Year 3
According to research 20% of teachers who leave the profession do so within the first three years. Based on my own personal experience, after this upcoming year, I will have some decisions to make. My first two years teaching mathematics were spent at a progressive high school in Philadelphia, PA. It was there that I got a chance to develop and implement a project based mathematics curriculum, worked with a dedicated principal and faculty members, and taught some of the most brilliant young minds that our society has to offer. With all that being said, there are many issues that I need to resolve in order to become a successful teacher.
Progressively increasing the Achievement Gap
After reading David Warlick's post about his ideas for The Next Kill App? , I am amazed and always appreciate how people can speak about education as if there is no achievement gap. Many parents and educators that are in favor of a progressive change in education are those whose have been successful in a traditional setting, attended good colleges, and have had relatively successful careers thus far. So why would someone want to change a system that is designed in their favor and probably their child's favor?
Perhaps it is because once they received their job, they realized that they were vastly under prepared or simply did not need the skills that were provided by their K-12 education. Or perhaps it was the realization that we have advanced in all aspects of society except for in the ways that we are educating and preparing our youth.
I am a mathematics teacher who is transitioning from a progressive high school more traditional school in the fall. My artificial successes and failures will be judged by test scores. Getting all of my students to pass these tests should be easy but given the history and population of my students which are 90% African American, this will be no small feat. As I try my best to accomplish this goal, I can't help but feel that all will be for naught, especially when the truest form of education will be taking place in those schools in which students have not problem passing standardized tests and therefore are allowed to truly collaborate, explore, and learn.
Perhaps it is because once they received their job, they realized that they were vastly under prepared or simply did not need the skills that were provided by their K-12 education. Or perhaps it was the realization that we have advanced in all aspects of society except for in the ways that we are educating and preparing our youth.
I am a mathematics teacher who is transitioning from a progressive high school more traditional school in the fall. My artificial successes and failures will be judged by test scores. Getting all of my students to pass these tests should be easy but given the history and population of my students which are 90% African American, this will be no small feat. As I try my best to accomplish this goal, I can't help but feel that all will be for naught, especially when the truest form of education will be taking place in those schools in which students have not problem passing standardized tests and therefore are allowed to truly collaborate, explore, and learn.
Don't Wake the Sleeping Giant
So today during my 'infamous' New Teacher Induction class, the facilitator, who happens to be an African American educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, made the following statement: If public teachers in Philadelphia were subjected to merit based pay, many of the African American male teachers would not make the cut. This statement was made in response to a beginning teacher who asked why the demographic of the teachers in Philadelphia do not accurately represent the population of the students in which they teach (65% of Philadelphia public school students are African American). According to her, many of the African American male teachers that she has personally encountered during her years in education have not had high expectations for their students and have been content with having a secure job. Needless to say, I am angered by her statements and will continue to strive to prove her wrong.
It's Time!
It's time for my voice to be heard. I'll soon find out if people will be listening, or should I say reading.