A Response to A Recent Email on Public Education

A friend and recent grad from the university reached out to me recently. This individual wrapped up grad school with a MA in History and is looking to get into public education; she asked for my thoughts and sought out a few specific answers. Here are a few of my thoughts. 

Well, I guess my first piece of advice would be to follow your heart. My experience won't be the same as yours and you just have to trust yourself and create your own world. Now, enough of that cliched toned stuff- here's my thoughts for what it's worth. The MA in history is definitely a plus! You will be a top candidate before any administrators even meet you for your interview. The choice is where to go.

I can't speak to the idea of smaller districts producing a more docile body- I think kids are kids no matter where you go. I taught 8th grade Social Studies at an underserved school in Houston. It was the middle school I attended growing up, actually. It was a familiar setting for me and helped me have access to many students that would probably never listen to other teachers. I knew the culture and what those kids faced since I came from a similar socio-economic background. You may find teaching a little easier if you land in a district that you're familiar with- one that will be easier to connect with the students. My relationships with the students was arguably my greatest asset and certainly helped with classroom management as well as helped talk kids down from those perennial emotional ledges.  

Here's some of the issues I have encountered. Administrators will more than likely be the biggest thorn in your side. That's going to be as a result of several things- including just plan 'ole petty politics. Because of the lack of promotional options in education many (not all, but many) administrators will become school leaders not out of any dream of changing the contours of public education but out of a mere desire for upward mobility and characterized by a bigger salary. Their job isn't easy I'm sure but the vertical business model dictates that poop flows downhill and ultimately lands on teachers. Every administrator needs at least a few scapegoats to point at for the schools poor performance so learn to play the game. 

Another issue that you'll encounter is state testing. Imagine that vertical business model where state legislators are at the top calling the shots using "end of year exams" as a method of "reforming" public education. With state funding linked directly to the testing results you won't be able to avoid the pressure. One thing you can do is teach a grade that isn't tested (like 7th grade Texas History). They'll probably still coach you into teaching in a way that prepares the students for the next years' test rather than the suggested curriculum model. When I was interviewed for my position the administrator said, "we don't want you to teach towards the test" which teaching to the test was truly my only option. Everything rises and falls on those test scores. 

Expect a high turnover in your school.  Nothing seems to be done at any level to keep good, qualified teachers from leaving by their 3rd year. The salary for Texas teachers is below the national average- add our low student performance levels coupled with new rigorous testing standards and it becomes enough to send many  educators looking for the exit from the classroom. If you look at the trends from the last 10 years you'll notice some fluctuation in the retention rates, which coincides with the national economy. Too many teachers find employment with less stress and more money when our economy is on the warmer side. 

Not everyone will share my views and some will have a life of substantial returns in education. I have a few friends that are hugely successful in the classroom and have managed to change the lives of many students. The rewards seeing a life change is moving to say the least. But the fact remains, if public education doesn't make some significant changes then the doors of our schools will continue to be revolving doors. 

Finding the Real Story Part 1

I've been mulling over the subject of education for the last 2 1/2 months now- more specific, why I chose to leave the "profession" after a year and a half and after spending over $4,000 post grad school for my certifications.  From the first day I left the classroom I have scrambled to have the right answer for those moments when I might have to undergo examination. And then there's the more important issue -- self examination. 

This blog has been started on more than one occasion and all of them telling a different story. Like a human telescope I zoomed in and out of my tale and at different points convinced myself that the plot of the story landed on X, not Y. A co-worker that turned on me, unreasonable expectations, or pressure from the new state mandate on end of the year test results. Last but not least, the self depreciating; a notion of not being good enough. My conclusion: it's all part of the same narrative and although these are analytically distinct areas I can hardly tell the story without all of the pieces.

Over the next few blogs I am going to attempt to form a linear narrative of my time as a public educator. Stay tuned.

Let's Look at the Evidence

Were you misled by the latest Facebook post circulating? You know the one that started out, "In response to the new Facebook guidelines, I hereby declare..."  If you fell victim to the latest hoax don't get too upset- the news was convincing enough for many in the FB community. The all business tone and codified language was sobering to many folks who rightly felt concerned about the ownership of their media.

But fret not my social media friends- Facebook issued a statement today that it does not own your media- your selfies are safe. Also, there doesn't appear to be any real harm done if you did in fact 'cut and paste' that staunch declaration. You should, however, consider protecting yourself from future media hacks that may compromise your privacy or financial well being. There are a few things you can do that will thrwart malicious post from attacking our virtual world. I'd like to offer a few tips I’ve learned that can help you be a bit more savvy while online.

Now, to be clear, I'm no expert when it comes to this magical World Wide Web but I can say my liberal arts background has afforded me a decent vantage point when it comes to areas like this one. Historians have to constantly evaluate the legitimacy of online sources available in order to produce a credible narrative. 

Media immersion in America has brought a significant change in how we receive news and information. What we accept or reject today will become our own narrative tomorrow. The days of getting our news and information solely from traditional sources on television or in print media are a thing of the past. Media giants are evolving in order to survive in a digital world. Enough of all that though- lets get to the rub. Get smarter about what's online.

Here are a few things I look at before I’ll read any “story/post” online.

1.The domain name on the URL. The most reliable sites/posts will end in “.edu”, “.gov”, or well established institutions such as the New York Times tends to be safe grounds.

2.  The next thing I look for is the sponsor/author of the post. Knowing who the source is coming from will give you a general idea of what's coming. These first two will help you find the agenda. Is the site selling products or does it have a stake in what we view or both?

3.  Next, be aware of one-sided sources that present a strong bias. We all have a bias or favorite whatever but blatant disregard for objectivity means the whole story isn’t being told (perhaps intentionally) and you may not have enough information to make an informed decision. Intentional omissions are usually an attempt to minimize an area that will not benefit the author.

4.  Additionally, poor grammar can be revealing of the hosts' level of professionalism. You don't have to be an expert in all elements of writing but careless punctuation errors or words capitalized that clearly shouldn't be won't be found on a professional post/website. These shortcomings should make the post suspect immediately. Proceed with a critical eye. A reputable host will not intentionally use an informal writing-style when conveying a professional message to the masses.

I can’t say what the utility was for this FB hoax but I can tell you identity thieves or hackers benefit from anyone who would dismiss standard writing elements. I was almost scammed on EBay once when I tried selling my old iPhone. The buyer sent a convincing confirmation of payment but at the bottom of the receipt I spotted a misspelled word and a comma that was out of place. I called the buyer out and he laughed about almost having me! 

If the source is unfamiliar and you think it may be useful treat it as a starting point and move on to a more credible source. Bottom line here: trust your gut. If something doesn’t seem right there's probably a good reason for that uneasy feeling. And after you’ve evaluated the information and are still unsure if a post (or website) is trustworthy you can turn to sites like snope.com who are like mini gatekeepers, busting myths online. The Internet is a powerful instrument that has given masses of people a capacity to bring direct change in the world. How's that working out for you?