I was saving this ‘gritty’ post for a later date when I had more time to delve into my education-related books. My books that have suffered massive amounts of annotation, highlights, and double & triple underlines that scream, “YES! I ABSOLUTELY agree with this!”
But then I realized this isn’t really a research article. I’m entitled to share my opinions whether they’re backed by research professionals or not. And today is a fantastic day to talk about all things education-related since the teacher tenure law was ruled unconstitutional in California yesterday.
Because, truth is, there’s a pretty big correlation between ineffective teachers and students’ character.
Most people think:
Character is viewed as a set of attributes that people are born with. A person does not develop character. A person is born with character.
Newsflash!
There has been a recent mindset shift; educators & researchers are defining character as a set of “strengths.” And this abstract concept of ‘character’ has become a topic of discussion in our excellent schools. Can character be taught? Can we actually develop kids in a non-cognitive way?
Teachers are viewed as “effective educators” if the majority of their students are performing in the advanced or proficient levels on a state or national exam. But what about the teachers who make strides with their students who come in 3-4 years below grade level? What about the person who teaches kids how to take meta-moments when they’re feeling frustrated? Or the teacher who holds daily community meetings that address core values like: persistence, initiative, self-control, GRIT?
Effective teachers believe that character can be developed. They believe in the growth mindset around academics, behavior, AND character. They understand that success is largely connected to those non-cognitive skills that are a little more abstract, a little more difficult to teach.
So, when the ruling was made public yesterday, there was all sorts of chatter about it around our schools. Our system is flawed and nothing, up until now, has been done to kick out those ineffective teachers who are not invested in their students’ academic growth or character development. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve worked for a school district. I’ve been a part of the teacher’s union. And I understand why, in this crazy, lawsuit-happy country of ours, it’s important to be protected by a set of laws.
But when there are teachers that take advantage of the system, it makes me wonder whether this ruling is a step in the right direction. There are teachers who won’t show up to a student’s IEP meeting because it was held at 3:30PM and their contract says they are not required to stay past 3:15. There are teachers who copy workbook pages and expect students to sit quietly and work on them without proper instruction. And then there are teachers who kick students out of the classroom or send the student to the office to lessen the burden on THEM instead of addressing the root cause of the behavior. Because suspending them or expelling them is going to solve the problem. (Please note my sarcasm.) All of these things happen way too often and, as a result, these teachers are just perpetuating the achievement gap.
I made the decision to work at Rocketship, knowing full well that they did not have a teacher’s union. When I first got the job, I received an offer letter, not a contract. And, to be completely transparent, that worried me at first. Who’s going to have my back when shit hits the fan?
Turns out, when you work for an organization that is so driven by it’s mission, you don’t NEED a union. Rocketship Education keeps our kids and families in the forefront when it comes to decision making. There’s no contract that indicates that a teacher’s work day is from 7:30-3:15. The “security” of a union is in conflict with the work that needs to happen in order to improve our educational system. Our teachers KNOW that, if we want to be effective and if we want to help our students be successful, your “teacher hat” doesn’t come off when the students leave for the day. And our teachers know that when we build partnerships with families and communities, rather than create a discord between the “school” and the “home,” shit just doesn’t hit the fan as often.
And what message are we sending our kids if we keep these apathetic, ineffective teachers around? That you don’t need some level of grit to be successful? That you don’t need to continue being persistent? That what you’re striving for is tenure. And then you can ride it out, no matter who you end up harming along the way.
Not okay.
Because, one of the biggest things I learned about character development is that, in addition to instruction and teaching around these soft skills, it’s quite possibly even more important to model what that looks like. And when you model things like persistence, respect, responsibility, initiative, and grit – it’s bound to rub off on your kids in some way.
I’m interested to see what happens as I’m sure this is a legal battle that will last for quite some time. I’m not hating on teachers. I’m not even protesting against unions as a whole. I’m just primarily concerned that, when the day comes to pass my students along to another teacher, at another school, I will be passing them on to someone who is invested in them 100%.
Related Posts:
- Building Relationships – the number one most effective way to connect with your students
- Just Breathe – making sure we give kids what they NEED.
- Full Inclusion – the benefits and challenges of being a teacher in an inclusive classroom.
- Teach the Way They Learn – differentiation, engagement, and investment in the classroom.
- Classroom of Success – teaching character in the classroom
Questions of the Day:
- What are your thoughts on the ruling? Helpful or harmful?
- What does your school or district do to support social-emotional needs of our students?
I legitimately got a little teary reading this. Love you, your wisdom, your insight, and your dedication to your students.
What a great post! Not being a teacher I feel out of the loop on a lot of this but you can tell the passion and love you have for your students. Your school sounds like an awesome place to work!
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I disagree with the ruling here in CA because I believe it’s part of a larger plan to dismantle the public system and move toward a private/ charter system, which will only benefit wealthier families. I am related to many teachers, and I myself teach at a university where I know there are some professors with tenure who are horrid. I think our system is flawed, yet don’t think this is the answer.
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Great post! I agree that the tenure/union/contract/that’s-all-I-have-to-do mindset is really hurting schools today. Not knocking unions, but I taught in a state without them before teaching in Florida (heavily unionized) and the work ethic was much, much better in that other state. It’s sad to see. I’m interested to follow this teacher tenure law in California and the backlash that comes of this ruling!
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