Teacher Voice

Does UFT Unity support it? Do they remember what it is?

Michael Mulgrew hasn’t taught in a classroom for 20 years. He loves Danielson. Or maybe, now that NYSUT had managed to open up possibilities for teacher evaluation, he doesn’t anymore. Who knows? But last I heard, it was the bestest thing since sliced bread. Still, he and a great many of our union leaders have never, ever been rated by Danielson.

And why should they worry about Danielson? Who cares that many, many city administrators are failed teachers who only took the job to “get out of the classroom?” Who cares that teachers live in fear, loathing, terror and mistrust? That’s great for kids, isn’t it?

When Bloomberg wanted to introduce Danielson with only 7 or 8 components, and UFT fought and got all of them, Unity called it a great victory. And when UFT reduced it to 7 or 8? Another great victory. When they wanted artifacts it was a great victory. And when they no longer wanted them, it was another.

We’re all on this checklist. You did this and not that. You should’ve done that and not this. What the hell is wrong with you anyway? On the other hand, another supervisor might think you’re the best. As a chapter leader, I went to the principal with a teacher and video. We demonstrated that multiple assertions the AP made were observably false.

This AP did not like that teacher, and saw what he wanted to see. How good was that teacher? I can assure you he was twice as smart as that AP will ever be, and a whole lot better than the AP said he was. (We grieved and had the observation tossed out.)

I might like different teachers than you do, because, you know, I’m me and you aren’t. Maybe it’s good to be exposed to different voices. I believe we, teachers, all have our own voices, just as writers do. I can’t teach like my AP does. On the other hand, she can’t teach like I can.

My AP, for my money, is the best ESL teacher I’ve ever seen. (She seems to like me too.) The kids adore her. She’s gentle with them, calling them sweetie and honey. Were I to call kids sweetie and honey, I’m pretty sure I’d be up on charges, if not sitting in jail somewhere. But I have a different approach.

We all have a different approach. I think good teachers develop their own voices just as good writers do. That’s why it’s kind of remarkable to see that UFT has supported what appears to be a highly scripted curriculum. AFT President Randi Weingarten has objected to it:

“Anytime someone introduces something that looks like a script — or every five minutes is regulated — it takes the teaching out of teaching,” she said.

I couldn’t agree more. What works for you may not work for me. And honestly, if it’s about a script, they could just record it, drop teachers altogether, and hope for the best. (Let them figure out how to get that audio file to give kids individual feedback too.)

There’s always some silver bullet, some magic formula that will make kids read better, make teachers teach better, and make sure everything in the world above average. I learned to read back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I don’t remember how they taught me, but I do recall growing up in a home full of books, and wondering what they were all about.

Still, there are all those experts who know The One True Way. Until next year, of course, when there’s The New True Way. And then The Improved True Way, and so on.

You must have a Do Now. It must be done in exactly five minutes. It must be no more than 15 minutes. You must have an aim. It must be a statement. It must be a question. You must walk around the room at all times. You must spend quality time with each student while walking right past them. Your students must be in rows, circles, groups, alphabetical order. You must have portfolios. Portfolios are out. All work must be done in class. All work must be done at home.

I’ll tell you something—Anyone who says there is one magical way to teach lacks imagination. Furthermore, anyone who claims there is only one way is incorrect. It’s really disappointing that our union would endorse any one way to the exclusion of all others. But I’ve seen it many, many times, most recently in that new city reading program.

I don’t think about Danielson, ever, when I teach. I think about getting the attention of my students. I raise my voice at odd times, and get overly dramatic. I will fake a heart attack when subjects and verbs don’t agree. Once, one of my students compiled a list of things I say in class. I can assure you many, many of my ESL students repeat these things.

In recent years, I’ve favored, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice.” Whenever I begin that, a bunch of kids who didn’t speak English 6 months ago recite it along with me.

Not all kids like my class. Some kids want to be in a class with worksheets. Some kids have grown up all their lives doing worksheets and never speaking, and a lot of them end up in my classes. Hopefully they adapt, because for my money, if you can’t talk, if you can’t express yourself, you don’t have command of the language. That applies even if you’ve manage to score 65 on the piece of garbage that is now the NY State English Regents Exam.

Sometimes I wish standardized tests would measure communicative skills, particularly for language learners, as opposed to Common Coriness (whatever the hell that is). But I’m a dreamer.

Michael Mulgrew made a big deal about wanting to punch Common Core opponents in the face. Here’s the thing, though—Common Core was and is a particularly crappy thing, designed by David Coleman, who famously said, “People don’t give a shit what you feel or what you think.” Speak for yourself, Dave. I would not want that man near my kid (let alone teaching her).

And indeed, today’s English Regents exam doesn’t even ask kids to make an argument. It has them look at a few pre-fab ones and regurgitate the one they prefer. It’s ridiculous.

Do you know what we call people who think their way is the only way, to the exclusion of all others? Well, we might call them fanatics. I’d say that anyone who says this is the only way to teach is fanatic, or at the very least, not paying attention.

Anyone who’s been in classrooms for a long time will tell you that next year some newer new thing will come along. Experienced teachers learn to develop their own voices and roll with the punches.

I don’t think it’s too much to expect our leaders to understand that.

And if they don’t, I don’t think it’s too much to elect better leaders.