This opinion page can’t seem to talk about the state of our schools without blaming someone. In the various articles listed here, I’ve seen the finger pointed at parents, teachers, administrators, the superintendent and the students themselves. I don’t want to do that.
I’m tired of the rhetoric, and I don’t wish to be anonymous. My name is Dennis Endicott and I am a teacher.
I have been teaching for 13 years in Hamilton County. I spent four years at Howard High School as a special education teacher, six years at Tyner Middle School as a language arts and social studies teacher, and the past three years at Brown Middle School as a language arts and social studies teacher. I am a second-career teacher, having retired from the United States Coast Guard in 2006. I began my teaching career after completing an alternative certification program and graduate program at UTC.
By all measurements placed against me, I am a successful teacher. I have never attained less than a level 3 in state assessments and have often achieved levels 4 and 5. I am respected by my peers and the administrators for which I work. I have a good reputation and stand solid within my profession. In other words, you should consider that I just might know what I’m talking about.
First, let’s be clear about some basic facts. Disruptive behavior in a classroom is not a new phenomenon, nor is it restricted to any specific type of zoned school (I do not include magnet nor charter schools in this piece). Teachers leaving the profession because of this type of behavior is also not new. The last piece of research that I looked at indicated that teachers leaving within the first five years were leaving precisely because of classroom management issues.
There are several easily identifiable reasons why teachers and administrators cannot get a handle on disruptive behavior in our schools:
1) There are socio-economic factors in play with our students and their families that schools cannot correct. Those factors often manifest as disruptive behavior in the classrooms.
2) Teachers are not trained properly to deal with disruptive behavior. College courses deal with this area in a very cursory manner and teacher professional development deals with it haphazardly and not nearly with the frequency that it deserves.
3) Administrators are overwhelmed by the volume of disruptive behavior.
4) Central Office personnel are too far removed from the problem to deal with it effectively.
Don’t be lulled into believing that any one group is responsible for this behavior. Students want to learn and want to feel that their teachers are in charge of their classes. Parents want to be supportive and want the children to be successful. Teachers entered the profession to help make their students better people. The administrators believe in the school’s ability to affect change. And, those assigned to Central Office positions are doing their best to create an environment conducive to success.
So, what to do?
As educators, we can’t fix the socio-economic factors that plague our schools. At best we can vote for legislators that might. It is going to be an unavoidable factor in our zoned schools for the foreseeable future. Our first step is to recognize what we cannot do. This is one of those things.
Administrators and Central Office personnel cannot address this problem adequately because it is not a procedural or systemic issue. The problems are occurring between the teacher and students. At best, anyone outside of the classroom can only react to behavior that has already occurred. To be effective, administrators and Central Office personnel must be proactive. How? By recognizing that effective classroom behavior management is paramount in any school setting.
As a district, we devote a lot of time to improving curriculum and instructional strategies. We are very proactive with our pedagogy. However, most teachers struggling to manage classroom behavior will tell you that they don’t really have the opportunity to improve their teaching. They’re spending too much time managing.
Let’s recognize that classroom management skills are just as important as teaching strategies. Actually, let’s recognize that they are more important. Management precedes instruction. Without management, learning will not occur.
As such, lets devote time and funds to the research and training necessary to achieve acceptable classroom management. It needs to be more than a once-per-week professional development session, or an hour-session during the summer. It needs to be a consistent, persistent factor in teacher-development. It needs to be inter-woven in our teacher-preparation courses, mentoring program, and coaching efforts. It needs to be important to everyone.
No one can really tell you why some teachers are successful with classroom management and others are not. All teachers have the same tools available to them. All teachers can be trained how to use those tools. However, you can walk into any zoned school and see teachers struggling with disruptive behavior.
There are factors in play with successful classroom management that we just don’t understand. We need to spend some time exploring those factors. We need to establish some bonified research to do so. It’s not enough to read books based on other districts in other towns and states. We need to understand what is happening here in our own schools.
And then, we need to get in there with those struggling teachers and help them directly with our research-based tactics that will make a difference. This kind of pervasive problem isn’t going to be resolved with advice and good intentions. It’s going to take dedicated effort.
Of course, all of this is going to cost money. It will take funds to conduct proper research, money to hire behavior coaches, and a commitment to continue the support in the upcoming years.
This is where promising ideas begin to fall apart.
People don’t want to talk about funding.
They don’t want to reach into their pockets.
If you are a tax-paying citizen of Hamilton County and you balk at the notion of paying more taxes or a levy to support the schools, then shame on you. If you were nodding your head, agreeing with any of my comments, and still hesitate to do your part, then you are the problem.
Don’t blame the superintendent/principal/teacher/parent/student.
Blame yourself.
I guess I wanted to point a finger of blame after all.
Dennis Endicott
* * *
So Dennis is having trouble with whom to blame for the chaos in our schools/homes. Dennis being a teacher I strongly recommend a book for him to read. It’s titled “The Holy Bible”.
The Bible is fact and backed by many eye witnesses and archaeological findings even to this very day.
Its teachings on our forefathers in regard to what happens to a society or person when they turn from God and his ways.
We have revolted against the creator of all living things and have chosen to do whatever the heck we want. The consequences are evident (his judgement).
For years now our world/schools have done everything they can to rid God from our learning institutions. No Bible class. Don’t pray. No 10 Commandment displays.
Instead: teach sex. Condom availability. Gender neutrality. Hatred of conservative politicians taught.
So we’re now in a panic mode as to how we fix it. We can’t! God can.
This a spiritual problem/war. Man can’t beat the enemy of God. Only man that repents and asks God to fight for him can.
This “Power Point” is related to many many times from generations to generation, especially in the Old Testament.
They forsook God and suffered greatly.
They then repented, cried out for forgiveness.
God hears and delivers them.
Sad thing is, it’s the blind leading the blind right now.
If you can’t see this, cry out to God for today is the day for salvation.
Meantime, pour more money, police and metal detectors in the schools.
How that working out for ya?
Michael Burns