Teacher Job Satisfaction Low- So What?

Teacher friendly bloggers and websites are all writing this week about the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher.  (See Ed Week , Huffington Post , The Answer Sheet , Larry Ferlazzo for more)  The take away headline is this "Teacher Job Satisfaction At A Low Point."  Interesting headlines usually provide some bit of surprising information.  Not this one.

Look at what is happening across the country: reduced funding, larger class sizes, more initiatives and mandates with less support, legislation to weaken the status of teachers, accountability movements that are detrimental to student learning, the list could go on.

While the headline about teacher satisfaction may fall on a few sympathetic ears, teachers in public education should realize that for many this finding will fall under the category of "who cares?"  Our salaries are paid by the public.  A public which has largely dealt with economic problems for nearly half a decade.  This same public cringes at the gas pump, worries about mortgages going under water, faces uncertainty with employment, and otherwise lives in doubt about the economic future of their household and nation.

To this public, a likely response to the headline may be "Welcome to the club!"  Our current economic situation is not an excuse for teachers to roll over and watch the systematic dismantling of public education, but general surveys of the working public show the same trend.

What is the appropriate reaction to this survey?  Should teachers shout out for change and demand better conditions or is it time we realized that times are hard all around?

Buying The Lie

These are the stakes.  This is what we have to deal with.  The public education narrative has been high-jacked and an increasingly large proportion of the public believes the lie.  This is just a small example, but a recent report about school budget struggles in Albemarle County, Virginia provoked the following reader comment:

The U.S. spends more per child and more per capita on education than any other country. Yet we rank any where from 14th to 25th out of 75 countries in math, reading and science according to the International Student Assesment report. So, apparently throwing more money at the issue is not the answer. The money NEVER makes it to the children and the teachers who deserve it, just the beauracrats in the front office and the teachers unions.

I know this isn't NYC, D.C., or Chicago.   And the "Charlottesville Newsplex" is just a small media outfit serving a small city that could hardly claim to have a suburb.  These facts make the story even more important.  Across the nation, the public opinion is swayed by the loudest and most prominent voices that are selling the public this idea that public education is failing because of bad teachers and unions.

I don't know where the statistics quoted come from, but the "teachers unions" comment stands out the most in this geographic area.  1) Virginia is a right to work state- there is no "teachers union."  2) The supposed "teacher union" here is funded by teacher contributions, not county budget. 3) I can't speak with certainty, but it would surprise me if even half of the teachers in our county (and Virginia) even belong to the "teacher union."

Yet somehow, in little Albemarle County, an run of the mill media consumer believes that our budget shortfall is somehow tied to the problem of "teachers unions."

I don't know how familiar some of our readers are with Virginia, but growing up in southwest Virginia furniture and textile country in the 1970's and 80's, Union was a dirty word-- to employees and factory owners alike.  Unions exert little to no influence on Virginia politics, business, and society.  If that's true in the private sector, imagine what it means for the public.  I'm not taking a pro or anti union stance here, that's just how it is in Virginia.

I'm disturbed by how easily this comment reflects a public perception, colored by national media coverage, that unions are a part of the problem even when they are COMPLETELY UNRELATED to the problem at hand.  It doesn't matter which side of the reform debate is winning online.  In real life, the debate is nearly over, and America is buying the lie.

The Good and The Bad of Republican Education Policy

This week brings news from two states regarding a Governor's involvement in education. In Wisconsin, the debate rages on while one must wonder if the rest of the nation really cares any longer. What was the news of the day in the midst of a Senate Democrat walk-out and Republican union-busting activity has been relegated to page two. But in the aftermath of this debacle, more attention turns to Governor Walker's treatment of public education in his budget. Reports claim that Walker's cuts to education are about to greatly cripple the state's system. His cuts go so deep in fact that many voters are starting to wonder if they really got what they bargained for.

I think the important lesson to the rest of the nation sounds a bit like the "sheep in wolves clothing" story. When facing tough economic times, politicians find it easy to sway public opinion and scapegoat large groups of people. This is where Walker started in Wisconsin. Once the mandate of the populace is given, the true nature of the ideologues shines through. Walker and many of his ilk are flatly anti- anything public.

I've grown just as frustrated as many with wasteful spending in the public arena, but the public must be wise about whether our politicians truly aim to limit public spending or if their true motive is a basic distrust of all things public. When we put people like this in power because we grow tired of hard earned money being drained by public waste, we should stay mindful that we do not send to the statehouse individuals whose primary mission will be systematic dismantling of the public system, education or otherwise.

Our own Republican governor, Bob McDonnell recently made a wise decision and gave a hopeful statement in doing so. Opposing a bill to mandate greater time for children in Physical Education was likely unpopular for many. In today's climate, a push for more physical activity for children easily gained steam in Richmond. McDonnell rightly recognized the financial burden this mandate would place on already cash-strapped school districts. I hope the reader does not lose the irony that the very reason physical education has taken a hit in the state in the first place is due to state and federal policies that focus so intently on math and reading test scores.

I'm not opposed to more Physical Education, in fact, the bill was a great idea. That has become part of the problem with public education. People often fail to recognize when the great idea can potentially become the worst practice. Schools should provide adequate Physical Education, but Richmond could more efficiently accomplish this by changing educational priorities instead of placing an additional mandate on schools.

We try to stay above the political fray at the Teaching Underground, but personally, I've been equally disappointed with both Democrat and Republican education policy of the last ten years. Regardless of the source, I think the following quote by McDonnell may be the smartest thing I've heard from a politician regarding education in quite some time:

“I am a strong proponent of the importance of exercise for our young people. My wife, Maureen, has made combating childhood obesity and inactivity, and promoting preventative [health care], one of her chief issues as Virginia’s first lady. However, we should not attempt to achieve important goals by disproportionately placing the burden of implementation on others. While I strongly agree that we must encourage exercise and physical activity, I oppose unfunded mandates, whether they come from Washington or Richmond.”

*** a little update--
I wrote this piece two days ago, and we were a little apprehensive about getting political here.  I've read several pieces and reactions to Gov. McDonnel's veto and see that education and politics mix like, well, like nothing, they just don't go well together.  It seems that liberals are ready to attack anything Republican and conservatives are poised to strike at anything Democratic.  No wonder we feel so "stuck in the middle." 

Charlie Sheen, Moral Turpitude, and $1.2 Million

As Charlie Sheen publicly self-destructs I suspect that few people are looking for meaning among the carnage and mayhem. It is perhaps painfully apparent by now that the man is not well and the attention it garners from mainstream media and general public is both frightening and sad. The consumption of celebrity and its coverage by formerly more scrupulous corporations links nicely with my distrust of edupreneurial reform in education. Tiger blood, smoking(something) and climbing with a machete are all ill advised. How come no one listens when just about every teacher I know rants about ill advised reforms? Just a thought.

Sheen was fired and the cited cause was "Moral Turpitude". After the cursory web search for clarification of what is loosely defined as "conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty, or good morals" this seems like something we might all perhaps be guilty of under another person's interpretation. I'll go out on a limb and say this firing was warranted. Sheen is off the deep end and it is sad. A man who has struggled with addiction also has a great deal of talent and certainly those that care deeply for him and maybe that qualifies all those who watch and google search for the latest as guilty of the same charge as him in some voyeuristic way.

What if one of us teachers showed up for work on a bender and spouted on and on about the benfeits of complete liberation from social norms? Would it take this long to fire us? If we ranted to our "audience" about our movement and threw some truth torpedoes of our own the reaction would be different. Our profession has its share of oddballs and folks that wear fedoras but we are amazingly normal most of the time. Our stream of consciousness is filtered in the classroom. Just imagine if we actually said what we thought, not always a good idea in any type of relationship. As my kids enter the classroom talking about the latest twist in this erratic unraveling I try to point out that it is captivating on one hand, but it is also sad. We expect teachers to hold themselves to a higher standard and rightfully so since they work with our kids. We are not perfect but I'm continually impressed so few of us meltdown. If non-teachers knew of all the crazy stuff we endure, maybe they'd lay off a bit.

I'll reluctantly admit to having a laugh at Sheen's expense but I wanted to point out something which connects that was not so funny. The man made $1.2 million an episode! I am one of "2,300 employees who work every day to inspire, nurture and develop today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders and inventors" and on this blog we have detailed ad nauseum the issues with unfunded federal mandates (I didn't write that by the way and would prefer to be described simply as a teacher, sponsor and coach). According to our division's 2011-2012 budget cycle documents, the entire amount we receive from the the federal government totals about 2% of the budget or $2.8 million dollars. That's it. Keep in mind it will take me more than 56 years to earn that much so I totally understand how much that is. But with all the stuff the feds throw our way that's all we get in return? Perhaps we can take something from Charlie Sheen and say to heck with everything and say and do what we want. As a teacher I'll just stick with "Just Say No."

Education Reform Lessons from Egypt

History teachers live for a time like this.  The "Jasmine Revolution" blooms.  Following popular demonstrations and protests in Tunisia, the news of Egypt has captured the world, and we wait to see what will happen in Yemen, Algeria, and Jordan.  Remember 1989, across Europe, oppressive governments crumbled and the world changed seemingly overnight.  I wonder if the world is about to change again.

Across the nation, people are calling for a revolution in the way we do education even if they stop short of using the word revolution.  Many people are taking the opportunity in light of the recent resignation of Hosni Mubarak to point out that Egypt has achieved the beginning of democratic reforms in just eighteen days, contrasted with sustained efforts to create democratic reforms in other countries in the world despite millions of dollars and years of effort.  Are there lessons from these developments that could serve our quest to lead improvements in education?

First, the "social media" impact on the Egyptian protests may be overstated, but clearly, openness and communication were vital in the spread of ideas and the linking of like-minded individuals able to make a difference in the nation.  Social media didn't spark this revolution, but it certainly facilitated.  Some of the primary work needed to facilitate revolution in education will occur when teachers become more connected and find ways to effectively spread their ideas; more than just "lessons that work" but deep ideas on how we educate our students.  That is part of the inspiration for this blog, and the reason we try to encourage comments and feedback from readers.

Second, in the media we are hearing many comparisons with efforts at democratic reform in Iraq to the popular movements underway int the middle east.  Whether one agrees or disagrees with U.S. involvement in Iraq, the shift toward democracy has been long, expensive, and difficult.  In Iraq, the democratic reform has the appearance of coming from the top down, or perhaps even imposed rather than grown.  Imposed reform is not organic.  It is too disconnected from the reality of the people.  When I cast my vote for legislators in Washington to represent my interests, the reality on the ground in a nation thousands of miles away is vastly different.  The gulf between classroom reality and the thoughtful minds of those who believe they have the ideas to reform has grown too deep.

From WikiLeaks to the Jasmine Revolution, the lesson of the 21st century is becoming increasingly clear.  Meaningful change and reform is no longer vertical.  Thomas Friedman noted that "The World is Flat."  The longer this fact is resisted in education the longer it will take for our American education system to move out of the 20th century.

Image: http://images.wikia.com/simpsons/images/c/c9/OrigianlChalkboardS1E06.png

Teacher Voices

We hope to finish up our series on Exceptionally Effective teaching with one more post on the topic, but in the meantime I wanted to share a website from the College Board that I find interesting.  It is called Teacher Advocacy.  Their stated goal on the website is as follows:

 To support teachers by highlighting the critical importance of their work and amplifying their voices in policy debates about educational reform.

Recently I have joined several colleagues in addressing our local School Board and Central Office regarding scheduling changes that have affected our ability to effectively provide a quality education to our students.  These decision-making bodies are in a tough place and are dealing with a difficult financial situation.  We have also been placed in a tough situation, having to make decisions that affect the quality of education for our students.  We are having to choose between timely and quality feedback, breadth versus depth of content coverage, distributed versus massed practice, and unfortunately sometimes between the welfare of our families and that of our students.

I respect the difficulty of choices that the decision-makers must make, but I hope that the difficulty of the decisions that teachers are having to make are understood by the decision-makers.  So far, I'm not sure how far our voices have travelled.  We've shared our concerns with everyone who can make a difference.  I go back and forth between believing that we've been heard and believing that we're being tolerated.  Either way, I am convinced that both locally and nationally the teacher voice is perhaps the most important voice (second to only the student) in education policy and reform, but we spend too much time behind our classroom doors.  That is one reason why I've shared the link today.  It highlights the positive side of education and the individual stories of successful teachers. 

Only time will tell if our efforts have made a difference in our district.  As difficult as stepping out and raising our voices has been, our students are worth the trouble.  I hope that all of our teachers, locally and nationally, will find their voice to advocate loudly and effectively on behalf of our students.