Thursday

First the ugly stuff.

After school yesterday we had our curriculum meeting. All English teachers were present, along with our curriculum head, our principal, and the district's computer coordinator (I'm not sure of his official title). First our principal and curriculum head gave us an overview of the budget situation. Most of it was Greek to me. There was education speak like, "It's the district's policy to keep a healthy fund balance." What does that mean? Is there a school district anywhere that aims to keep an unhealthy fund balance? And also "The fund is not nearly what is expected." And again, I say when has an administrator ever said, "We have so much money that you get whatever you want?" Okay, maybe they say that in Edina. Of course, it was also brought to our attention that this is a contract year and even a one percent raise in salary will also take a huge chunk of money. Then there was talk of having to take dollars from the general fund instead of the capital fund as it used to. Of course, one has to wonder if they say this to all the departments when they ask for money. It seems that capital fund is diminished. In addition, normal building repairs must come out of the general fund now too. Plus, the world language department is up for curriculum implementation now too. So they will bite into that fund. Plus, math carried over last year and will gobble up tens of thousands of dollars too.

So from the outset, things appeared bleak.

Now what happened next is open to debate/interpretation.

I'll give both sides. Personally, I'm in the middle of the sides.

After our curriculum head and principal spoke, it was our computer coordinator's turn. I knew things weren't going to go well when he talked about how surprised he was that we hadn't invited him or consulted him about our technology needs for our classes. This talk went on for some time. Then he looked at our original wish list (and it was a huge wish list) and almost laughed at it.

Now one side was embarrassed at our lack of professionalism in not contacting him and sounding like idiots. They apologized to him. They are still embarrassed.

On the other side, several were angry that he talked to us like he was scolding third graders for misusing a computer. They are still angry.

Honestly, I bounce from side to side. Here is MY take (and I speak for no one but me - and remember, I bounce from side to side on this issue so I'm prone to change from moment to moment).

I too was embarrassed. When he started talking about justifying and using all that we asked for, I knew I felt under prepared. I had focused so much time and effort into simply selecting a text book for next year, that I really gave no thought to consulting him about our technology needs. Nor was this ever brought to our attention to do so. I guess, in hindsight, we should have talked to the math department and asked them how they handled their curriculum implementation process. For they wisely sat down with the coordinator and hashed out their needs. But nowhere were we advised to do this from our curriculum head. In fact, we did send one teacher down to talk with the coordinator. I thought her work was excellent and effectively included the coordinator in our implementation plan. I guess not.

I agree that it felt like a scolding. I also wished our curriculum head would have stood up to him and said that nowhere on our curriculum implementation plan does it say (that I am aware of) that we have to meet with the computer coordinator. I think it's an ego thing. His ego was bruised.

Now this could easily be untrue. But that was how it originally felt to me. Now that doesn't diminish how much I like the computer coordinator because he has helped me out time and time again. And I've always thought that I had a good relationship with him. I hope that doesn't change.

I also think that several insults were issued to our department that were unwarranted. It was said to the effect that "visionary teachers find ways to get technology." When I told this to another teacher in a different discipline, his jaw fell and he said, "He actually said that?" This teacher was dumbfounded.

I'll state right now that I'll put what I do with my kids up against any teacher in this damn district. If it's one thing I'm good at it's my job. For the most part, the kids love me. I'm not being arrogant when I say that. I just feel that way. When I walk down the hall, I have dozens of kids say hi and talk with me. My classes are usually packed. I have 36 kids in Brit Lit right now. I turned several away from my College Comp class. I have several more in my Comp II class who told me they took it with me because they liked they way I either taught them last year in Comp I or this year in American Lit. When I give out my letters to seniors at graduation, I always get the parents, usually the moms, telling me how much they loved the letter and cried over it. I even had one dad laminate it and hang it over their fireplace. And finally, and I don't know how official this is or that it even matters, but a math teacher conducted a survey asking kids to state what class they learned the most in. He said Comp I was listed. Now two other teachers teach that class. But I take pride in what I accomplish in that class too. Now again, maybe the kids were biased or just filling in answers quickly. But I work hard and love this job and I don't like being talked down to like I'm an idiot and don't deserve the things I requested. Visionary my ass. We did apply for a grant previously for a projected. It is currently still posted on a web page for possible grants. But we haven't received anything yet. So don't make it sound like we don't try to be visionary or work outside of the box. And I also have heard that one teacher, whom he applauded for writing a grant and getting one of the two smart boards in our district, say "I love my smart board. It's great. I just don't know how to really use it with my classes."

Now the computer coordinator made dozens of good points that I don't have space for here. There are more cost effective ways to use technology that what we already have. He doesn't want us to ask for anything new and then not use it - and that's happened in the past. He doesn't want to see us leap into new technologies without sufficient justification and application. I agree. Just give us some time to present that justification and application. Again, all of these things are part of his job. And he does a damn fine job as technology specialist/computer coordinator. I just happen to think I do damn fine job as a teacher too.

Life goes on.

It looks like (if you ask me) that we'll get the textbooks we asked for. I also think we'll get projectors for our classrooms. I also think we'll each get one computer work station and cart to use with the projector. Our department will get one smart board (mainly to be used with a business/practical English class). This proposal previously caused a schism in our department. Mainly because of my reaction to it. I've since cooled. And I can't argue with the teacher's need for it. She is willing to ask for it in place of textbooks. She is asking for a classroom set instead of copies for all her students. So this caught our curriculum head's ear for she will save money for the district. I also think that she will be willing to share the smart board when needed. There seems to be a belief that no one person/teacher/department 'owns' anything. Rather whatever it is really belongs to the district. Theoretically, that's true. But practically that's a crock. I have no doubt that if I were to ask to use one of the two smart boards in our district right now, my requests would be shot down. Just like if I asked someone if I could switch rooms with them (since we don't technically own them either), I'd be shot down. And I agree with getting property and keeping it for your classes. If one teacher gets a smart board for her class, let her keep it there and use it. But if we ask for another smart board to share among several teachers, let us have it and share it. Our administrators are fond of saying "it's the district's (whatever - computer, projector, sound system"), but yet they were the same ones who wanted to avoid our old librarian and her totalitarian ways with the laminator and they went out and purchased one to place in the staff room. Why couldn't they take their own advice?

But overall, I'm happy with what it looks like we're going to get.

Now I'll move on to the positive stuff in my next blog.