Getting Along

When I was in elementary school in New York, my teachers stressed the importance of getting along and sharing. When I was in middle school, my morning advisory teacher taught a whole unit on conflict resolution strategies. When I was in high school, I served on our school's Student Council, settling disputes in the school and helping our school create an environment of trust, respect and peace.


Well, maybe some of these adults need to go back to those days and those classes where conflict resolution was taught. Maybe Mrs. Davis should pull herself out of retirement to teach these adults a lesson that's long overdue. A lesson that might pull the NYC DOE out of this mess and help a school district do what it's supposed to do... ensure that the district's students are getting the best possible education out there. 


Most teachers in New York are aware that the City's schools may lose substantial and necessary federal funding if the Chancellor and the UFT do not come to an agreement over teacher evaluations. Yes, I know that teacher evaluations are a hotttt button issue in education and especially in the City right now. Value added-this. Merit pay that. Neither side wants to deviate from it's "default" position. No compromise is being offered. Just the other day, the Chancellor WALKED OUT of negotiations with the UFT! And these people are running the nation's biggest public school district?! There are 3rd graders that can do better here, seriously. 


Sometimes when I'm reading the news, I want to go "Come on, people! This is the CHILDREN we're talking about! So put aside your differences and start working things out!". Other times, I want to go buy a dictionary, find the word "compromise", highlight it and personally give it to Michael Mulgrew. As of right now, 1.1 million children will be suffering after this break and during this year when federal funds are going to be cut from the City's schools. 


Yes, education is a very complex field to be in. We teachers are CONSTANTLY inundated with notices and news of the latest in educational policy. And I think I can speak for many of us out there, TEACHERS ARE TIRED OF THIS. We want to be able to teach! Not be at the center of all this drama. We came into teaching to make a difference on the lives of students. Not to fight over things like standardized testing, value added, merit pay, etc. Why do you think so many NYC teachers leave before they've even served five years in the classroom? 


There are soo many teachers in the City and in this country that are braving the challenges in educational policy and still living up to the REAL reason why we're teaching, and I commend them for all their hard work. :) 


So, Chancellor Walcott, Michael Mulgrew, start working things out and make the effort to get along. Start making some sacrifices - for the children.