Now they've put out a video demanding that NY State impose an evaluation system on teachers. Perhaps it's mere coincidence that this is precisely what the reformy agenda demands, and perhaps it's coincidence that they demand everything the reformy types demand at all times. I'd say, though, that any group claiming to support excellence ought to at least have one foot anchored in reality.
Reality dictates that VAM is unworkable and unreliable. There have been no instances where it's been proven to be effective, and last year's 50-80% margins of error in NYC were so humiliating that even reformy Bill Gates had to publicly oppose their release. Of course, that's not because Bill believes in science. It's because Bill doesn't much care to look quite as ridiculous as the fruits of his VAM quest have made him out to be.
I won't link to them or their ad, as mainstream media does that quite well.
I will tell you that I speak to real teachers every day of my life, and I've never had one say, "Gee, I wish I'd get observed more often. Gee, I wish I could be judged by student test scores. I have no idea whether or not I'm doing a good job and need external factors to validate my practice."
Just in case you happen to have fallen off the tomato truck from New Jersey, I can tell you that I've read and heard many, many reformy people asking what they could do to fire teachers. I can tell you that when Mayor Bloomberg and a Suffolk legislator were trying to kill teacher seniority, only in NYC, that the excellence folks supported it. Governor Cuomo opposed it, clearly suggesting the evaluation system would help get rid of teachers and accomplish Bloomberg's aim.
There are many cases of good teachers being denied tenure or fired as a result of VAM. If I thought it were a valid measure of teacher quality, I'd support it. I suppose, though, if I were part of an organization that received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the reformy front, contingent on my support of junk science, I'd support it too.
And that's precisely why I have no part of any such organization.
Their budget was $1.8 million.
ReplyDeleteI have a challenge for you E4E, show up at my school. Come in and chat up your ideas. Come in and quietly ask to see the Chapter leader, and go around and talk to other teachers in the building.
ReplyDeleteI suspect though, that this is not the first time that you have had this challenge proposed. And of course, it will not be the first time you will not take someone up on it.
You guys are a disgrace.
You are right. E4E is not a real teacher group since their founders are just an arm of the reform movement. I can't imagine one "real" teacher wanting to be judged by junk science when there are so many fair and balanced ways of determining the worth of a good teacher.
ReplyDeleteWhat stirs my ire is the fact that so much media attention is given to the E$E's crabgrass group (I refuse to call them a grassroot organization).
ReplyDeleteThere are 80,000 NYC teachers and the crabgrass group represents only less than 1.25%. It is indignant and disrespectful of E$E to undermine the teaching profession of the other 98.75%. I am upset that they are disregarding the many years I and others have dedicated to our students.
Before the E$E came into the field of teaching, my colleagues and I were already there preparing students for the future and were evaluated by "experienced", long-standing principals and assistant principals, who were masters in their fields, utilizing the existing evaluation system whereas to provide the necessary and essential feedbacks. That's how my colleagues and I grew professionally because of the feedbacks. When we grew professionally, our students succeeded.
I suggest that the E$E go to the Legislators and tell them that the new teacher evaluation should only apply to them, VAM and all, and the E$E's students' growth model can be published in all the newspapers. In fact, since they love making these "I want to be a better teacher than you" commerical, they can do a 30 second commercial showing their VAM stats. They can chalk it up to junk science.
Do E4E traitors even have VAM stats? That would imply that they actually teach. Once again, E4E traitors, I dare you to come to my building and spout your crap in my presence. You have a right to believe what you believe, but how about you say this stuff at one of our union meetings?
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