Orlando Sentinel: "It’s Teacher Depreciation Week in Florida"

[madfloridian]

It’s Teacher Depreciation Week in Florida


Picture courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel education blog

How do we love teachers? Let us count the ways:

- You’ll be paying 3 percent of your salary toward retirement under a change in law expected to sail through this week as the Legislature wraps up its deeds for this year.

- The school year is almost over, and your job may be, too. Steep cuts to education by the Legislature have school districts considering where to tighten their belts – and some teachers may be let go.

- Even those who survive the budget cuts may no longer be able to count on having jobs, as the state moves toward a new merit pay plan passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor. Teachers’ whose students don’t score high enough on tests will be shown the door.

- Class sizes are likely to get larger under the Legislature’s latest plan to get around voters’ reaffirmation of the Class Size Amendment last fall. Teachers say they do a better job with fewer students.

The education commissioner approves of all these things listed, but he takes time to say how much he appreciates teachers. Sure he does. :shrug:

All I see on the news today is how wonderfully well students statewide did on the FCAT Writing test. I want to make a bet. When the reading and math and science scores come in, they won't be as glowing.

Call me a pessimist, but too much success simply can not be tolerated. If public schools do too well, Rick Scott won't be able to get through his plan to give each student $5500 to go to school wherever they wish.

[dkf]

1. Shouldn't you be happy the FCAT scores did well?

[madfloridian]

2. I remember when the FCAT writing test started here.

We spent hours and hours. It was formulaic writing, which is of course okay for some. Individuality is hard to nourish under this way though.

We had pep rallies in the cafeteria, parades around the school ground.

In the end, one of my best writers, a brilliant guy...flunked. I read his essay as he wrote it as I walked around the room, it was fantastic.

One of the worst students and a lazy writer whose essay could hardly be read or understand...passed with flying colors.

It crushed the good writer, he lost confidence in himself. There was nothing I could do. It was a helpless feeling.

I am glad the writing scores were good. I hope the reading, math, and science are as well. But I was teaching still when all this started, and my fear is they won't be so good.

Fingers crossed they are, it would stump Scott in his machinations to kill public education here.