My Superintendent's Email

It has been 4 years since I taught in a classroom of my own and I finally got an email today from my former Superintendent of Long Beach Unified School District!

I thought I would take a moment to share with you what it says:

Thank you, everyone, for a successful first day of school.  It was a pleasure to visit several schools and see such great looking classrooms and enthusiastic students, parents and staff.  We're off to a great start!

Sincerely,
Chris

Christopher J. Steinhauser
Superintendent of Schools

Thanks For A Great First Day?

I guess this was supposed to make me feel good, but I ask you, "Would you enjoy receiving an email like this from an employer who laid you off after 21 continuous years of teaching?" Let me add to this a Master's Degree in Education AND a California State Bilingual (BCLAD) Spanish Teaching Credential in a state clearly troubled by illegal immigrants speaking the Spanish language!

Yet, I received an email today with the subject, "Thanks for a Great First Day!"  As Facebook asks, "What's on your mind?", I just had to tell the world in my Laid Off Teacher's Blog that this email adds insult to injury to a saddened teacher's soul.

It's Time For A "Reinvention Selfie!!!"

Pressed with the dilemma on what to do with my time after working 21 consecutive years within the walls of an elementary school classroom, I pondered what I could do that would be productive and keep me busy at home. As I had always loved plush toys, I decided a great way to keep this "kid at heart" busy would be to open my own eBay Store. By doing so, I would get to "play with toys" as I did with my Kindergartners, meet people who share my interests, and hopefully make money to help pay our bills in the process. Little did I know how much time it would take, but it has been well worth it.

I soon discovered I had a large variety of items to sell with 21 years accumulation of teaching materials, parent and faculty gifts I had saved for "emergencies", thoughtful gifts my students gave me that I could part with, and loads of "things" I purchased for my classroom just because "I had the money" at the time. So, I have begun the very long process of weeding through those treasures. 

My Catalina Island Kindergarten Classroom

Are you a Teacher? I have started downsizing my classroom inventory as there is little hope of having a classroom of my own. You can visit my new eBay Books And Teacher Supply Store where you may find something you need for your Elementary Students. And, you can help out a Laid Off Teacher at the same time!

If you don't see anything the first time, please keep checking back, as I am determined to continue on this path of self reinvention! In case you are interested: For my resume, teaching credentials, more photos of my former classrooms, contact information, etc, please visit www.lindagant.com.

Does It "Pay" To Be A Substitute Teacher?

Does it pay to be a Substitute Teacher?  An article written by Allison Wert at Frontline Technologies states a contributing factor to the dwindling substitute teaching pool is "declining unemployment rate where more people are finding full time jobs teaching or in another profession." I know only too well that many laid off teachers in the State of California haven't found full time teaching jobs and, after years of waiting to regain a position in their own classrooms, they have given up teaching altogether and found full time jobs in another profession! 

Allison Wert cites another contributing factor as "individuals are less inclined to pursue substitute teaching work knowing that their hours may be limited by the district" due to limitations addressed by the Affordable Care Act. Such restrictions result in insufficient income.

While I admit to be ignorant of district policy limitations due to the Affordable Care Act, I do know an educator cannot financially survive on substitute teaching jobs. Think about what happens during the flu season... Teachers are called in to sub for colleagues who have succumbed to the flu and are too ill to teach.

Coughing And Sneezing Hazards

After working in a classroom full of coughing and sneezing students, the substitute teacher returns home to infect his/her household with the same influenza virus. Herein lies another problem .... as the day-to-day substitute teacher isn't a full time employee for the district, unlike the regular classroom teacher, he/she isn't fortunate enough to be covered on a district medical insurance policy. As a result, these substitute teachers are left with only a few options: continue to work in spite of how they feel, lose more work while waiting out their illness until they feel better, or pay unexpected money for a doctor's visit to help them recover. With substitute teachers, the "Affordable Care Act" becomes "More Unaffordable" every day!

The Importance Of Self-Discipline

This post is in response to Larry Ferlazzo's question-of-the-week, "What impact can having more teachers of color have on our schools & what needs to be done to make it happen?" It would be an asset to have more teachers of color in our schools to serve as models for young minds. But, the remedy doesn't come easily.

It has been noted through numerous studies that a larger percentage of blacks and disadvantaged students drop out of school and never make it to college. I believe this happens for several reasons. Many African-American parents are too busy working to make ends meet, are illiterate themselves, or do not understand the value of a good education. Additionally, they may not take the time to instill in their children the important values of honesty, self-discipline, compassion, and respect that are so essential for a successful life.

Self-Discipline Is Imperative For Lifetime Success

So, we will begin with the children. If they don't have parents who are able to work with them, they should be given mentors who will support them in their learning endeavors. These mentors will serve as role models, encouraging them to do their best, and reinforcing them when they complete their assigned tasks. Self-discipline will incur as they achieve success, and they will grow to respect authority, when they realize their teachers and mentors really care about them.  

Defiance In Home & School = Violent Protests

California's 2015 Bad Behavior Law allowing "willful defiance" in the public school system free of consequences is setting up our youth for future disruptive societal behavior and the potential for violent protests! By eliminating the consequences of suspension for willful defiance of a teacher or administrator in Kindergarten through Third Grade and school expulsion across all grade levels, we are telling our students disrespect of authority is "acceptable behavior" in our society!

Elbert Guillory, an older black Louisiana State Senator, accurately cites how willful defiance of authority begins in the home, extends into the schools, and is later found in the form of riots and protests in our society. He states, "Parents are not teaching respect for authority at home, and so they go to schools and there is no respect for the authority of their teachers and no consequences for their disruptions. When they get onto the streets and attempt to confront police officers, that's a losing situation every time. We have to change that!"

Defiance = Protests And Destruction!

The new educational laws in the State of California promoting "willful defiance of authority" are doing a great disservice to the youth of our great State! How can these laws be good for our children? They only encourage rebelliousness and disrespect and set the stage for destruction and pain. I agree with Senator Elbert Guillory, "We have to change this!" But, I just don't know how we will do it!

The Conflict Begins: State Vs. Federal Harassment Laws

It is another "Aha Moment" as I contemplate educational New Year predictions for our "Golden State." I predict a major conflict between our new California State Education law (see my prior posts) allowing students the opportunity to be verbally abusive to their teacher and administrators free of consequences and our Federal labor law prohibiting harassment in the workplace.

"How Much Of This Am I Able To Take?"

Federal law prohibits unlawful harassment in the workplace defined as "offensive conduct that is so intolerable or pervasive that reasonable people would conclude your workplace is intimidating, hostile, or abusive."

Here is a common scenario especially seen in Grades 4th and up, where expulsion is no longer an option for willful defiance of a teacher or administrator: A student or group of students are in your face yelling obscenities at you because they are obviously not in school to learn. In fact, they do this with the intent to disrupt learning, break the teacher down, and hopefully be thrown out of class. When this conduct is "intentional, severe, recurring and/or pervasive and interferes with the teacher's ability to perform his/her job", I believe it is conducive to an intimidating, hostile, or abusive environment.

Now, don't say it can't happen, as any logical person knows fully well it is prevalent in a society of "selfies" where "respect" is no longer part of the adolescent vocabulary! But, the big question is, "How much is an educator supposed to take before Federal law supersedes our new State law and that incorrigible child receives the reprimand he/she so rightfully deserves?" 

A Respectful Class Is A Happy Class!!

The foundation of a good education is respect among teachers and students. Now that California has passed a Bad Behavior Law condoning students' willful defiance of teachers and administrators, the end result will be nothing but classroom chaos. Any good educator knows that without classroom respect, it is nearly impossible to teach and a respectful class is a happy class!

A Respectful Class Is A Happy Class!

The odds against teachers are already stacked with broken homes, poverty, peer pressure, and lack of parental guidance. Adding "outright disobedience" to the equation, the end product is destined for failure.

What will be the consequences of this willful defiance? Will students be sent to a "time out detention" room until things cool down? Our new California law states, "Schools can no longer suspend a student who willfully defies a teacher or administrator from Kindergarten through Third Grade." If this law is followed to the fullest extent, that obstinate child will inevitably end up back in the classroom with his/her peers, to the dismay of the educator who was publicly degraded.