“Ralph also took some classes in philosophy and literature and felt himself on the brink of some kind of huge discovery about himself. But it never came.”
― Raymond Carver, Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?

Too much of education policy today is crafted by tourists, people passing through school buildings, and then making authoritative pronouncements. Case in point a tweet this morning by MNPS’s Equity Executive Officer Ashford Hughes.

• He wasn’t a teacher.
• He was a sub.
• He did no planning.
• No contacting parents.
• No grading.
• He played with kids.
• He got paid his $155k annual salary instead of sub pay
• Then tweeted his benevolence

That may sound harsh, but the tourists continue to overwhelm the field of education much like Nashville’s downtown has been transformed by those allegedly in pursuit of the “Nashville experience”.The end result in both cases, is an unauthentic cacophony that only serves to drown out the voices of those who actually contribute to what is purportedly sought. . Both the well-intentioned and the malicious are culpable for the current state of affairs.

Fortunately, I am on occasion blessed to hear from those that actually work in our schools daily, and am humbled by their willingness to allow me to provide a platform to share their thoughts. This is why I started all of this, to give voice to those who are often unheard.

MNPS has a voiced commitment to “every student known”. It’s an admirable vision, but we mustn’t lose sight that teacher issues are student issues, and a goal of every teacher known is equally important.

Here are two views of current conditions from two separate MNPS teachers. Hopefully, you’ll read them and hear what they are saying. In the future, I hope to share more.

They may not be as poetic and inspirational as Hughes. They may not be what you want to hear. They may reaffirm what you already know. They will be authentic.

Again, thank you to all of the teachers who suit up and show up, even when the job seems unsustainable.

Now enough of my prattle, on to what teachers have written.

It’s been long days with no time to complete the work I’m trained to do.

It’s been welcoming students back, sending them to quarantine, asking for test results, checking masks, communicating with parents constantly, sanitizing my classroom, spacing kids out in line, spacing kids around the room, making seating charts, line charts, class split lists, and waiting for the next wave of sickness or exposure.

It’s too many chiefs with checklists across the district and not enough people to do the hard work.

It’s filling in, taking on other students, and helping colleagues when they are out with no sub. All for minimal “in lieu of sub pay”…if we fill out the form correctly and turn it in on time.

This year is implementing new policies, new standards, and a new scope & sequence with unproven results and with less resources.  We were told with Wit & Wisdom every student will hold a book, they don’t. We’re sharing 2 students per book at best.

We’re implementing this scripted curriculum and our kids are not ready for it, but yet we move forward anyway.

We have completely abandoned Science and Social Studies.  We no longer “teach” handwriting and our students struggle with fine motor skills and forming letters correctly because they have been on laptops and iPads far too long.

We have no resources for Math, just links to click on to take us to meaningless tasks because our students are way behind the prerequisite skills necessary to complete the planned tasks. It is a guessing game with each click of the mouse taking me to either an abundant information for me to read/print and make accessible for my students, or it takes me to a simple word problem.  We have no resources for Task Launches, Spiral Review, Math Talks, Student practice, assessments, etc.  Each grade level is trying to piece together something that works and supplement with iReady time when wifi works.

This year is meeting on Monday for “Math Planning” and meeting on Wednesday for “ELA” planning with “assigned homework and preparation” to complete before each scheduled meeting that takes up 2 more planning times per week if done with fidelity.  This leaves us with only one hour per week to call our own to complete grading, observation prep, paperwork, parent contacts, room cleaning, and all the other things we need to do.

We realize what works this year will be completely abandoned next year.

We are inundated with trainings and deadlines.  Too many to count.

Emails are constantly coming in regarding grades, progress reports, and report cards.  It’s too much to take in.

This year is working so hard, because I want my students to love being in school in person again, but feeling exhausted.

This year is working beyond contracted time almost every day and feeling too exhausted when that duty is over to attempt to prepare for the next day.

This year is being reminded to use self care, to be present with our own SEL, and to use MNPS provided counseling…all to help us cope with an untenable work situation.

* When creative and conscientious professionals are robbed of any autonomy, something very important is lost.  It chips away at a teacher’s self esteem, confidence, and expertise.  You never feel like you’re doing all you should, or that you have the space to use your own judgement.

Categories: Education