Our profession: In great hands!

Last week, the eight finalists for Kansas Teacher of the Year met in Topeka for their annual visit to the Kansas Legislature. One of the most enjoyable parts of that event for me is the pre-visit workshop during which Cyndi Menzel, KNEA Director of Communications works with the Teacher Recognition staff from Kansas State Department of Education to help these excellent teachers begin to craft their message about our profession; begin their new role as spokespersons for our students, our schools, and our work.

This year’s eight member team, led by Cindy Couchman as Teacher of the Year, developed their remarks, delivered powerful messages, and also did an outstanding job of fielding tough questions from both the House and Senate Education Committees. For me, though, the best part of the two days was a luncheon sponsored by KNEA – a chance for the team to meet with several of us to talk about the future of public education, the challenges confronting us, and a shared vision – great public schools for every child, a strong profession, and the well-being of people who work in our schools.

We had a chance to talk about the challenges they face every day in the classroom and hear the passion they bring to their work with students, parents, their teacher colleagues and their communities. It was an honor to meet these outstanding individuals. It is also heartening to know that KNEA is playing a crucial role to provide research, professional development, and a platform for unifying our voices for the good of public education. And we have a fantastic new group of Teacher of the Year voices to add to the chorus.

To learn more about the 2009 KTOY team... http://www.knea.org/news/2009/ktoy09.html

Meeting our future - A visit at Emporia State University

On Tuesday, January 13, 2009, the highlight of my day was a visit to Emporia State University. One of the regular appointments for me each semester is a presentation for the student teachers at ESU. This time, we talked about a range of legal and policy issues facing Kansas educators. We addressed such questions as, "what are the responsibilities of a teacher to ensure students use technology appropriately" or "what must a teacher do if she/he suspects a student is the victim of abuse?" ESU Student Program President, Alex Weis, also spoke about the importance of KNEA membership to provide liability insurance for professional practice. She also recruited volunteers to participate in a community service project in connection with the inauguration of the next President of the United States.

The 180 new educators at ESU attending this class were a tremendous group. It was so inspiring to hear their enthusiasm and desire to be a positive influence in the lives of students; to learn of their commitment to serving their community and our state. Contrast their dedication to education and our future with the short-sighted, self-centered discussions of Kansas policy-makers these days. There is no doubt who it is that is willing to put their lives on the line for the good of students... and I feel honored to work with these outstanding students - the next generation of my teaching colleagues!.

Happy New Year… and welcome back to work!

January 2 was “back to work” in Independence, KS and I was privileged to meet with the dedicated educators of the district during their in-service activities. Independence is proposing a bond issue to provide for important renovations and new construction. I was there providing a workshop to help district staff inform the public about the proposal ethically and legally.

It’s an interesting time to try and get public support for school construction. While there are tax implications, there is also the prospect of millions of new dollars flowing into a local community. Construction costs and materials are cheaper than they have been in years. And interest rates are low. Improving education infrastructure is about the surest way to improve the economy of any community. As we approach the 2009 legislative session, it will be profoundly important for Kansas educators to make sure policy makers make smart economic decisions – and support public schools.

By the way, I must apologize for getting too busy to complete blog entries the past few weeks. If you would like more information about the past few weeks, drop me a line. We had a two-day meeting with the National Governors’ Association to talk about teacher quality (and salaries), NEA Fund Council met (along with the NEA Board), we had a fantastic KNEA Board Meeting, participated in work with the Teacher Working Conditions data, and much more. Truly hectic!