Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Kim Frencken: It's time to treat teachers with the respect they deserve

(Author Kim Frencken taught for 20 years in the Joplin R-8 School District and currently teaches at Vatterott College in Joplin.)

Education has become too divisive. There are now distinct groups within the educational system, each touting that they have the best interest of the kids in mind, but rarely showing it.   You have administrators that taught for a maximum of three years, teaching coaches that maybe taught for one –two years, and people in HR that have never taught.  Schools have become political arenas for agendas to be pushed.

Back in the day things were different. I know that memory has a way of making the past seem better than it was, but there were some things that were better.  For instance, teachers taught.  We knew what was expected, we knew what our kids were expected to know by the end of the year, we had a pacing guide (a guide to be used as a guide, not a “set in stone” follow it to the letter or else guide), and we knew how to teach. We had gone through our college programs and, more importantly, student teaching. We worked with our teams and our administrators when it was, not only fashionable, but also true that everything we did was “for the kids”.  Our principals had our backs. They were in our classrooms, in the hallways, on the playground, and in the lunchroom. They planned PD that had nothing to do with professional development, but everything to do with team development.  Meetings were at a minimum. You had one if you needed one.  Teachers were kept in the classroom, not pulled out to attend the latest conference on the newest educational trend.  Parents were held accountable for their role as parent. They were expected to be part of the education of their child.  Parents were invited to take part in class activities.  The students were responsible for their part, after all it was their education.  Students were expected to be in class on time, with all assignments complete. They were expected to show respect to adults and peers.  They were held to a higher standard.  Everyone was.

Now, accountability is becoming a thing of the past. New grading methods do not require students to be responsible OR accountable.  Unprofessional fraternization between administrators and their ‘pet’ teacher leaves conduct open to speculation.  Teachers have increased expectations, with less time to meet them.  Meetings have become all the rage. There is a meeting for every purpose you can imagine. Most of the meeting content could be handled through email, rather than a drawn out affair that cuts into class time with students.   

Teachers are treated less like professionals and more like puppets. Why do all educational trends start with someone that isn’t in education?  It never ceases to amaze me that the most valuable resource available is the one ignored. Why aren’t we asking teachers what works and what doesn’t work? Why aren’t we asking teachers about curriculum, discipline, and best practices? Why aren’t we asking teachers for their opinions and ideas?  And, why aren’t we listening?

Teachers are expected to be respectful and professional in any situation to any person.  They are expected to follow the directives of a superior, even if they know that what they are doing is damaging to students. They are expected to be on the cutting edge of technology and know all the latest in education. They are expected to be on call 24/7 and take work home with them every day. They have policies to memorize that change on a monthly basis.  They are expected to provide for someone else’s children out of their own pocket.  They are expected to forfeit their plan time at the drop of a hat. They are expected to overlook discipline issues so that kids can be kids and administrators will have better numbers to turn in to the higher ups.  They are expected to produce exceptional test scores at the end of the year from students that weren’t expected to turn in assignments (due to administrative decisions).  Teachers are expected to attend conferences and extended learning opportunities during school breaks. In short, teachers are expected to work miracles. No other profession has this expectation for their employees. Teachers were once a group of respected professionals performing an honored public service.

So, maybe things weren’t all that great back “in the good old days”, but things were better than they are today.  I think we could (and should) learn from our past and turn things around to make a better educational system for our kids.  I think it is time that we treat teachers as the hard-working professionals that they are. 
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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to why Kim needs contributions.

Randy said...

It is not a matter of Kim needing them. For the most part, the people who have agreed to write material for the Turner Report and Inside Joplin are aware they will not receive much money, if any, for doing so. But if people want to show their appreciation for a particular writer or a particular column this offers them an avenue for doing so.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure if your article is suppose to be an indictment of your former school district or your current. The problem with articles such as this one, it makes it seem that all school district's are like the one that you are describing. There are many districts (I am lucky enough to be a part of one) that do what you describe as "the good ole days" and much more. Can we please not paint all public schools with the same brush. They are as unique as the students, teachers and administrators of which they consist.

Anonymous said...

Can we please not paint all public schools with the same brush. They are as unique as the students, teachers and administrators of which they consist.

Please explain how your school district escapes such influences such as outside curriculum mandates, English language learners, high levels of poverty, high stakes testing, not to mention disconnected and apathetic parents.

Now if you claim to be part of Hayti R-2

Anonymous said...

I recall about 4 years ago we had a number of meetings about how to have meetings.
It was sureal.
One of the biggest waste of time I've ever had labeled" Professional Development"

Anonymous said...

>>I recall about 4 years ago we had a number of meetings about how to have meetings.<<

Maybe someone has some evidence of this fantastic example of organizational derpitude. Randy might be interested. This is certainly a contender for the top ten. That the higher-ups felt a necessity to have a series of meetings on the topic rather than shortchanging the concept with just a single meeting most definitely adds to the derp.

Randy said...

I have written numerous times about the Joplin R-8 School District's meetings to have meetings. We had to go through several weeks of those early in the Huff/Besendorfer time and then a few years later, we had to go through the whole thing again. The meetings to learn how to hold meetings were also featured in my novel No Child Left Alive. Professional development time was indoctrination time in Joplin and probably still is.

Anonymous said...

When teachers start handling bullying issues properly then they will get my respect.

Anonymous said...

When parents start teaching their children not to be bullies then they will get my respect.

Anonymous said...

Where did Kim mention those specific issues?

Anonymous said...

The worst meeting I remember sitting through at least twice was the meeting about how to "professionally dress". The funny thing is the ones who did not dress professional, kept dressing the same way, showing tats, and piercings, wearing flip flops, etc. The sad thing was that one time, I show up at a PD event all dressed up, everyone else in jeans, I DIDN't GET THE "courtesy memo". So the next PD I show up in jeans, and one, get laughed at, two, get chastised. Then to my surprise DRESSING INAPPROPRIATELY IS ON my summative, I HAVE TO HAVE THAT ON MY SUMMATIVE..... SERIOUSLY?????? I was a new teacher in the district and offered to go home on my lunch and change. I was told no, and that appeared on my summative. There is good reason this former Golden Apple finalist no longer teaches in Joplin. Now, all of you, tell me there is not something wrong with that?

Anonymous said...

In a true bully situation one has a real or perceived power imbalance over another. Sometimes situations are conflicts between two people because the power balance is equal. Teachers do try to handle situations with students whether it be bullying or a conflict. However, when they are sent to the office for discipline, they get sent back. Or the administrators get the kids together and have them apologize to each other. In a true bullying situation that is unacceptable. You also have to remember that most bullying does not happen in the presence of adults and we only hear about it when someone has the courage to report it.

Anonymous said...

The only true way to prevent bullying is by educating students. I have a really difficult time believing that any administrator would simplyget 2 kids together, have them apologize, then send them back to class without resolving the issue. I think many teachers have no idea what goes on behind closed doors and seem to want an explanation as to every single move every administrator makes and how they handle kids and bullying situations. Sorry but that isn't the way the world works. Just as you don't have time for a hundred meetings every year, every administrator does not have time to go to you and explain every single way that they tried to resolve this conflict. They don't owe it to you to talk to you about the conversation I had with the parents, the conversation I had with the kids, the conversation they had with the guidance counselor or all of the other methods and resources they use to help educate and resolve bullying. I am so sick of this, get over yourself and if you don't like where you're teaching get out.

Anonymous said...

4:40 PM: Our host has told us that students can physically assault teachers, knock then to the ground, and school administrators will take no apparent actions other than talking to the student.

It would also seem to me to be essential for administrators to coordinate with teachers to deal with problem cases. We also have absolutely no faith in the Huff appointed administrators.

Anonymous said...

4:40--If that student is from that teacher's room, then the teacher should know what is happening.
There have been times that an administrator and a counselor ignored the bullying or put the two kids in a room together to 'talk it out' and make up. Meanwhile, students are being beaten up on the playground or scared in the halls but nothing is happening so they won't be afraid to come to school.
Maybe since the administrators are bullies, they just aren't going to do the right thing.