I covered Joel Klein's press briefing for The Wave yesterday.
The press briefing was all about the Principal Satisfaction survey and how much principals love what BloomKlein are doing so questions were limited to that.
I did find one area where 55% said they were dissatisfied with the amount of technology in their schools - as a tech person I've heard from my former colleagues that since Klein took over the state of computers has been a disaster in many schools and I tied the question to how can he expect teachers to check results of tests online during a limited school day when there's is such poor computer access and doesn't this mean they have to do it at home?
He responded that my info was based on urban legends. My next question would have been "Will you do a similar survey on teacher satisfaction." But wouldn't call on me again.
Klein claimed the Principal surveys were anon but one reporter told me they must be able to trace them - so even some of them are skeptical. In addition, every contact I have who talk to principals and even those above them - say they are very dissatisfied with the BloomKlein changes - other than those corporate types they've brought in.
I got an email from someone who reads my Wave columns and urged me to keep up the good work. Turns out that person actually works in some high position. There's unhappiness in the belly of the beast.
On a social note, our old friend Redhog was at the press briefing for the NY Teacher.
3 comments:
The library in my school has only 4 computers for over 300 teachers. Only three are connected to the internet and a printer.
A teacher in my school applied for a sabbatical and wanted to take a few technology courses. She was denied. The reasoning was that these courses were not necessary to teach her subhject area.
Technology available in NYC? I think not!
Well, po, in MY school as of this year teachers have been forbidden to use the library unless they bring their class along with them, so forget about teachers using the library computers.
What I see is that Klein et al are trying to get teachers do more and more and more on our own time, and will use every trick he and his minions can think of.
When we complain, they just turn around and accuse of of being lazy, etc.
However, I do sense that some are concerned that the best and brightest are looking at the situation and are running away as soon as they can.
While Tweedletown may not truly care about retaining quality people in order to keep central cost down and create business opportunities for their billionaire buddies, some local administrators are beginning to realize that their scores, etc. will not be maintained, much less rise, unless quality people can be kept. It's quite the paradox.
While it may not be on the wall calendar, in many people's pocket organizers the "x's" are marking countdown to the end of the the current Tweedletown madness; however, there's absolutely no confidence that the future will bring a return to a modium of sanity much less a reasonably run educational system.
The lack of technology in my school is a bitter joke. When I was trained on ARIS the facilitator happily announced that ARIS is available 24 -7 . The UFT should file a mass greivance under Art.7R.Basic Instructional Supplies .If we are expected to check in on the data from ACUITY and we have no reasonable access to computers than indeed , " classroom instruction is impaired!"
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