Finally, a little accountability

There is a train in our district and the superintendant has invited us on. He used terms like "Education is fun but it is also serious business." True indeed. He has seen the WASL scores and wants to something done about it. So do I for that matter and it is time to run over those who have not interest in buying a train ticket. In the business world that means that if you do not buy in to the philosophy, things are going to get uncomfortable. And they should be. "A world class school district" is not a motto to be taken lightly. And if you think you are just going to sit back and keep doing the things you have been doing for 20 or 30, or even three years, you have something coming for you. This is the new motto for our district and, though naming it will probably be what gets me nailed for writing this Blog, I believe in it and know that this is what we should expect from our teachers.
And I can tell he has had a talk with our principal because there is a new attitude from him as well. Every evaluation is going to be long-form this year. Not every evaluation time is going to be convenient for persons evaluated. And the administration is willing to bring somebody in to assist in teacher's being a little more in-tune with more modern ways of teacher. No, it is not about teaching. Education is about learning and it takes a heck of a teacher to insure this at all times.
There is no getting through the day doing art and then doing art again. This means that some real teaching is going to have to be done. This is something I want to be a part of. Not some laxidasical nonsense based on the hope that kids will learn. We are looking at "learning targets" that are explained to the learners and used to help kids know what they should take away from any particular lesson. Then we have them show evidence that they can do it in their own style. If the kids are able to communicate what they have learned and how the learning can affect their daily lives, it is then that the teacher can call him or her self successful. Every child would rather learn based on how something affects them as opposed to an isolated idea. Now our district is getting it.
With any luck we can get most of our staff to get on the train. Those who are not litterally bring the others down and live off the knowledge and skills of others. I will accuse another teacher in our grade of doing this. Her thoughts are very vague and broad in regards to most subjects. She stays away from anything not art related and, as far as I am concerned, has failed her kids by way of not teaching along the lines of the GLEs. Sure some of it is but, recently, she has had parents complaining about a lack of rigor as well as how work in that class does not match up with that of other classes of the same grade. This, coupled with the fact that she often leaves her kids waiting in the hall before school, would be grounds for some action. Yet accountability has been an issue in our school in the past. Perhaps now there is an accountability chain of command and just because you don't get on the train, you are not safe from being run over.