Frustration in Teacher-landia Dos

Today proved to be more of the same, from 9 in the morning to lunch time. Teachers again, stood before the faculty explaining their projects, philosophies and grading procedures, but rather than taking a critical perspective and owning up to the weaknesses, which everyone already sees, in their work, they took a defensive stance and did not allow for examination of issues central to the direction the school is headed.

However, the principal managed to put into play an idea she had been tossing around, and thus salvaged, at least to some extent, the morning. She and her vice-principal read through all the evaluations and converns that had been brought up in writing the past few days. They then posted a series of large white posters along the walls of the hallway adjacent to us. On each poster was written one of the major issues, and people could write down what they thought was and wasn't working within each area. This gave the more reserved, or disrespected among the faculty to have their voice heard without having to defend themselves against the vitriole of the more vocal, or "experienced" teachers.

Allow me to clarify. There is a perception on our campus that those who are either older, or have more years of experience working on our site, have more important things to say than the rest of us. So bad was this, that someone had the audacity to say they found it disrespectful and ignorant of "new" teachers to make any comments contrary to that of the "experienced" personel. I, finally having had enough, and dealing with a fever of around 102, told them their opinions were a most gross form of elitism and ageism, and that they must learn to process the reality that old does not necessarily mean smarter; if anything, they refuse to adopt change and cling to practices which, I found today, have been invalidated all across California.

So heated did things become when the "oldtimers" read the concerns of the staff, that they started a debate, which degenerated into an argument, in the hallway, while college classes were taking place. No one had the sense of mind, or courage, to express themselves and refute what was said. Dismayed, I walked over and took up the cause, enraging the twefth grade math teacher. His arguments are as follows: 1) He would rather cater to the average student than meet the needs of a small population (the low and high-skilled achievers), 2) His math program works even though students are not succeeding at the college level, 3) He's worked seven years on this math program so he must be close to something, 4) He doesn't want to waste the effort he put into the previous seven years, and 5) It's "apparently" impossible to teach Algebra to ninth graders, or Geometry and so on up the grade level ladder.

My answer to this is that: 1) A school must meet the needs of all students, 2) A program which does not equip students to succeed at the college level is not one that "works" 3) Spending more time on something does not necessarily guarantee success. Isaac Newton never uncovered the secrets to alchemy, and, if I, and several other teachers across California, were to attempt to construct a car from cotton candy and Kit-Kats and failed to achieve our goals after seven years, something should tell us that the plan is inherently flawed. 4) Putting forth no effort to change things for the better is the calling card of the boring and ineffective teachers who make school a chore for children. 5) It most definitely is possible to teach a different level of math each year; it's been done in schools across the country. I don't understand where the impossibility comes in teaching Algebra or Geometry to freshmen when the current program aims to teach them pieces of every math sub-category. How is it that teaching less material in an in-depth way is considered worse than superficially exposing students to each type of math? A system in which you have to review the same material year after year because the superficiality and lack of connection to any discipline makes it so that students can not retain information.

Peace :P I'll write about something more positive in the coming days, and hopefully shake off this fever that makes me not want to deal with systemic abuses anymore.