Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Durkin sets lofty goals for students, teachers

Durkin sets lofty goals for students, teachers

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is clear to me that the superintendent and school committee fails to understand the concept of percent to real world situations.

Anonymous said...

That is because the "super" and her minions don't have to deal with what the teachers have to deal with day in and day out. They sit on their asses and dictate unrealistic expectations. They have no clue or desire to know the truth.

Anonymous said...

Let us evaluate her and her minions! Let us pop into her office and bully her! Stick DeFalco in a over sized classroom filled with 32 kids because she won't redistrict! He would run off with his tail between his legs! Let her deal with abusive and uncaring parents that bring ups abusive kids! Let us tell her she needs a major overhaul. How about take her huge salary and go destroy another district!

Anonymous said...

Lofty indeed. "Work longer for less. Work much harder for 0%. Be a disconnected member of your family. Stop trying to be a human being and...why aren't your ELLs and disabled students proficient? You are deficient if 8 year olds aren't proficient! "

Anonymous said...

Durkin is a real "piece" of work. I wish she would go and destroy another district . I a parent, I can only imagine how the teachers must feel having to put up with her all the time. We all know who works in this district and who does not deserve the huge pay. Time to say bye-bye Durkin!

Anonymous said...

Re: "By the end of the year, she aims for 100 percent of evaluators showing improvement in providing feedback to teachers on how they can grow."

To do this effectively, this goal assumes that all evaluators have realistic insight and understanding in student as well as teacher issues and that they are extremely proficient and/or exemplary educators themselves.

Many evaluators have less classroom experience than those whom they are evaluating. They may feel pressured into delivering "100% feedback to teachers on how they can grow" whether it's needed or not. For some this translates to "find some faults, dwell on them to show teachers that they are being held accountable, recommend that a few be put on a plan or fired, whether warranted or not, and the superintendent will be happy with me".

The fact is that there are excellent teachers who have consistently shown academic growth in their classes year after year because they have a plan, prepare well, and have learned what works and what doesn't. Yet, because evaluators are under pressure for "100% find something to improve", they are often interfering with what has worked for these teachers by drumming up new projects and unproven strategies to replace the old. They interfere with crucial lesson planning since teachers are compelled to find additional time to create and develop these new ideas while being told to cast off their trusty proven methods. There are many teachers with proven effective strategies that have worked for years who "could share and provide feedback to other teachers on how they can grow" and to evaluators as well. However, many evaluators are not interested in this. The assumption seems to be that all teachers need improvement, few are proficient and the majority need a complete overhaul. Well, there is an adage that applies to some teachers..."If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"...and a good evaluator should recognize this.

Some evaluators have interpreted the superintendent's goal as a mandate to pile on additional work whether necessary or not, to point out all negative aspects during observations no matter how trivial, to create a "Big Brother" environment, rarely giving any positive reinforcement, while stifling all the creativity and enjoyment of an inviting classroom experience. These evaluators, perhaps unknowingly, in the quest for meeting the "100%" goal are creating an atmosphere of anxiety and frustration for all.

To effectively achieve this goal perhaps Ms. Durkin's evaluators/principals should be anonymously evaluated by their faculty as well. Only then can she gain a truly clear picture to build loyal cohesive units system-wide and to stop this exodus of excellent teachers in her weeding process.

Anonymous said...

^this post is the most insightful, accurate post in the history of the blog.

Anonymous said...

The exodus of fantastic teachers helps the "bottom line". It is sick and sadistic. To let go of PIA at this time would increase the deficit of school funds, unfortunately. The mayor and school committee did Not take the vote of NO CONFIDENCE very seriously. How many more superintendents do we need to go through before we find one like Mike Longo?????????

Anonymous said...

We were told today that veteran teachers have little or no value and must be able to learn from the new hires. They are the people who are giving the effort and have the skills and expertise. The rest of us are anchors. Nice talk from an upper level administrator.

Anonymous said...

Re: the above post "anchors" vs. "new hires"

You might think that after ridding the system last year of what they considered to be poor teachers, that they would respect those remaining and together work forward. But, the above post certainly indicates otherwise. An interesting observation is that most administrators are administrators because they wanted to get out of the classroom. They then somehow undergo a complete metamorphosis and become these exemplary all-knowing educators who often browbeat, bully, disrespect,and alienate good veteran teachers....a job to which they would never go back even if they were allowed to keep their administrative pay. I wonder who gave them their education...."anchors" or "new hires"?

Anonymous said...

Finally we have a someone on our side who has the intelligence to stand up to that witch. Thank you Mr. Cotter! This is getting ridiculous, learn from the newbies! Durkin is a miserable person, I feel bad for her family.

Anonymous said...

On administrators and how they think they are all knowing,,they couldn't handle the classroom that's why they got out,now they can sit in their office and do whatever they want when they want ,and pray downtown doesn't fly in on their broomsticks.