From the Executive Director
Teacher Stories on TKES Push Changes Dr. Allene Magill
D
o you feel it? legislators ignored educator insight, it took understand that great teaching and a great The conversation about educadramatic actions by a national groundeducation cannot and should not be judged tion and educators shifted percep- swell of parents and students to make their on high-stakes tests. Great teachers build tibly in the past few months. Sometimes viewpoint known: They decided to drop relationships with students and make the it’s difficult to know you’re in the midst of out of public education or opt-out of testeffort to help them reach their potential — change as that change happens. This time, ing by defiantly refusing to take the tests whatever that may be. There is also a growI sense it. I hope you do, too. or by staying home on test days. Educators ing understanding that teachers and schools Positive changes are imminent regardare similarly expressing themselves: Many cannot singlehandedly overcome the influing the overemphasis on student testare retiring early, dropping out for other ence of student and community poverty. ing, testing-based educator evaluations, employment or dissuading their children Schools are beacons of hope for children, TKES observations and Student Learning from going into teaching. and educators deliver miracles every day Objectives. The pushback on merit pay On the federal level, the pressure finally — but they can’t resolve the full weight of based on student test scores is widespread induced change in December 2015 with the societal barriers that burden so many of our and formidable. passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. children and their families. I applaud our members for proactively The law eliminates requirements that stanI am hopeful the critical view of educainforming legislators with your own stories dardized scores be used as part of teacher tors that has pervaded the thinking of about the harm of over-testing and the performance evaluations. It reduces the lawmakers for the past 20 years is waning. unfair measurements implemented with number of tests required for students and Even so, educators, parents and other pubTKES. Personal experiences with TKES and schools to demonstrate proficiency. The lic school proponents still face great chaltesting like those shared by Gordon County general public — beyond parents, students lenges in advocating in the best interest of n teacher and PAGE Board of Directors and educators — seems to collectively all Georgia students. Secretary Kelli De Guire make a powerful impact on those who don’t understand Education Lost a Great Thinker and Teacher what’s happening in Georgia I was deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Phil Schlechty, the founder and leader of the classrooms. Her story, feaSchlechty Center. Phil’s research, thinking and student engagement framework formed the tured in The Atlanta Journal bedrock of my approach to education transformation since I first heard Phil speak more than Constitution, was an important 25 years ago. I implemented his framework for developing a learning organization focused message for the public and on designing work that leads to profound learning in two school districts in Georgia. And, it’s our legislators. The changes the foundation of all of the professional learning work sponsored by PAGE. anticipated with this legislative I will miss my conversations with Phil. I learned so much from ongoing discussions about session are due to each of you his new learning about teaching and engagement. He never stopped observing and asking speaking up! questions. Many people with his level of success and who have built a company around Educators have long undertheir own research might stop thinking so deeply about the work. Phil never did. He quesstood the unworkability of tioned himself, as well as others, and revised his thinking as dictated by new learning. using student test scores to That’s what true thinkers and researchers do. judge and punish individual Thank you, Phil. educators. Sadly, when state
March/April 2016
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