Your Tax Dollars At Work

Last week we had to go to a training. In this training, our principal showed us a bunch of graphic organizers (charts and the like) and told us that they were NOT graphic organizers, but instead they were "thinking maps." She spent about an hour explaining these not graphic organizers to everyone and told us we were required to do one in a lesson in the upcoming week.

Today in our faculty meeting, we reviewed the lessons people did and principal patted herself on the back for a job well done. She then explained that she wants us all "trained" on how to work these "thinking maps" but she is trying to get the district to foot some of the bill because the training costs TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. what the whating what. WE ALREADY LEARNED IT. She told us it's "really a 3-5 year process" to implement these things. IT IS A CHART. I can't even with these people anymore.

Afterwards in our team meeting, my team decided we're going to quit teaching, rename everything in education and then make people pay us thousands of dollars so we can say, "No, that's not a pencil, it's an IMAGINATOR!" "This isn't a 3 ring binder--it's an information receptacle!"

THEN

We learned that we are one of nine schools chosen for Race To The Top funds. If we reach our goals, each teacher can get between two and ten thousand dollars (depending on how many of the nine schools reach their goals). Guess what data they are using to determine how much money I get? 1. Attendance. They will be looking at the attendance data that I enter into the computer each day. 2. Suspensions. We can't have more than 60 suspensions. 3. Climate Survey. There has to be at least 60% positive on the survey.

SO. I'm not saying I'm that kind of person, but I see that I can receive TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS if I mark my students present every day and I say that I am 100% satisfied at my job (the teacher surveys can offset the scant few parent ones we receive.) We can just straight up stop suspending kids AND WE ALL GET A CRAP TON OF MONEY.

Honestly, this is in no way makes me think that anyone will make things better. It just looks like a huge opportunity for some people to fudge some numbers in order to line their pockets.

It's all pretty disgusting.