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CA Teachers Get Rewarded, Then Slapped
When the SAIT auditors came for a second visit at Los Medanos Elementary in Pittsburg, second-grade teacher Carol Woodrow was in the midst of giving her students a pizza party as a reward for good behavior. The Pittsburg Education Association (PEA) member, who had not been told they were coming, felt foolish but continued the party nonetheless. The state auditors, there to observe her teaching, took copious notes.
Like other teachers there who say they have been both "rewarded and slapped" in the four years since the school entered the II/USP, she has learned to roll with the punches.
During the initial year - 1999-2000 - test scores went up an astronomical 156 points to 695 on the API. Teachers were amazed to receive $25,000 apiece from the governor's rewards program along with accolades and positive press. Suddenly, the school had a waiting list. But success could not be sustained: there was a 33-point drop the next year and a 23-point drop the following year. In 2002, the school scored 652 on the API and ranked 4 out of 10. Now it is facing sanctions.
More than half of the schools receiving $25,000 awards for staff failed to improve enough the next year to meet state growth targets. Some believe that it's extremely difficult to meet even higher targets after a year of tremendous growth. Some compare it to Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill, only to have to repeat the process all over again.
But at Los Medanos, leadership issues also came into play. Many say the soaring scores can be attributed, at least partly, to a principal who encouraged teachers to increase their expectations for the students who are mostly minorities or living in poverty. Many say that he motivated and inspired teachers to do their very best. Others believe the intense pressure drove away some experienced teachers.
"We began to match lesson plans and curriculum to the state standards," recalls PEA member Angela Stevenson, now interim vice principal. "I was hesitant at first. But once I started doing it, I noticed a difference in the children and became more confident. I could see, yes, this is working; this is what we are supposed to be doing. It made sense."
Mike Melendrez helps fourth-grader Leticia Feliciano solve a problem at Los Medanos.
Teachers at each grade level began working together and were provided with professional development opportunities that focused on aligning materials to standards and benchmarks. For the first time in years, teachers were given all the materials and resources they requested, and did not have to spend money out of pocket. Discipline and student behavior improved. Test scores skyrocketed.
Then came conflict and confusion. The district's refusal to pay health benefits forced teachers to strike. The principal left and was replaced with someone with a different leadership style. "The new principal didn't want to see lesson plans and said we were basically on our own for discipline," recalls Stevenson. "Discipline went out the window. There was a huge increase in teacher turnover. It was heartbreaking."
That principal left last March and was replaced with someone who is working with teachers to rebuild what was lost. "She has a vision," says Stevenson. "If she hangs around, I can see improvement happening again."
Visitors to the campus can see the efforts to build pride, motivate academic achievement and instill discipline as the school struggles to recapture its past glory. Hallways are now "quiet zones" where students walk in orderly fashion. Students wear uniforms and the school has adopted a system of progressive discipline. New language arts and math programs are aligned to the state standards. Professional development is planned - especially to help beginning teachers.
"It's definitely a challenge," says fourth-grade teacher Mike Melendrez, who has been teaching at the school a little over a year. "I still think we're in a state of flux, but we are all pulling together. We share the same goals: helping our children succeed and getting out of sanctions. If we pull together, we can make it work."
"We are on the road to recovery," says Maria Bruno, who has taught at the school 27 years. "The entire staff is striving toward a common goal. If we just sit and cry, we're never going to make it, so we have to fight. But together we can make our school great again."
Teachers get rewarded, then slapped
California Educator
2003-09-
http://www.cta.org/CaliforniaEducator/v8i1/Feature_4.htm
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