Gay Barnes is a first grade teacher at Horizon Elementary School in the Madison City school system in Madison County. She was the Alabama Teacher of the Year for 2011-12. Like many, she is very concerned about the proposed RAISE Act. Here are her thoughts:
I have been a public school teacher in Alabama since 1988 and am midway through my 25th year of teaching elementary school. I love my work. I love the children I teach and the families who support them. I have committed my entire professional career and much of my personal life to working as hard as possible to be the absolute best teacher I can be for my students. I walk into my classroom every day aware that the children in my room should have the same education I wanted for my five children when they were in school and that I want now for my grandson.
I have read the RAISE Act and know it will have negative consequences for the children I teach. I know this because I work in a classroom everyday and the children I teach are wildly complicated and singularly unique individuals. I do not know what the intentions are of the people who drafted this piece of legislation. But what is being proposed will not strengthen our schools but will tear them down. This legislation minimizes and trivializes the work my colleagues and I do every day.
I have worked hard to learn and to hone my craft. I have a PhD in Literacy/Reading Education, and I am a National Board Certified Teacher as an Early Childhood Generalist. To suggest I will work harder for more money suggests that I am not already working as hard as I can on behalf of my students. The reality is I am working hard, very hard, as are all of my colleagues.
I could share many stories about students I have taught. I have taught in schools of both extreme high-poverty and extreme affluence and schools in between. The worth of my students can not be measured by how well they perform on a test nor can they measure my worth as a teacher. It is heartbreaking to know that policy makers refuse to accept that much of the work we do in public schools can not be quantified, and it is these parts that make the greatest impact on the students and families we serve.
Every teacher I know welcomes accountability. We want to know the work we are doing is giving our students all they need to become happy, healthy, adults prepared to meet all of the challenges of life. We want them to finish high school ready to enter college or the work force and be contributing members of society. To do this, we need the support of policy makers and stakeholders who understand the realities of life in my first grade classroom or a fifth grade classroom or any classroom in the state. Currently, our policymakers don’t seem to understand these realities, nor do they seem to want to learn about them from the people most qualified to teach them-Alabama’a educators.
Gay Barnes has expressed, I believe, the feelings of every teacher that I know and have known. I have already expressed my views about this proposal earlier, but I wanted to make another comment.
I, too, feel that excellent teachers are not in the profession for the money. When I began my teaching career, I made an excellent salary, almost $4,000.00 a year. When I retired thirty-seven years later and with a higher degree, I made almost $45,000 a year. Did I stay in the profession for money? No! I stayed because I loved the students that I taught. I loved to see them succeed. That is why I graded papers into the late hours of the night. That is why I got up before my own children did in the mornings to grade my students’ papers. That is why I stayed after school to tutor students on my own time. I am offended that anyone would try to bribe good teachers with money. TEACHERS SHOULD BE REWARDED,NOT BRIBED.
As much as anything, the RAISE issue comes down to respect. Teachers want a place at the table–they are tired of being on the menu.
Would Senator Marsh come up with a bill telling UAB how to run their hospital without consulting them first? Very unlikely. I was in five schools on Thursday, very few legislators have any real clue about what goes on in today’s classroom.
Gay Barnes is spot on in her response to this ridiculous piece of legislation. I say ridiculous, but as ridiculous as it is, if it comes to fruition, it will destroy Alabama’s public schools in a myriad of ways. ( although that just may be the true intent) The first point I would make, is that teachers like me, who teach English Language Learners, or Special Education, or students from impoverished backgrounds will be the first to go, because to judge these kids on the same standardized test, to the same results and then fire or take away pay from a teacher because of those test results will result in nobody in their right mind wanting those jobs. Secondly, kids are more than a number from a test. It is much more complex than that. Finally, it is insulting to be treated and denigrated the way teachers are in this state. Honestly, no other profession is continually devalued and criticized as much by people who have no idea what it takes to be an effective teacher. ( here’s a hint….it is NOT more tests or more paperwork hoops to jump through!) Most teachers do not teach for the money, obviously, because people with the level of education that teachers must have, could make much more money in other jobs. Like me, most consider teaching to be a calling, and do it because we love it. However, we do have families to feed etc… And we should expect fair compensation. I literally make less, the longer I teach. Each time I should get a cost of living increase for my years teaching, my insurance goes up and takes away the tiny raise and more. This is a very dangerous piece of legislation, and we need to speak up!
Judging educators by how well their students perform on standardized tests makes as much sense as judging doctors by whether their patients get well or not, regardless of the severity of the disease, age, or condition of the patient. No credible research supports measuring teacher performance based on student test results for exactly the same reason. Those in favor of this legislation should go teach in high-poverty classrooms and experience the reality that teachers and their students face in classrooms every day. I am thankful that we in Alabama still have bright and dedicated teachers who are proud of their profession. But how much longer will they remain?