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Archive for the ‘On Our Side’ Category

What Politics Has Done to Education

Thursday, February/02/2015

This poem concisely sums up the current state of education across the nation. These two highly intelligent, observant and insightful poets correctly point out how the system has been perverted to the point of uselessness all in the name of corporate profits, privatization and propaganda.

Let’s hope that they go on to replace the profit-only seeking idiots that are currently dismantling public education for a quick buck.

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I Am a Teacher by Thomas Sinclair

Monday, October/10/2013

I AM A TEACHER
I went to college, got a four year degree.
Was required to go back to college and get a Master’s Degree.
I applied for many positions and even worked as a substitute teacher.
I endured state and national testing.
I was finger printed and background checked.
I trained before, during, and after my training/ education.
I continue to train because I am a lifelong learner.
Since full time employment, I have sacrificed time, sleep, and Family.
I have sacrificed my own money year after year to provide for my students.
I am a teacher.
I have learned, lasted, endured change, endured further change, and endured orders to embrace the change.
While you were sleeping, I have corrected papers and tests, researched and created, and endured harassing phone calls and emails with grace and professionalism.
I teach the kids who live on your streets.
I teach the kids that have been bailed out of jail.
I teach the kids who have been kicked out of psychiatric centers because they were beyond help.
I teach the kids whose home situations you could never imagine even in your worst nightmares.
I teach ALL students no matter their socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, medical/ psychiatric condition, good or poor attitude, religion, family circumstances.
When accused by the federal and state government for being part of a failing system,
I endure name calling, shame, and criticism simply because I am a teacher.
I am professionally evaluated on two days worth of test scores and not the amount of time and effort I put into my teaching.
And despite it all,
I AM a teacher
And devoted to this noble calling.

This first appeared as a Facebook post October 3, 2013.

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Merit Pay, Teacher Pay, and Value Added Measures

Sunday, September/09/2013

This video does a great job of explaining why merit pay is a bad idea.

Idiots like Michelle Rhee, Pearson Publishing and all of those data collection companies that profit handsomely from the current education scam should definitely watch this.

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“Every Kid Needs a Champion” by Rita Pierson

Friday, May/05/2013

Rita Pierson has a clear understanding about the importance of making a real connection to the students in her classroom even though the system in which she works does not.

The next time one of the bobble-headed idiots from administration suggests that you become a “yes man” and just follow their ill-planned guidelines, politely nod your head, walk away and then do the right thing.

Failure on the part of incompetent administrators doesn’t have to equal failure on your part toward your students.

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Every Teacher’s Story (If They’re Really a Teacher)

Friday, May/05/2013

Deja’vu.

My wife spotted this video yesterday and even though the video is new to us, the message is not.

Every single word in this video has come out of my wife’s mouth in recent years and I suspect that the truth represented here is so universal that anyone who knows a teacher well will attest to hearing these things as well.

What do you think? Is this the new reality for all teachers?

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