Seminole County School Board Meeting and Teacher Interview

Seminole County Board Meeting 10/18/2016 5:30 PM  400 E. Lake Mary Blvd. Sanford, FL 32773

List of School Board Members in Attendance   Dr. Walt Griffin- Superintendent Tina Calderone- School Board Chairman Amy Lockhart- School Board Vice Chairman Karen Almond- School Board Member Dede Schaffner- School Board Member Jeffrey Beauer- School Board Member Serita Beamon- School Board Lawyer Jill Mahramus- School Board Clerk Grace Gonzales- School Board Assistant Clerk        My Experience          My daughter and I attended a Seminole County school board meeting on the 18th of October this year. The purpose for my visit was to gather information about the proceedings of the meeting and report them in this blog. When I walked into the building located at 400 E. Lake Mary Blvd., I did not know what to expect. This was the first time that I attended a school board meeting of any kind. Since I did not want to miss a word of the meeting, I decided that we should sit near the center of the room in the second row.        Once the meeting started, the school board members moved through the agenda rather quickly. The first order of business was to honor people that passed away from the district. The meeting was then called to order. After the meeting was called to order, the board members and visitors rose for the Pledge of Allegiance. One of the board members was wheelchair bound, but with the help of a fellow board member, he too rose for the Pledge of Allegiance. After the Pledge, the board members took roll call. Once roll call was concluded, a student intern gave a speech about her  amazing experience working with the board. Shortly after the speech, the board members honored two retiring police officers. The board members thanked the officers for their service, and presented them with parting gifts. The police officers took pictures with the board members and walked out of the room.        After the police officers walked out of the room, the board members honored six students who completed the "Let's read" summer program. These students were from various schools within the district. Next on the agenda was a presentation about certain software programs being used to assist student learning. These teachers talked about the lexil scores and how these programs are able to help students succeed in certain subject areas like math and reading. The board members seemed to have very little questions about these programs. It seems as if the board members were aware of these assistive programs from a previous meeting.        As soon as the presentation of the new programs concluded, the board members voted on a Consent Agenda, the agenda was approved without any inquiry about the subsections. The board members voted, and the floor was open to public comments. There were a few parents who were registered with the clerk to speak to the board members. Each of the three parents that spoke to the board members had children who took and failed the FSA test. The parents voiced their concerns about the test, and how they believe it is unfair that a test can determine if their child is to be retained in the same grade if they do not pass the FSA. The board members listened to all the parents, but all of the board members did not comment on any of the issues that were presented to them. As a parent, I found their lack of response a bit frustrating. I feel that the board members should have addressed these concerns with some kind of response. After the public comments were heard, the board spoke about several upcoming events in the district. Once the board members finished talking about the events, the board meeting was adjourned.        When I walked out of the board room, I could not help but to think about these parents and their plight. I could only think about the struggles that my child, and every other child in the state of Florida faces when taking these standardized tests. As an aspiring teacher, I started to think about what I could do to assist my future students with these exams. I thought about how I could incorporate some writing strategies into my lesson plan so that these children are better prepared for these types of exams. I know that my opinion about the effectiveness of these tests may not sway the state to reconsider them. But I do know that I have the ability to teach students some methods that will help them pass these exams, so that is where I will start.   Below is a link to the School Board Meeting Agenda for the day that I attended. School Board Meeting Agenda for 10/18/2016 Teacher Interview    The interview questions below were asked to a Central Florida boarding school teacher who has been working in the field for over 20 years. Her name has been omitted from this blog to protect her identity.        Teacher Interview Questions 1) Which disciplinary measure has been the most effective during your career? Why do you think this measure was more effective than others? I use running laps and loss of class privileges as disciplinary measures but in extreme situations I use isolation. I have found that finding what works with one student may not work with another. I have taught for years so I also use trial and error to find the best method of discipline. 2) Do you believe that Standardized testing provides an accurate measure of student performance and teacher effectiveness? Why? Standardized testing gives you an idea of the student's performance, but working with your students one-on-one gives you a clearer picture of their current levels of understanding. 3) Do you integrate technology into your curriculum? How? I like using technology whenever I can in my class. Using the Internet for research and better understanding of certain subjects is important, but now my students have access to FLVS. Our school is a very small non-profit with a tight budget. We have computers, but no I-pads. We must monitor our student's Internet access. 4) How does funding problems effect the students in the classroom?   It doesn't. We just go without or improvise. 5) Does the lack of funding effect your ability to teach your students? Our school has A.C.E. curriculum. It doesn't require a large budget which is why many schools can start on very little. We seem to get all the supplies we need for our class. We also have a Thrift Store and we have access to those items that come to the Thrift store that we want for our class. 6) Do you feel that parental and community support is necessary to be an effective teacher? Why? Parental support is most important. Our students need to know that they are loved and supported. It is very heartbreaking to my students when parents do not participate in our program. When parents want their children to change, they too must get involved. Our school also depends on the community involvement with monetary donations. 7) Do you use common core standards in your classroom? If so, what were some positive outcomes? If not, why are these practices not implemented? Our school does not use core standards. Our curriculum is updated every few years or revised but no core standards. 8) What is your most memorable experience as a teacher? Notes from students and parents are a shot in the arm of my soul. I keep a file of each one of those encouraging notes to remind me of why I teach. 9) If you had the option to go back in time and change your career choice, would you? Why or Why not? No, I love teaching students because no two days are alike. I worked in an office for seven years and it was so boring. I did the same thing every day. Students are always changing and challenging. Students are not boring. 10) What is the most challenging part about being a teacher? We get those students that don't seem to trust. So, nothing seems to motivate them or get them moving in their academics. Then I wish I was a child psychologist. I would love to find the keys to their minds. I have a few like that now and I am baffled at their stubbornness and unwillingness to improve or learn. My Thoughts         I was fortunate enough to interview an inspiring teacher in the state of Florida. She teaches high school aged students in a boarding school and has been teaching in the state of Florida for well over 20 years. One of the many impressive qualities about this teacher is the fact that she has so much passion for teaching after her many years in the teaching field. It truly is amazing that this teacher has done so much with the limited resources available to her. The disciplinary strategies utilized by this teacher are effective because her students are less likely to cause further problems. It is quite obvious that teaching at a boarding school allows the teacher to employ a variety of different teaching and disciplinary measures, but this style of teaching is not for everybody. Some teachers might be more comfortable in a public school setting because of the rules and guidelines that are set by the school district.        After the interview, I thought about what kind of teacher I want to become. One of the questions that I asked myself  was "Should I teach at a boarding school? or public school?" I realized that even though the teacher I interviewed was an inspiration to me, I feel that teaching in a public school setting is where I belong. I know that certain disciplinary measures used at the boarding school are not permitted in public schools, but that does not mean that the discipline measures used at public schools are ineffective. I believe that the teaching strategies for both the boarding school and a public school, can be just as effective. I believe that one of the most important tasks for a teacher is to find strategies that are beneficial to their students. Once you are able to reach a student through one of your strategies, is the day you can call yourself a teacher.