OurVoice WEA

WEA is a doing a good job tracking, communicating, and organizing in response to legislative efforts that might affect public education if enacted into law. Whereas the House is working on pro-public education bills (such as reducing class size and state assessments while increasing funding), the Senate is employing an opposite approach. Yesterday, I was happy to once again utilize my local association’s communication tools in response to WEA President Mary Lindquist’s call for member participation on two Senate bills which would weaken teacher retirement and due process.

Since two Democrat Senators have chosen to caucus with the Republicans, the Senate has a Republican majority. Republican priorities in public education are now being given greater consideration. In addition to those on substituting a 401(k)-style savings account for our state pension plans and making it easier to fire teachers, the Senate is debating bills that would

•require that 50% of teacher evaluations be based on test scores

•require 3rd graders to pass a high stakes test in order to be promoted to the 4th grade

•provide differentiated pay for math, science and special education teachers

•move towards requiring a Common Core Standards assessment as a graduation requirement

It’s in everyone’s self-interest and the interest of his or her school community to pay attention to what our legislators are introducing, debating, and voting on in Olympia. WEA maintains an excellent web portal by which anyone can get more information and to lobby in easy ways on behalf of those causes that are most important to each of us.

OurVoice WEA

Current Classroom Teacher as WEA President

While we were discussing the new evaluation system, I recently asked my superintendent when was the last time he actually taught. He answered, "1978." I find it interesting that many people who taught sometime in their careers refer to themselves permanently as teachers, as sort of a lifetime honorific.

Public education has changed markedly from even a few years ago--and those in the trenches, day in and day out, experience and cope with many changes imposed by those who are no longer or have never been in the classroom.

I think it's time that WEA is led by a classroom teacher, whose direct and substantive experience is the classroom--and not another political operative or bureaucrat whose turn it is simply because he or she has occupied every position, checked every box, and supported the line staff or the party line.

Stop Blaming Teachers

Less Testing, More Learning

There is an event to support teachers who are facing disciplinary consequences for refusing to administer a test they feel is unworthy of their students and their craft this Thursday, February 28 at the University of Washington. I appreciate the invitation that was given me, but I have a previously-scheduled appointment on behalf of my local members that I am unable to reschedule.

My view on assessments in general is that they have taken the focus from rich learning experiences, a varied curriculum, and students themselves to arbitrary numbers signifying meaningless achievement on narrow measures. Not everything that has value is measurable. All good teachers know this. In my building, those subjects that are tested are emphasized, funded, scheduled, and imbued with worth; those that are not are neglected, un- or under-funded, not included in master schedules, and tacitly or overtly diminished. No child anywhere should ever be presented only with reading, math, and science--as if the arts and social studies and physical education and foreign language and CTE classes are without worth or secondary. In my building, too, almost one-third of our school year witnesses all three of our computer labs shut down, reserved exclusively for testing, testing, testing--not learning, learning, learning.

The reform movement has damaged public education. Thank goodness that courageous teachers--without leadership from the WEA--are standing up and simply saying, "No."

Scrap the MAP Event at the University of Washington, 2/28/13

A Different Approach

New Messages

Time to Change the Message

I think this is the button WEA has passed out in recent years. Maybe it's time to change the message . . .