IT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE: PREPARE FOR THE AFTERMATH

Houston Independent School District is in the process of developing a new teacher evalutaion tool that includes students' achievement/performance.  I wouldn't have a problem with that aspect of teacher evaluation, except that the teachers who teach the AP or GT classes have an easy-breezy time motivating their students to learn.  On the other hand, you have the middle-of-the-road and off-the-road students who just come to school for the free food, the time to socialize with their friends and catch up on the latest news from their homeboys. 

Those poor teachers can't hand-pick the motivated students; the students who care about education; the students who will try their hardest to complete the assignments; or even the students who come to school on a regular basis.  When the teacher is assigned the students, those students don't come with a money-back guarantee.  Students show up to class with factors that aren't measured by any standard that the district/state can provide.  If the student is homeless; pregnant; abused; abusing drugs/alcohol; surviving a home life that one wouldn't wish for anyone or any other negative aspect the ability to learn is affected. 

• No where on the teacher's evaluation form does it take into consideration that the student who made a 55 last week has improved because the teacher has taken extra time to help motivate the student to care.

• No where on the form does it take into consideration that the teacher has worked with that kid off to the side, who just arrived from out of the state, to help her catch up to the point the class is working.  She hasn't passed yet, but she has improved in the last two exams. 

• No where on the evaluation is a place to mark that the students have improved in their school attendance, because the teacher is motivating them to achieve. 

Do you understand my point?  I think evaluations are wonderful; however, the factors that go into the evaluation should all be considered and not just students' grades.  In all my years of dealing with the educational system in Texas and the evaluations, I've yet to know of one bad teacher who was asked to leave, even when "growth plans" weren't followed.  Many good teachers on the other hand, resort to the "dog and pony shows" in order to keep their jobs.

NIBS, BLADDERS AND WELLS: WRITTEN HISTORY

These were some of the instruments used in my education (okay, not pictures of my actual equipment, but I'm using poetic license, here.)

In seventh grade we all had to take handwriting as a class. For this class we were required to buy and bring certain pens. We could have the pens with the bladders and our teacher would provide the ink at the back of the class to refill them or we could bring the pens with the replaceable cartridges

Mrs. Hax (dear, sweet woman who didn't live up to her name) instructed us to the precise starting points, the direction of the swoops and sweeps and finally the ending point for EACH letter. Sometimes I would try to make the letters without following the taught method and when I received my paper back, then there would be large, bold red marks correcting my paper. How she knew that I hadn't followed instructions baffled me, but somehow she could tell when I would take a shortcut.

Liquid ink pens with their nibs fascinated me and I grew to love writing with them, even at that young age. Pens were not to be shared, as each writer's pressure was different and thus nibs could be ruined.

My childhood didn't have a lot of stability and this part of my life made me feel in control, creative and responsible.

Funny how such a simple instrument could help me in such a fragile time of my life.

GANGS: Watch out for the signs

In San Antonio, a few years ago, gangs were making a huge showing at the schools, so at a faculty meeting the principal warned all the staff to be on the lookout for signs of gangs forming: kids wearing the same colors, brands, and symbols used as a gang affiliation. This was becoming a problem and the teachers were warned to report anything that looked suspicious.

Later that week, a frantic young teacher ran into the principal's office to report that there was a new gang in the school and it had recruited almost all of the students. Rising quickly and preparing to attend to this crisis, the principal asked the young lady what gang affiliation did she observe. Her reply, "I don't know what gang it is, but they all are wearing black marks on their foreheads!"

Letting out a huge, relived sigh,"What church do you attend?"

"Baptist, why?"

"It's Ash Wednesday. The gang symbols will be gone by tomorrow."

True, sad, funny story.