforming schools.

California also is required by the U.S. Department of Education to report the number of jobs saved through Recovery Act funding, the amount of state and local tax increases averted and how funds are being used. To view California's application, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html.

Follow Teacherlinx on Twitter!

2009-06-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

Follow Teacherlinx on Twitter and keep up to date with all our amazing upgrades and developments. Invite your colleagues or friends to join the most powerful teacher website ever built. Stay informed on the latest news surrounding education and teaching around the world. Connect. Share. Discover

Teacher Travel Destinations?

2009-05-19T18:13:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, with summer quickly approaching, where are you guys planning to travel? I usually try beach cities such as Honolulu HI, South Beach FL, Laguna Beach, CA etc.. I'm also planning a short trip to Big Bear CA. So where are you guys planning to go? Any good deals for teachers?

LAUSD Strike Called Off!!!

2009-05-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

The teacher strike scheduled for Friday, May 15, 09' has been called off by UTLA! This is disastrous. How can thousands of teachers be given pink slips without a large reaction from the union and the teachers? Instead of the strike, UTLA President A.J. Duffy has called all teachers to picket both before and after school on Friday. This is absurd. What do you guys think about this teacher strike? Is it justifiable? Are teachers asking too much?

Publish Post

Teacher Strike! Friday, May 15, 09'

2009-05-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, are you aware that there is going to be a massive teacher strike this Friday, May 15 for all Los Angeles Unified teachers? The LAUSD teachers will strike to voice their disapproval over the 2-3,000 RIF / Layoff notices that were sent out in April. These layoffs will undoubtedly lead to larger class sizes and a huge turnover of good, new teachers. What do you guys think about the strike? What will the students do on Friday? Should the union back a massive strike?

50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom (teachingtips.com)

2009-04-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

I figured since Earth day and Arbor Day were last week, we should do a feature on making your classrooms a little bit more sustainable. No hugging of trees necessary...

50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom (teachingtips.com)

Most of you teachers are wrapping up the school year, but we have an important homework assignment for the summer. Can you think of 50 different ways to go green in your classroom starting this fall? Don’t worry: we really want you to enjoy your time off, so we came up with this little cheat sheet to help you and your students make a pact to make more eco-conscious choices and take real steps to saving our planet.

Class Projects

Make going green a class project by sponsoring a recycling competition, planting a class garden or adopting the rainforest.

Recycle Competition: Many classrooms already have recycling barrels next to the trash can, but you can start a competition with your hall to see which class can save the most newspapers, soda cans, water bottles or any other recyclable item.
Compost heap: If your school isn’t willing to start composting, you can create a mini compost pile outside your classroom to get rid of some of your garbage, though it’s probably a smart idea to make sure it’s cleared with the administration and fire codes.
Start a garden: Use the compost to fertilize a class garden. You can grow vegetables or flowers, and let the students sample what you grow.
Recycle technology: If you’re lucky enough to be getting new computers this fall, invite your kids to join the Goodwill and Dell Reconnect program, which recycles computers and other electronics.
Go Green Database: Browse this database for fun eco-friendly projects that encourage awareness.
Plan an end-of-the-day room check: During the last few minutes of the day, have your children make sure all the water faucets are completely turned off, blinds are closed, lights are off and windows are closed. You can give different groups a checklist for each part of the room.
Adopt a rainforest: This project works with any unit you’re teaching. Your class can adopt the rainforest, whales, a block on your street or any other place you want to make a difference.
Use real plants for class pets: If your classroom has a pet turtle, lizard or fish, use real plants instead of synthetic or plastic plants. It’s better for the greater environment, as well as your little friend.
Calculate your carbon footprint: You can use this calculator to calculate your classroom’s carbon footprint, or the combined effect all of your students have on the environment. Then, discuss ways to minimize your effect on the environment.
Take an eco-friendly field trip: Walk to a nearby park to examine the local ecosystems without using extra gas.
Start a class website: Older students will respond to a class website, where they can get homework help, submit discussion questions, and play with interactive study guides, all of which save paper.
Raise monarch butterflies: This teacher started a class project to raise monarch butterflies in order to teach her students about natural ecosystems and the developing stages of life.

School Supplies

It’s time to reevaluate your school supply closet and figure out how to introduce safer, more environmentally friendly pens, paints and tissues into the mix.

Use water-based paints: The Green Guide recommends using water-based paints for a non-toxic creative project.
Green art projects: This list of green art projects are all good for the environment, and some utilize natural ingredients and products like clay and wood.
Use green tissues: These Seventh Generation brand tissues are chlorine-free, so they aren’t a threat to the ozone layer and have no dyes or artificial fragrances.
Make your own cleaning kit: Free your students of breathing in harmful chemicals and help the environment by whipping up your own batch of non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.
Stock your room with green school supplies: If you or your school’s budget can afford it, stock your room with green school supplies, like recycled notebook binders and biodegradable corn starch pens.
Write with recycled pencils: This number two pencil is also made of recycled wood.
Acid-free glue stick: For all your art projects, use acid-free glue stick, which is less messier than liquid glue and better for the environment.
Send efaxes: For permission slips and progress reports, send out electronic faxes that don’t require extra paper or electricity.
Recharge batteries: Rechargeable batteries can save the earth from harmful metals and compounds that can’t be broken down when you toss out old batteries.

Preserving Resources

Preserve our natural resources by following these tips, which save water, electricity and paper.

Make sure water faucets are turned off: The WaterWiser Drip Calculator reveals that 5 drips per second is the same as letting water run in a steady stream. Make sure your kids turn the water off all the way.
Open windows: If the temperature is nice outside, regulate your inside temperature by opening up the windows. Fresh air will also rejuvenate you and your students.
Water your garden with your leftovers: If you have leftover water from a cooking or science assignment, use it to water your plants outside instead of throwing it down the drain.
Check for leaks: Check your windows for insulation leaks and your faucets for water leaks, which can waste electricity and water. Notify your school’s maintenance department to have it fixed as soon as possible.
Use biodegradable cups and utensils: For class parties and snack time, keep a stash of biodegradable plates and utensils.
Reusable napkins: If you have older students who (theoretically) shouldn’t be as messy as elementary kids, you may want to consider setting out resuable napkins that you can wash whenever you have snacks.
Use the right lightbulbs: This guide goes over the right "green" light bulbs, including compact fluorescent light bulbs and Energy Star bulbs.
Encourage students to use both sides of the paper: Teachers have been battling this problem for a while. Ask your students to use both sides of the paper for homework assignments. You can even reward them an extra bonus point or two if they remember.
Open the blinds: Let in natural light and turn on a desk lamp when you’re packing up for the day or in your room by yourself during lunchtime.

Teachers Only

Going green at school isn’t just about student involvement. Teachers can learn how to make eco-conscious choices in the teacher’s lounge and when designing lesson plans, too.

Unplug your mini-fridge: Consider sharing a mini-fridge with the teachers down the hall instead of having your own private refrigerator that soaks up extra electricity
Keep your grades online: Online gradebooks like this one save paper and invite parents to take a more active role in evaluating student performance.
Drink Fair Trade Coffee: Introduce Fair Trade Coffee to the teachers’ lounge for an eco-conscious, humanitarian pick-me-up.
Bring a mug or glass to school: Instead of pouring coffee or water into a styrofoam cup, bring your own mug or glass to school, which can be washed and reused over and over again.
Use recycled paper: All teachers go through a ton of notebooks and papers each year, so using recycled paper and then recycling all your files after the year is over will positively impact the environment.
Use PowerPoint: Start creating PowerPoint presentations to deliver notes, photos and study guides without wasting paper.
E-mail other teachers and administration: If your school hasn’t already, try to start an e-mail only campaign that eliminates needing hard copies of substitute requests, field trip proposals and meeting RSVPs.
Send Rescue Paper thank you notes: Send thank you notes for teacher gifts or notify a parent of a high-achieving child with these Rescuse Paper stationery.
Insulate doors: At the end of the day, slide draft guards under your door to insulate the room and keep energy consumption down.

More Green Ideas

From organic snacks to carpooling to applying for environmental program grants, this list is full of even more green ideas.

Offer organic snacks: Besides going green, having a party with these snacks is better for students’ health and focus.
Plant a tree: A popular tradition for many schools on Earth Day, find out if your class can plant a tree or bush any other day.
Turn off your computer: Don’t just put your computer on sleep mode: turning it off during your lunch break and especially at night saves a lot of energy.
Carpool with other teachers: Even if you don’t have to commute across town, carpooling with teacher friends decreases air pollution, and of course, saves you money.
Put on a show: Educate the rest of your school by putting on a play or presentation that goes over an environmental topics like global warming, preserving ecosystems or recycling. An extra challenge would be to only use organic, natural or non-toxic supplies to organize the event.
Campaign for an Idle-Free School Zone: These Idle-Free School Zones are catching on and encourage parents who arrive at school to pick up their kids to turn off their engines and reduce pollution.
Apply for a grant: The Live Green Teacher Grants award teachers $1,000 to put their original green ideas and campaigns to work in the classroom.

Networks and Groups

Encourage your students to join these networks independently or as a class to enter contests and connect with other conscious students around the world.

Student Environmental Action Coalition: This group provides information on local events and global campaigns that are devoted to saving the environment.
Lexus Environmental Challenge: Compete for scholarships and grants in this contest, sponsored by Lexus and Scholastic.
Earth Force: This organization "engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment." The Tools for Teachers section provides resources for getting involved in the classroom.
Save a Snowman: Introduce your students to global warming by sponsoring a snowman and learning about saving the rainforest.

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Teacher Travel Destinations?

LAUSD Strike Called Off!!!

Teacher Strike! Friday, May 15, 09'

50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom (teachingtips.com)

50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom (teachingtips.com)