The TELL Mass Survey is your opportunity to provide meaningful feedback on the teaching and learning conditions in your school. The TELL Mass survey, which is available to all licensed public school educators in the state, is confidential and cannot be traced back to the individual respondent. The results of this survey in the past in Massachusetts and in other states have led to changes in policy and legislation in support of improving educator working conditions and student learning conditions.
The state distributed survey codes to districts last week with instructions that principals should distribute the codes randomly to their teachers and administrators by March 13.
Schools in Race to the Top Districts are required to participate. All other schools are required to give teachers the option to participate.
If you got a code and completed the survey, THANK YOU. Urge your co-workers to do the same. Click here to track the response rate by school.
If you got a code and haven't taken the survey, PLEASE TAKE IT ASAP. You can take the survey from any computer you choose. The responses are completely confidential.
If you weren't given a code, you or your building rep should ask the principal to distribute the codes ASAP. Call the state-sponsored Help Desk at 888-601-5826 to report if codes have not been distributed. Ask how you and all the other teachers in your school can get your codes. In addition, please call the MTA Help Desk at 800-277-8170 or e-mail us at tellmass@massteacher.org to tell us about the problem. Include the name of the school and the principal. Your name will be kept in confidence.
Your help and active participation are needed to reach the 50 percent participation rate needed to release results to the school community so that together you can analyze the responses and, if necessary, figure out how to improve working conditions in your school.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Head of teachers' union fights the good fight by Eddie Johnson
New Bedford Educators' Association President Louis St John unequivocally supports New Bedford teachers and the district, you can't separate one from the other. In my opinion, he provides the teachers with first-rate representation.
Are there educational issues and problems that need to be resolved collectively, by all? Sure there are, without doubt or debate.
At Mayor Jon Mitchell's final education forum held on Tuesday, March 13, at Normandin Middle School, Lou St. John not only did the right and honorable thing by supporting first and foremost New Bedford's teachers, but he also supported the entire district.
St. John is to be applauded and congratulated for his hard work and dedication to the teachers of New Bedford, and all unions in general.
He has earned the respect and admiration of other teachers' union presidents, including Janet Anderson, president of Taunton's Educators Association, and Paula Kaylor of the Fall River Educators Association.
I applaud St. John's representation and passion for the school system in which he clearly is invested.
I also applaud him for standing up for great and dedicated teachers in New Bedford's system, and standing up to those who criticize our teachers and the system.
Pastor David Lima, executive director of the Inter-Church Council, gave a profound presentation and offered a positive and proactive approach to the initiatives that must be addressed by ALL parties.
The educational issues impacting New Bedford's school system were not caused by teachers. In fact, these problems have been in existence for a very long time and most of them begin in the home environment.
As the New Bedford Public Schools system stands today, these issues and problems have been caused by, and not corrected by, many past New Bedford superintendents, past and present elected School Committee members, (including past mayors), and many parents and students disinterested in academic and studies and educational accomplishments.
The eighth-grader who so eloquently spoke during the mayor's forum addressed the issue of students who don't take education seriously and how those students' parents need to be involved in the educational process for their child.
The research and facts will accurately demonstrate that Superintendent Mary Louise Francis has done more to improve and bolster New Bedford's educational system in the last 15 months, which is more than the last four superintendents combined.
Dr. Francis was not responsible for block scheduling, whose repair should be a priority, or the design of the elementary report card. Both were the creation and idea of former Superintendent Michael E. Longo.
We should always think clearly and sincerely about New Bedford's educational requirements and needs, and consider the following as a guide:
Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.
I will stand with Lou St. John and the NBEA, as a brother and friend.
Are there educational issues and problems that need to be resolved collectively, by all? Sure there are, without doubt or debate.
At Mayor Jon Mitchell's final education forum held on Tuesday, March 13, at Normandin Middle School, Lou St. John not only did the right and honorable thing by supporting first and foremost New Bedford's teachers, but he also supported the entire district.
St. John is to be applauded and congratulated for his hard work and dedication to the teachers of New Bedford, and all unions in general.
He has earned the respect and admiration of other teachers' union presidents, including Janet Anderson, president of Taunton's Educators Association, and Paula Kaylor of the Fall River Educators Association.
I applaud St. John's representation and passion for the school system in which he clearly is invested.
I also applaud him for standing up for great and dedicated teachers in New Bedford's system, and standing up to those who criticize our teachers and the system.
Pastor David Lima, executive director of the Inter-Church Council, gave a profound presentation and offered a positive and proactive approach to the initiatives that must be addressed by ALL parties.
The educational issues impacting New Bedford's school system were not caused by teachers. In fact, these problems have been in existence for a very long time and most of them begin in the home environment.
As the New Bedford Public Schools system stands today, these issues and problems have been caused by, and not corrected by, many past New Bedford superintendents, past and present elected School Committee members, (including past mayors), and many parents and students disinterested in academic and studies and educational accomplishments.
The eighth-grader who so eloquently spoke during the mayor's forum addressed the issue of students who don't take education seriously and how those students' parents need to be involved in the educational process for their child.
The research and facts will accurately demonstrate that Superintendent Mary Louise Francis has done more to improve and bolster New Bedford's educational system in the last 15 months, which is more than the last four superintendents combined.
Dr. Francis was not responsible for block scheduling, whose repair should be a priority, or the design of the elementary report card. Both were the creation and idea of former Superintendent Michael E. Longo.
We should always think clearly and sincerely about New Bedford's educational requirements and needs, and consider the following as a guide:
Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.
I will stand with Lou St. John and the NBEA, as a brother and friend.
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