Tomorrow is such a big day. Ive been trying to gather my thoughts the last few weeks about it and I have so many emotions I dont know how to tie them all together. I am asking for your prayers for our legislators-that they will listen with open minds and open hearts so they will change laws that are hurting our students, our schools, and our teachers. I am asking for prayers for safety, wisdom, and the clarity to get our points across in a peaceful yet passionate way. There are so many things wrong with education-however, hope is not lost, the wrongs can be made right. Those we elect into office can make the positive changes we need for our students, our children, our future. I was in 5th grade, Mrs. Cindy Christiansen-Dunns class when the big strike happened in 1989. I remember seeing her protesting on the corner as we drove by. I can remember thinking, That is my teacher fighting for me. Now, I will be standing with her fighting for this generations children. It has come full circle. I have a class full of 3rd grade children whose 4th grade promotion depends on ONE test taken on ONE day. According to the RSA law, nothing else matters about 3rd grade-except if they pass one reading test. They could literally be held back in 3rd grade by missing one more question. Parents and teachers have NO say in the matter. The reading test truly doesnt assess if a child can read on a 3rd grade level. There are so many flaws in that idea alone that my blood boils beneath my skin. Our state superintendent (who was a dentist, not a teacher), continually tries to fool the public into believing that teachers are passing children when they cant read, that teachers arent doing their jobs, and that teachers are greedy union thugs. Im not asking for a raise-Im not asking for more benefits. Im fighting for my students. I know their academic ability and I know that they are worth more than a test score! I have an even more personal reason for fighting. Our two year old can rhyme, say her ABCs, retell a story, sort, count to 20, identify shapes, colors, first and last names of people, animal sounds, and will talk your ear off about the happenings in her world. Smart, yes, but sadly it wont be enough. Because when she enters KINDERGARTEN, under Common Core, she will be required to write a paragraph. The ONLY thing common about Common Core is that the government is setting children up to fail. Children will enter school and fail. The joy of learning is gone because of the highly developmentally inappropriate standards that the BUSINESS world has created-not teachers, not parents-but corporations. I am fighting for teachers. Our TLE evaluation system is based off of test scores-only a small portion comes from our principal observing us teach. High Stakes testing is tied to every inch of classrooms-students-teachers-schools-principals-districts-and the A-F report card that schools receive based off of a ridiculous unfair formula. We are at the same funding amount as 2008-thats 6 years ago-and I do believe the cost of living has changed-but the amount spent per pupil has not changed in 6 years! Absurd! Laws must change. Legislators must listen. We will not keep quiet any longer. We have too much to lose.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 23:51:10 +0000
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