Tag Archives: education

Weekly Legislative Update – February 10, 2023

Posted by on
Education Policy | , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Legislative Update for February 10, 2023

Hello and happy Friday! This is the last week before lawmakers face their first legislative cut-off of the 2023 session. Next Friday, February 17, is the last day for legislators to pass bills out of committee in their respective house of origin, except for fiscal committees. Bills that do not make it out of committee are considered “dead” and will no longer be considered for any action during the remainder of session. The fiscal committee cut-off date is the following Friday, February 24.

 Although there were several bills that drew significant attention this week, SB 5505 and HB 1479, are worth highlighting. SB 5505, the highly anticipated, “balanced calendar bill,” aims to combat learning loss by adding 5 days to the traditional 180-day school year, as well as adjust the school calendar to get longer breaks spread throughout the year and prevent summer learning loss. According to OSPI, “A foundation of the balanced calendar is continuous access to food, instruction, care, and education resources, which research shows is especially important in preventing summer learning loss for students who may not have the benefits of travel, camps, and trips to the library.” 

HB 1479 would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation or restraint and its companion bill in the senate, SB 5559, also received a public hearing this week. The Seattle Times reported that in Washington, students with disabilities were exposed to restraint and isolation at higher rates as well as elementary school students who were disproportionately restrained and isolated at an age when they are still learning to regulate behaviors and emotions. HB 1479 is scheduled for executive session next Thursday, February 16 at 8am.

Education Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Education Committee

  • Monday, February 13 at 1:30pm
  • Tuesday, February 14 at 4pm
  • Thursday, February 16 at 8am

Senate Early Learning & K12 Education

  • Monday, February 13 at 1:30pm
  • Wednesday, February 15 at 1:30pm

New Bills

HB 1749: which promotes instruction in public schools about the historical and cultural contributions of Filipino Americans.

SB 5692: which would increase the maximum per pupil limit for enrichment levy authority.

SB 5710: which would provide access to behavioral health services to youth in rural and underserved areas.

Bills We’re Following:

HB 1003: which would lower dual credit program costs for eligible students with financial need by creating a subsidy program, reducing per college credit fees for college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start program tuition fee waiver, and would also make the Running Start program permanent to pilot institutions. The bill has been passed out of committee.

HB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington. The bill is currently in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1071: which would require OSPI to allocate state funding to school districts for one school resource officer (SRO) on each public school campus (hearing time 0:59 and 57:33). Testifying in support: representatives from the Chehalis SD, WACOPS and the WASPC. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the ACLU of WA, HEA, and a concerned citizen. 

HB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is currently in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is currently in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1228: which establishes grant programs for establishing or expanding dual language education programs and tribal language education programs and would establish multilingual skill bonuses for certificated instructional staff and paraeducators. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1238: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, to provide breakfast and lunch each school day to any requesting students and at no charge to the students. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1239: which would establish a simple and uniform system for complaints related to, and instituting a code of educator ethics for, conduct within or involving public elementary and secondary schools. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1273: which would establish new and revised requirements for High School and Beyond Plans (HSBPs) that are a prerequisite for graduating from a public high school. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1305: which would make changes to the requirements to initial student evaluations for special education and to the development and implementation of individualized education programs (IEPs) in order to improve access to a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities. The bill has passed out of committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience (hearing time: 41:59). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBE, BIAW, Central Valley SD, WSPTA, Rural Ed Center and Vancouver PS. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the WA Round Table. Testifying as “other”: representatives from OSPI, Lakewood Cares, Lake Washington SD and WSSDA. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1316:  which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1377:  which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1411: which would direct OSPI to distribute funding to school districts and institutional education providers to partner with community-based organizations that support students to offer cross-sector trainings on topics such as social-emotional learning, mental and behavioral health management, and teaching students to be peer mediators. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill has passed out of committee.

HB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed (hearing time: 59:44). Testifying in support: representatives from Disability Rights WA, several concerned citizens, PAVE The Arc of WA and OSPI. Testifying in opposition: a concerned citizen. Testifying as “other”: representatives from the Central Valley SD, WEA, WSPTA and PSE. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school (hearing time: 1:00:42 and 1:31:25). Testifying in support: a concerned citizen, Issaquah HS, WEA, Renton SD, KC Play Equity Coalition and Ellensburg HS. Testifying as “other”: representatives from OSPI, WSSDA and WSPTA. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year (hearing time: 42:34). Testifying in support: representatives from the Yakima SD, a concerned citizen, the Spokane PS, Quincy SD and Concrete SD. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the WEA, Sammamish Montessori School, the Rural Ed Center, the Stevenson-Carson SD and North Mason SD. Testifying as “other”: representatives from the Walla Walla SD, West Valley SD and the AESD. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program (hearing time: 3:51). Testifying in support: representatives from PESB, WEA, Foundation for Tacoma Students, OSPI, WSPTA, WACTE, SWEA, Rural Ed Center and AWSP. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1609: which requires school districts to provide resources for the operation of school library information and technology programs and to ensure that each student has access to a library technology program that meets specified requirements (hearing time: 1:46:46). Testifying in support: representatives from the WLA, Capitol HS, Camas HS, Bellevue HS, Shoreline SD, OSPI and WSSDA. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the Kettle Falls SD. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program (hearing time: 1:08:23 and 1:24:00). Testifying in support: representatives from Building Changes, Council for the Homeless and the Lynnwood City Council. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met (hearing time: 1:30:44). Testifying in support: representatives from the WFIA and WSPTA. Testifying as “other”: representatives from WSSDA, OSPI and SBE. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs (hearing time: 35:37). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI. Testifying as “other”: representatives from DCYF and WEA. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 16 at 8am.

HB 1710: which would use COVID-19 relief funding on high quality tutoring and rigorous extended learning programs. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5020: which would lower the minimum age for compulsory school attendance from eight to six years old, and amend truancy provisions to align with this change, as well as require parents who homeschool to file an annual declaration of intent beginning at age 6. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5024: which would require school districts to post certain assessment results on their websites, as well as provide parents and legal guardians with certain rights regarding access to specified information and communication based on their preferences (hearing time: 27:26). Testifying as “other”: representatives from WSSDA.

SSB 5048: which would eliminate college in the high school fees. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5085: which would remove statutory limitations on the scope of collective bargaining in regards to supervisors, or principals and assistant principals, and would require specific evaluation criteria when transferring a principal/assistant principal to a subordinate certificated position. This bill would prohibit school district employment applications from including a question asking whether the applicant has ever been on a plan of improvement, or under an investigation. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs.The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and scheduled for public hearing on February 14 at 4pm.

SSB 5127: which would clarify school districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5237: which would direct OSPI to establish procedures to investigate and address complaints alleging noncompliance with state laws regarding civil rights, certain curriculum requirements and student discipline. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5248: which would reappropriate COVID-19 relief funding for grants to be used on high quality tutoring and rigorous extended learning programs. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5257: which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5264: which would require paraeducators to receive a passing grade on a Paraeducator Board-approved assessment, rather than the Education Testing Service paraeducator assessment (hearing time: 1:00). Testifying in support: representatives from the WEA, PESB, the Rural Ed Center, AWSP and PSE.

SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and is scheduled for executive session on February 13 at 4pm.

SSB 5339: which would add free school breakfast and lunch to the state’s program of basic education beginning in the 2023-24 school year. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5408: which would establish the Ninth Grade Success Grant Program, which funds the creation of ninth grade success teams that can identify and support incoming high school students who are at risk of not graduating. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5441: which would require larger school districts to designate inclusive curricula coordinators and smaller school districts to work with their educational service districts (ESDs) to promote the development and adoption of curricula that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5442: which would provide a per-pupil enrichment grant to charter schools in an amount equivalent to the state local effort assistance threshold: $1,550 per pupil. The bill would also authorize charter schools to apply for state grants on the same basis as school districts (hearing time: 29:00). Testifying in support: representatives from Rainier Prep, BESR, a concerned citizen, Summit Olympus Charter School and WI-HS.

SB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5505: which aims to address learning loss by expanding the mandatory number of school days for public K-12 schools from 180 days to 185 (hearing time: 45:53). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI and WASA. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the Conservative Ladies of WA. Testifying as “other”: representatives from the WEA and WSSDA.

SB 5527: which would add additional courses to the list of courses approved as a graduation pathway option (hearing time: 49:25). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBE. Testifying as “other”: representatives from OSPI.

SB 5559: which would prohibit the isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint of students by school staff, including the phasing out of isolation rooms (hearing time: 55:32). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI, ACLU, AASR, WSPTA, SSEPTSA, Arc of King County, CPI, several concerned citizens, Disability Rights WA, Seattle School Board, WFIS, PAVE and the SCPTSA. Testifying as “other”: representatives from the West Valley SD, PSE and the WEA. Crosscut has more on this: WA Bills Propose Initiatives to Bring Special Ed Students Back Home

SB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction (hearing time: 11:26). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI, WLA, WSPTA, several concerned citizens, Capitol HS, Kent SD, CCI, AME and WSCSS. The bill is scheduled for executive session February 13 at 130pm.

SB 5647: which requires safe school plans to include how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information, including school safety policies and procedures and the three basic functional drill responses (hearing time: 2:30). The bill is scheduled for executive session February 13 at 130pm.

SB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and is scheduled for public hearing on February 14 at 4pm.

SB 5671: which would make experience factor adjustments for certificated instructional staff. The bill is scheduled for public hearing February 13 at 130pm.

Odds and Ends:

“When do we stop pushing for people to walk or talk in normative ways and instead acknowledge and embrace difference?” This week from MindShift: How Teachers can Disrupt Linear Development Models and Support Students with Disabilities.

“These students didn’t move out of state, and they didn’t sign up for private school or home school, according to publicly available data. In short, they’re missing.” From the Seattle Times’ Education Lab, Thousands of Kids are Missing from School. Where Did They Go?

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

The Promise of 2021: The Irreplaceable Educator

Posted by on
Current Affairs, Distance Learning, Education, Education Policy, Equity, Life in the Classroom, Online Teaching, Social Issues, Teacher Leadership, Uncategorized | , , , , , , ,

Hopefulness is evident in celebrations all over the world. There is such hope that the New Year will bring a return to normal, a return to a less complicated time. Of course, we are more pragmatic than this. We know that the normal we once knew has changed, and we will take many of this year’s complications with us far into the future. That is the truth, and, well, that is how progress happens, too.

As educators, this is significant. Most teachers I speak to relate similar feelings. Their jobs have become so different, practically unrecognizable. “This isn’t what we signed up for,” is the common refrain. I’ve said it, too.

No, it is not what we expected, but it is what we have now. And it is a bit scary. There is a real danger of people leaving the education profession. However, change can be leveraged to solve problems. As educators, let’s unite to do this. Let’s make this next year the year we start a revolution in education.

REVOLUTION. Not renaissance, not pivot, not shift. Let’s flip this system.

This is not to be taken lightly. If we sit quietly and wait for normal, the entrepreneurs out there will convince the public that they can create products for online learning that are better than in-person teaching. They will market these miracles to the masses and this will be touted as ethical and equitable. Anyone with access to the internet can learn. Who needs teachers?

You may think, so what? Let them turn to online systems. But, if this year has taught us anything at all, it is the value of human connection. We teachers may be struggling to realize our value as purveyors of knowledge, but we know our true worth. It is obvious that we are invaluable when we are the ones coaching lonely youngsters through their studies, reminding them of their worth, laughing at their antics during Zoom meetings, and consoling them when their practices and games are canceled. That humanity is irreplaceable.

I treasure every moment of connection with my students these days. And I know that I am a better teacher for seeing the value of it. Because of this, there is no going back to normal for me. I don’t even want it to be the way it was. For me, the lifting of the veil revealed that all students need to feel safe, in control of their learning, and valued by their teachers and by the education system. That is the only way to move forward successfully.

For equity, for ethics, we need systems that honor the value of each individual. In light of this, I am reinventing my practice to put students clearly at the center, giving them more power in the process of choosing the learning they will do. I will involve them in the grading process, and I will work every day to ensure that they understand their worth.

I understand mine. And I know that every educator out there needs to see their worth, too. You are the connection. You are the humanity. You are irreplaceable.

Related Readings (Or, Why Is Lynne All Riled Up?):

The Pivot

Posted by on
Distance Learning, Education, Education Policy, High School, Life in the Classroom, Middle School, Online Teaching, Professional Development, Teacher Leadership | , , , , ,

We are pivoting, again.

Pivot? I keep hearing this word, and the famous phrase from The Princess Bride keeps running through my head: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

In the dictionary, pivot (v.) means to turn in place, as if on a point. Synonyms include rotate, revolve, and swivel. I get it, because what it means in a staff meeting is that yesterday may have been an in-person hybrid day, but now we are pivoting to fully remote teaching temporarily, due to a rise in cases of Covid-19 in our district. We are swiveling, changing direction, quickly without pause. We have done it three times this year, and it looks like we need to be prepared to pivot in the future. This is the new normal in education, shifting to meet the immediate needs of our students. Not a bad thing, in general.

However, I don’t want to merely pivot, at least the swivel variety of pivot. In business, a pivot is a true change of course. The product is not selling, so change the product or get a new one to sell. I’m feeling more like that. Students are failing in record numbers. Teachers and students are struggling with engagement and isolation. Not only is this a problem in itself, but it has also revealed and highlighted some troubling pre-existing conditions in education. (There are many, so I will leave you to imagine your favorites.)

Continue reading →

One Last Lesson: Mindfulness in Trying Times

Posted by on
Education, High School, Life in the Classroom, Mentoring, Uncategorized | , , , ,

I cannot begin to tell you how special my 2020 seniors are to me. I feel like writing them a mass letter of recommendation, pinning the hopes of the world on their amazing shoulders. They are the inspiration I need these days, because their cleverness, their resilience, their awareness, and their kindness are what we need to solve problems and hold each other up.

Last week I had one more online class with them to plan, and I had to make it matter. They have been my students since seventh grade. They’ve heard all my stories; they know all my opinions. I’ve presented them with hundreds of lessons on literature and composition. If I haven’t taught them a skill by now, it really is too late, right?

2020 Mossyrock Seniors in Junior High

Bell to bell. I like to fill my students’ time with learning, which makes me an exhausting, high-energy, way-too-intense teacher for some folks, but they know to expect my expectations. And we were going to learn on the last day, too.

What was the lesson they still needed? We had dedicated most of the last semester of their dual-credit composition class to “skills for success”. We brainstormed what successful adults had learned – outside of school. We compared that to their collective knowledge, and then they dug into some research to create projects to share with their peers to expand their knowledge in the homestretch. They created research papers, multimedia presentations, and blog posts (see them here), as individuals and groups. It was relevant, dynamic, timely, and successful. And, in the middle of it, the pandemic happened.

Some of the Girls (Photo Credit: Amy Fitzhugh)

So what was the lesson I still owed them? It is one I am working on myself, and one we all need, especially with the isolation and the unfamiliar challenges of distance learning. I announced that I (their least relaxed teacher of all time) was delving into mindfulness techniques to manage stress in these strange times. I have been reading about stress and mental health all year, and I had just attended our CSTP Happy Hour that focused on mindfulness with special guest Christy Anana. All of the signs led to this topic. This topic chose itself.

I let my vulnerability show, telling my seniors I knew my mindfulness skills were awful, and my “vibe” was not the sort that a mindfulness teacher would have, but I also knew that it was a skill for success that we had bypassed in our research. It was too important to leave out.

Some of the Boys (Photo Credit: Sage Pereira)

So, we watched some videos: an explainer on stress and the brain; some videos of a high school teacher who helps her students “arrive” through mindfulness; and a video that led us through a mindful minute. We discussed how we felt about it, how our conservative community would react if teachers started teaching mindfulness regularly, and how we could use it in our lives to stay grounded and present.

And, as usual, like every other time, these kids impressed me. They were amazing, and already better than me at mindfulness.

The Home Team (Photo Credit: Amy Fitzhugh)

So, at the end, I gave them instructions as to how to write their final reflection and submit their portfolios. There was an awkward pause. I struggled to find some witty way to say my final goodbye, and I failed.

I just said, “I’m going to let you go.”

Pause. Long pause.

“Are you going to cry Mrs. Olmos?”

“Yes.”

That was the last lesson, the last gift I had to give those students. But, next year’s students, no matter what next year looks like, are going to get a more mindful teacher from the get-go.

One More for the Road (Photo Credit: Amy Fitzhugh)

Resources:

How Our Brains React to Uncontrollable Stress

Harvard Researchers Study How Mindfulness May Change the Brain in Depressed Patients

The Mindfulness Skill That Is Crucial for Success

Arrive – A Mindfulness Minute

Mindful Minute – Beach

Christy Anana on YouTube

The Sexual Health Education Bill: Facts to Calm the Fear

Posted by on
Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Elementary, High School, Middle School | , , , , , ,
Shannon Cotton

By Guest Contributor Shannon Cotton, NBCT

Senate Bill 5395, known as the comprehensive sexual health bill, was a hot topic in Olympia this Legislative session.  A few weeks ago I spent 90 minutes watching TVW listening to the state senators make comments about the amendments before a roll call vote which passed the bill 27 to 21. 

Legislators talked about constituents who  felt as if “government isn’t listening to what they want.” For every parent who wants to exercise their rights to control the sexual health education of their child another family desperately wants their children to have access to health-enhancing information. Shouldn’t our public school system make information accessible to all as long as provisions are made to allow a family to opt out if they wish?

As a National Board Certified health teacher with 16 years experience teaching sexual health to middle school students in Washington state, I have been fielding questions and attempting to help others understand what this bill means to student learning and overall student health. I have spent more hours than I care to admit trying to clear up misconceptions and disprove outrageous propaganda created to spark fear into parents on social media with information that are outright lies. 

Here are some facts about ESSB 5395:

Continue reading →

An Empty Classroom and a Full Heart

Posted by on
Current Affairs, Education, Life in the Classroom, Middle School, Social Issues, Uncategorized | , , ,

Hey, teachers. How are you? Tough week, huh?

Me? I’m okay, just a bit lonelier than usual. I am alone in my classroom, alone with empty desks, blank whiteboards, and quiet halls. It is eerie and unsettling. It puts everything in perspective for me. I’m trying to consider it a gift, insomuch as I can in these difficult times.

As you know, all schools in our state are closed, but our local administrators have some leeway in the management of the closures. The situation is fluid, and changes daily, but this is what I am currently experiencing. The school buildings are closed to the public until at least April 27. We are delivering food and grade-level learning packets via bus routes. Families who prefer can call ahead and pick up meals and supplies at our school offices during abbreviated hours. Classified staff are still busy, at least part time, doing odd jobs, disinfecting the facilities, copying the packets, preparing the breakfasts and lunches, delivering the food and supplies, and providing childcare to local first responders and healthcare workers. 

As for the teachers, we are expected to work seven-hour days and log our activities daily. This week we are preparing the learning packets, creating activities that can help our students progress without our day-to-day contact. We are asked to stay in touch with families and make weekly calls to the students in our advisories. We can clean and organize our classrooms. We can sign up for online classes. We can read books or watch online professional development videos. We can work at home if we so choose.

I see other teachers in my social media feeds creating cool online resources for their students, but we are encouraged to plan for the many students in our district who won’t have internet access. We are rural, a bit remote, and we have a large population that is often displaced or even homeless. It’s complicated. Continue reading →

The Effectiveness of Classroom Meetings

Posted by on
Uncategorized | ,

Last year I implemented classroom meetings once a week with my 6th-grade classroom. My experience began by doing a lot of research on the topic.  There were several formats to select from and even more opinions on the effectiveness of using valuable class time to hold them.  

The ideas behind the purpose range from meeting the social and emotional needs of the student to covering the daily agenda of classroom activities.  I use the power of a class meeting to help students feel welcome, safe, and as an activity that allows their voices to be heard.

When I first heard about the advantages of a classroom meeting I almost couldn’t believe it.  I thought, “who has time to do all that?” I gave myself permission to use 30 minutes every Wednesday to conduct morning meetings. Initially, I decided to focus on one question. I gave them a survey asking: do you feel respected and safe at school?  

Many students shared the same concern – their perspectives on lack of respect in their lives.  

Continue reading →

Critical Literacy in Rural WA

Posted by on
Education, Literacy, Social Issues | , , ,

I just finished teaching a unit on literacy in my senior English class. I’m loving this class. The kids are amazing, and reading their ideas and listening to them discuss the issues around literacy today has been fascinating- and revealing. One article in particular, “Literacy and the Politics of Education,” by C. H. Knoblauch, really struck a nerve in my small-town classroom.

The article, published nearly thirty years ago, can be found here. For a quick look at the concepts, check out this handy study guide another teacher created and posted. To sum it up rather simplistically, Knoblauch outlines four basic types of literacy: functional literacy, cultural literacy, literacy for personal growth, and critical literacy. In essays and discussions, my students chose the literacies they valued the most and reflected on what their experience in high school had provided them so far. Their perspectives gave me food for thought. Continue reading →

Going Global, Revisited

Posted by on
Education, Professional Development, Teacher Leadership, Travel, Uncategorized | , , , ,

Last September, I wrote a blog as I was just starting a 10-week course with the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program. As I wrote that blog, I was just learning about global competencies for myself and my students. It has been eight months since then, and it feels like a lifetime. I’m not the same teacher I was at the beginning of the year. I’m better.

Rabat, Morocco

Let me explain how it happened. In December, after my 10-week course, I was assigned to a cohort destined for Morocco.  It was stressful finding out that I was in the cohort scheduled to leave the earliest, as they are spread out over the spring and summer months, with Morocco being the first of the five cohorts to go. We had just over two months to prepare to be out of our classrooms for three weeks.

In February the Fulbright TGC fellows attended a symposium in Washington D.C. where we learned more about global education and met teachers from Morocco and other host countries. We had security briefings and cultural trainings in preparation for our trips. I met with my cohort face-to-face, while other cohorts for other destinations (Peru, Indonesia, Senegal, Columbia, and India) met to learn the specifics of their journeys. It was exciting and overwhelming, especially since there were only two weeks between the symposium and our departure!

During the time between the symposium and my trip, I frantically scrambled to prepare my classes for my absence and myself for this otherworldly experience. I began a dialogue via WhatsApp with my amazing host teacher, Rachid El Machehouri, an English teacher in Tangier. As he built an agenda around my interests, it became exciting and real. I was on my way to Africa to visit teachers and students.

Junior high students, Tangier

 

And so it was that for three weeks in March I traveled to Morocco with my Fulbright TGC cohort. The experience was life changing. Any trip abroad, especially for a fairly inexperienced traveler, can feel like the whole world is finally opening up to you. But, this was more. I got to experience classrooms and teaching in another country.

In my first blog about Global Ed, I introduced elements from ASCD’s Global Competent Learning Continuum, a rubric that measures a teacher’s global competencies. You can explore the full continuum here.  

 

Now I would like to connect these ideas to the new teacher I am becoming. Likewise, if you are a teacher with the opportunity to bring the world into your classroom, either virtually or through your own travel experiences, I commend you. Your students are definitely better for it. Measure yourself by the same rubric. We all have room to grow.
Teacher Dispositions
1. Empathy and valuing multiple perspectives
2. Commitment to promoting equity worldwide

FEELING: I felt that I was strong in teacher dispositions from the start, but I have a whole new metric now. What can top the experience of being in a room full of Muslim students on the day of a massacre in a New Zealand mosque? Do you think I had the chance to value a different perspective from my own? When those students showed me compassion as the outsider, how did that impact my own idea of empathy? My commitment to teaching compassion and promoting equity grew tenfold.

Teacher Knowledge
3. Understanding of global conditions and current events
4. Understanding of the ways that the world is interconnected
5. Experiential understanding of multiple cultures
6. Understanding of intercultural communication

KNOWING: With travel and the learning that accompanies it, a teacher’s knowledge cannot help but grow. I learned so much about North Africa, about Muslims, and about Moroccan people. I learned about how we are all essentially alike, despite our differences. I witnessed the way a multilingual culture gracefully moves between languages, valuing linguistic diversity and encouraging communication of all types. Moroccans openly communicate verbally and nonverbally. They don’t shut out strangers. It is shocking and illuminating, as it contrasts so starkly with how Americans are often cut off from others. Continue reading →

Fighting Together

Posted by on
Uncategorized | , , ,

By Guest Blogger, NBCT Bethany Rivard

On August 14th, I answered a phone call from my union president. She asked me to step up into leadership and head to a training in Longview to prepare our members for a possible strike. The possible strike turned into a likely strike, and then before I knew it we were out on the picket lines. There were MANY sleepless nights and massive amounts of anxiety swirling through my mind and body during this time. The strike both tore me apart and strengthened me, in equal amounts. The negativity we encountered paled in comparison to the support and solidarity we received.

Somewhere in the midst of those Twilight Zone like weeks, I stumbled upon a text I had been perusing pre-strike entitled, When We Fight We Win. I flipped to chapter two, “Grounded in Community: The Fight for the Soul of Public Education.” I learned about the Chicago Teachers Union Strike of 2012 over issues of excessive testing, increased class size, the school-to-prison pipeline, and corporate takeover of public schools. The strike was ultimately successful because impacted families (led by African American and Latino parents), community organizations and labor allies joined forces with educators. The strike shut down the nation’s third largest school district for a week. The entire community came together to fight for the heart of public education, and won.

The three days Vancouver Education Association members were on strike, we were joined full force by our community. The overwhelming support has been a common refrain through teacher strikes across the state; education allies consistently showed up and linked arms with us. Over 900 parents and guardians lined up outside the VEA office to sign declarations that their child would not be irreparably harmed by a work stoppage when we were threatened with an injunction. Many parents and guardians brought their kids to the picket lines to meet their teachers. Local businesses stepped in to donate and show their support for educators. Labor allies were consistently on the lines with teachers, ILWU, SEIU, LiUNA, Firefighters…the list goes on. We were not alone.

The negative vocal minority painted us the same way that Rahm Emanuel painted the Chicago Teachers Union: Greedy. I find this false narrative of educators insulting and ridiculous. It’s no secret that the educator workforce is overwhelmingly female, and that certain people find it “unseemly” for us to ask for professional pay, even if the state money was earmarked for salaries. We fight for smaller class sizes, increased supports, full day kindergarten, arts funding…and now, ourselves. The vast majority of educators I know literally pour their heart, soul and resources into their students and classrooms. We routinely spend our money on food, supplies and curriculum. We give of our time well above and beyond what we are paid for. We know the relationships we build with students and families goes well beyond our contract hours.

The strikes in Washington state are about valuing the education profession. We have a massive teacher shortage, so it is imperative that we find ways to attract new educators into teacher preparation programs and make it worth taking out hefty student loans. I want my culturally and linguistically diverse students to become future educators in my building, and to be able to stay in the communities they love. By standing up for ourselves, we are standing up for the future of public education in Washington state.

José, a fabulous former student who is also leader and organizer, gave a speech to bolster the spirits of my fellow Fort Vancouver High School Trappers when we were on the line. He knows what it is like to confront adversity, to confront power that seeks to silence. He told us, “It’s not easy raising your hand and declaring your opposition to injustice. I know how it feels, teachers. I know how it feels to stand up and use my voice only to be ignored. I know how it feels to be treated unfairly. I know how it feels to be promised something only for that promise to be broken. Keep fighting. Keep striking. Nothing is more beautiful that uniting for one cause. Being a teacher is an overlooked job, but they are crucial in every student’s life. There is no way around this, to get through it we must go through it. Do not give up. In the end, they have no choice but to hear you. Keep on fighting and follow the light that is surely at the end of the tunnel.” José knows that with solidarity, unity and community we can confront opposition and declare our worth.

Educators across the country are running for office because they know we need to be at the table to shape education policy. We have expertise on issues that directly affect our caseloads and classrooms, our kids and communities. These educator-leaders have inspired me to announce a run for my local school board of directors. I know I will not be the only educator running for an elected position this year. I hope many others have internalized their worth and realize they have much to offer and choose to run as well. I stand with educators. I stand with students and families. I stand with my Labor Union brothers and sisters. I stand for the transformative power of public education. When we fight, we win!

Bethany Rivard, NBCT, teaches English Language Arts and Theater at Fort Vancouver High School Center for International Studies and is a member of the Washington Teacher Advisory Council (WATAC). She is a 2016 Washington Regional Teacher of the Year and serves on the Professional Educator Standards Board. Bethany is a Vancouver Education Association member and recipient of the NEA Foundation California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two daughters.