Dee Does The District

2011-04-05T03:00:00.002+01:00

Kind of giving up on blogging, but follow me on Twitter: @deedoesdc I think I can make that work a bit more!

Very random musings from my couch

2011-01-29T20:45:00.005Z

I've been a bad blogger. I haven't updated Dee in over two months. While I still have strong opinions and plenty to say, I feel less compelled to put it out there. While I can't put my finger on why, I think it may have to do with this being my third year in DCPS. I'm less surprised/intrigued by education happenings. I also feel like I've hit my stride teaching so I have less questions. And as reforms take hold in my school, there are less anecdotes about outrageous student behavior, etc. to post.

That being said, I recently began to feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. While I'll spare you the details, I've had a lot of students with listless expressions on their faces throughout the day. I wonder if it's fatigue, the winter blues, a lack of outdoor recess, the anticipation of snow, or something else. I feel it, too. We've been studying fictional texts for what seems forever and I cannot wait to get into two months of nonfiction units.

I'm also looking forward to our upcoming PD in February and March. I feel very fortunate to be in a special collaborative of schools which has taken the initiative to embed IMPACT into specialized workshops. I, for example, have been doing number sense development with several other teachers and instructional coaches. Great stuff. I believe the next two PD days will be spent pouring over the Core Content standards, of which I'm a huge fan.

Other things to look forward to: the (pending) arrival of a student teacher, a (pending) Donors Choose project, and booking a cruise for spring break with my teacher friends.

Things I'm not looking forward to: a second Master Educator evaluation, months of indoor recess, and the impending budget cuts.

Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things in an effort to beat off the winter doldrums.

Why few "highly-effective" teachers are found in the poorest wards

2010-11-14T17:37:00.004Z

Bill Turque's recent article points out that teachers deemed "highly effective" are spread unequally across the District. Only 5 percent of those deemed the best teach in Ward 8, known for the lowest achieving schools and staggering poverty. (And Bill, I'd like to know how many of those were actual classroom teachers who had a hand in teaching core subjects, rather than specials like P.E. or art.)

Turque began to touch on why this distribution of inequality exists, but allow me to further explain why such "inequality" exists. As a teacher in what I consider to be one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city, my colleagues and I are confronted with unique challenges that very few others experience. We work with students who are products of broken, drug-riddled homes. An unacceptable number of my students have at least one parent who has been in prison, and several whose parents are currently in jail. As such, we are rarely just teachers. Instead, we function as social workers, ad-hoc parents, disciplinarians, and at times, bouncers. (I recently had a student attempt to choke me as I broke up a fight. Mind you, I teach second grade.) No matter how hard we teach, it's difficult to make a meaningful difference when there is no support or structure at home. If this wasn't the case, my school, and others, wouldn't be so relentless in building parent-teacher relationships through any means possible. This further highlights why I no longer think education is THE problem in this country; education is part of the problem, but lack of social services is the larger problem. (This of course could be entire blog post in and of itself and something that most ed-reformers, unfortunately, scoff at.)

In any other school, we would be highly effective teachers. Instead, we are merely effective because we can't just teach throughout the day. I, for example, lost IMPACT points because two students weren't observed to be completing an assignment during an observation. Why? One had a high fever, but mom would not come pick him up from school so instead he slept at my desk. The other's mother neglected to refill his ADHD medication prescription so he was off-the-wall for a week. These situations do not happen in other schools. We have to wear so many different hats at our jobs. While our administrators recognize we are worth our weight in gold, IMPACT will not reward us because it has limited scope to go beyond the classroom.

I do not believe IMPACT's financial incentives will help redistribute the "quality" of teaching. Call me cynical, but it is an immense sacrifice to take on the teaching positions in the less desirable wards. I do not think there are many chomping at the bit to leave their west-of-the-park-school to teach in Anacostia. In fact, there are very few days that I don't fantasize about what it would be like to teach elsewhere.

Loving life right now

2010-09-20T00:52:00.002Z

This afternoon I took two students to Opera in the Outfield along with another co-worker. The four of us took in the opera (the students' first) and ate a great picnic lunch, including dirt cake.

The best part was running into Vincent Gary on our way in. The girls spotted him almost immediately and stood there starstruck until we urged them to go introduce themselves. Gray spoke to us for a few minutes and mostly kept politics out of the discussion. He also posed for some pictures with us. You'd have thought the girls had just met Will Smith or Timbaland -- they talked about Gray ALL afternoon.

Hopefully tomorrow is just as enjoyable as this afternoon. I am really enjoying second grade. I have a wonderful group of twenty-four who are eager to learn and fun to work with. I'm constantly laughing at their antics or smiling because I'm just so happy/proud of their accomplishments.

We have a big event to look forward to on Friday. At the beginning of the year, I sent out an application for free books from First Book over the staff listserv. Several of us applied for free books and instead of a few, our school is receiving 3,000(!!!!) books because of our applications. Target is co-sponsoring the giveaway and they will be filming the entire thing! We were also told that Target is giving us several thousand dollars to purchase additional books. AMAZING!

Here's to a great week for everyone!

I've got money to blow, part deux

2010-09-11T14:48:00.003Z

In anticipation of the retro-check, I'm off Ikea, Walmart, Lakeshore, and Office Depot to pick up a ton of "wants" for my classroom. I also treated myself to a few school clothes items and a new wallet. The rest is going into savings. How are you spending your retro check?

I've got money to blow

2010-09-10T01:20:00.002Z

Retro checks are on their way this weekend. You can view yours on PeopleSoft. The amount made me fall over. I can buy so many cardigans. Woot woot.

Raise information up on PeopleSoft

2010-09-07T01:29:00.003Z

If you log into PeopleSoft, you can now view your upcoming paycheck that reflects our raise. I'm interested to see if yours is correct. Both mine and my roommate's is reflective of only being a Step 2 teacher, even though this is our third year in.

Update: I spoke to an HR rep who was very helpful(!!). Our step increase will be indicated after the beginning of the new fiscal year (October 1).

The start of something wonderful

2010-09-06T20:13:00.005Z

It's hard to believe we are already into our third week of school. I have the best class of second graders this year, in every sense. It has been refreshing, if not shocking, to wake up every morning looking forward to going to work and seeing my students. I haven't always had that feeling, for one reason or another.

The first two weeks have gone by smoothly for the most part. I have some challenging students who are very emotionally needy, but they are manageable and still very likable. I spent Friday drafting some behavior contracts so I'm looking forward to implementing them and seeing how it is received with my behavior challenges. Everyone else is on the train in terms of classroom culture and expectations.

My twenty-five-ish students are largely coming to me on, or close to, grade level, which is a big change for me. I spent all afternoon assessing their baseline writing samples and organizing some of my first small group activities. It's exciting to see a group of very talented and motivated students; even my low group has a lot of promise and work ethic and I'm confident they will blossom this year. I was bowled over on Friday to experience forty or so minutes of sustained writing, followed by avid independent (and buddy) reading. I'm looking forward to launching our academic year this week, now that most of our rules and procedures are solidly in place.

Back to school, back to school

2010-08-22T13:43:00.004Z

It's hard to believe that tomorrow I embark on my third year of teaching. I am looking forward to seeing the twenty or so students I will be molding throughout the year. I spent yesterday in my classroom adding the finishing touches. Our classroom theme is the ocean, so we have a lot of nautical decorations and fish-y puns to look forward to! In my third year, I think I have the hang of it! My academic calendar is completely planned and I'm looking forward to getting back into a self-contained classroom after feeling a bit nomadic last year.

The day I stop being this excited about the first day of school will be the day I quit.

Here's to smooth sailing (pun intended)!!

Ugh fine, I'm back, too

2010-08-11T21:24:00.004Z

After reading Harry Potter's most recent post, I thought I'd re-birth Dee, like a phoenix. If you read Harry's comments, you already know that I've decided to remain in DCPS for my third year. I'm moving down to elementary and into general education, which I wanted to do in the first place. There were a number of reasons that guided my decision, but the largest was the fact that I work with an amazing staff and under supportive administrators.

I hope to continue blogging, sporadically, but I'm going to my hands full with a new grade, a full-time classroom, and an intensive graduate program run by UVA.

IMPACT Day is Friday

2010-06-09T23:02:00.003+01:00

No, it's not related to our IMPACT evaluation system. Earlier this year, I submitted a proposal to Deloitte on behalf of my school. Deloitte sponsors a global community service day, IMPACT Day, once a year. On Friday, June 11, we will have over forty volunteers coming into our school to help us continue to improve.

Deloitte volunteers will be assisting with our field day events and reorganizing and cataloging our library books as well as installing a new check-out system. I'm most excited about the face-lift the front of our school is going to get with new landscaping.

I also applied for and received an Earth Day Network Green Schools grant earlier in the school year. I really wanted an outdoor classroom space for our students to learn about the environment, but also attracted native wildlife. Deloitte will be helping with the installation of this space. We chose native flora (including blueberry bushes!) that will achieve our goal of supporting the fauna in our area.

I hope to upload a few before and after pictures over the weekend.

Although it's been a lot of work to coordinate everything, I'm really looking forward to IMPACT Day!

DCPS's contract is ratified

2010-06-02T22:00:00.003+01:00

Woohoo! It's about time. You can read all about it over at DC Schools Insider.

The vote was not even close. But that's because the WTU and Chancellor Rhee rigged it, right? Which brings me to my next point...

I will be moderating blog comments from here on out. There's too much crazy going on and too much misinformation for me to handle. Stating incorrect information will get you marked down on your IMPACT evaluation and prevent your comment from being posted here.

Why I voted yes to the WTU tentative agreement

2010-05-27T01:02:00.002+01:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to submit my ballot for the WTU tentative agreement. It's about damn time. I remember two years ago when the first proposed teacher's contract was discussed, and was then ultimately killed. After two years of negotiations, I enthusiastically voted yes.

It's time for DCPS to be seen as a model of change and reform. This proposed contract is revolutionary. For the first time in the history of education, teachers are actually going to be able to earn the compensation they deserve. While I do not think that performance pay should be determined solely on test scores, I do believe in the concept of rewarding teachers who generate large gains.

I support the increase of benefits for teachers. I praise the additional funds for teacher resources. (And heck, with the extra money, it won't sting as much when teachers purchase supplemental materials out of their own pocket.)

Looking long-term, this contract will also generate greater interest in DCPS. We will attract more applicants and principals will be able to choose from the very best of the best candidates. The bottom line is, this contract is good for the students, too.

I hope those of you take the opportunity to truly read the entire contract proposal and make up your own mind, but I do think it's revolutionary. If this contract is ratified, it will have a large impact for teachers and students, not just in the District, but also throughout the United States. Get those ballots in!

It's mind boggling

2010-04-16T01:43:00.002Z

For those of you who do not receive DCPS e-mails, Chancellor Rhee sent out a brief message this evening along with the WaPo's editorial regarding the (nonexistent) surplus.

I hope everyone can appreciate the egg on the face of the WaPo board given that Rhee did not consult with the CFO over the contract proposal. ("Fact No. 1: Ms. Rhee does not control school finances. The office of chief financial officer, headed by Natwar M. Gandhi, keeps her books and runs her payroll; she relies on the office for critical fiscal information.")

Why would you forward an editorial that further underscores a major blunder after the public bitchslap Gandhi handed out today?

Cool $34 million "surplus" doesn't exist

2010-04-15T23:11:00.003Z

Whew? The District's CFO published a letter addressed to Chancellor Rhee stating that the $34,000,000 surplus, is, in fact, nonexistent.

It's hard to keep up with all of these developments. Perhaps someone can clarify -- does that mean the budget deficit from the fall was real?

The greater implication is how this will affect the contract proposal (which I finally received yesterday.) For the record, I have not read the proposal yet, so I'm not sure how I will/would vote. (My initial instinct is that I will vote yes, but I'd prefer to 1) read the fine print and 2) not put the cart before the horse.) The looming question is whether or not the District has money to pay for the over 20% raise. While I understand there is private funding attached, I'm more concerned about the sustainability of such an increase in salary as well as benefits if/when the private funding goes away.

I would assume that one would ensure that the money was 100% sured up prior to announcing a proposal of this magnitude. I would also assume that a sustainability plan was created. But in this town, assumptions make an ass out of you and me.

Reason 999,999 why I'm done with DCPS

2010-04-13T20:04:00.002Z

Chancellor Rhee testified in front of the D.C. Council today. To briefly summarize, she revealed that the so-called budget crunch last fall that lead to the RIF of 266 teachers was an error. There was no budget shortfall and these individuals did not need to be laid off. WHAT?!?!?!

Conveniently, the money created by the RIF will now help pay for the proposed contract raises. Pardon my conspiracy theory, but this just seems too perfectly orchestrated, no?

Mark my words, this contract will not go through. Yes, a 20% raise is hard to pass up, but I think people are too pissed off to blindly vote 'yes.' The teachers in this District do not trust Rhee or WTU President George Parker. And seeing as how the contract funding review could take weeks, it will not be accomplished until after the May elections for new WTU leadership -- and you know Parker is NOT going to be re-elected. The presumptive election of Nathan Saunders will further muddle the contract process.

Vincent Gray said it best: "If I were one of the fired teachers, I would be ready to put my hands around someone's throat and squeeze till there was no air left. At the end of the day, some people's pay raises [would be] funded with someone else's job.

Chancellor Rhee, I really want to love you. You have undertaken a monumental task and you are making some inroads. You've personally helped me out with a number of nuisance issues. But when something like this occurs, I find it impossible to put my faith in this District.

Au revoir DCPS

2010-03-10T23:03:00.002Z

I just sent off my DOI and my resignation letter, effective August 14th. Never fear, I'm not leaving the classroom, just DCPS. I am ecstatic to say I will be working at a high-performing, unique charter school next year.

Stupidest move ever? DCPS to make-up snow days after the DC-CAS

2010-02-26T21:15:00.003Z

Hey everyone, I have a GREAT idea! Let's make up snow days AFTER the DC-CAS! Obviously, it would make the most sense to make up for the lost instructional time following the big test. Oh wait, that's what we're doing? Are you f*cking serious?!

Here's the make-up dates:

March 19 will convert from a Professional Development day to a regular instruction day.

May 17, a parent-teacher conference day will now also be a regular instruction day.

June 18, a current half day will convert into a full regular instruction day.

We will use the designated make up days June 21 and June 22.

The last day of school for students and teachers is June 22.

This is so insanely moronic. It just adds to the list of things I hate about this school district. And I know it seems little to a lot of people, but when you witness terrible decisions being made every day, it accumulates. I am so done with you DCPS.

Why are we making up FIVE days. We missed four & a "half" (an early dismissal always counts as a full day, right?). Also, the students are going to school for 182 days. Why are we making up days to go beyond the federal mandate of 180?!

EARLY DISMISSAL 2/05

2010-02-05T00:21:00.001Z

DCPS will be dismissing students and staff at noon tomorrow, just in time for SNOMFG's arrival. Thank you Chancellor Rhee!

Health care update

2010-02-01T21:59:00.003Z

Still no healthcare. Just paid $90 for my prescription at the pharmacy. Fortunately, they will reimburse me directly if I can provide evidence that I'm insured within two weeks.

I don't think requesting reimbursement for the paycheck deductions that were clearly not going toward anything is too much to ask for, right?

ETA a response to my request: "Unfortunately, the city plan administrator does not issue refunds on health insurance coverage."

No, this isn't a a refund for coverage. I'm asking for a refund for nonexistent services. Big difference. The fight continues...

Your daily dose of DCPS incompetence: a repeat

2010-01-28T00:22:00.006Z

Remember back in September, when I was informed that DCPS terminated my healthcare coverage? Well I thought everything was taken care of, twice, after contacting Chancellor Rhee.

Apparently not. My pharmacy called me this evening to tell me that my insurance wasn't valid for my prescription refill. So I logged into my insurance to find a message saying my coverage was still terminated. Then a lovely woman at UHC confirmed that my coverage was never reinstated by 825. Oh, but the deductions have been coming out of my paycheck since the end of October. Fabulous.

Thank God this prescription isn't necessary to keep me alive, but it's still something I need for my health.

DCPS, why do you make it so easy for me to hate you?

Evaluating IMPACT and being evaluated by IMPACT

2010-01-22T00:23:00.004Z

A lot has been made of the new IMPACT system, which evaluates the effectiveness of DCPS educators. I think it'd be no exaggeration to say that the majority of teachers are firmly against the new system. Why? The system is specific and rigid. It's also being rolled out without little time to test drive it (although to be fair, not every system is being used in the first year).

While the new IMPACT system is not perfect, I think it's a big step in the right direction. It sets measurable standards by which to assess teachers. It is comprehensive in that it takes into account tangible contributions to student achievement as well as to the school community. It also explicitly states best practices.

Earlier this week I had my first of the two observations conducted by the Master Educators. I was nervous. I spent the night before going over my plans and reviewing the Teaching & Learning Framework. My lesson went well, but I was still unsure as to how I would do. (Earlier this year, my first observation with my principal was not so wonderful, but it did force me to change a lot of things for the better.)

Today was my post-conference. I spent about forty-five minutes conversing with the ME about her background, her observations of my classroom, and her experience with the District. It was helpful to hear her input because she saw things I hadn't noticed previously and had great suggestions as to how to improve. Best of all? It was a great confidence boost. I significantly improved from my first observation and scored a solid 'effective educator' rating.

Since I challenged my students to a BIG goal this year, raising our reading levels by two grades, I'm setting a BIG goal for myself: score 'highly effective' on two of my remaining three observations. I think I can do it!

Food for thought

2010-01-05T22:41:00.002Z

From a professor at UVA: Learning Styles Don't Exist.

Interesting stuff. Makes me scratch my head as to why DCPS (and other school districts) are putting so much emphasis on utilizing multiple learning modalities in a given lesson (via the IMPACT system). What's even sillier is that this emphasis is being placed without any statistics as to what type of learner is in the classroom. Any data on learning profiles has to be generated by the teacher. But what if I poll my students and find only visual and auditory learners - should I still incorporate another one or two learning styles?

Fortunately, DCPS recently invested in a new computer program for its middle school and high school students. One of the features is a learning styles inventory that students can take. Additionally, the program is meant to guide these students toward making college and career choices. It's actually pretty neat!

Brrrrr! It's cold in here

2010-01-04T22:01:00.004Z

If the unhinged screen door to my balcony is any indication, it's been very windy (and very cold) recently. The daytime high, with windchill, was in the teens today. And how many of you were taught at a school without heat today? Three of my colleagues reported no heat at their respective schools today, which is just ridiculous.

Can you imagine the outrage and ruckus parents would bring if this situation occurred somewhere other than DCPS?

Although my school didn't have heating problems, a window was left open in my classroom over winter break. (Not on my own doing as I was there prior to Christmas and everything was toasty.) My room was a balmy 50 degrees almost the entire morning before it warmed up. Brrrrr!

Returning you to your regularly scheduled programming

2009-12-24T16:28:00.001Z

Yes, blog followers, I’m still alive and kicking. And despite the looks of it, so are The New Teacher on the Block and DC Teacher Chic.

With the arrival of winter break, I hope to get back to your regularly scheduled programming. I recently completed the grad school project from Hades, thus ending the most intense semester at GW. Whether my final project is worthy of an A is another story, but at least it’s behind me. Spring semester should be more relaxed with only an internship (several observations) and one course led by my favorite professor.

I’ve also made a big decision to apply for a second graduate degree. I’m still in the process of researching programs, but I’m leaning toward an Ed.S. with a focus in reading. I’m not sure about a timeline for application, but I will most likely be starting in the spring of 2011. Where, I’m not sure, but probably somewhere in the DC-metro-area.

Happy Holidays!

PSA for TNTOTB

2009-12-08T01:25:00.003Z

The New Teacher on the Block has decided to make her blog private. If you would like to continue reading about her escapades in teaching children with autism, e-mail her at thenewteacherontheblock (at) gmail (dot) com.

Keep calm, carry on.

IMPACT question

2009-12-01T23:38:00.002Z

Colleagues and friends in self-contained special education classrooms have all been observed by a Master Educator. Surprisingly, those in inclusion/resource rooms have yet to be evaluated by an ME. Is it just the crowd I mingle with, or is this the case city-wide?

Wilson reading wrap-up -- 2 thumbs up!!

2009-11-18T23:27:00.005Z

Tomorrow marks my first day in the classroom this week. I spent the past three days receiving training in the Wilson Reading System. To say I learned a lot would be an understatement. Teaching reading has long been a mystery to me -- what's a digraph? What are the three sounds 'u' says? How do I teach inferences?! Teaching reading is not easy, and I think it's even more difficult for those of us who the subject came naturally to us.

I finally feel equipped to teach reading. Wilson clicked with me. It makes sense. It's systematic. It teaches phonics AND sight words. It takes ALL guesswork out of teaching the subject. I'm so confident in it that I'm going to sit my students (the boy band) down tomorrow and re-do our BIG GOAL. I'd like us to set the goal of raising our reading levels by not one, not two, but three grade levels by the end of the year. And I think it's totally attainable with Wilson.

Is Wilson a panacea for the District's abominable reading levels? Not necessarily, because it won't work for every student. But do I think it's going to work for an overwhelming majority of our students and really make a significant impact? Hell to the yes. I think the folks at 825 agree, too -- when's the last time we had a program stick around for more than a year?

Pumped for professional development

2009-11-16T02:55:00.002Z

Tomorrow through Wednesday I will be out of my building for professional development. The District seems to be putting a lot of faith into the Wilson Reading System. I feel privileged to have been selected to participate in the training tomorrow.

It will also be a nice opportunity to meet new teachers in DCPS, as well as reconnect with some teachers I haven't seen in awhile. (And sleeping in an hour later is always a treat...)

A welcome day off

2009-11-11T00:59:00.002Z

Hello strangers! I, like several other teacher bloggers, have been missing in action recently. My apologies. Nothing in recent news has piqued my interest, although I would like to see the rock Chancellor Rhee is currently sporting.

I'm looking forward to the day off tomorrow. I am feeling spread too thin, which is mostly my fault. In addition to addressing my students' needs, collaborating with my co-teachers, and pursuing a Master's degree, I've undertaken several leadership positions at school, including coaching cheerleading. Needless to say, it's a lot to balance, but I am enjoying being fully integrated into my school community.

I am looking forward to participating in a three-day workshop next week. The workshop is a training in a specific reading program that the District seems to be heavily invested it. Based on my research and conversations with other teachers, my students should greatly benefit from this reading program. I'm also looking forward to having another weapon in my teaching arsenal; despite a number of graduate courses on the topic of teaching reading, I still don't feel 100% confident in teaching the subject.

I hope to get back to more regular blogging, but in the meantime, check out these two new DCPS bloggers: Filthy Teaching and Mr. Jefferson's Teacher. Both are great reads!

Say what? D.C. Council vs. Rhee

2009-10-30T03:11:00.003Z

From Fox-DC, a quick summary of the quotable moments of the D.C. Council vs. Rhee showdown:

"Why did you choose not to follow what the law (says?)?" asked Gray.

Rhee said hers was a better decision...

After speaking with the chief financial officer for the schools, it was revealed Rhee virtually created the budget shortfall by ignoring the council directive to cut $9 million from the summer school program. It's a decision that created a budget gap which then set the stage for mass firings.

I don't know whether to throw my laptop off my balcony or weep. I think instead I'll just go to bed, speechless.

Today's not-so-blind item

2009-10-28T22:48:00.002Z

What alternative certification program, based in DC, is booting a first-year special education teacher for violating their seminar attendance policy? The teacher missed two seminars -- one for back-to-school night and the second absence? A 103-degree-fever accompanied by a doctor's note.

Mind you, my university, not some program seminar, has a more understanding attendance policy. In fact, we were all but told to stay home this semester if we suspect we may have the flu! In fact, I even missed three weeks of courses in college because of illness without potentially career-ending repercussions!

Hopefully, this program reconsiders their decision to boot a dedicated educator who was mindful of school responsibilities as well as their health and that of others.

D.C. Council hosts a marathon hearing on the RIF

2009-10-18T14:27:00.002Z

On Saturday the D.C. Council held hearings on the RIF. The hearings lasted into the wee hours of the morning, spanning eighteen(!!) hours. I'm interested to see what comes of the hearings. In my opinion, I doubt the Council will do much more than offer a verbal reprimand.

In the WaPo's coverage, Turque ran the following quote: A former special education teacher, Sharon Baldwin, at the other end of the witness table, had to be held in her seat by colleagues as she defended her worth. She denounced the young Teach for America graduates "infiltrating" the school system because of Rhee. She said they "have no idea how to educate a black child."

I nearly vomited (and not because of the flu) when I read this. Why does education need to be a black or white issue? I'd love for Ms. Baldwin to clarify her remarks. While I recognize that the students I teach are facing different challenges than those at say, Lafayette ES, aren't they at the end of the day still children trying to learn and eventually graduate with the aspirations of going to college or entering the workforce? Yes, they are. Their hopes and dreams are no different than any other child, regardless of race or zip code. If you, Ms. Baldwin, want to claim that alternative certification programs do not do enough to prepare their teachers for educating children in general, that's a debate I'd happily engage in. But to rely on what ultimately boils down to charges of racism? That's below the belt and completely inappropriate, not to mention detrimental to what we are all trying to do for our students. Aren't we all in the profession for educating children, regardless of their race, gender, religious beliefs, etc.?

Swine flu?

2009-10-16T20:12:00.003Z

All day yesterday, kiddos were dropping like flies -- going home early with chills, headaches, coughs, and high fevers. Whatever is afflicting them, is in my body. I got home from grad school last night and had a 102 degree fever by 8:30. Needless to say, I'm home today and have only been awake for about 90 minutes. My symptoms are in line with the flu, but given the unpleasantness of the flu test, I refuse to go see a doctor to confirm it. Could H1N1 be arriving in DCPS?

It's all about the gimmicks

2009-10-15T01:44:00.003Z

It's humbling to admit that I am struggling. Recently, retrieving my resource room students has been akin to pulling teeth -- difficult and painful. Today I decided to shelve part of my lesson in lieu of a discussion and while my goal was to build relationships and get some feedback, it turned into some a good question and answer session. My students are very curious and whether they realize it or not, they learn a great deal from asking "off-topic" questions. For example, there's a rumor floating around that one of their classmates broke his leg, so they asked about breaking bones, what the different bones were in the leg, and so forth. That discussion segued into a discussion about arteries and the cardiovascular system. Eventually we wound up to Halloween and that when I had an epiphany: a suggested lecture box.

I now have a shoebox where my students can submit requests for mini-lectures on topics they are interested in learning about. Since we're getting close to Halloween, they are fixated on spooky topics. Tomorrow, we're going to spend some time learning about the Salem witch trials. I have some background information on the Puritans, a vocabulary exercise for unfamiliar words, a short video about the trials, and some modern historical interpretations of the event. Other upcoming topics? I have requests for ghost stories (hello, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Edgar Allen Poe!) and haunted houses (former Presidents who supposedly haunt the White House?).

I've found that a lot of classroom enthusiasm can be generated through gimmicks like this. I hope these new self-generated lecture topics get my students invested in learning and gets them excited about coming to my classroom.

Put up or shut up

2009-10-12T16:41:00.003Z

If you subscribe to Loose Lips Daily (seriously, you should), via the Washington City Paper, you noticed the massive round-up of anti-Michelle Rhee editorials and articles this morning. Chancellor Rhee is receiving a PR beating over her decision to layoff teachers six weeks into the school year, despite knowing of the budget shortfall prior the the end of summer break. While I agree wholeheartedly with the many that are up in arms over this, I see it as a moot point.

What I mean is that there are no serious threats to Chancellor Rhee and/or Mayor Fenty's control over DCPS. The City Council uses only rhetoric to denounce the pairs' actions; remember when Vincent Gray caved and restored the school funding he originally cut? The Washington Teachers Union has been utterly useless in the struggle between 825 and teachers' rights; George Parker continues to cancel meetings and overall, has not been proactive in addressing the layoffs. With the Mayor's reelection looming within a year, there are no candidates that pose a serious threat to him. And while the protests and sit-ins are a start, I seriously doubt Chancellor Rhee or Mayor Fenty are losing any sleep over them.

Honestly, I think (and applaud) her for the sweeping changes she's making. Does she always make the right call? No. Is she trying to get the job done, despite the odds? Hell yes. At the end of the day, she is the only one making the difficult decisions that are painful to swallow for many. But we need to recognize that it has taken decades to bring DCPS to the lowest-of-the-low in terms of school systems, and it's going to take a lot to dig us out of the hole. So until someone with a better vision and a stronger hand comes along, I think Chancellor Rhee is here to stay, despite what you think of her.

Rhee Instituted Firings (RIF) claim 229 teachers

2009-10-03T13:21:00.003Z

To borrow a turn of phrase from my students, this year has been a hot mess for the District. Yesterday culminated with the laying off of 229 teachers, although the Union is asserting that the numbers provided to them exceed this figure. My school lost only three individuals, two of whom were teachers in co-teaching situations.

Overall, it was a purely financial decision although I don't doubt that there were administrators who were sinister in choosing who let go. Nevertheless, this entire situation could could have been avoided had the District made better financial decisions. If, as the Chancellor was quoted saying in an article, the money was obviously missing during the summer to support the current staffing situations, why wait until six weeks into school to rectify the situation? This is fuzzy math at its finest.

In addition to losing staff members yesterday, schools were devoid of their security guards after Hawk One, the firm that supplies our guards, folded overnight. Overall, yesterday was fraught with anxiety and uneasiness in many schools. Fortunately, our school carried on rather smoothly thanks in large part to our administration stepping up their presence, as if they are not here, there, and everywhere, day in and day out.

And finally, did anyone catch this little gem in the WaPo today: "In a sign of significant progress, a federal judge told Rhee on Friday that the city had made enough gains in reforming its special education system that he would consider releasing the District from court oversight." The District has not yet reached 80% in addressing back-logged special education cases. How is this significant gains in improving the quality of education for special needs students? He ought to come visit the classrooms of my friends; one has yet to see new materials for her classroom, including a sensory table or lower-level texts for her students, as requested. Another is in a similar situation and is trying to make do with the few materials she can afford to purchase or friends have given to her. What are these gains he alludes to? I hope the federal judge reconsiders the situation here before making any decisions.

I feel an ulcer developing

2009-09-21T23:54:00.002Z

Still waiting for my supplemental check. I hope I don't have an emergency requiring cash this week, because I have none. I just asked my parents to put some money in my bank account, immediately.

I also don't have health insurance. It seems DCPS terminated my health insurance almost a month ago, despite being told there would be no interruption in my coverage. I just got a letter from my insurance company today.

As if I don't have enough to worry about. I just want to focus on teaching and my students, but instead, I'm going to be fretting about finances and medical insurance until these situations are rectified. I feel sick to my stomach.

A must read for new (& veteran) teachers

2009-09-20T16:49:00.009Z

Last night, I went out to dinner with teacher love, S. S. does not work in the District, but rather in a little place she calls heaven: Fairfax County. Although she's in FCPS, it's not for lacking of trying to get a job in DCPS; she interviewed and received a job offer in DCPS, only to have the principal neither return her phone calls nor answer questions as she tried to make a decision. Needless to say, when she received three offers in FCPS, she knew that was a better situation.

S. is a brilliant teacher and always a go-to person if I need professional input. After talking about our school years, she gave me the world's best book: Conscious Classroom Management: Unlocking the Secrets to Great Teaching . Although I've only had it for a few hours, I can't put it down and I can't wait to implement Rick Smith's advice into my classroom. Not only does he offer great ideas for procedures and rules, but it's humorous and accessible. I highly recommend picking up a copy for yourself!

Thumbs up to success, thumbs down to food thieves

2009-09-17T22:59:00.003Z

Last night, I had a nice little bitchfest with another teacher over the challenges I'm experiencing. This year, classroom management is much more challenging. I had difficulties in the beginning of last year too, but those seemed fleeting compared to this year's. The only solace I have is that virtually everyone in our school is experiencing the same resistance.

After some trouble-shooting, I felt a little better, but still apprehensive about today. I drove to work thinking: I just need a little success to feel reinvigorated and more confident. Incredibly, I experienced a ton of success today. Despite wrangling a large group this morning, my classroom was calm and productive. My students worked in small groups, completed their assignments, rocked out to some music, and engaged in positive conversations with each other and me. It was incredible! Even my most difficult student, who is disengaged and very reluctant to participate in any semblance of school work, completed his assignments and more! It was like bizarro day in my classroom. I hope this is turning point.

Unfortunately, my awesome mood was spoiled at lunch time. I was puzzled as to why my lunchbox moved in the fridge. And why it was suddenly lighter. Turns out, someone stole my cookies. I had two packages -- one for me and one for a student. Another teacher had part of her lunch stolen, too. WHO STEALS LUNCHES?! Apparently, there was a staff member who stole lunches last year and s/he is still at large. Could this be the same culprit? I think it may have been a student; I've already had several things, including my classroom snacks, stolen out of my room prior to receiving a room key. I may go the way of DC Teacher Chic and bring in a mini-fridge for my classroom.

Citing $40 million budget shortfall, DCPS announces RIF

2009-09-17T22:43:00.003Z

Earlier this week, The Washington Teacher wrote a post citing inside information that DCPS would begin laying off teachers in October.

As usual, Candi Peterson was right. Chancellor Rhee confirmed the imminent reduction-in-force (RIF) yesterday. If you want to read more information, here is today's WaPo article as well as the Examiner's.

What makes a frustrating situation all the more frustrating is there is no word as to how many teachers will be laid off.

I wonder how this will shake out at my school because we are above our projected enrollment numbers. I would hate for us to lose anyone. We already have more on our plates than any reasonable person can handle. I can't imagine the situation we would face if we lost a teacher or worse, teachers.

Thumbs up to DCPS, thumbs down to viruses

2009-09-14T23:05:00.003Z

A guardian angel at 825 alerted someone else at 825 to my paycheck plight. I'm happy to say the situation is being rectified and I really appreciate the effort on DCPS's part.

I was sad to not talk to Antonio today, although I didn't do any talking really. I've been laid up by a terrible virus since Friday evening. I have only been awake for about three hours since 10 PM last night. At least the doctor confirmed that I don't have H1N1!

Your daily dose in DCPS incompetence

2009-09-12T21:36:00.003Z

Today is bill day for Dee. Time to go through my finances, pay my credit card, and so forth. Imagine my surprise when my checking account looked a little light after a pay day.

DCPS only paid me for one week, instead of two. I am beyond pissed. Like I have time to get to the bottom of this on Monday? It's not like I was counting on the money to pay my AMEX bill or buy groceries. I certainly don't do this job for charity.

Why is it so hard for people to be competent? It's like there is a true aversion to doing things correctly in DCPS.

Thank God I have Antonio's number.

ETA: NTOTB said PeopleSoft was updated this week and there was a memo, that did not make its way to me, to check for pay inaccuracies. Just heads up for other people who may be unaware that forty hours are missing.

Parental involvement is crucial to public education reform

2009-09-10T23:48:00.003Z

Very rarely do I post information on events submitted to me via e-mail. However, I'm making an exception for the 2009 DC Family Education Expo, a event being held this Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 9am-4pm at the Columbia Heights Education Campus, in Northwest DC.

Too often, education reformers place sole responsibility on teachers for improving education. While excellent teachers are certainly a large piece of the puzzle, I don't believe we can truly reform public education without the support of students' parents and families. Anyone who needs further proof that family involvement is critical must read Whatever It Takes, a book chronicling the formation and success of Jeffery Canada's Harlem Children's Zone.

"The goal of the DC Family Education Expo is to offer parents and adult learners the opportunity to learn and receive information about the educational resources and tools that will help them or their child be successful in school. Workshop sessions, exhibits, and hands-on learning activities are available to participants. To ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to be engaged as an active participant, translation and interpretation services are offered to parents who speak limited English. By working and learning together, parents and professionals build partnerships and share responsibility in the decisions that affect families and communities."

The event is FREE: register at www.dcfamilyeducationexpo.org. (Unfortunately, I have a workshop on Saturday otherwise I would be in attendance.)

And now deep thoughts...

2009-09-10T01:19:00.004Z

Well, it's week 3 with the kiddos. I can honestly say I've never worked so hard for a paycheck in my life. It seems like the majority of my day is spent wrangling children or attempting to keep my jaw from hitting the ground from witnessing students' antics. Nevertheless, my school/co-workers/administration kick ass. After flip-flopping situations from last year (well-behaved students/crazy administration to "active" students/awesome administration), I emphatically can say I would not trade having supportive, inspirational leadership for anything.

Speaking of crazy administration... Now that we're back to school, and busting our butts, I hope the teachers get their hands on something resembling a contract proposal soon. I'm tired of waiting. And I'm tired of our incompetent Union leadership. Would you like an example of how clueless they are? Although I was elected building representative last spring, I obviously will not be serving in that position for obvious reasons. Now, the Union was well aware of my situation. (By the way Union, still waiting for my copy of the grievance you filed on my behalf... you said it was in the mail July 1.) The Union was also aware of my reinstatement, since I have letters that were CC'ed to them, informing them of my reinstatement as well as my transfer. Regardless, I received several phone calls asking if I was coming to represent my (former, thank you Jesus) school at the recent building representative meeting. Uh, really? These phone calls came AFTER a field representative called me BEFORE 7 AM ON A WEEK DAY, to also ask if I was going to the meeting. WTF WTU, get your shiz together. When do we get to vote Nathan Saunders as our new president?

TGIF & the end of our first week

2009-08-28T01:52:00.002Z

Judging my the lack of blogging, you know it's been a busy and stressful week. This year is radically different than last year, in multiple ways. The biggest change has been adjusting to the inclusion model. Last year, I had the luxury of my own classroom, where I was queen bee. One would assume I was an only child based on my inability to share. In that aspect, inclusion is a challenge for me.

Fortunately, our amazing middle school team is making this transition easier for me. It's a young bunch, for sure, but everyone is open to new ideas and adjusting procedures to make the year go by more smoothly. We've already had some eye-opening situations, but overall, I think we are off to a great start for the school year!

Dee's Back-to-School Commandments: 2nd edition

2009-08-22T02:27:00.005Z

As I mentally prepare for the upcoming school year, I've spent a significant amount of time reflecting on my first year. As a result, I'd like to revisit and revise Dee's Back-to-School Commandments.

1. I will maintain a sense of humor 24/7, for without it, I may not make it. I will not take any frustration or anger the kids direct toward me personally.

~~2. I will not over-commit myself to extracurricular activities at school.~~ I will relish the actual opportunity to take on these responsibilities this school year and extend my presence beyond the special education department.

3. I will emulate Arnold Schwarzenegger's classroom management in Kindergarten Cop.

4. ~~I will have a social life, at least on the weekends. I will not be an old fuddy-duddy.~~ I will acknowledge that I am, in fact, an old fuddy-duddy and admit that I ~~secretly~~ love having a job that enables my going to bed early and relaxing even on weekend nights.

5. I will maintain a 4.0 during every semester of graduate school.

6. I will keep a spare change of clothes and toiletries in my classroom, just in case someone vomits or throws paint on me or in case I actually make it to a happy hour.

7. I will attempt to read one book per two weeks, for pleasure, as well as for our school-wide, inspirational book club.

8. I will maintain a strong sense of fashion throughout the school year, even though my colleagues' preference for more casual attire is tempting.

9. When I go out with friends, even if they are teachers as well, our conversation will be ~~limited to 15 minutes~~ unlimited to teacher-talk.

10. I will keep my fridge stocked with spirits to help unwind after each day.

Where's Monday morning?!

2009-08-21T17:39:00.000Z

It’s amazing what a change of scenery will do for you. I am feeling energized for the first time in a long time. I am eager for Monday morning thanks to the administration and staff at the new school. I have no illusions; despite the resources, despite the planning, despite the staff cohesion, I am sure this will be a difficult year. But I am excited for the upcoming challenges.

This morning I had the opportunity to venture over to Foggy Bottom, the antithesis of the neighborhood I teach in. Gathered at the Kennedy Center was a group of visionaries who are committed to providing arts enrichment to every single student in the District. Their commitment is infectious and I think it’s wonderful to see people who really believe in change.

Again, it’s energizing and it’s infectious. And it makes me want to stay with DCPS until we have completely turned it around.

First day jitters? Abated

2009-08-18T03:02:00.004+01:00

For those of us in DCPS, it was the first day of school. Understandably, I was nervous about my new school. I have some high expectations to live up to and I am joining an already stellar group of teachers. The school is about to experience a major transition year, but it is very exciting, albeit a bit overwhelming.

I have an burgeoning to-do list before my students arrive next week, but I think I will be ready to rock and roll once I get everything into my new space. I'm also co-teaching with another Fellow (a unique/awesome opportunity) so the extra pair of hands should get us set up in no time!

How was everyone else's first day?

15% off for educators at the Container Store

2009-08-12T19:06:00.001+01:00

Word to the wise: organization is key, in any classroom. This is particularly true for DCPS special educators who exist in an extremely litigious district.

DC Teacher Chic and I are heading to the Container Store next week after we take stock of our classroom materials. The Container Store is paradise for the two of us and it’s impossible for either to leave without picking up several items.

Fortunately, the Container Store is currently offering teachers a 15% discount until September 7. Follow this link to sign up for the coupon, future specials, and don’t forget to sign up other teacher loves.

You want me to do what on August 24th?!?!

2009-08-12T15:38:00.003+01:00

At a job fair, a principal asked me at what point did I realize that I was in over my head as a first year, alternative certification teacher. I told him that I knew the first evening I started lesson planning, before school even began. A lot of you are wondering: What in the world do I do with my students on the first day? Last year, it was something that Institute did not really touch on, but it’s something that needs to be addressed.

As a special education teacher, the first day will look radically different from position to position. Last year, I had a self-contained classroom whereas this year I will be functioning as a resource room/inclusion teacher. With my classroom last year, I did some quick ice-breakers followed by an activity that helped create our classroom expectations. In groups, my students described how they wanted to be treated by their peers and also, how they wanted to be treated by me. This exercise, with guidance from me, gave them ownership over our classroom rules and tone. Every morning, from that first day, we reviewed our classroom expectations. Keep your rules positive (i.e. Raise your hand before you speak vs. Don’t talk out of turn) and simple; we had seven official rules on my classroom.

I also did a classroom and a school tour with my students. I introduced the different areas of the classroom to them and explained how they would behave in the library, in line, at centers, and so forth. We discussed recess and lunch room behavior and practiced walking silently in the hallway. I also went over our classroom jobs and what each one entailed; jobs were then picked randomly and rotated on a weekly basis.

Establish a routine before the first day and work on following it from day 1. It will make your day a lot smoother. Post it in your classroom. Note the time, both on analog and digital clocks, and consider putting a picture with it, depending on the age of your students. Invest in a whistle, a hand bell, and a kitchen timer to keep your class on schedule. (Sounds, rather than your voice, are wonderful transition tools!) Know that you will need to tweak the schedule and things you thought would work, won’t. I thought my students, by fourth- and fifth-grades, could stand in a line quietly without bunching up on each other. After a few fights, I decided to put tape down on every third tile to solve this issue and it worked! I even used our line tape to teach the order of the planets and numbers in different languages by the end of the year.

Try not to listen too much to other teachers in regards to your students and their reputations. I was told that my students were the worst lot in the school. How wrong those other teachers were – my boys were hands down the best-behaved and some of the hardest working. That being said, do circulate around the other classrooms during this next week and see if there are any ideas you want to incorporate into your classroom.

Planning and executing for the first day is certainly difficult and daunting. But if you start now, you will be much better prepared to handle the challenges you’re about to face.

Five things you didn’t learn at Summer Institute

2009-08-06T20:50:00.003+01:00

You learn a lot during Summer Institute and ~~graduate school~~ certification courses, but the majority of the information deals with theory, pedagogy, and best practices. That’s all well and good, but sometimes you miss out on crucial, practical advice. Here are five things you didn’t hear in Institute that will help you out, in no particular order:

1. Pack an extra change of clothes: Hell, don’t just pack a shirt and a pair of pants, I kept undies, socks, and sneakers in my classroom. Not to mention toiletries, a hairbrush, floss, and a lint roller. I’m convinced the only reason I didn’t have any bodily fluid- or paint-mishaps is because I was prepared for the worst possible scenario.

2. There is no shame in taking a ~~few~~ mental health day: Get over your pride on this issue. Yes, your students need you, but your mere presence is not going to close the achievement gap if you are stressed about other issues. From day one, you should have a substitute binder. I included a welcome letter, notes about each student and particular behaviors that they may exhibit, how to reach me, who in the school they should consult with (for my class, it was other special education teachers and our coordinator) over any issues, as well as plans and work for the students. I also listed my best helper students who could be relied on to answer any questions. Of course, I never got a substitute teacher, so it was important to communicate with my support staff whenever I anticipated needing a day off. It also helps to prep for the next day after-school so there is a seamless transition.

3. Kiss your Friday nights good-bye: You may think Friday night is the beginning of the weekend and that you will be able to muster the energy to go out… but you’re wrong. I can’t count how many times my friends and I had the intentions of a late dinner and drinks, followed by bars that ended around 11:00 because we were almost in comas. It’s okay! You get up at 6:00 every morning, your body needs Friday night to recover. Just make it up on Saturday night!

4. Schedule a weekly dinner, and stick to it: Having a weekly dinner, preferably with teacher friends, is a nice thing to look forward to during the week. It gave us time to discuss our problems, professional and personal, together and have a little fun.

5. Network with colleagues in, and out of, your school: DCPS is notorious for not communicating information well. Messages get lost in translation, memos fail to be forwarded, and so forth. Make it a point to disseminate information out to your friends and have them do the same. I would have missed training on DC-CAS Alt had another Fellow not forwarded me an e-mail. Likewise, others would have missed out on Wilson reading training had another Fellow not sent out the information. And don’t be exclusive with only other Teaching Fellows! In addition to my cohorts helping each other, I found the veteran teachers in the District, both in and out of my building, to be more than willing to help out and keep me abreast of information… but I had to ask and I had to make the first move. Veteran teachers get a bum rap here, but don’t listen to everything you hear or read – some of my biggest, and loudest, supporters were the veteran teachers.

Teacher "preparation" 101

2009-08-04T03:43:00.005+01:00

To piggyback off of the New Teacher on the Block's post regarding new teacher preparation, I thought I would share some insight on the topic as well. I will start off by saying: there is no way to adequately prepare yourself for the battle you are about to face. It will be the most incredibly rewarding experience of your life, and the most incredibly frustrating. You will see things, both good and bad, that no one else will believe. Everyday will be a constant struggle, but in the end, I guarantee you that you will be a better, stronger person because of it.

Have a plan: I cannot stress how important it is to have a plan. In fact, don’t just have a plan, have five. You can never be too prepared as a teacher. The worst possible scenario is having extra time: it’s a recipe for disaster. One thing I found helpful, was keeping student folders for each content area. Each individual folder was chock full of extra worksheets tailored to each student’s IEP goals and/or other areas of weakness. If one of my students finished his work early, he knew he could find extra practice in the folder. It doesn’t have to be super-intensive – give them some “fun” activities, too; their favorite worksheets were often word searches or crossword puzzles with recent key words they learned!

Be flexible: Having a plan is great, but even the best laid plans, especially in teaching, can go awry. You may think you have an AWESOME lesson, until you start, and no one gets it. You can either a) think on your feet and immediately change gears, or b) you shelve the lesson, in favor of something else. Go home, reflect, re-plan, and re-approach the topic again for the next day. (Again, it helps to have multiple plans!) I also learned how to be flexible when it became clear that special education classrooms didn’t get substitutes; I never knew when I might have five extra bodies in my room for the day.

Be patient, but not too patient: Despite the omnipresent feeling of urgency surrounding you, you need to be patient… with your students. I do caution you to not be too patient with the bullshit you encounter. Showing patience with your students is one thing, rolling over and accepting the status quo when it comes to their welfare and success, is another issue. My patience with children has multiplied exponentially this year, but my patience for the bureaucracy and for adults’ shenanigans, has worn thin. You are an agent of change, although I say this with a grain of salt. Truth be told, it will probably take you all year to establish credibility with your colleagues, but be patient, stick with it, be dependable, and be an advocate for your students; you will be rewarded. After all, I went from being “that Fellow,” to WTU building representative by the end of my first year!

Remember, it’s never the kids’ fault: there are so many reasons for why our children aren’t succeeding and aren’t on grade-level, but I do not believe it’s because of anything they did. Your responsibility as a teacher is to seek out their strengths and needs and their interests, and crack their codes. Every child can learn – I’ve seen it and you will see it. Similarly, if a kid comes in and tears up your classroom or curses you out, it’s almost never your fault: it’s some other factor that is being taken out on you. But, it’s your job to be the problem solver.

Most importantly, surround yourself with a group of people you can trust to be there for you. My biggest support group is my cohort, but especially the five woman who have been by my side since day 1 of summer institute. You need a group to be there to celebrate your highs and commiserate with during your lows. Having a strong set of teacher friends sustained me throughout the year. Our parents, and our significant others, although all wonderful and supportive, could only hear about our classroom anxieties and administrative frustrations so much... but we could all talk endlessly with each other on these topics.

Update: the plot thickens

2009-08-03T16:21:00.003+01:00

I just spoke with DCPS; I am reinstated.

WOOHOO FOLKS!!

Update

2009-08-01T21:27:00.004+01:00

Frustratingly, I still have not heard on my appeal; the letter stated that we would be notified by July 31. I missed a phone call yesterday from DCPS, but was unable to reach anyone when I called back. Another teacher, who also appealed, has not heard anything either.

Alas, it's fine. I accepted another teaching position for the upcoming school year! :)

That's DC for you

2009-07-09T22:40:00.003+01:00

My appeal letter arrived today via certified mail. I am looking forward to crafting my appeal "portfolio," if you will.

On a humorous/ironic/annoying note, the letter was apparently sent to my address in DC on July 1. I, however, moved almost six weeks ago to Virginia and updated my information in PeopleSoft prior to the move. My paychecks come here. My termination letter came here. All with the correct address. Except for this crucial piece of information. As the saying goes, that's DC for you!

Chancellor Rhee to review terminations

2009-07-09T02:39:00.003+01:00

I now know of two terminated probationary teachers to receive letters from Chancellor Rhee. These letters state that they may challenge dismissals directly through the Chancellor. The letter also states that they must submit, in writing, support for overturning a wrongful termination, by this upcoming Wednesday, July 15.

I have not yet received such a letter. I am interested to see 1) if every probationary teacher receives one and 2) what the outcome will be for those who challenge their terminations.

Good luck!

On my to-do list: "They Call Me Mr. Fry"

2009-07-05T17:11:00.003+01:00

Jack Freiberger, or "Mr. Fry," will be performing his one-man show at the Capital Fringe Festival on Friday July 17 @ 5pm; Saturday July 18 @ 4:30pm; Sunday July 19 @ 6pm; Saturday July 25 @ 4pm; Sunday July 26 @ 5pm

Certainly, this sounds like a show many of us can relate to. It features someone plucked from Indiana to teach fifth-grade in Los Angeles. I can only imagine the stories he will relate during the performance!

The show has received excellent critical reviews and DC Teacher Chic and I are certainly looking forward to taking in a performance!

You can read more information on Mr. Fry's website or at Capital Fringe Festival's website. Tickets are only $15, but are only available through pre-sales. The performance will be held at the Goethe Institute, 812 7th Street, NW.

See you there!

Welcome to a new DCPS blogger

2009-06-29T22:46:00.003+01:00

DCPS has its newest blogger: a at (life) lessons and tests from a first-year teacher.

This individual is committed to improving the situation in the District that our students face and I believe s/he will do a fantastic job in the first year!

Welcome!!

A fresh start

2009-06-25T14:39:00.001+01:00

I’ve decided to forego a big post in regards to my termination due to pending legal action and for my own personal privacy. Although I am deeply disappointed and incensed by the sweeping terminations, I feel relieved in a sense to be out of this broken system. I already have a number of upcoming interviews lined up at charters and in Northern Virginia and I’m looking forward to moving on to a school to values me and treats me like a human being.

To quote the person, Chancellor Rhee, who inspired me to come to DC: "If I go down at the end of the day because I didn't play the political game right, that's okay with me. At least when you're making decisions that you believe are in the best interests of kids, you may not win in the end, but at least you can operate with a good conscience." I always acted in the best interests of my students and this is reflected by the outrage of my mentors, professors, and colleagues. I may not have played the game, but at least I can sleep at night knowing that I always did the right (and ethical) thing.

I will continue to blog through my new teaching assignment. I have a backlog of You Ask, Dee Answers posts that will be appearing soon. And check back in the coming weeks for a big announcement from myself, DC Teacher Chic, and the New Teacher on the Block.

Thank you again for your support and know that this will work out for those of us who were unfairly terminated.

Thank you!

2009-06-20T21:17:00.004+01:00

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who is supporting not just me, but the other teachers who were terminated this past week. The outpouring of support from friends, family, colleagues, the Union, blog readers, and strangers has been incredible and I really appreciate it!

I have a lot to say on this matter, but I am currently collecting myself over the weekend before I write a large post for Tuesday.

This issue is bigger than just me. There are so many people affected by this. Yes, I fully acknowledge that some individuals deserved to go, but there is also a large contingent of people who were wrongfully terminated. Fighting this will be no easy or quick task -- it's going to take a lot of time, energy, and collaboration. Nevertheless, I know that justice will prevail in the end.

Please continue to follow Candi Peterson's blog, The Washington Teacher. She is spearheading the mobilization effort to fight this along with the WTU.

I was terminated: update

2009-06-19T02:42:00.005+01:00

I was terminated yesterday.

Just two quick thoughts before I go to bed for the evening:

1. Michelle Rhee has acknowledged how terrible she was as a first-year teacher; this is hardly different for the majority of of first- and second-year teachers (traditional or alt-cert) as we are all trying to navigate our classrooms and our schools. But according to her, she was able to come back for two more years and make significant gains -- why aren't all of the probationary teachers who were terminated allowed to make the same progress after a rough (or smooth...) first year in the classroom?

2. Rhee has also acknowledged that the PPEP form is a bad document that allows for administrators to arbitrarily put down negative scores based on whims, fancies, and personal vendettas. This acknowledgement has been translated into a new evaluation system for the upcoming school year that will bring in impartial, expert teachers to ensure fairness in the process -- we are in fact, dealing with people's careers and lives here. Alas, despite recognizing the inherent flaws in the process, a single administrator was still allowed to make the final ruling on a teacher's employment status. It seems that these two things are in direct conflict with one another.

No, I'm not mad or upset with Rhee -- I'm just disappointed that she failed to terminate right person.

ETA:

Kings - you will getting a hell of a lot more information in the coming days. I've just been to busy to write up a coherent post about all of this.

Candi - Thank you and I will be in touch over the weekend. Once I received my letter (not even in an envelope!), I called the following people: Nathan, my professors, DCTF, and several attorneys. I will be working with the Union and I will also be working with a personal attorney -- based on my and fellow colleagues' beliefs, my termination goes WAY beyond job performance reasons (my structured observations give no indication that I was a terrible teacher). EEO is definitely is a concern as are violations against constitutional rights.

I will be fighting this TOOTH and NAIL. No, I haven't the intention of returning to a school system that treats its employees so poorly, but I am committed to making this a better work environment for our students and the teachers both currently here and incoming.

You Asked, Dee Answered: School Placement

2009-06-13T03:14:00.002+01:00

I am going to be an elementary SPED fellow, and have written a cover letter to send out to principals to begin applying for positions. However, I am a little uncertain about how to find job postings and detailed information about schools. I was hoping you might have some insight into the hiring process? Might you have any particular tips in how and where to apply?

Ahh placement, the bane and anxiety of incoming Fellows. My first word of wisdom: relax! The majority of Fellows do not get hired until toward the end of summer institute and into August. This particularly applies for special education as many of our programs/classrooms are "flexible" in that the Office of Special Education is constantly re-evaluating enrollment figures to ensure that schools are properly prepared for students. (I've heard this year as been particularly difficult!)

I would say the majority of people do not have automatic success with "cold" cover letters. You are more likely to make a better connection during a job fair, in a face-to-face meeting. However, do not let this discourage you from sending out cover letters. This is a great way to get your name out there so when you do eventually meet principals at job fairs, you can mention sending a cover letter to jog their memory. By far, the best job fairs are hosted by DCTF. I say this because not all principals (understandably) want to take on a first-year teacher without any previous teaching experience. The principals who attend DCTF's fairs are open to your potential for success and your uncoventional approach to classroom education -- in short, they are already sold on our program. Continue sending out cover letters, but please do not worry about not having placement for awhile!

Finally, consult TeachDC.org, DCPS's teacher hiring website. Under 'Who We Seek,' you can find a listing of current vacancies in DCPS. Please note that this list is not always current, in that some positions may have already been filled or vacancies may not be listed. (So far, it seems like the list undergoes updating once a week -- much improved DCPS!!) DCPS has also done an excellent job of maintaining school profiles at http://dcatlas.dcgis.dc.gov/schoolprofile/. I also like the series the Washington Post did a year (or two?) ago on public schools.

You Ask, Dee Answers

2009-06-12T00:51:00.004+01:00

As school winds down to a close, I've had the great pleasure of hosting a number of incoming DC Teaching Fellows as they prepare their independent study materials prior to summer institute. The incoming elementary special education cohort is a great, caring, and intelligent bunch! As I think back to my first observation, I recognize how utterly clueless I was; I hardly asked any questions! This cohort has had some great questions relating to how DCPS works, how DCTF works, and other special education-related questions.

As a result of having similar questions, I've decided to start a "You Ask, Dee Answers" series, hopefully geared toward some of the questions those entering DCPS or special education may have. Many of the posts will relate to DC Teaching Fellows and other alternative certification programs, but I hope to have a variety of material that is useful to everyone. My first post will be about securing placement as a DC Teaching Fellow (relax, you have plenty of time!!) and will appear over the weekend.

In the meantime, start sending your questions to: deedoesdc (at) gmail (dot) com!

Rhee says DCPS will cut teacher jobs

2009-05-26T20:22:00.002Z

Per the Washington City Paper, Chancellor Rhee sent a letter to principals stating they would be losing X number teachers due to the City Council's $27 million withholding. The actual breakdowns, by school, can be found here. (Sidenote: the spreadsheet shows that the average teacher costs $81,120.94... um, what?!)

Rhee's letter is surely aimed at creating outrage among DC residents in hopes that they will flood the City Council's offices with demands to reinstate the cut monies. However, I think this is a situation where Rhee will end up with egg on her face. From what I gather, most people agree that her enrollment numbers are inflated. No one believes that there will be an additional 3,000 students next year, and they do not believe there will be actual teacher cuts.

It seems unreasonable and irrational that due to a budget cut, DCPS would automatically cut teacher jobs, first, rather than look for other areas to trim the fat. And, I still want to know whether these supposed cuts are new positions or current positions.

DCPS to mandate neighborhood school enrollment?

2009-05-22T02:31:00.002Z

The latest watercooler gossip that I've heard from several sources, is that DCPS is moving toward a policy that will send children to their neighborhood school. Currently, parents may enter an out-of-boundaries lottery so that students can attend a school of their choice, regardless of where they live. DCPS also spends a lot of money transporting its special education children to non-neighborhood schools to accommodate their needs. For example, of my students, none are attending their neighborhood school. Presumably, this new policy is being driven by the current budget crunch; DC stands to save a significant amount of money if children can walk to school or be driven only a short distance.

I forsee a few problems with this policy, if it is in fact going into effect. First, this appears to be a logistical nightmare. The district will be forced to shuffle around a lot of programs to ensure that neighborhood schools can meet the needs of their students. Ensuring that schools are properly staffed and that guidelines regarding special education classroom caps are followed will surely be no easy task. This is both troublesome for families and teachers. Families will probably not find out until late in the summer where their child is attending and staff members will probably be shuffled around, a lot.

The other problem I forsee is over-enrollment problems. If we are reassigning children and classroom teachers, it's entirely possible that schools will become overcrowded. Schools may have to condense classrooms to ensure that self-contained classrooms can continue to function, which means someone is going to have more students. It's also no small secret that half of the district's children live in Southeast, an area where schools are known for overcrowding. How will these schools manage with an increase in their student populations?

Despite the logistical obstacles, this policy does make (fiscal) sense to me. Afterall, the vast majority of the country operates on a neighborhood school enrollment policy; if you choose to go elsewhere, you have to pay an extra fee. However, I hope that our students do not suffer because the district is trying to cut costs.

Rhee's consultant guru wigs out

2009-05-19T23:11:00.003Z

Call it what you will, but according to sources reporting to Bill Turque, Michael Moody, a DCPS consultant, had a bit of a meltdown last week. Moody, speaking at his monthly principals-only meeting, went a bit off script after being asked if class size affected student success. Moody "said, 'That has nothing to do with it!'" Moody said all principals were expected to produce Shaw-like results, regardless of their circumstances, the sources said. "If you guys don't think you're up to the challenge, you need to get up and walk out of here right now!" Moody said according to one account."

Frankly, I couldn't disagree more. Small teacher-t0-student ratios lend themselves to success. Teachers have more opportunity to provide intensive instruction because they can circle back to more students during a given time period. Furthermore, small classroom sizes allow for greater development of relationships between the teacher and his or her students. I think Shaw at Garnet-Patterson owes a lot of its success to the fact that it has small classroom sizes.

I'm getting tired of this schtick from 825. While I agree that we should adopt a no excuses classroom culture, it's impossible to ignore the circumstances that make teaching in DCPS an exhausting task. We teachers work tirelessly toward boosting student achievement in the face of what seem to be insurmountable obstacles. We still don't have all of the necessary resources to perform our duties; I frequently buy classroom supplies to make sure I have what my students need.

There has to be a better way to ensure student success than just prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach. If small classroom sizes appear work, because Shaw is doing well, we have to strongly consider this avenue for other schools! We need to inspect successful schools to see what works and why it works and then apply this knowledge to other schools, but on an individual basis. After all, any good teacher knows that differentiated instruction is key to student achievement...

D.C. Council cuts budget, Rhee threatens teacher cuts

2009-05-12T23:03:00.002Z

The story of the day is the $27.5 million the D.C. Council cut from DCPS's 2009-2010 budget. The Council cited a lack of evidence to support DCPS's projected enrollment of an additional 3,000 students next year. In a response, Chancellor Rhee said she will have to cut 338 teaching jobs if this cut becomes permanent.

In regards to this, I have a question: where in the world are these additional 3,000 students coming from? DC Teacher Chic suggested that perhaps they would be special education students coming back to the District, to which I laughed out loud. I believe we would have heard about this through the grapevine or Rhee would have written this in her response; afterall, it is a court mandate to bring these students back. However, I do not believe this will happen this fall. DCTC also hypothesised that the 3,000 students could come from the voucher debacle, but that does not account for 3,000 new students.

Additionally, how did Rhee come up with the figure of 338 cuts? Does this mean current positions or new positions that would have been created due to this supposed influx of 3,000 students? Regardless of the answer, the student/teacher ratio in this scenario raises my eyebrows.

WTU VP back in the classroom... against his own will

2009-04-29T00:17:00.004Z

Nathan Saunders, the WTU vice president, was told to report back to Eastern SHS today as a social studies teacher, or face termination. Instead of summarizing everything, let me refer you to Bill Turque's blog post with the details as well as The Washington Teacher's (Candi Peterson) blog post with more information, including e-mails.

To me, all of this is just ridiculous and disturbing. I almost didn't believe the story until I remembered that I work in DCPS and am a member of the WTU. Instead of Chancellor Rhee and 825, alongside with the WTU and its teachers, working together to improve this academic cesspool, vital energies and attentions are being diverted toward nonsense like this. It's also incredibly unfortunate that Mr. Saunder's vice presidential duties may suffer because of this. Mr. Saunders is responsive to teachers and engaged in our problems; we need him out and about, not in his own classroom!

I sincerely hope this situation is rectified quickly so everyone can move forward.

One final parting thought, while I will refrain from writing any conspiracy theories, all of this sounds awfully orchestrated.

Technology gripes

2009-04-23T01:07:00.005Z

Instead of intently watching American Idol (go Anoop!), it's been relegated to background noise as I HANDWRITE my student's extended school year (read: summer school) forms. That's eight students with three annual goals + three objectives + three activity descriptions per child. Come on DCPS. Why isn't this process done electronically? Or God, we couldn't put this up somewhere as a Word document?

I still can't believe we don't enter attendence or grades electronically. Even Momma Dee's podunk school has 21st-century technology in a state that doesn't spend more per pupil than any other state...

Hallelujah - DCPS contract conflict goes to mediator

2009-04-14T21:57:00.003Z

The contract triumvirate composed of Michelle Rhee, George Parker, and Randi Weingarten just released a statement announcing that a mediator has been chosen in an attempt to broker a compromise on the WTU contract. The lucky (or unlucky) individual is Kurt Schmoke, Dean of Howard University School of Law and former Mayor of the City of Baltimore.

Let's hope some real progress is made soon!

Closing the achievement gap is a family affair

2009-04-14T01:41:00.002Z

Momma Dee is a teacher with over thirty years under her belt. Previously, she taught social studies in an affluent school district near where I grew up. After deciding that retirement wasn't for her, she returned to teaching this year at a not-so-affluent school in North Carolina as a language arts teacher.

Throughout the year, she has lamented about how little her students know -- what kind of teacher(s) had them before? Where do I even begin with them? How do I engage them?

Momma Dee is fabulous. She created a lot of unique projects for her students, created an afterschool tutoring program, and introduced group literary circles in her classroom. She also went back to the very basics and started rebuilding her students' foundations. Well wouldn't you know it, but after the last round of benchmark exams before their big test, all by nine of her hundred students (give or take) are now passing?! Incredible!! I can't wait to see what their progress looks like from the beginning to the end of the year under her guidance.

Vent on D.C. vouchers

2009-04-11T21:37:00.003Z

Like many of us, I've been following the drama swirling around the D.C. school vouchers program. This program allows a significant number of D.C. children to attend private schools by offering them tuition grants of $7,500. However, the program has been canceled; no new students will be given vouchers and those currently with vouchers will lose the funding after next year... unless Congress intervenes.

Before I tell you what I think needs to be done about this situation, let me say that I am in favor of vouchers. I think that they provide a tangible solution to the families of the District, just like (some) charter schools. However, they are not the only solution to the problem. We need to be reforming education across the board. While vouchers are part of the solution, if we completely rely on them, the result will be akin to slapping a band aid on a severe wound. While we sort out of the mess of this public school system though, we should offer options for families to go elsewhere for a more stable and successful learning environment.

So what needs to happen? Well, I can live with no new families receiving vouchers, but not until after next year. Why? Because the families that were relying on this fall's vouchers have missed deadlines to charter schools and the out-of-boundary lottery for DCPS. Furthermore, the vouchers needs to be continued for children currently enrolled in private schools through the time they graduate. Why should we pull the rug out from underneath these children? Unfortunately, it doesn't look favorable for either of these solutions.

State of the Blog: Upcoming Changes

2009-04-10T01:02:00.004Z

With the warm weather approaching, the beginning of a four-day weekend, the completion of Alternative Assessments, and a national championship, things are looking up folks! I wanted to share some upcoming things you can expect to see on the blog in the coming weeks and months.

First, I've landed an amazing internship opportunity for the summer. Although it pertains to my interests and current career path, it's also radically different from anything I've done in the past. Although my project(s) are to-be-determined, I will be working on "green" school issues. Expect to see a lot of content in regards to this!

I'm also going to start experimenting with Twitter. Yikes!

And I'm most excited about doing a series of entries for incoming teachers, particularly those who are alternative certification, too. I will be soliciting advice from other new teachers are we wrap up our first year (wow!). The majority of the content will be what we wish we had known prior to entering DCPS.

Cherry Blossom Festival

2009-04-05T15:52:00.006Z

It's been awhile since all of us were in town on the same weekend, so I spent the majority of my weekend with my teacher friends. DC Teaching Fellows put together another nice social event in Columbia Heights, which is always a welcome opportunity to debrief with everyone and imbibe at bit!

Yesterday, The New Teacher on the Block, DC Teacher Chic, and I spent our afternoon braving the crowds at the Cherry Blossom Festival. It was crowded, but we managed to snag a great spot along the retaining wall, from where we were able to enjoy the Potomac and the blossoms, not to mention partake in some great people watching! Afterward, we did a little shopping downtown and then hit up a restaurant for about, um, seven hours(!!!), so New Teacher and I could watch our Tar Heels steamroll over Villanova!

Enjoy a couple of pictures from the Tidal Basin:

Unfortunately, today will not be as fun. I'm putting the finishing touches on my students' portfolios since we have a pre-submission workshop tomorrow morning, doing research for a term paper, and updating my lesson plan book. This week is sure to be a little hectic, but at least we have four day weekend to look forward to!

Dee's Recommendations

2009-04-02T22:45:00.005Z

Three great resources for fellow educators:

1. Carl's Corner: Cherry Carl, the webmaster, is an educator of thirty-five years. She is currently an instructor at UC-San Diego. The site offers amazing center ideas and other Language Arts activities. Thanks to best friend and DCTF cohort, J., for passing this along!

2. Scholastic.com's Teacher's page: Anything you could imagine is on here. I've pulled up great lesson plans for topical issues like the election or MLK Day and used its resources to introduce new ideas or as ice breakers before a field trip. You can sort through the material by grade-level and/or subject. There's even a great section for new teachers!

3. Wrightslaw: This is a must for anyone involved in special education. Wrightslaw has been around forever and this resource can answer any and every question you could possibly have regarding special education legal issues. It's useful for teachers, parents, and attorneys.

Dee Does Paris

2009-03-29T22:51:00.008Z

I thoroughly enjoyed my spring break! Although I took a trip, rather than a vacation, I feel well-rested and energized to power through to June. (April will be a blip on the radar considering all of the breaks we get!) Here are a few pictures from my trip to Paris. Enjoy!!

The Eiffel Tower.

The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

The Centre Pompidou.

Notre Dame.

The Arc de Triomphe.

Spread the word, to end the word

2009-03-21T02:23:00.003Z

I think a lot of people are expecting me to comment on Barack Obama's Special Olympics gaff on Leno yesterday. Unfortunately, my brain is on spring break mode, so here's all I can muster up: I hope my students are invited to the White House to bowl against the President. They are awesome and received several medals at the Special Olympics championship last week!

I'd rather focus on Special Olympics's new campaign: Spread the Word to End the Word. This is targeted at the dreaded r-word, which for obvious reasons has become a word I despise. The r-word is so pervasive in our society, but I think the recent news coverage of Special Olympics will bring more publicity to the campaign, and hopefully, cause some contemplation.

Tomorrow marks the official start to spring break: I'm leaving for France! I promise to post lots of pictures when I return! Au revoir!

March Madness = great math fun!

2009-03-18T23:01:00.004Z

Putting aside my horror that none of my students (all of whom claim to be obsessed with all things sporty) knew what March Madness is, we had a spectacular math block today. My students and paraprofessionals selected their picks for the NCAA championship. We're going to doing some addition, simple multiplication, and graphing based on their predictions during the course of the tournament.

Three of us, along with Barack, have the University of North Carolina winning it all. Some picked Louisville and others chose Pitt. And a couple of wayward, unfortunate souls selected Washington and Temple.

Let the backlash begin

2009-03-16T18:31:00.003Z

The WaPo blog has picked up a story that DCPS educators have known about for weeks: the read aloud accommodation on the DC-CAS is being cut by about 50%. Currently, over 2,000 students receive this accommodation. My feelings? You can't switch horses mid-stream. If our students received this accommodation on the DC-BAS, the benchmark exams prior to the real deal in April, they ought to still receive this accommodation. If we want to remove the accommodation come next year, fine. But it does not make sense to prepare one way only to change the name of the game a month before the CAS.

In the effort of efficiency, DCPS has also asked that parents waive their right to a meeting to augment their children's IEP. However, 'Dwannal McGahee said his 13-year-old at LaSalle-Backus Educational Center does not have serious learning disabilities, but that DCPS is acting improperly and he plans to contest the decision. "For DCPS to just remove that accommodation without testing the student to see if he still needs it is a violations of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). I have a problem with that."'

I have to agree with Mr. McGahee and I predict we will see a lot of similar sentiments on the part of notoriously litigious parents of DCPS.

Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration!!

2009-03-14T17:07:00.002Z

PS Montessori wrote a great post that is going to help me refocus my teaching strategies for two of my low-functioning students who are still struggling with the alphabet. What's so great about following all of these different bloggers is the opportunity to learn something new or to learn how do something slightly differently.

I had the chance to attend Chancellor Rhee's Q&A forum on Tuesday evening and one of the issues discussed was the need for more collaborating time. Specifically, we need more pan-DCPS opportunities to talk with our colleagues. While I am learning a lot from my building and DCTF colleagues by informally popping into their classrooms or asking them for teaching strategies, I would love to have the opportunity to visit other schools and other classrooms that are similar to mine.

Fortunately, I've found that many DCPS teachers, particularly those in special education, are extremely open to non-traditional collaboration; I exchange multiple emails a week with other teachers and have recently created a Google group to facilitate greater idea-sharing. And even better, these veterans are so willing to share their materials with young up-start teachers like myself!

Blog award!

2009-03-08T01:28:00.003Z

This has been an incredibly difficult week for personal and professional reasons. It's the kind of week where I find myself spontaneously bursting into tears, and that NEVER happens to me. Therefore, you can imagine my reaction when I see that The New Teacher on the Block gave me a blog award... water works.

TNTOTB is an incredible individual. She is passionate, committed, and dedicated to her students. I am so proud of the accomplishments she has made as a first-year teacher in what can only be described as an incredibly challenging classroom. She embodies one of my favorite phrases: "Excellence with a heart." Thank you for recognizing me and always being there when I've had a newsworthy day, whether it's good or bad!

I'm going to nominate another DCPS education blog for this award: Teacher SOL. Teacher SOL is maintained by Maria Angala who I regard as an outstanding resource to DCPS and also an outstanding champion for all special education students (and teachers). Although she has several blogs, Teacher SOL, is my favorite. It provides an incredible amount of resources for those involved in special education. And in addition to providing wonderful resources, she is also a terrific mentor to me and other colleagues. She is helping me and many others through this difficult year and I cannot express my gratitute enough!!

Rethinking my Fenty campaign donation

2009-03-02T21:28:00.005Z

The WaPo ran an article today regarding parents' feelings on today's two-hour delay. Mayor Fenty treated us to some eyebrow raising comments.

"The mayor said the school decision was a result of early morning conference calls, beginning at 3 a.m." So why was the decision not made until nearly 6 AM? Last time we had the prediction of inclement weather, the decision was made just after 4 AM, just like Chancellor Rhee said in an early website announcement. What was so different about today? Maybe this is just me griping because I wake up at 5:30 and started my morning as usual because there was no announcement posted when I checked. Thank goodness I checked again before I hopped in the shower!

Fenty went on to say that the storm should not have prevented staff from getting into work. Now this is just ludicrous. Keep in mind, the District was not as adversely affected by the storm as the surrounding areas. Not everyone is willing to risk their lives to get into work, especially when we have teachers who live all the way out in Baltimore (which closed their schools) or up to an hour away in Virginia (which also closed their schools).

And here's my favorite part of the article: "Others applauded the delayed opening, saying that it affirmed the importance of school for the District's children, especially those who rely on schools for free and reduced-price meals." Yes, educating the District's children was so important to my school's parents that less than thirty of the students arrived. And the ones who were in school today were plopped in front of a TV to watch movies because teacher's weren't willing to "waste" lesson plans on one or two students. And this isn't the case in just my school; it goes on in other schools as well. So was today even a day that educators worked toward closing DC's achievement gap? No! And those free meals? My school doesn't bother serving breakfast on days with a delayed opening.

The Virginia and Maryland suburbs were closed. The majority of DC-charter schools, if not all, were closed. Baltimore County schools were closed. New Jersey schools were closed. New York City schools were closed. Boston schools were closed. Even my brother's school, which is arguably the best prepared school for snow and ice because they receive 3'+ of snow each year, was closed! DCPS should have closed, too.

I'm here... with no students

2009-03-02T18:24:00.004Z

So none of my students showed up today. Only 25 children are here out of nearly 200. Only a third of the staff is here. And half of the building is without heat. Oh, and we didn't bother to clear the parking lot. Why am I here?

Metro or brave the roads?

2009-03-02T13:37:00.004Z

I'm due for a new car soon. If I continue with DCPS, I will be buying an SUV. Being from New Jersey, I trust my life with Sam Champion's weather predictions and he says D.C. should see 8" of snow when it's all said and done... and we only have a two-hour delay?!

My backyard.

It took me forty minutes to clear and de-ice my car.

The DDOT does not care about side streets.

Fail: probably a former DCPS student

2009-03-01T16:55:00.004Z

I saw this typo while stopped at a light recently. Who needs a licesne anyway?
Perhaps we should reconsider the stance that spelling does not count on the DC-CAS...

Teachers love snow days, too

2009-03-01T14:44:00.004Z

Chancellor Rhee's luck has run out. It looks like the District is in for another serious bout of winter weather, this time time in the form of 6-10 inches of snow overnight!! So the question is, will we have a snow day tomorrow? My prediction is no, but our students won't come anyway. At least I'll have another work day in my classroom.

911, what's your emergency?

2009-02-26T00:58:00.005Z

Let me preface this by saying the following story is 100% true.

Recently, a colleague and friend of mine was paged by the office. She was told that her instructional aide was handling an emergency, but she was assured the person would be back in time for her lesson. When he returned, close to 3:30, she inquired about what had happened. The emergency? An administrator needed the tires changed on his/her car and so this aide was chosen to take the car into the shop.

I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there myself. Again, 100% true.

This school is a clusterfuck

2009-02-13T20:01:00.003Z

When this year is over, I will have a enough material to publish a best-selling memoir of my experience in public education. And this is just my first year. There are many other things I would like to recount on this blog, but over concerns that the material is just too unique to my school, I will refrain from posting these experiences until the end of the year. (Yes, I am so out of this place!)

I will share this story from my week: a new family to the area showed up to visit the school. Apparently other schools in the neighborhood have entertained them and they wanted to also see what we had to offer. I had the opportunity to meet with the parents prior to my principal meeting with them. When my principal came to meet with them, he/she immediately shut them down, demanding to know if we were even their local school. Without that confirmation, he/she would not speak with them further. All of this was said in what was perhaps the most condescending tone I've ever heard. Needless to say, I was mortified and aggravated that he/she would conduct himself/herself in that fashion. This was not a good first impression and I doubt that these parents would send their children to our school after being berated.

Like I've said before, we are an anemically enrolled school and we ought to be fawning over potential families rather than chasing them away with the complete lack of PR.

Michelle Rhee rocks my socks

2009-02-10T01:56:00.004Z

I'm a bit behind on posting this, but today was a bit hectic and I got to enjoy outdoor recess, so I had no time to post during lunch. I hope by now everyone has read the great op-ed that Chancellor Michelle Rhee contributed to the WaPo.

For some time now I've felt that Chancellor Rhee has held back and not taken enough initiative to smooth over the hurt feelings of many DCPS teachers. Fortunately, she addressed a lot of the concerns and I think this means a new direction with more collaboration between 825 and the teachers in the District.

I circulated this throughout my school today and bolded the following points:

"I often speak of our district's performance data with sadness and outrage. The situation for our city's children is dire. Yet while I acknowledge the seriousness of the work we face, I want to be clear about something: I do not blame teachers for the low achievement levels... Those who categorically blame teachers for the failures of our system are simply wrong. Rather, teachers are the solution to the vexing problems facing urban education."

Chancellor Rhee also wants "Protection from arbitrary firings. Some teachers are concerned a principal may want to fire them for reasons unrelated to performance. While principals who do this risk their own jobs (firing effective teachers is a sure way to lower school achievement), we will ensure protections for teachers. We need a fair and transparent process, free from bias and haste, designed with teachers' input."

I also love that she pointed out that we need to switch to a growth model in order to successfully implement merit-pay.

If you haven't read this in its entirety, please do so! Thank you Chancellor Rhee, you provided a nice pick-me-up early this morning when it felt like the world was against my class and me!!

Education loses in the stimulus compromise

2009-02-07T19:25:00.003Z

CNN actually provided me with some useful information today. They have this concise breakdown of what was cut out of the economic stimulus package. Now, I was not a huge fan of the stimulus bill in the first place, but I could at least live with the fact that education was receiving money it desperately needs. In fact, the original plan was to double the Department of Education's budget. Unfortunately, education took a big hit in the edited bill. Here's a look at what we lost:

$1 billion for HeadStart,
$600 million for Title I programs,
$16 billion for school construction,
and $98 million for school nutrition.

Not good.

I think I'm in love

2009-02-03T19:34:00.003Z

Toby, a frequent commenter over on DC Teacher Chic, referred to a DCPS blog I did not know existed: Harry Potter and the Urban School Nightmare. Harry Potter's most recent post is a rant about the ridiculousness that was the WTU's lame-ass attempt at a contract proposal.

And so to reiterate what everyone has already said, what we received is not a contract proposal. What was so shamefully presented last night was nothing more than a half-assed manifesto full of educational buzz words with nothing to support it. Can you imagine what a professor would say if you presented a term paper with a thesis and some topic sentences, but no supporting evidence or explanation? Can you imagine what a CEO would say if you presented the company's five-year-plan and didn't elaborate on how you were going to reach your targets? I am embarassed, although not for the first time, to be a member of this "organization."

Chancellor Rhee forgoes bonus

2009-01-29T22:25:00.002Z

Chancellor Rhee, who brings in $275,000, earned a 10% bonus this year. You can read more about the criteria here, but apparently she passed on the bonus. Dena Iverson, Rhee's spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail, "Considering this difficult fiscal climate at this time, the Chancellor has decided to forgo her earned bonus."

Education News Aggregator

2009-01-29T00:42:00.004Z

I noticed I am receiving some traffic from Education News Aggregator. It's a new site that allows users to browse and post education-related links. I'm really enjoying reading all of the stories that it culls together!

President Obama thinks we are wimps

2009-01-28T17:09:00.004Z

President Obama complained about Sidwell Friends' closing today. He said, "My children's school was canceled today, because of what, some ice? As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled. In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you go out for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors." Obama went on to say that he will try and toughen District-ers up.

Was a delay the right call?

2009-01-28T16:35:00.004Z

WTOP.com wrote an article questioning the decision to only have a two-hour delay today. I have to say I think this was the wrong decision. Although the main roads are okay, the side streets are not. I saw several cars slide through the intersection by my house. The sidewalks outside my school are not cleared and the road in front is also very slick. My car also slid through our snow and ice covered parking lot.

Clearly parents thought it was a bad decision. Less than a third of our student population is here. And I would estimate half of the staff is also MIA today because they could not get here or were in an accident trying to get here.

I spent a good half hour chipping ice of my car. Unfortunately, my ice scraper snapped in half about five minutes into the job making the task all the more difficult. Next year: must live somewhere with garage parking.

Indoor recess is the bane of every teacher's existence

2009-01-26T17:17:00.003Z

Excerpts from an indoor recess conversation:

Me: "T, go tell L that he may come in from the hallway."
T: "He says he's mad at you that he had silent recess. He's not speaking to you."

(five minutes pass)

L: "Ms. Dee, would you like some Starburst? I have pink ones."
Me: "No thank you L. I thought you weren't speaking to me?"
L: "I guess I don't have much of a choice not to."

Superintendent literally stole kids' lunch money

2009-01-21T02:08:00.002Z

The former superintendent of Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $90,000 in student lunch money. Although the maximum sentence is 10 years, Bob Walsh will probably receive 12 to 18 months in federal prison due to his guilty plea. Class act.

Snowed in

2009-01-20T15:34:00.002Z

As I've previously stated, I chose to flee D.C. during the inaugural weekend and exile myself in North Carolina. I was planning on staying until late enough this evening that I could use 395 to get home. My plans, unfortunately, have been derailed by a freak snow storm here. We have about four inches of snow at my house and no infrastructure to do anything it about it. The snow will remain on our road until it melts. I had the foresight to prepare a substitute folder just in case I was unable to make it back to the city in time for Wednesday, thank goodness. And I feel alittle better knowing that The New Teacher on the Block is in the same boat; she also drove to North Carolina for the break.

I'll get some pictures up of the snow once I get back to the 202.

Random DCPS happenings

2009-01-15T00:51:00.002Z

DC Teaching Fellows compiles its first mid-year cohort. These fourteen individuals will be hitting the classrooms in early February.

Will DCPS issue a two-hour delay or closure for Wednesday, January 21st? Rumors are that we may have a delay given the post-inauguration clean-up. I know of at least one charter school, in the Eastern Market-area, that already has a delay.

HillRat puts a Capitol Hill elementary school, Ludlow-Taylor, on blast. An excerpt: "Allow me to recount Principal Cobbs' shameful performance in the school cafeteria in leading the Pledge of Allegiance. It was clear to me that the kids (and the teachers) at the school have little respect or affection for Principal Cobbs. Principal Cobbs seemed unable to command even a modicum of order in the cafeteria and simply relied on the PA system to overwhelm the noise in the room while she cajoled a couple of older kids into leading a, not even, half-hearted recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance."