I was talking with a friend today and told her how, if I was ever in really good health, I wold like to run for school board. So in addition to adding that to my 10 year plan visualization list that are supposed to put my thoughts into the universe so they come true (not so sure about that, but low effort, so why not) I'd thought I'd start my campaign in this blog. I'm REALLY trying hard on this visualization thing after all.

Okay, so if I were to run for school board, here's my platform, along with maybe catchy slogans.

Quality. Honesty, Reality.

I think we're lacking in all three, not just in ACPS, but in the public schools in general. However, since I have (at least currently) no desire to take Arne Duncan's job, I'll stay local in my focus and ambitions.

What does quality mean? It means quality teaching and quality teachers. Nice little slogan, doesn't say much. So here's what it's trying to say. I've heard more than a few stories about teachers transferring out of "bad" schools to better schools, and even more about how hard it is to get a job in these "better" schools. Also, it seems there are a lot of new teachers and turnaround in the lower performing schools (often labeled bad). Why is this happening? Well, much of it has to do with the "reality" part of the issue, but a lot of the teachers wanting to be at the better schools is because, a) they're less challenging in a number of ways and b) because they can apply for open positions in other schools in the system. I remember one teacher who was quite good who quit because her position had been changed -- she was full time in one school, but because of, presumably, budget cuts and/or system needs, was told that she needed to split her time between two schools. She didn't like the change, so she left. I'm not scapegoating her -- she may have had very good reasons why splitting her time was too much for her - gas costs, stress, fear of change, whatever. However, what was notable about this was her anger at the school system changing her job. I hate when politicians badmouth teachers because their jobs are so easy, that private jobs are so much harder, but one this that you do have to put up with in almost all jobs (including teaching jobs in other districts) is that your boss, whoever that is, gets to decide what your work assignment is and where you do it

It seems to me that at ACPS, it's largely decided by the teachers where they teach and they are given little motivation to move, especially to a more challenging position. Another case, two teachers in my daughter's school, which is considered a "good" school, transferred from a "bad" school. So the bad school lost two experienced, presumably decent teachers. How does that help a struggling school get better?

When I chose to send my daughter to this "better" school, mainly because I didn't want her going to the local school that had a modified calendar, I was given the hairy eyeball for abandoning the local school, which was definitely struggling more than the one I chose. I felt guilty, and I expected to feel guilty, but I was doing what was appropriate for my child (see "honesty" and especially "reality"). If I was given such a hard time leaving the school, why aren't the teachers? And I don't want individual teachers to feel guilty or to suffer, but something is systemically wrong if teachers are allowed to jump off a sinking ship -- i.e. transfer jobs to an easier school Instead, a newer or mediocre teacher should have been given the slot. Not to share the suffering -- definitely not in favor of the either/or, your kids doesn't deserve as much attention because they come from a better economic background. No, to share the skill, expertise, and wisdom of teachers.

Yes, some of the reason that certain schools are "better" than others is they're dealing with kids who are less challenging -- more speak English, have parents with time and ability to be involved, don't have to deal with a stressful home situation. But I'd argue that part of the reason is because they have more skilled and experienced teachers.

This is not a blame the teachers rant. It is certainly not about judging teachers via tests. This is about helping teachers become the best possible teachers, system-wide.

So teachers should move schools because it's in the students' interest, not their own. If you're a teacher that is good enough to get hired in a "better" school, then you should be given incentives to stay put and help other teachers in your current school improve.

My proposal is the creation of Master Teachers. Teachers should be recognized, through panels of their peers and their principal (more on THAT later, too), as the best of the bunch. In exchange for agreeing to spend a year at another school, or even better, move permanently, and mentoring new teachers (perhaps in the same grade) they would get the designation of Master Teacher and a bonus. Also, there should be incentives for teachers to apply internally for jobs that are "hard to fill" -- i.e. yes, you'll get someone, but they're not as attractive or more stressful as other assignments. Okay, so I copied the idea from the State Dept, but it worked.

So bottom line, we need to identify the best teachers, reward them, and then send them to help other teachers, especially in the school facing the most challenges.

This took a lot more energy than I thought, I didn't even get to the other two elements of the platform. I guess I'll leave you hanging. Maybe I better start a video blog instead?

Shifting the blog - didn't know what it was for in the first place.

Three things I know I'm good at: thinking of ideas, worrying about the future, and talking to myself (hopefully, but not always, silently) Laying in bed dealing with cancer treatment leaves a lot of time for all three

I'm very hopeful that the cancer treatment will be successful and I will live for a good long time. However, as egotistical as it may be I need to share these thoughts. In the chance that I don't have enough time to share / act on these thoughts, or my chemo brain haze is actually permanent (and thus I often don't remember what I just thought about five minutes ago), I'm going to try to turn this blog into a place to air these thoughts, for posterity, for the record, for amusement of others. If you agree with me, great. If you don't, great (but please don't tell me nastily how much you don't agree -- I've got cancer, I don't need more aggravation). If you think these ideas are good but need some work, then I'm happy to discuss them with you.