It has been a while since I posted anything. I think the reason why is that I need something to inspire me to write, or to vent, or...to belch up my view on something whether it be a negative view, or a positive one. Considering that the state of our educational system is faltering (Which is in the negative by no fault of any educator anywhere!) one might think that someone like myself could be inspired daily to rant a few lines of yuk and vinegar, and pump out a new post everyday, or every night. To tell the truth...I have grown a bit numb.
My concentration, dedication, and devotion has always been to my kids. They are my saving grace amidst progressive, mountaining regulations, curriculum mandates, PLC meetings, DCAS testing, and a myriad of other pedagogical rigmarole developed by non-teaching suits who have succeeded in removing "The Teaching Aspect" from the classroom, replacing it with Standardized test prep, towering paperwork, unfinished/undefined and/underdone or overdone DOE policies, and unrealistic, fairy-tale land expectations. All of this...when I allow it to enter my mind...makes me crazy! So, as I stated...my kids are my saving grace. When I am with them...my path walkers and sure talkers...I can block out the rigmarole. That is...until the next faculty meeting!
My inspiration for this post comes on the wave of this morning's faculty meeting. It was good to see everyone (Most everyone), and I do enjoy gathering with my colleagues. There is a camaraderie amongst educators, and it gives one the sense of belonging when one is encircled by ones peers. Anyway, the hot topic was our weekly 90 minute-PLC meetings. We were given 4 different options (Tentative options) to consider voting on later this month, as our way of handling PLC's this year runs out of road at the end of this school year.
Let me state that this issue...since its inception...has been cause for much debate, and stress during faculty meetings and union meetings, and rightfully so! Still in all...this faculty meeting turned into our fifth grade lunch without the cardboard pizza, or soybean burgers! While various educators and union reps tried to speak...tried to inform us of what they knew about what was coming...everyone decided to have a social picnic! The presenters tried repeatedly to get every one's attention, and just like kids in the cafeteria...they just kept on talking! A room full of professional adults...educators who enforce the everyone quiet rule in their respective classrooms had diarrhea of the mouth today! It was appalling, and also the inspiration for me to write!
Contrary to what you may be thinking, this post isn't really about attending a faculty meeting with the jabber-jaw gang...it is really about an article I read recently about the assessment of the education systems of 50 countries. This study was carried out by the EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit). The EIU combined international test results and other data such such as literacy rates, and graduation rates. Quantitative data such as money spent on pupils and class sizes to qualitative data, like school choice were also looked at. They also examined potential outcomes ranging from the development of cognitive skills to GDP growth. Anyway...out of fifty countries the USA ranked 17th. Finland is ranked 1st! Here is what I found out about Finlandian teachers and education. In Finland teachers are paid the equivalent of what doctors are paid. Each grade level has a 1 hour recess/recreation period, and there are NO STANDARDIZED TESTS GIVEN! There is more info I could give, but that is all I need. I think a move to Finland might be of interest to me.
