One of the first items I recall about this class was that Brad stated very early that the endgame of what we do in education always should go back to “what is best for kids.” The situation that started this thinking process revolved around a teacher asking to leave school during the day because of a non-emergency. Competent principals are to respond with “I am sorry about your situation and I feel really bad about it but here in this district we need to do what is best for kids.”
This concept of doing things right for kids should be clearly stated in the district vision and mission statements. Everything that is negotiated should revolve around that simple, unassuming party. Kids. One could argue that in order to provide the best possible education for our children we in turn need to fairly compensate our teachers. A sediment from the teaching position would be “care for your teachers like they care for your children.” That is true and indirectly by “caring” for teachers (with salary, benefits and proper working conditions) we are doing what is best for kids. However do teachers need to have premium insurance policies? Especially during these economic times when jobs are hard to find. Do teachers need to have unbelievable post-retirement benefits?
There needs to be a balance with keeping kids in the forefront and at times some unions, became overzealous with the best interest of their members. In the final stage it became hard to determine who was benefiting the most, teachers or students. Some unions have gotten out of control with over-the-top requests and proposals that were not at all benefiting the students. This is a difficult predicament. I believe the strength of the unions led in part to our state government trying to reduce their power. Unions can be very beneficial for the students, when considering class size limitations and other pertinent working conditions. Do their members need a fair salary? Yes. Do their members need reasonable health care? Yes. However should unions defend poor teachers? Incompetent or insubordinate teachers should not be defended in any way shape or form. I get the fact that there is strength in numbers. In Wisconsin we are currently witnessing what happens when that strength is not acting in the best interest of the most valuable party. Kids.
I agree with the idea of doing what is best for kids. I also think it needs to be stated in the vision and mission statment so that principlas can always refer to it in needed situations. I think the main thing I took away from your post was the concept of balance. Without balance things can spin out of control pretty quickly. With balance the needs of the students can most likly be met if resources are available.
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeleteI agree but came at it a little different in my own blog. I agree that kids and their learning is the most important thing but I believe one of the best ways to meet this objective is too take care of our teachers. We don't have to give them everything but I do believe that we need to work hard to sway the tide of public opinion that we get everything and give little back. I feel at times lately being a teacher is a dirty word in the public.
Good stuff.
Tom,
ReplyDeleteYou made some really great points about not over-doing our committment to "care" for teachers at the expense of our students. It made me think of our discussions about the money factor and how we so badly want teachers to have a bigger salary, but the money in the pot doesn't magically get bigger, it just gets divided into different ways. And how interesting that now without the unions to back teachers up, it's the teachers who have been lax in their practice that are having the biggest issue with new accountability. Time for replacements?!?! Time will tell.
I couldn't agree with you more that some over zealous unions did more damage than good in portraying teachers in a positive light. Unions were not created to protect the incompetent teachers but some have made it difficult for schools and administrators to remove them when it wasn't in the best interest of students. Although I don't agree with how Act 10 was enacted or came about, there seems to be an opportunity to set a new stage for creating a partnership between school districts and its teachers to make decisions in the best interest of students. I hope that school administrators realize the importance of continuing to include teachers in the conversation, even when they're not required to.
ReplyDelete