Teacher_Advocacy

Yadira M. Cesena EDU 576 Philosophical and Social Issues in Education Teacher Advocacy First off I would like to thank you for the opportunity to stand before you as an advocate in the NCLB educational environment. I will start off by providing my definition of a teacher and including my belief statements that guide my actions as a teacher. In addition I would like to provide you with challenges that affect me as a professional educator, including Adequate Yearly Progress issues mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. To summarize I would like to explain the tools that you as the State Board of Education can provide to help me succeed in the classroom as I implement NCLB policies. What is a teacher' Everyone has a different definition or belief of what a teacher is to them. To me a teacher is a knowledgeable individual that teaches others what he or she knows. They are a role model to students and encourage them to seek their own knowledge. Teachers help make a difference in students’ lives and in their futures. A teacher is part friend, confidant, motivator, coach, actor, and leader, but most of all a teacher is an individual that sparks intellect and encourages students to pursue knowledge on their own.-Footprints Recruiting. I believe education is made up of many beliefs and ideas but the most important to me are as follows: Education is a life-long process that is constantly changing; we continue to learn as we grow older. Every child regardless of their capabilities can learn and succeed. All students should be given equal opportunities to use their strengths and become successful. All teachers must believe in themselves and believe they can and will make a difference in every student’s life. Education is not only academic but also interpersonal relations, connections to the world and it includes values. Children are our future and it is the duty of the entire community to educate them. ….A rigorous and challenging education will help every child become a productive member of society-Clinton Township School District Families play a very important role in a child’s life and are their first teachers. A school should be a safe and supportive environment that promotes motivation, self-discipline and excellence in learning. …schools should provide positive role models, current resources, strategies and programs to meet the needs of the school community-Our Lady Of Mount Carmel High School All students have different learning styles. Teachers must create a positive classroom environment with mutual respect, trust and dignity. Resources are critical to education and must be available. As an educator there are many challenges that are faced on a day to day basis. With the mandated No Child Left Behind Act challenges have increased in regards to Adequate Yearly Progress. These challenges make it difficult for educators to ensure the goals are met. One of the biggest challenges is that there are many students that are English Language Learners and not enough bilingual educators. It is difficult for the students to become proficient in other subject areas when their primary concern is learning the language. They cannot understand as well as those students that are not English Language Learners when the subject areas are taught primarily in English. Extra resources are needed for English Language Learners. Having extra resources for such students will help but will not eliminate the fact that these students are learning English as they are learning other content areas. Another challenge us educators face is that in some of our schools the AYP is already behind before we even start. With some schools having more ELL students we don’t stand a chance to make the AYP expected as quickly as it is expected. It is expected that these schools catch up and make the same progress that other schools that do not have such high numbers or percentages of ELL students. Teachers are expected to make a difference with all students and they are expected to reach certain reading levels but the funding is not available. In (the most disadvantaged schools) in America, even the most earnest teacher has often given up because they lack every available resource that could possibly make a difference….When we say all children can achieve and then not give them the additional resources….we are creating a fantasy.-Wikipedia, 58.Funding is well below the originally designated. All students are expected to take the same state mandated test under the same conditions. Students with disabilities don’t have the same learning capabilities than those students without disabilities. Teachers cannot be expected to teach to the test in order for the students to solely pass the test. It is more difficult to help a student with disabilities understand the material and it may take more time. When a school does not meet the AYP everyone at that school is at risk. Teachers, counselors, principal etc. allare reviewed under the same results. Everyone at the schools that do not reach the AYP have the risk of losingtheir jobs or being transferred. It doesn’t necessarily mean that all the teachers in that school are “bad teachers”. Why should all teachers suffer the same consequences if some teachers may be better than others' In Conclusion as the State Board of Education your help is imperative in order for the tools to be available to us teachers. Many of these challenges can be eliminated by ensuring the schools have the proper funding to acquire the necessary resources. More bilingual educators are needed in the schools. There should be other ways of measuring the improvements made in those schools that start behind. By having the proper funding teachers will be able to have the resources needed to help students reach the reading levels they are expected to achieve. More flexibility should be available as far as the testing goes for those students with disabilities. Individual performance should be seen and not only the school as a whole be punished for not reaching AYP by the time mandated.