The looming teacher shortage that the General Assembly made worse

November 14, 2014 at 9:18 am
Richard Bunce says:

Opportunity to fundamentally change K-12 education system with innovation, technology, and allocation of resources by parents and employers, not government education bureaucrats.

November 14, 2014 at 9:21 am
Norm Kelly says:

'many educators surely assumed that pay raises and investments in classrooms would resume'. Why would educators expect this? Because libs & people like Chris continually tell educators that they are the most important people in the world, and surely uncontrolled spending on government monopoly schools would continue. Surely it has something to do with lobbying in the state capital by education supporters & unions. Surely it has something to do with the fact that when demons ran Raleigh, their first goal was to increase spending on government monopoly schools. (BTW: for anyone who does not recall, I use 'government monopoly schools' because it was suggested by a lib commentator at the N&D. since it fit, I decided to start using it.) Surely it has something to do with the unholy alliance between educators and demons in elected office, where the demons protect government schools and prevent competition. Naturally, those educators who expected education spending to resume it's previous course were expecting that Republican control of Raleigh would be NO DIFFERENT for them than when the demons ran Raleigh. There's just NO WAY that anyone could think continued uncontrolled, unaccounted spending on education would be a bad thing.

'But the folks who took over the General Assembly'. Guilty of the same wording myself. But the truth is that the folks didn't TAKE OVER, the majority decided to change direction by electing people who just MIGHT try to get government spending under control. Someone who MIGHT try to spend money on projects that are worthwhile, stop deficit spending, stop borrowing money from the feds to meet state expenses. The MAJORITY of VOTERS, legal and otherwise, decided that the direction the demon party continued to take us was/is the WRONG direction. The most recent election proved that the majority continues to believe that returning to the uncontrolled, unaccountable spending and taxing of the demon party would continue to be the WRONG direction for the state. Fortunately, a majority of voters across the country decided this would be true in states as well as at the federal level. It's proof, truth, fact that areas controlled by CONSERVATIVES are fairing better during this economic downturn than those areas controlled by the Socialist Party of the US. This disturbs libs considerably. But the facts are NOT on their side. Tax and spend policies, continuing to increase government subsistence schemes are NOT stimulating the economy. Claiming that private business does NOT create jobs does not resonate with the majority of voters. So far, 2 demons have stated in public, with recordings, that they do NOT believe and do not want you to believe that private companies create jobs. They may be the only 2 who have stated it in public, but it's obvious this attitude permeates the entire Socialist Party, formerly the DemocRAT Party. The belief that government creates jobs was reflected in the attitude of demons who ran Raleigh also. The majority of voters, legal & otherwise, have chosen to believe the truth, to believe in the PEOPLE, to believe in LIMITED government, according to the facts, according to results, according to the US CONSTITUTION!

So, since libs constantly want to illogically compare teacher pay across states, are they willing to compare teacher retention rates across states? How are other states fairing in the rate of teachers leaving their systems? How are other states' colleges and universities that teach teachers fairing? Is the enrollment maintaining in other states, or is enrollment for education majors increasing or decreasing? Is this a national trend or is it localized to NC? Let's also remember that libs tend to expect stupidity on the part of teachers, on the part of voters in general, and especially amongst minorities. The stats used by libs are always misused, always out of context. When libs refer to teacher pay disparity, they NEVER take anything else into account. Things like benefits, retirement, hours worked, planning periods, and most importantly cost of living in the region. Comparing teacher pay in parts of NC with teacher pay in parts of Illinois is pointless. There are major parts of Illinois where the cost of living is dramatically higher than the cost of living in NC. Which makes pay difference a moot point; except to libs. ALL the facts would tend to prove the libs arguments as useless and misleading, so using only SOME of the facts is a strategy, a scheme, used by libs to mislead the masses. It seems to have worked with socialized medicine, and so many other schemes implemented by socialists, that they believe they can accomplish their goals/schemes by doing it in more areas of political life. Lie to and about teachers, hope that the majority go along with your story and not bother to find the truth. Whine and complain constantly about a specific issue, then when conservatives/Republicans respond to take away your whine, you simply change the whine, the tone. Teachers are underpaid is the whine. The legislature responded with a teacher raise. How did libs respond, and continue to respond? More whining, with a slightly different tone, slightly different way of phrasing the whine. Never satisfied. Even when the lie of 'a level playing field' is shown to libs, they simply change the tone of the whine. They don't change the whining aspect of their complaints, they don't change the direction of their schemes, they just modify the wording of the whine, but want the same results.

For now, Republicans are in control, except in Wake County. The chances of the state and nation turning to the proper & right direction have gone up because of the recent election. Except in Wake County. We can expect certain things in Wake because of the 'take over' by the demons. They will increase the sales tax, either put it on the ballot or ask permission to do it from the legislature bypassing voters. They will continue to destructive path of implementing regional rail. They will raise property taxes, and other taxes/fees, to increase government monopoly school spending. It's likely the demons on the county commission will also ask the legislature for permission to allow the school board to become it's own taxing entity. Then when libs run for reelection to the county commission they can claim a county-wide tax cut. You see, when the school board becomes it's own taxing entity, and the county doesn't have to spend so much on education, the county commission will be able to cut back some on county level taxes. They will use this as a way to claim our taxes were cut. Ignoring the fact that the school board implemented more of a tax increase than the county commission eliminated. No matter what happens, since the libs took over the county board, our taxes & fees will go up, schemes that make no sense will be pushed forward, and they will do everything they can to implement their schemes without voter approval. You know, whenever libs take over it's automatically 'a mandate' to do whatever.

November 14, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Ron Linton says:

We always hear about the tax cuts for the "rich" and never about the tax cuts for everyone. If you pay taxes in NC you received a tax cut. Based on this article there are a large number of "rich" in the state.

November 14, 2014 at 3:49 pm
connie evans says:

My response to teacher shortage in NC.......

I can't blame this shortage of politics....it goes deeper than either party.

I taught English in IL, CA, KY, and MN at all levels, pre-school, elementary, junior and senior high, adults and became a teacher mentor/trainer. I had seven student teachers.

I always purchased my own supplies and incentives for my students. I hosted Christmas parties in my home which came out of my own pocket. I bought pumpkins to carve at Halloween. I used the Home Ec. room to teach cleanliness, measuring, terminology, recipes and group cooperation. I had a flexible curriculum.

I never had a teacher aide in the classroom. I was allowed to be creative, try new approaches and materials with full administrative support. On my own time I created websites, developed workshops to help parents, conducted numerous workshops for staff. I led, followed, developed and researched on my own time. I received three additional degrees on my own time with my own finances at night school and summers. I put all my energy into my profession because this was the norm in our district. We were observed twice a year with constructive comments and ratings by the administration. We mentored others who needed assistance on an informal basis. There was a sense of cooperation and comradery.

For five years I was the person who filed recertification records for over 700 teachers, on my own time without compensation or a computer. Teachers eagerly accepted responsibilities because our focus was on improving the classroom expectations for our students. We had direct input into decisions. We were respected in the community and regarded for our expertise. Certainly it meant a lot of sacrifices but we were expected to attend student conferences, correct papers on our own time, and execute programs at the school and district level. There were few regulations from state and federal leaders.

We invited local speakers, celebrated diversity, and hugged. We visited homes and knew the problems our students were facing while teams kept this knowledge private. It was common sense that each child may be facing home struggles, poverty, abuse, neglect, pressures to perform, or gangs. It took me a few years to convince our principal that this was a growing problem in our community and then allowed police sessions on gang identification, interventions, and parental involvement. It was not easy to recognize that change was occurring and we needed to stay ahead of some issues.

We had conferences for parents on Saturdays to share approaches, incentives, and rewards for good behavior. We had book companies display and sell their best sellers. We emphasized Great Books and Classics. We modeled, laughed together, and found common areas of improvement. We actually took a personal interest in our students outside the classroom.

We had no paid perks like retreats, meals or treats. A few times a year parents brought in meals as appreciation. We met after school in the library for policy updates. We had department birthday celebrations and retirement parties. It was family orientated. Following a serious "Teacher Strike" we had to build up a trust level so I established a teacher variety show, Class Acts. Our first year we had over 250 teachers involved in sharing their talents. The show has continued for 27 years with over $200,000 in profits to give HS student scholarships. We matched the winners with their most influential teacher. It was a bonus for both. We got to know staff from different buildings, raise money, provide creative entertainment, and allow the community to see that teachers do care about our students.

At the junior and senior levels we had a police officer on campus. He was a support system for disciplinary and truant problems. We locked all doors after I received threatening calls from an irate parent who said he'd kill me for testifying against his wife who had abused one of his sons. We initiated a system to post teachers at each door to sign in guests and greet visitors. It was a warm and friendly atmosphere rather than a restrictive environment.

As our teacher union president for five years, we always fought for lower class sizes. My first class as a student teacher in Highland Park, Illinois had 40 students.

We had many celebrations, bulletin boards and activities to foster pride in our diversity. Once a week, in homeroom we had a 15 minute session from a program teachers created during a summer. We wrote a curriculum called ROAR (Reach Out And Respect) with mini lessons/activities on ethics, acceptance, honesty, how to... It meant that all teachers had this time to reflect on values. For example we hid 3 wallets with money around the school and watched to see if students would return them to the office. We rejoiced that all were returned in tact. This was a visual and vital exercise of doing what is right. (Wonder how this exercise would work in 2014?)

We had a community project called "Armful of Love" where we worked all year to provide presents for people who needed help. We served nearly 2500 people with several gifts each. We had a warehouse where we elected, sorted, wrapped and packaged donated items according to their list. I took many of my students with me with the understanding that there were no photos or public recognition. That would take away from the purpose of helping others. Soon many parents joined the effort and it grew yearly for over 20 years. I don't know if the program has continued since we left in 2001 but we were only a small segment of hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

I was "forced" to take a "Sensitivity Class" taught by 2 men. This was repeated every three years so I could work with children with all backgrounds. It was never an issue.

We scheduled several field trips yearly. Budget cuts preserved these experiences for many children would not otherwise have this opportunity. We went to museums, Festival of Nations, University of Minnesota, and toured businesses. The district would provide buses and pay entrance fees.

Discipline action was handled by the principal. A time-out room (quiet study hall) was set up within the school. Teachers rotated to monitor but few students were sent home. This embarrassment was penalty enough.

I established a mentor program with foreign students at the University of Minnesota to give our students a connection with higher learning to understand the possibilities a higher education provided.

We had the distractions of television but technology was still in it's infancy. This did not interfere with classroom activities. Phones at that time were not popular and certainly not allowed in school. We relied on record keeping on paper. Conferences were complex because interpreters were hired for many languages. Students were not allowed to serve in that capacity.

On top of the salary scale after 26 years with my degrees and class credits, my highest pay was $51,000. Obviously my motive was not financial but a reward that I was making a difference, in a small way. I plowed through the snow in MN with a sense of expectation that my students wanted to achieve, excel, and move forward. My job was to give them choices in a fun way. It wasn't all about tests. It was about feeling good about progress. Of course, not all made good choices, but we assisted to the best of our ability. One student became the director of the Portland Symphony. Many Asians received college degrees and came back to share their achievements. A few Somali students joined gangs and rebelled against their parents. Gun safety became a topic for a parent session.

Now it's 2014.....As you can tell, the atmosphere has changed....

* There is a lack of respect for teachers in the classroom. Students confront verbally, swear, and defy authority. Handling these situations can and should be taught in teaching programs. Techniques in method courses are vital to assist a new teacher.

* The press takes every opportunity to highlight any inappropriate conduct. This is not done with physicians or other professions who work with the public. This adds to the distrust of teachers.

* Class sizes continues to be an issue.

* Expectations and pressures on teachers mounts due to Common Core and guidelines to meet standards.

* Learning has become more about testing results and school competition/status.

* There are more restrictions and regulations (paper work) forced upon the teacher. More hurdles to jump and documents to complete.

* We had specialists for art, music, physical education, lunchroom. Most are eliminated and teachers are expected to also handle these subjects.

* We had a full-time nurse at each school who performed routine eye & sclerosis tests plus a wide range of health challenges and records. Nowadays many children are taking meds, need allergy attention, and children with special needs rely on the classroom teacher to handle these tasks.

* Teachers remain aloof for fear of attacks on their character. Home parties are nonexistent. Actually Christmas parties are not even allowed. Decorations and traditions are avoided. Teachers must comply with many restrictions.

* Teachers are expected to teach about sex while not inserting their own views. Teachers are guarded in their terminology of marriage, same sex choices, and may be forced to use materials unacceptable to their wishes.

* The curriculum is more defined according to a timeline which leaves less time for exploring and creativity.

* Teachers continue to purchase materials and treats for their children. That is just acceptable, however food is becoming more expensive, with larger classes, may become a further burden on classroom teachers.

* With the emphasis of technology, students venture out into another world while teachers also need more training and reinforcement. Everything is handled by the computer...attendance, record keeping, grades, tests, etc. Staying ahead of technology for a more seasoned teacher may become a challenge to add to their pressure.

* Prep time was sacred. Now, many teachers are expected to monitor lunch, recess, and tend to the sick.

* Due to budget cuts there are few specialists, nurses, field trips, and incentives to explore into the community.

* Detention of students varies but often students are sent home.

* Bizarre school rules are incorporated....balls are dangerous therefore not allowed during recess; a finger gesture may lead to suspension; misinterpreted words may lead to discipline; an inappropriate T-shirt would have been turned inside out but now requires suspension; ...many issues are becoming politically correct, not common sense situation/issues decided by local staff. School actions are being scrutinized and parents are becoming so upset that there is a steady grown of home schooling.

* Safety drills due to violence has escalated. Schools are becoming fortresses with gun-toting teachers. Sign of our times.

* More students should be allowed to participate in assisting other students at lower levels. It would offer an opportunity to mentor and see the possibilities in a classroom.

November 14, 2014 at 9:02 pm
Karen Valentine says:

I hesitate to respond to anyone a calling a political party the "demon party," but I must correct your error about a teacher's union in North Carolina. Many teachers belong to the North Carolina Education Association. ASSOCIATION, not union! If the teachers were in a union, I doubt they would have gone four years without raises, longevity pay, or increases in pay for obtaining a Master's Degree or National Board Certification. In addition, teachers' health benefits have decreased. Are these the conditions when there is a union? Doubtful.9w

November 17, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Curt Budd says:

Hey Norm, how's Kansas doing?