Today was an “in-service back from Christmas vacation” day for me. During this day, we worked on our school improvement plan. Our committees met and we completed our proper paperwork.
I have noticed that in the just the short five years that I have been teaching, teaching requirements have changed drastically.
Each year, teachers are required to complete more paperwork, more documents, and more surveys.
Some of the demands are coming from administration, but much is coming from higher powers such as the state and the nation.
Schools are asked to compile lists of proof of success and research based materials. Teachers are asked to make note of standards taught and keep records of plans. Many different committees are formed and the community must be involved in assessing the schools.
I can agree with the efforts and attempts that these practices are aiming to reach. I feel that schools, administrators, and teachers should be held accountable for their job. All other professionals and nonprofessionals are held accountable for their work.
However, I cannot agree with the terms in which the success is being measured. While there possibility is no good way to assess the creditably of thousands of teachers, I cannot agree that reports and forms are the only answer.
In an idealistic world, these reports would be useful to a school. However, teachers have very little time to comprehend them much less make use of them.
My teaching time and lesson planning time are taken away by assessments, forms, and committees.
New teachers are so afraid of being caught doing wrong or teaching wrong that they are scared to move outside of the box.
While I am likely a little on the cynical side from my day, I do feel that while teaching is evolving and students are learning more it is not from any report that a school created. It is from our advancement in society and technology.
Tips: Managing Student Supplies