The topic this week is advocacy--advocacy for education, literacy, children. You have all had a good dose of advocacy during the teacher walk-out and found how difficult it can be. Now that the walk out is over (or so OEA says), you will need to stay active in advocacy. For your response to this blog, tell me about your advocacy efforts during the walk out. What were some positives? Some challenges?
You will be reading B&D 17 about policy implementation and B 11 about proposal writing. For your own blogs, make connections on the policy implementations to your own school districts. What kinds of policies have been implemented? How? Discuss the factors in Figure 17.1 in relationship to your own policy implementation. You might also look at the Engagement activities at the end of the chapter. Also think about proposal writing and what was in the chapter that was new or surprising to you? How will the hints help you write your own proposal?
We are meeting on April 28 from 1-4. Don't forget to upload your individual activity plan before you come to class. Come with an idea for a grant that is related to your PD plan as well as an idea for where you would submit the grant since you will want to use the guidelines of the donor. We will be talking about the final response to my blog as well as the revision of your Self as a Literacy Leader poster and issues around the coaching assignment.......flexibility is key here. Let me know if you have any questions.
Have a good week.
During the walkout I spent four days at the capitol. All but one of those days I brought my daughter with me. I would have gone more, but she was capitol'd out! I brought along my high school-aged brother one of the days as well. One of the positives for me was getting to expose my daughter and brother to the experience. I think it was great for them to witness and be apart of. Another positive was the amount I learned from time there. I do not consider myself politics-savy by any means, so I learn quite a bit from this entire experience.
ReplyDeleteThe days we did not go, we joined some advocacy efforts around Yukon. We held us signs as busy intersection in Yukon to attempt to keep up the community support and even partnered with El Reno and Mustang one of the days to stand between Yukon and Mustang doing the same. That was probably the most positive experience I had during the walkout. Parents were notified and invited to join and both the Yukon and Mustang drum lines came our and played on the corners with us. I got to see a few of my students and their parents and the turn out was very reassuring. It felt good to get a dose of community support.
My biggest challenge was the emotional toll it all took. I did have one upset parent and received a not so nice message from her regarding the walk-out. It was very tough not to take it personally as I care for her child so much.
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ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, one of the biggest challenges was the OEA saying the walkout was over, when so many teachers weren’t ready to end it. However, I do know that like myself so many teachers were also ready to get back to teaching students. It was very inspiring to see all the teachers (current and retired) at the Capitol each day and I enjoyed marching beside my colleagues with our posters. Furthermore, it was also very exciting to see how many parents and students supported teachers along with the community support during the walkout. We had several parents who brought food and other donations for teachers on a daily basis during the walkout. However, it was difficult to listen to or read some of the things that people were saying who were not supporting what teachers were doing especially when the children are our future. Our superintendent has been very supportive and he explained that even though the walkout had ended this was not the end of our advocacy. Our district developed a continued plan of advocacy where our superintendent is allowing educators to continue visiting the Capitol on a rolling schedule.
ReplyDeleteFor me advocacy began before the walkout. When the legislature began seriously discussing teacher pay raises and educational funding, my school began advocating then. Many teachers went to the capitol to speak to legislators the week of March 26-30. I wrote email to my state senator about voting for more educational funding; I wrote another one to my senator once the walkout began. During the walkout, my school was in session most of the time. Our school board voted that we would have school based on a survey of teachers where 50% wanted to walkout and 50% wanted to have school. The board decided any teachers who wanted to go to the capitol each day could take a professional day and go. We would not have to use personal or sick time to be at the capitol; there was no limit on how many days we could go. I supported my colleagues who wanted to go to the capitol by covering other teachers’ classes, so they would not have to get subs.
ReplyDeleteThe only day our school was official closed was April 9. Some of the teachers from my school participated in the walk with Edmond schools to the capitol. The rest of our teachers walked up Lincoln Boulevard together to the capitol. Our school had a tent set up that day. I walked around the capitol, visited with teachers from other schools, and showed support for public schools across our state.
Some of the positives I experienced was gaining a greater knowledge of how our state legislature works and I found out who my state representative and senator are! (I didn’t know before now!) I have tried to become more informed on educational policy issues, finding my own information and not relying on social media for the facts (or their version of the facts). Additionally, it has made the teachers at our school, myself included, more unified as a group that is committed to paying attention to political issues. I have decided that I will always vote in local and state elections, no matter what, which means I will have to be more informed of the issues.
There were numerous challenges to the teacher walkout. Many schools looked down on mine because we weren't out for the entire teacher walkout. All the stress and anxiety surrounding the walkout actually began to affect my health.
I have always been an advocate/activist :) it started way before the walkout. I like to stand up for what I believe in. I was at the walk out every single day. I marched around the Capitol, went inside to observe the house and senate sessions, and I talked to legislators. I walked with people from Norman to the Capitol. It was 20 miles! I even went this past week as a delegate to represent my district and let them know we are still here.
ReplyDeleteSome of the positives were I gained so much knowledge about how the state government works. I was also able to stand up for my students and what is right. The overwhelming support the community showed was incredible. It was amazing :)
Some challenges were the few parents who weren't supportive or the legislators who weren't nice. Some people just like to be negative Nancy's!
In order to advocate for public education, recently I have done several things including walking from Norman to the Oklahoma State Capitol, holding signs on busy corners in effort to communicate with the citizens of Norman about the finding shortage, and attended multiple Question and Answer sessions at local coffee chops from representatives from my district. I also spent each day at the Capitol marching with my school team members, visiting in the offices of our representatives and others who are not in support of funding for education.
ReplyDeleteThe business at the Capitol, a few angry parents, and the lack of support from our school's administration have been, and continue to be the main source of frustration. Not every parent sees the problem. They do not see how much of the slack teachers are working to hold for the function of the school. Our administration was so clearly against the walkout that more than one of our finest teachers have indicated that they feel the need to find a new school. The legislators do not seem to care about our school's funding any more than they care about the game of Candy Crush they seem to play endlessly.
All and all, advocating for schools and proper funding has been an eye-opening experience. I have had more stress and anxiety over this the last month than I have had in my entire teaching career. Yikes! Being an advocate is not for the faint of heart, for sure.
Advocacy is important! I have always known this, but it was front in center during the walkout. I regularly email my Representatives and Senators and occasionally I receive a response. During the walkout, we were present from Tuesday of week 1 through Wednesday of week 2. I was awed by the support that teachers had for each other and the support from my parents, students and community.
ReplyDeleteI was disheartened however by the lack of interest and at times hostile responses I saw and heard from the Legislators. I heard very few positives, except from the one or two Representatives who the other legislators were unhappy with. Scott Inmann shared great information, but very few people at the capitol had positive things to say about him. My greatest wonder is "WHO" is telling the truth? My teachers we even told by one Senator as he placed a toy oil derrick on his desk, "I see them every day. I never see you." My mouth dropped!!! He doesn't see us because we are in the classroom doing our jobs. Since the walkout I have sent multiple emails. I've only received 2 responses. I am also trying to establish a lobbying calendar for the schools in Pottawatomie County. My goal is for each school to send a few teachers one time per month. It is my hope that if we coordinate the visits, our Legislators will see Pottawatomie County teachers at least once per week every month.
The teacher walkout was a bittersweet experience. My school was very active throughout the walkout. We picketed street intersections in Norman, emailed legislators daily, and traveled to the capitol everyday from Monday of week one to Friday of week two. We were not ready to end the battle, however our careers were on the line as soon as our superintendent realized how many of his teachers put in substitute requests for Monday of week three. Although our fight was cut short, we are still sending 15% of our teaching staff to speak with legislators every day.
ReplyDeleteThe most challenging part of the entire experience was the cold and selfish tone reflected by many of the legislators. It was very disheartening, draining, and defeating to hear such insincere remarks and disinterest after pouring your heart to them about your passion and concern for the children of the state. Everything that was said felt like it went through one ear and immediately out the other. And after constant negative feedback and denial, I became very discouraged. It was a very emotional two weeks. As much as I wanted to give up, I knew I had to continue to do what was right for the students. Throughout the weeks, I continued to remind myself that this small sacrifice would foster great gains. This helped maintain motivation and perseverance. Therefore, I will continue to be an advocate for these students, through sending emails and visiting the capitol to speak with legislators.
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DeleteMy advocacy experience throughout the walkout was filled with many emotions. One of the most positive things for me was seeing the outpouring of community support and learning how to voice my concerns and opinions to my legislators. I was then able to take that new knowledge and be a source of information and learning for those in my community who wanted to know more and become more involved. A negative for me was the amount of time away from my class. I have learned a lot about advocating beyond just within my classroom or school and will be working to stay involved in the decisions being made for education. We have come to far to sit back and loose all that has been accomplished.
ReplyDeleteMy advocacy during the walkout was such an eye opening experience. I was at the Capitol everyday during the walkout and have signed up for days to be delegate for NPS and go back to the Capitol. It was such an exhausting, but empowering time when the walkout was happening (even though the response was negative from legislators) because teachers were banding together and sticking up for what they believed in. One of my teachers is very introverted but she went to the Capitol everyday to stand up for herself and to support her fellow teachers. That was a positive for me, seeing all of the teachers joining together in taking a stand and fighting for what is right. Another positive was being able to really engage with the issues that are facing our state, and see what ways it can change. I told many people during the walkout that you don't truly become involved until you have a stake in the game.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest negative was that some of the legislators were so disinterested and sometimes disrespectful to our profession. To have someone completely discredit your life's work by saying that other things are more important is really hard to hear day after day. The other negative was that OEA decided the walkout was over way before teachers were ready for it to end. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to be with my students everyday that I was there instead, but I felt like this issue was too great to just sit back and let it end after we tried so hard for so many days.
Like many others have shared, the walk-out was an eye opening experience for me as well. I learned more about the public's perception of of what public ed looks like and it was extremely frustrating to hear things that were negative or simply untrue about teachers and public education. It was also very frustrating for me because I am classified as support as a SLPA. Virtually none of the news or media coverage talked about the fact that support staff are vital staff members and that they should be compensated to accurately reflect that. It was such a positive experience to be a part of the huge crowds at the Capitol and see all the cars driving around these past several weeks with windows painted to show their support for teachers. The community of Mustang was extremely supportive and I feel lucky to work here! It was also a learning experience for me as far as how the legislatures work and how difficult it is to get something not only heard much less passed.
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