That's it. Enough with the
camouflaged innuendos and hypocritical statements about teachers and unions
("Durkin backers declare 'vote of confidence,'" Dec. 11). John
Bullard and Jon Mitchell making general statements about teachers and the New Bedford
union leader wanting to protect their jobs more than caring about children?
Really, Mr. Bullard? What do you think you and most working people do but try
to protect their jobs by doing a good job wherever it is they work? I would
hope union President Lou St. John is trying to protect the union members' jobs.
It is his job to do that!
As for caring about children, I would imagine most teachers
go into teaching because they like teaching, and by extension they like to work
with children. I know I did, and most of my colleagues did. Are there bad
teachers? Of course there are, but aren't there bad workers in every field?
I am a retired teacher, and although I have not worked in
the New Bedford system, I know enough people who have. In addition, I live in
New Bedford and our daughter went to school in New Bedford. Thus, I know
practically first-hand what the New Bedford schools were and are like. I also
know that if we want our children to succeed we need to put our money where our
mouth is, and call a spade a spade. But that is not something we are willing to
do.
It is a lot easier to go with the customary "nobody
likes change." If there is a profession that puts up with change for the
sake of change it is the teaching profession.
You want improvements? Lower classroom numbers for
non-honor classes, provide a fair education to non-English speakers, and deal
with disruptive students without blaming teachers for their disruption.
We were quick to dismantle bilingual education, but whether
we like it or not, we live in a city with a high prevalence of poverty, and
many of those living in poverty are non-speakers of English. It is easy to say,
"Let them learn English, and let students be shocked with
English-immersion classes," but I know that it will not work.
Last year, I tutored a student at a shelter after school.
In the one hour a week I was willing to volunteer, I was supposed to help him
with homework in English, science and math. Do you really think a person with
very little or no knowledge of English can be prepared to succeed in MCAS
without appropriate support at school? I would cry on my way home realizing how
little impact my help could make.
The sooner we realize we need to put appropriate support in
the schools to give our students hope instead of frustration, the sooner we
will solve the problem in our city's schools.
As for talking about assaults,
do we really think 30 assaults are acceptable? I really did not go into
teaching after 26 years in private-industry jobs to be assaulted, not even
once.
Terry Mozaz is a New Bedford Resident
6 comments:
The New Bedford School Committee has not accepted any responsibility for the failure of our schools. Even the Superintendent, herself mentioned half the problems were because of past scheduling, staffing, and loss of funds. Maybe replacing 50% of the School Committee should be part of the plan.
I agree with the post above; however, I feel that the entire present School Committee members, included the Chairman Ex-Officio, should be fired as they are a major part of the problem.
What have they done to improve the school system since being elected? Each year, it seems, the district has gone down hill.
Why don't the members of the School Committee, Mayor, and Superintendent ever mentioned the underlining problem which is the total lack of interest by some of the students and their parents in getting an education, coming to school daily and on time, being prepared for class and tests, and behaving properly throughout their school day. Until they (SC) get the students and parents on board, it will be the same old same old.
One can write all the plans and do all the statistics, however, students are not widgets they are people!
It's convenient and easier to blame the teachers for the parents failures and lack of interest. We can't go home with these kids and make sure they do their homework. That is the parent's job. These kids are a mirror of their parents. They reflect what they are taught at home. If education is not important at home, if trying hard is not important at home , if bullying is the way at home-these children bring their parents values to school with them. It's not the teacher's job to bring up these children. I am very fortunate to know wonderful parents, dedicated to their children's education. And, then their are the others......
What happens if Dr. Durkin doesn't prove herself and scores don't improve by 40%? Should we reduce her pay by 40%? That would be a $74,000 decrease in pay. That's the cost of a top step teacher. The money would be better spent.
The scores will go up. Everything the teachers have asked for in the last 10 years will now be implemented by the new staff. The money from choosing the dramatic turnaround plan will fill the gaps. Then the scores will go up, the drop-out rate will go down and Pia will be exonerated. It's all by design.
In my opinion the only way scores are going up 40 percent is through the use of pencils and erasers in the confines of backrooms. That's the realist in me speaking given what I see in our schools and hear from our teachers. If by chance the district shows little to moderate gains ...ALERT ALERT if you ask me! Somebody needs to be asking the right people the right questions, and just not bobbing their heads in "I told you so rhythm."
With administrators fearful of losing their jobs for non performance, I hope there is someone minding these rooms. Bottom line, people need to feed their families, and with the abundance of moderate to high paying jobs in the area, I guess there is no need to take the risk.
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