An Army of Angry Parents

A job offer for Chance...Will he leave teaching??

If you missed a couple of episodes, the best way to binge-read Scrambling for Voice, Choice, and Agency is to use the Table of Contents links to previous posts.

Episode 18

From: Kerry
Re: Happy New Year
To: Chance sent - Gmail 5:48 AM

Hi Chance—

I am so sorry to hear that Ernie’s mom has decided to spend her energy building an army against you rather than working with you to help Ernie grow and develop….a truly sad decision on her part….People like her have a good chance of being successful in the short run, and in the long run their children will suffer because of the parent’s inability to see the forest for the trees.

If an unhappy parent spent as much time trying to work with the teacher and the school as they spend trying to punish and reprimand a teacher, then the child would be the beneficiary. Big time.

…and the man who thinks that high grades and extraordinary standardized test scores are the road to Harvard and success?? I quote Alfie Kohn here when I say: that is Preparation H, (prepping for Harvard), and not successful teaching and learning.

Don’t go to the union yet. I think it is best if you go to your principal. She must be talking to other principals about the rational for having people from the district office evaluate second year teachers. I can’t believe you are the only teacher in the whole district who is having a bad experience.

Since the union agreed to this experimental year of teacher evaluation and accountability beyond the building principal, they will ultimately need to be notified, but for now take baby steps. No one likes a teacher who steps outside of the lane they are assigned.

I would love to get together. Are you free Thursday afternoon?

Kerry

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From: Chance
re: Happy New Year
To: Kerry sent - Gmail at 6:15 PM

Hi Kerry—

You are right. Thank you….

I’m not the only one who is having difficulty with the new teacher evaluation process. My principal says that many of the principals are talking about it among themselves. They are super unhappy about the disconnect between a person from the outside making judgments based on short observations and preconceived notions and a person on the inside doing the professionally correct thing. Apparently, no one has addressed it at the weekly superintendent/admin meeting or to anyone at that level….yet.

I talked to my principal today. She is going to be very helpful. I wish I had gone to her earlier. She is also going to help me with Ernie’s mom and her little army of angry parents.

I look forward to seeing you on Thursday. I want to tell you about Rich’s most recent job offer.

Chance