To watch Jim Iker's press conference detailing the problems that will be associated with this government-imposed lockout on teachers, please visit: http://new.livestream.com/BCTF/May222014
The government is locking teachers out of schools until 45 minutes before the start of class and 45 minutes after the end of class. We are being forced to not work at lunch or recess, meaning that we will be unable to provide extra help or support to students during these periods. We are not allowed to take work home, even. We are not allowed to mark, plan lessons, do reports or help students except during class hours and the 45 minute book-ends before and after the day.
With a mere hour and a half allotted for work before/after school, it will be very difficult to plan lessons, mark work and prepare report cards. Teachers normally spend hours a day doing these essential things. Even in the middle of summer, we work. We are constantly thinking of our kids and thinking of new ideas and lessons. This is certainly the case for me and I know many of my colleagues agree.
Phase 1 Job Action did not affect student learning in any way. We continued to act as coaches and give freely and willingly of our time to help make students' school experience the best it can be. Unfortunately, rotating strikes were the next step in trying to make the government understand how essential our role is. By withdrawing for one day a week, we hope to demonstrate just how much we do for our kids and our communities by highlighting the difference between our passion for teaching and what happens when we are not there.
The government has responded by partially locking us out. They are denying us the ability to help our students to our fullest abilities. This is NOT teacher directed. I believe I can speak for our staff, at least, when I say we are hurt, angry and very frustrated. We are also confused, as this partial lockout means the government recognizes just how much we do outside of class hours, yet they still insist on underfunding education and demonstrating a complete lack of respect for our profession.
The government continues to defy two supreme court rulings about class size and composition. Mere common sense tells us that smaller classes are better. I have had the privilege in my time as a teacher to teach a class of 10 (yes, it's true. It's why the program I used to teach at Colebrook Elementary was cut), 14, 19, 24 and, of course, 30. I can say from experience that kids do learn much better in smaller class settings, because they obviously get more teacher time. The government complains that it will cost millions of dollars to return class size and composition to 2002 levels, but they are the ones who made that mistake by taking it away in 2002! I have never worked in pre-2002 levels. I cannot imagine what it must be like for all my students who need help to actually get the extra help they need. It would be a marvelous thing if our kids could get the true support they need. It is NOT rhetoric to say that there is a whole generation of students that have suffered due to these cuts.
BCPSEA has the legal right to do this. Once again, I stress that our inability to work with students at lunch and recess and the severe time crunch is government-imposed and NOT supported by teachers.
The government is locking teachers out of schools until 45 minutes before the start of class and 45 minutes after the end of class. We are being forced to not work at lunch or recess, meaning that we will be unable to provide extra help or support to students during these periods. We are not allowed to take work home, even. We are not allowed to mark, plan lessons, do reports or help students except during class hours and the 45 minute book-ends before and after the day.
With a mere hour and a half allotted for work before/after school, it will be very difficult to plan lessons, mark work and prepare report cards. Teachers normally spend hours a day doing these essential things. Even in the middle of summer, we work. We are constantly thinking of our kids and thinking of new ideas and lessons. This is certainly the case for me and I know many of my colleagues agree.
Phase 1 Job Action did not affect student learning in any way. We continued to act as coaches and give freely and willingly of our time to help make students' school experience the best it can be. Unfortunately, rotating strikes were the next step in trying to make the government understand how essential our role is. By withdrawing for one day a week, we hope to demonstrate just how much we do for our kids and our communities by highlighting the difference between our passion for teaching and what happens when we are not there.
The government has responded by partially locking us out. They are denying us the ability to help our students to our fullest abilities. This is NOT teacher directed. I believe I can speak for our staff, at least, when I say we are hurt, angry and very frustrated. We are also confused, as this partial lockout means the government recognizes just how much we do outside of class hours, yet they still insist on underfunding education and demonstrating a complete lack of respect for our profession.
The government continues to defy two supreme court rulings about class size and composition. Mere common sense tells us that smaller classes are better. I have had the privilege in my time as a teacher to teach a class of 10 (yes, it's true. It's why the program I used to teach at Colebrook Elementary was cut), 14, 19, 24 and, of course, 30. I can say from experience that kids do learn much better in smaller class settings, because they obviously get more teacher time. The government complains that it will cost millions of dollars to return class size and composition to 2002 levels, but they are the ones who made that mistake by taking it away in 2002! I have never worked in pre-2002 levels. I cannot imagine what it must be like for all my students who need help to actually get the extra help they need. It would be a marvelous thing if our kids could get the true support they need. It is NOT rhetoric to say that there is a whole generation of students that have suffered due to these cuts.
BCPSEA has the legal right to do this. Once again, I stress that our inability to work with students at lunch and recess and the severe time crunch is government-imposed and NOT supported by teachers.