Awards and Money

As Christmas vacation comes to an end (last day today), I am just getting over a bad cold that my students gave me for the holidays. I just read an email from the assistant principal about a new program. We seem to be in a “something of the month” condition right now. Back in November we were told that each department had to select two students of the month each month. Now we are to nominate a teacher each month and a support person each month. I guess we are really going to be “feeling good” about each other for the rest of the year.

As a rule, most teachers dislike the “teacher of the month” or “teacher of the year” designation. It is a bit like painting a target on your back. It also has a problem in that it either gets passed around so everyone gets a turn or it becomes a regular “award” among a select group of the staff. I always believe that recognition for good teaching comes in the feeling of self satisfaction as well as results observed among the students.

I know I do a good job because I can observe the growth of my students as they master the material I present and in their attitudes toward me as they gain confidence and become more mature in their approach toward achieving a good education.

Our state is entering a period of severe budget cuts. Education was hit hard, which was expected, since it takes a large percentage of the state’s budget. One area cut was the $5000 annual bonus for teachers who achieved National Board Certification. I have already seen “letters to the editor” bewailing the loss. The additional $5000 for teaching in a district with a high number of free and reduced lunches (a warning flag that the kids will be more difficult to teach) and having that certification also disappeared.

It is nice to have the extra money and to get repaid plus make a profit for getting the certification, but that should not be the reason for getting it. It is interesting that no one from the teachers’ union came out against the original proposal to pay these bonuses and yet there is a great outcry when any proposal comes along to pay bonuses or higher salaries to teachers in critical areas such as math and science where private industry filters off many of the best for much higher salaries.

It is expensive to obtain National Board Certification. I don’t agree that it is all it claims to be. It is a continuation of “teacher training” that puts more of the work upon the teacher. This work is evaluated by board representatives and a test is given. Pass everything and you are labeled as a superior teacher and receive benefits of cash and licensing from the states that recognize it as a worthwhile program.

Meanwhile, get a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate in Education and actually receive less in the way of “perks”. The standards listed are the same as any good teacher training program will provide. Good teachers will continue to grow with or without a national standards board.

On the last day of school before vacation I actually had to sing a Christmas carol duet with another teacher at the Christmas Wishes assembly. We had fun with it and even involved all of the male faculty in our building singing “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”. The student who made the wish said it was the best thing to happen ever since he started school.

My TA in Physics is a success story. Nothing but trouble as a ninth grade student, he turned things around in tenth grade, became my Physics TA in eleventh grade (and told eveyone he was in my physics class), and is repeating as my TA this year plus was elected senior class treasurer.

Next time I’ll probably talk about what is going on in a neighboring district as they realign, sending ninth graders into the high school and sixth graders to “learn” with the seventh and eighth graders.

“We study history so we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.” Too bad we don’t follow this in educational pedagogy.