I
love teacher movies. Love them. Generally, you get to see a teacher-warrior
wade into a negative situation fraught with an unsupportive
administration/district and disengaged/criminal students, and turn the whole
situation around with sheer determination and fortitude.
I
cry every time. Those who know me are not surprised by this.
But
every once in a while, you meet teachers who do that kind of thing in real
life.
A
few years ago, a teacher at my school was coaching basketball. He worked relentlessly with his team, a group
of rascals if I ever saw one; they practiced after school, on weekends, over
the holidays. These boys sure learned a
lot about basketball. They must’ve; they
won the city championship that year.
But
he taught them so much more than basketball.
He taught them about teamwork.
About striving for excellence.
Most importantly, he taught them how to take responsibility for their
actions – on the court, and off. They were, quite honestly, changed boys by the
end of the season. Their attitudes
improved and their grades increased.
Perhaps most importantly, they learned a great deal about personal
integrity. I wish Jeff Johnson had that
teacher when he was younger.
In
this morning’s Edmonton Journal, there is an article that says that the Premier
will not be removing Jeff Johnson from his post as Education Minister. This is understandable, I suppose, given that
there will be a new leader in a few short months and cabinet will likely
shuffle. So, we all have to work with
the minister we have, at least for the foreseeable future. If Minister Johnson truly wishes to move
forward WITH Teachers, he needs, like that school basketball team, to take some
responsibility for his actions.
On
630 CHED, the Minister spoke out about the non-confidence vote at the Annual
Representative’s Assembly of the Alberta Teacher’s Association. Here’s what he had to say about that group of
people, regular classroom teachers elected to represent all teachers, “At the
end of the day, I respect that they have an organization that has a job to
do. They are there to represent their
members; they are there to represent their organization. I’m here to represent students.”
Here’s
the deal: the minister is wrong. He has established himself as the protector
of children, and teachers as protectors of their own organization. This artificial bifurcation negates the very
work teachers do each and every day. It
minimizes the struggles teachers face in the classroom and it is disrespectful
of the thousands of daily student-teacher interactions in this province.
I
have an example of what I mean, although I’m sure all of you could provide
similar stories. Some of my colleagues
worked with a young lady with a host of special needs. The learning coach at the school invited the
district consultant in to work on learning strategies to help the student. The teachers worked with the learning coach and
parents to create the student’s IPP and the teachers and student worked to make
those goals a reality. The parents
worked with the teachers and administration to ensure that they supported their
daughter academically. And at the end of
the girl’s grade nine year, the school’s social worker made certain this young
lady had a special Grade Nine Farewell by finding a dress through Cinderella’s
Closet and convincing a salon to donate their services to do the young lady’s
hair and nails. The entire community worked together
to ensure she had a positive and nurturing environment.
By
saying that only HE is working in the best interest of students, Mr. Johnson is
negating the kind of teamwork that exists in schools that consistently provides
the best possible environment for children.
We
do not need “us vs. them” friction. Education
cannot move forward in this province with this kind of attitude. The resulting tension does not promote
collegiality and respect, the kind of culture that can positively influence
growth and change. Instead, the Minister
is actually stifling our profession by fostering a climate of distrust and
cynicism. He needs to take
responsibility for that and take immediate steps to rectify it. We need a visionary leader who empowers us to
move forward into the future, not one who rebukes us at every turn.
Somehow,
in the public’s mind, this entire issue has become about recertification and
evaluation, which is another example of how Minister Johnson is working AGAINST
the profession instead of WITH it.
Before
anyone gets too excited, I am NOT suggesting that teachers do not need a review
process. There is one in place, and
maybe that process DOES need to be revised to ensure that each teacher is
demonstrating competence according to the Ministry’s standards. All good organizations need to evolve
processes over time in order to stay current; the ATA is no different. But to demand that EVERY teacher go through
this process would be an expensive, time-consuming, onerous task, one mired in
bureaucracy and paperwork. We need to
thoughtfully consider how teacher evaluation could be improved to ensure meaningful
conversations contribute to continual pedagogical improvement. I’m not sure, just yet, what that would look
like. What I can tell you, for certain, is
that you don’t use dynamite when a dental pick will do.
(As an aside… I totally stole that last line from someone,
but I don’t remember from whom. Props to
that person!)
We
need to remember that Alberta has been a top-performing jurisdiction for years
because of the hard work and cooperation of teachers, administrators, school
boards, the Ministry, and the ATA. Mr.
Johnson needs to take responsibility for creating the impression that there is
a problem with teacher quality in this province in the first place, and placing
that very cooperation in jeopardy.
And so…
At
the end of the day, teachers are professionals who want the best for kids. We would not be in this profession if it
weren’t for the kids, because it sure isn’t about the glory. It is immensely rewarding, and I am proud to
be part of it; further, I am proud to call my fellow teachers my colleagues.
I
want to be super clear. I am not an
ardent unionist; I’ve done committee work for both the Ministry and the ATA. I
do not represent one side of an argument; polarized positions do not help students or teachers. What I would like to see is a measured,
considered approach to the issues at hand. Based on the Minister’s comments,
however, it does not appear to be possible at the present time.
This
is why we need to act:
Because
we all hope for better. We hope for
better learning conditions for students, because we want students to have the
absolute best. We hope to be able to work with our parents, districts, communities,
and Ministry to ensure that schools are positive, inclusive places to be. In order to move forward, we need a
constructive, cooperative culture that fosters ethical thinking, engaged
citizenship, and an entrepreneurial spirit in students AND teachers. Those qualities cannot, and will not, flourish
in a climate of conflict and distrust, which is precisely the reason why
teachers expressed their non-confidence in the Minister through a unanimous
vote.
Thank
you to all of you who have commented upon and posted my previous blog post. Please keep
the conversation going. Share your
concerns about the real issues that impede teacher excellence with your
MLA. Talk about the issues with your
colleagues and in your communities. By
doing so, we will foster positive change in this province, something our
students need and deserve.
Fantastic post. Very thoughtful. Well done! - @JenAnne11
ReplyDeleteWhat a well thought-out post. Thanks for your voice.
ReplyDeleteMme Laf,
ReplyDeleteIt's been 17 years since I was in your grade 7 homeroom. Now, as a fellow teacher, I can't thank you enough for saying what is on the minds of so many. I've only been teaching for 3 years and this has been by far my most trying year. Your blog has become therapeutic for me as I struggle with my own professional situations.
Thank you again after all these years for continuing to be an inspiration to your students. If only Minister Johnson knew just what kind of an impact teachers really have on their students. :)
Well. That was the loveliest and most unexpected gift, one that brought a tear to my eye. Thank you, ZC!!! I taught you (yes, I remember you!) in my very first year of teaching, a difficult year in all kinds of ways. I'm glad you are not judging me for that year!
DeleteTeachers are a courageous lot. We have to be. I'm proud that you decided to join this great profession, and I hope that you can see past the immediate challenges to a brighter day!
I would love to be able to touch base with you and hear more about your teaching position! Please, if you come back to read this, send me an email or Facebook message or Tweet. I'd love to reconnect with the adult ZC!
Thank you again for the wonderful comment. It is rare that you get that kind of gratifying feedback so many years later.
My tally from the previous 44 comments of kids you inspired to become teachers is at at least 4...speaking volumes to the way you teach, I'd think.
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