Summer is over and school has begun! Monday we had the district kick-off. It was such a grand kick-off that the "big wigs" decided to begin the morning with telling the staff all about the
alt-comp pay plan. Yes, that is right, we are part of the Pawlenty incentive pay plan. If we successfully teach our students this year, teachers will get an incentive pay. So I will get a "bonus" at the end of the year if I do my job. If I don't do my job, I will be looking for a new job since I am still a probationary teacher. Cross your fingers that I succeed, students pass the standardized tests, and that I will have a job next year!! Despite the money talks to welcome us back to school, the afternoon session went well. Dr. Dressen welcomed us back and the marching band got us shouting for green and white.Today involved more district in-service sessions. I joined my communities of practice group, NUA (or culturally responsive numeracy) math and science strategies. We left with a notebook full of great strategies to apply immediately in the classroom. The three hours flew by and we only had one 10 minute break. The session was better than 95% of my master program classes.
Tomorrow begins our school building in-service and some classroom work time. It will be good to get back to South View. I am anxious to meet our new administration. Our assistant principal left in the spring (third one in three years) and our principal just left two weeks ago (we have an interim principal for the year).Kind of off topic though, I have my classroom organized. The classroom library looks great - all thanks to Jill. She has donated several books to the library and has helped me with ideas on how to organize my once crazy system. Now I just have to figure out what to teach and I will be set. :)
2 comments:
It's fun to see how you've organized your books. Looks great! It's fun thinking about how to make the classroom work organizationally, or at least it is for me.
Okay, I can't resist. NCLB and incentive pay (The Pawlenty Plan) do nothing but hold teachers hostage. All those wonderful teaching ideas that are designed with kids in mind go by the wayside in many classrooms to put testing, testing, testing a the center. I know you won't lose sight of what is right for kids, Angie...and you'll still have your job!!
I think you should seriously just teach the standardized tests. Throw all the other curriculum stuff out the window and practice filling in dots on a scantron sheet.
If all that matters anymore is to get kids to pass standardized tests, I think I could be a teacher!
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