Here we are with 34 - 36 students in "inclusive classrooms (GT, EBD, LD) with one classroom teacher and how does the district help us?? They hire an LRT to tell us how to manage 8 reading groups!! Do they model it?? nope. The word literacy has become a nightmare in our school. We've always had high reading scores, innovative teachers, and a great staff morale. Now we've got the LRTs in their cute little offices telling us "how" to teach. While we conference with all these parents, they sit in their offices. EVERYONE with a license should be working with kids. The fun is gone, morale is rock bottom, and a once vibrant elementary school is now empty ten minutes after dismissal. Are we alone? Does anyone else have too many talking heads and not enough "doers???"
It seems to be way too common. I worked at a school with some of the lowest test scores in the state, so we were treated like trash and double that because of a poor leader and no values etc. But I'm hearing more and more than even 'high scoring' schools with no serious behavioral issues and good parental involvement etc....are still feeling the same demoralizing heat too. Is there any escape from the madness? It's just very scary out here..
We have reading specialists who work with our lowest students, whether special ed or not! It is great. However, I miss the days when the reading specialist could observe in my room and offer feedback or even co-teach or model a lesson. But I do agree, unless your LRT's are going to actually model, offer feedback and follow through, or teach, it is pointless to have them.
It's not just you. We have folks on campuses and in the central office that love to tell us how to teach and what to teach, but that haven't been in the classrooms for awhile. They have no clue what it's like to be in a classroom anymore. And we essentially have 3-4 people doing the job of 1-2...and that would equate to about $240,000, plus $466,000 for instructional specialists who are just data people. That's $705,000 that could go to classroom teachers (you know, the ones that are directly responsible for the students!) And this when we have a budget shortfall and are not replacing positions that directly affect student learning, but yet our leader says that "Students come first"! Umph!
I have to say that my district cut two administration positions for this year, and dare I say, we have had less changes in paperwork this year than any other. Is it possible that the administration are actually working and don't have time to create a new form for us to fill out... However, we are looking at rehiring these positions next year...
I would challenge any one of our administrators to spend a week in a classroom, write lesson plans, deal with parents, differentiate *30 etc. etc. This is the way teaching has always been but for some reason ... I feel like classroom teachers carry the load.
