katievale22

Come on, Kevin!

Yesterday, Kevin Stitt recommended all state employees to start subbing in our schools.  Everyone was up in arms.  Some people yelled, “There is no substitute for the real teacher in the room.”  I think it is because Stitt has been such an enemy of public education that it is hard to back anything he puts out about schools.   However…

I was talking to my friend and future senator/congressman/former teacher/wise beyond his years much my junior, friend.  He said, “Look, it doesn’t fix the long term problem of the sub shortage, but it is better than nothing.”

I agree.  Although I fully support Joy in her run for governor, a short term fix is better than no fix at all.  So, send the state employees, send the congressmen and women, send Kevin himself.  You will find a beautiful, teacher funded classroom, with beautiful sub plans already on the desk.  You will find rosters, seating charts, extensions of the learning to help set you up for success.  You will get an inkling of what a public educator goes through on a daily basis, and you will want to write legislation to fund Oklahoma classrooms, give teachers raises,  and heaven forbid treat them as the professionals they are, and finally let them in to help write your legislation that affects them and their students.

So, Come on, Kevin, come get you some!

#katiekinderfromokc  #untoldteachingtruths  #relatetheneducate  #kidsdeserveit  #teachersdeserveit  #tlap  #oklaed  #oklaleg

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katievale22

Band-Aids…

Okay, my post yesterday was bleak, but I wanted people to have a glimpse into what a teacher goes through on a daily basis. It is easy to get burned out. I will give you some bandaids today. I know the cut is deep, but let’s staunch the bleeding together.

  1. Pick only three hills to die on… (gosh, my war/wound metaphors are strong today) and make those three hills, hills that will help do what is best for kids. I would never want you to compromise the education of your students by picking this hill, “here is a worksheet aka ‘shut up sheet’ while I nap at my desk.” No. Don’t do this in the name of self care. That is hurtful to our students. My three hills are:
  • Safety of students in my space. This is an important hill if I ever want to foster the kind of relationships and learning that is possible in a safe space.
  • Relevant and engaging lesson plans. Our kids are ever changing. We must keep up with them. They need to engage in lessons that are important to them as people. Also, have a little fun!
  • Kindness. I can chose to be kind even when other adults are mean. What would I want for my own kids at home? What do I want to model to students while I walk in the hall or teach my class? This doesn’t mean I’m not firm; this doesn’t mean I’m their friend. I love them. I am their teacher, and I expect kindness above everything. This also does not mean I shy away from confrontation. If students are unsafe, I say something.

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Now, we need legislation passed on our behalf. Real, systemic change!

  1. No more than 25 kids in a class… period!
  2. Boots on the ground. We need psychiatrists, psychologists, more counselors, more funding for after school programs, more trauma informed specialists. More training, proper training.
  3. We need to get into college prep programs for teaching and train our new teachers as soon as they pick that track, real training, authentic training.
  4. We need proper training programs for emergency cert. teachers, alternatively certified teachers.
  5. We need supplies.
  6. We need monetary bumps for teachers who are rock stars; who are doing their job and doing it well.
  7. We need to be able to put something in place for teachers who have given up and refuse to actually teach any more.
  8. We need to ban the cell phones from the classroom.
  9. WE NEED TEACHERS to be heard, to help create the legislation that will make a difference. _____________________________________________________________________________________

#untoldteachingtruths  #relatetheneducate  #kidsdeserveit  #oklaed  #katiekinderfromokc  #teachertwitter  #teachersofinstagram  #professionaldevelopment  #legislation  #tlap