By Antonio D. French
Filed Saturday, June 24 at 11:43 AM
The following is a letter from an exiting administrator in St. Louis Public Schools:
Since I am now leaving the BOE (my position for improving student performance on ACT and AP examinations has been eliminated), I feel less encumbered to avoid political controversy (If this sound like "sour grapes," it isn't!).
I would suggest that there are a number of reasons that the district fails to attract and keep competent "certificated" teachers. Among them are:
1. low wages and few rewards
2. a lack of a real mentoring program for new and inexperienced teachers
3. a lack of a real professional development program that encourages teachers and administrators to pursue professional development outside of the district confines (summer institutes, professional conferences, meaningful in-service, etc.)
4. continued threats and abuse of teachers by district functionaries and school administrators, school staff (such as Data Processors, secretaries, and the like)
5. lack of an effective assessment and evaluation program to identify and remove dysfunctional teachers or to assist salvageable teachers in retraining themselves
6. lack of teaching resources in the schools (textbooks, paper, materials, computers that work, etc.) that cause great frustration among the teaching cadre (mostly the result of poor planning on the part of the 801 leadership)
7. micro-management of curriculum and instruction by district functionaries, including the Superintendent
8. inept hiring practices by the senior administration of failed functionaries from failed school districts and failed schools to assume leadership roles in the district office and to develop and implement policies (Do we really need this kind of "expertise" in St. Louis?)
9. constant miscommunication between the district office, the school administrators, the schools instructional leaders, and teachers, not to mention "mixed messages" and regular reversal of directives emanating from 801
10. inept management, leadership, and staffing in the Human Relations function
11. an exaggerated focus by the Superintendent on Public Relations, on form over substance, on shallow initiatives over substantive actions, and on personality over proficiency, to name but a few failure by the senior administration to be inclusive and open to suggestions, critical assessment, and ideas from subordinates in the field
12. unwillingness by the senior administration to recognize substantial contributions of teachers and school administrators in making educational opportunities work for students (especially if those successes are the result of individual initiative rather than direction from the "front office")
13. too much reliance on "canned" programs that address symptoms rather than the illness (students can't read or calculate) that require teachers to expend excessive effort on learning the newest "fad" each only to have it discarded the next year (Step Up to Writing, Reading 180, Reading First, Voyager Math and English, etc.)
14. inconsistent and insufficient application of programs in schools in the district causing teachers and administrators (not to mention students) to learn new programs at multiple levels and students to adjust to several programs as they are mobile.
These are but a few of the problems that the senior administration has failed to address and the problems it has created. The veneer of leadership is very thin in this administration and until the real issues of educational access and opportunity are addressed and fixed, the district will continue to fail under the current leadership. Good teachers will not come and good teachers will not stay as long as these practices persist.
There is a distinct impression (and perception) by numerous teachers and school administrators that the Superintendent is building his resume for his next high paying position on the backs of St. Louis Public School students. For good or ill, perception is reality.
Sincerely,
Sterling P. Cossaboom, PhD
Secondary Professional Development Manager
AP and ACT Director, St. Louis Board of Education
Emeritus Professor of Music and Founding Director of Advanced Placement Teacher Development Southeast Missouri State University
3 Comments:
ANTONIO - QUESTION!
We have some very valid, powerful postings here on this blog. Is there a way to get information here presented at one of the board meetings or to let the board know how we feel? Were a voice too and a collective voice, you have the union for teachers, politicians for the public and interest groups but here there seems to be a unified voice from all angles, I think we should be heard and reconized!
Sunday, June 25, 2006 11:09:00 PM
couldn't have said it better myself. I wish you as much success and contentment as I have in my new job.
Monday, June 26, 2006 5:24:00 AM
Though I am not Antonio, I will say that anyone is allowed to go speak at the Board of Education meetings. All you have to do is sign up.
Monday, June 26, 2006 9:27:00 AM
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