Two years ago in the spring, the freshman English teachers were told that they would be implementing a new instruction model, balanced literacy (BLM). My three main complaints: 1. ) We had neither been invited to participate in the discussion leading up to this decision nor consulted for our input prior to this decision; 2.) We were asked to begin implementing the new curriculum and methodology concurrently with learning about it and how to teach it! This directive came before my second full year teaching the curriculum. I was finally comfortable with the material and looked forward to honing the lessons and materials I already had. But I soon realized that there would be no full nights sleep this year either; and, 3.) The BLM is an elementary and middle school program. If a BLM is implemented effectively, the students should be entering high school with the skills necessary to achieve the grade level standards as delineated in the Massachusetts. Language Arts Curriculum Frameworks. In actuality, all we as freshman teachers needed to learn was the terminology used in the elementary and middle schools to ensure clarity and provide continuity during the transition from a standard literacy program to the more sophisticated analytical approach at the high school level. This information could be conveyed via handout with an estimated cost to the district of $ .05.
Instead, the district hired a consultant to "teach" the freshmen teachers BLM. We were pulled repeatedly from our classrooms to discuss the model and watch videos showing its successful implementation in middle school classrooms. Ironically, when I asked the consultant to what school we should look as evidence of its successful implementation, she responded, "To the middle school," referring to out own districts middle school, which had implemented the program (I imagine with the same lack of collective decision making and preparation as we were provided). And they were only in the second year of implementation!
After a few informational sessions, the consultant began to demonstrate the model. Oh my. She claims to have been a middle school teacher in the past, but based on her disorganized and superficial lessons, I can only imagine why she left the classroom to become a consultant. And I'm sure the money played no small part in her decision.
This woman had zero rapport with the students and failed to do so much of what a good teacher ought to do in any lesson. Her instructions were vague; her explanations were vague; she failed to activate the necessary prior knowledge; and she failed to synthesize with this new skill the prior knowledge or skill set.
At first, I was embarrassed for her, but it didn't take long for my empathy to shift to enmity and resentment. Why is the woman being paid god knows how much to teach us to teach when she cannot teach?
And, now to ultimate complaint. I am being pulled once again on Monday--this time for her to watch and critique us teaching a BLM lesson. So, I need to prepare lessons for all my classes while I spend the day observing, and because the session runs all day, I will lose all my prep time. I will neither receive additional prep nor be relieved of duties to make up for the lost time. Thanks administration for once again not acknowledging, understanding, or respecting the demands of teaching.
I look forward to Monday like the innocent looks forward to incarceration.
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