tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post4817186973328603759..comments2023-12-18T01:01:57.910-08:00Comments on Modern School: Working Class Hostility Toward Jersey & Philly TeachersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-30613888047133567852010-12-23T13:38:10.722-08:002010-12-23T13:38:10.722-08:00Thank you for your kind thoughts. I just want to w...Thank you for your kind thoughts. I just want to write about my core beliefs and be actively involved.<br /><br />If you would like, you can also post this link to your blog as well. I was doing a job search for pre-kindergarten teachers in the NY Metro area last night. 2 jobs from the NYC DOE came up on my search which surprised me. They are newly created job positions and are supposed to work with the incoming Chief Accountability Officer, Shael Polakow-Suransky.<br /><br />Here is the link. <br /><br />http://talesofasweetgirl.blogspot.com/2010/12/job-posting-that-came-up-on-my-pre-k.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-51100011106081284842010-12-23T12:39:39.329-08:002010-12-23T12:39:39.329-08:00Ironically, I also published a post but with the N...Ironically, I also published a post but with the Natalie Merchant version, "Which Side Are You On?". <br />Feel free to post or publish on your blog, if you would like. <br /><br />http://talesofasweetgirl.blogspot.com/2010/12/song-for-union-workers-which-side-are.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-10668364302118175032010-12-22T20:50:35.463-08:002010-12-22T20:50:35.463-08:00Thanks for pointing this out, Michael.
Harlan Cou...Thanks for pointing this out, Michael.<br /><br />Harlan Country is a fantastic, must-see film and that scene with Reese is amazing.Anonimohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11040156020859417287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-9400299998011812842010-12-22T18:39:41.060-08:002010-12-22T18:39:41.060-08:00The Billy Bragg tune is a re-working of the origin...The Billy Bragg tune is a re-working of the original, which was written by Florence Reese in the 1930's in support of coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky.<br /><br />There's an amazing scene in Barbara Koeppel's classic labor documentary from the '70's, "Harlan County, USA," when an elderly Reese sings it for a later group of striking miners.Michael Fiorillonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-35936326157603195922010-12-22T17:18:03.352-08:002010-12-22T17:18:03.352-08:00There certainly is a downward wage pressure for th...There certainly is a downward wage pressure for the working and middle classes, but not for the wealthy. It is they who are immune. Even so, teachers salaries were lagging behind comps long before this recession began, and have gotten worse in recent years. If teacher salaries were immune, then we should be gaining on other workers as their salaries plummet. Just the opposite is occurring. <br /><br />There is no indication that seniority rights are going to disappear soon, and certainly not without a fight. When cuts come down and people have to be let go, there has to be a fair way to decide who goes, ideally one that does the least harm to children. The problem is that there is no fair alternative, nor one that ensures the least harm to kids. There is no accurate method for comparing teachers, though there is considerable evidence that teachers improve with time on the job (especially during the first few years).<br /><br />If we base it on test scores, then teachers at schools with high percentages of poor kids will be the first to be let go, a problem that already exists because poor schools tend to have higher percentages of young and inexperienced teachers. This actually harms kids, especially the poor ones who will lose more teachers than kids at middle class schools.Anonimohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11040156020859417287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-60962992761723511632010-12-22T16:38:11.416-08:002010-12-22T16:38:11.416-08:00I have to disagree about teacher pay lagging. Not...I have to disagree about teacher pay lagging. Not all fields have equal market worth. A masters in math or any science is worth more than a masters in history. Some degrees are relevant only in education so there is no comparable private sector salary.<br /><br />That teaching should somehow be immune to the downward wage pressure the rest of the area is under is inane. Its a middle class job and should come with middle class benefits and salary. Some of those districts have platinum benefits with upper middle class salaries. That has to change.<br /><br />Finally, one good thing that may come out of this is the removal of seniority, a change that is long overdue. Seniority is a factory level approach that is unsuitable to any professional. Its time to get that behind us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com