A brilliant red Maple leaf fluttered to the ground in front of me yesterday. This simple movement transported me back over 30 years ago to a mail room on a college campus.  I was 18 and away from home for the first time.  Needless to say, letters from home were my lifeline. I was determined to be independent, but at the same time I was sick for the familiarity of home.  I opened the letter from my grandpa and a red Maple leaf fluttered to the floor. I picked it up, wondering why a leaf was in my letter.  Simple- Grandpa didn't want me to miss fall.  He had mailed fall in an envelope. Love in a letter. 

There were more leaves in that envelope and a beautiful letter reminding me of the simple pleasures of fall on his farm.  He knew I was missing him (as much as he missed me). He wanted to make sure that I didn't forget or miss the beauty of fall.  

Throughout 4 years of college, and later my first job over 4 hours away from home, Grandpa continued to write.  He also called, but it was those letters that I longed for. I could hold his words in my hands.  He sent more mementos of home and funny stories to make me laugh, encouraging words to lift me up, and he always included a truth from God's Holy Word.  

Even after I moved back home,  Grandpa's letter continued. They were less frequent, because we spent more time together, but every once-in-awhile I would be surprised with a letter or card.  I learned a lot from him. He taught me unconditional love by his actions. He taught me about controlling your temper  (although I still need work on this one!) He taught me about patience, and the value of doing your best.  He showed me that every child should have someone to "love them perfect".

Grandpa has been gone for almost 8 years, but I still have his letters and that Maple leaf tucked away in my Bible.  I miss him more than words can say.  I am thankful for his life, and that God gave him to me.  I am thankful for his love and for the gift of memories.  

And he would be pleased to know that I am taking time to enjoy the beauty of fall here on my little piece of ground. 

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"Pray for this kid?!!? You've got to be kidding, unless you mean pray that he moves away."

Years ago, a wise colleague advised me to pray for a student that was driving me crazy.  At first I thought she was already crazy, but she assured me that it would improve the relationship. I was reluctant. I didn't want to improve the relationship. I just wanted his family to decide to move 3 states away.  I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. The student and his family were firmly entrenched in our district. The parents were not supportive- their darling could do no wrong. The behavior was not improving. I needed to do something. 

So... I began praying.  And, yes, I will admit that at first I tacked on "and if it be Your will that another state or even district would look good to this family, than I'll accept Your will. "  Big of me, huh? God had other plans though.  It wasn't in His plan to change my mind, but my heart.  At the time, I hated to admit that my perception was changing. I can't say the student changed a lot at first, but I began understanding where he was coming from. I wanted to understand. 

As my focus changed, his behavior improved. He began coming to class to learn, rather than disrupt. He began trying. That was all I asked. I began to understand that this child only wanted attention. He got plenty of attention at home, but the wrong kind. He just wanted someone to really listen to him and he wanted to earn praise.   He was tired of being pushed aside and ignored. 

Over the years, I have prayed for many of my students. And, I am ashamed to say that there have also been many that I did not.  I can't say why. Too tired. Too distracted. Too busy. Whatever the reason, I can honestly say that it wasn't good enough. 

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Beautiful fall days like this only add to my enjoyment as I stroll to the mailbox.  For some crazy reason, I've always loved walking to the mailbox. I love mail. The slow kind. Something that I can hold in my hands and read and re-read. I even like some junk mail (I said some).

Today, when I opened the box, this quote jumped out at me "I want to be taught by teachers- not politicians."  It was on an ad against amendment three (in Missouri). I am against amendment three. But what really caught my eye was the quote.

Teachers nurture and listen daily. Not just for a photo op. Politicians shake hands and kiss babies. For a photo op.  Each have their place.I did not run for office. I do not, even for one minute, pretend to be a politician. I am not a multi-billionaire business man/woman.  I don't have extra money to use as a tax write-off.  I do not have time to think of the 'next big thing'. I do not have the energy left to invest in pushing through a new trend. I do not have the desire, nor the heart,  to sell out my kids for my gain. 
Simply put- I am a teacher. 

My place is not in the state capital. And the governor does not belong in my classroom. 
I won't even pretend to know anything about politics. I wish politicians would stop pretending to know something about education.  I love the old saying, "Just because you are in a garage, does not make you a car."  Well, just because you attended school does not make you a teacher. 

I earned my certification. I went to college, attended classes, observed classrooms, student-taught, substituted until I got my first job, and then went to night school to earn a Master's Degree. I've had recess duty, lunch duty, before -school duty, after- school duty, and given up my plan time to cover someone's class. I've arrived early and stayed late. I've worked in my room over the week-end. I've arrived home looking more like a pack-mule than a human, buried under countless book bags of papers to grade, resources to examine, and the newest educational book study to prepare for my administrator.  I've provided clothing and meals to kids in need. I've spent most of my paycheck on classroom supplies including, but not limited to, kleenex and hand sanitizer.  I've laughed and cried with my students.  I've cheered them and listened to their concerns.  I've challenged them and encouraged them.  I've been a nurse plastering bandaids on every little scrape.  My heart has broken over their broken homes.  I've carried their sorrows in my heart and shared in their victories.  I've tried to tell them that things will be okay when I don't even understand what is happening.  I pray for them and love them. Every. Single. Day. 

So, when I see those words "I want to be taught by teachers- not politicians", my lips curve into a smile and my hearts lifts a little because somewhere out there  are people who understand that teachers are teachers and politicians are politicians and each have their place.  

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This was  the beginning of my journey against Common Core.  From an earlier post, My Thoughts on the Common Core, I explain how I felt at the end of my teaching journey at my past district.   But this is how it all started.

When Common Core first started, my colleagues and I were all told this was a change in curriculum. Our thought was "Here we go again. Another change."  We moved on. Using the new standards, but using our own methods to achieve those standards.  Our district began using the Common Core early on. (Personally, I think it was because our superintendent is such a good buddy to the Governor.) Anyway, my colleagues and I plugged away at implementing yet another state initiative along with about 50 other things being implemented.  Then I received a call from my brother-in-law inviting me to attend a meeting on the Common Core. My brother-in-law is on the school board in a neighboring district. He takes his responsibilities as a BOE member very seriously. He doesn't just attend meetings. He studies the agenda and does research. He had been researching Common Core. He wanted my husband and I to attend this informational meeting and see what we thought. We attended. 

I began hearing things that were happening in my district. Things that concerned me and made me start questioning where this was headed. Words like business consortium, Bill Gates, data collection, rigor. What did it all mean? And how would it affect my students?  

I started researching and I attended more meetings.  Meetings led by parents who had already had negative experiences with Common Core in their districts. Meetings led by educators that were speaking out against the lack of rigor and how objectives were being dumbed down. Meetings where politicians were invited to speak and share their knowledge. Meetings were DESE was invited, but didn't show up to explain and defend the CCSS.  School Board meetings where parents and patrons passionately shared their concerns with BOE members.  During one such meeting I became upset with the way that some BOE members were treating citizens and their questions. And I'll admit that I was also a little upset with how they seemed so disinterested in this topic. All, but my brother-in-law, were ready to sign on. So... I did what the other tax payers were doing at the meeting- I spoke up. I reminded the BOE that they actually worked for the people  in this room. They were elected to represent our interests. And... the superintendent worked for them. This went over like a lead balloon.  Months later (and I'm sure many more tense meetings later) this district became the first to sign a resolution against the Common Core. I was so proud of my home town.  

But my joy and pride were short lived, when I realized that many teachers liked the Common Core. They didn't know what it was about, but they believed everything that their school administrators had been telling them.  Just like me, a few months ago.  

They still believed that the CCSS was just another new thing that would be here today and gone tomorrow.  It was no big deal.  Well, it is a big deal and I believe that anyone in the education field and any one that has children owes it to those children to investigate. CCSS isn't all that it is cracked up to be.  Yes, we need standards, objectives, grade level expectations- I'm a firm believer in setting and achieving goals - but we don't need all of the other things that are attached. Things like data collection, violation of children's rights, increased taxes to support more technology, and dumbing down of expectations and grades. And there are pieces to the Common Core that clash with my Christian beliefs. The more I learned the more concerned I became.     

I know that as educators many of us are in a position where we have to use the CCSS, but that doesn't relieve us of the responsibility of knowing what we are doing or how we use them.  Educate yourself. Look at both sides.   
Some good places to start are:
Missouri Watchdog and this interesting parent letter.  Both are lengthy and will require time you don't have, but you owe it to yourself and your students to be better informed. 

I am ashamed of how quickly I accepted the CCSS as just another initiative.  I know that I still use it in my curriculum design because I am expected to do so at my job.  But that doesn't mean that I have to encourage it and support it.  I am still learning more and more about this program.  I intend to keep learning.  After all, we expect our students to be life-long learners, shouldn't we be also?

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I just finished reading an article titled Why I Want to give up Teaching.  I can relate to many of the things mentioned by the author. 
I had already been on this train of thought lately. I have so many questions rolling around in my head and not many answers.
I have been reflecting on my years in the classroom and can sum it up with something like this: 
- I spent countless hours creating meaningful and engaging lessons (some of which were not as meaningful or engaging as I wanted).
- I took pride in my student's achievements.
- I laughed with my students. I always love a good joke.
- I cried with them. No one really understands how much a teacher takes to heart.
- I spent hours deciphering handwriting that was barely legible.
- I wasted too much time worrying about evaluations and conferences.
- I fought for fairness against current education trends that did more harm than good.
- I neglected my family and friends.
 I'm sure this list is nothing new to several of you.  And many of you could add to it. 
What bothers me the most about my past experience and the continued fight that is ongoing for many, is that teachers are not consulted, nor are they treated as professionals. 
The beginning of the Common Core was the end for me. I fought against a particular type of standards based grading and other policies (such as lack of teacher support and discipline).  
The district where I worked accepted Common Core with open arms. Administrators were willing to throw common sense out the window and neglect the concerns of the teachers. 
Our school was a pilot school. We tried anything and everything that came down the education pike.  
During my last year, we (almost) completely removed grades.  I would say school-wide, but one very brave teacher stood up to the administration and refused to jump on the bandwagon. I regret that I was not that teacher. Now, I wish I had had the courage to join him.   The grading system was reduced to a yes or a no.  Students were either mastering a standard or they weren't.  And, to make matters worse, we were strongly encouraged to make sure they were all mastering standards. Most students and parents didn't like this method, but any parent that questioned this method (or anything else) was labeled a trouble-maker. Questions were not welcomed then, nor now. 
Time expectations were removed. Students could turn in any assignment at any time.  An assignment could be given in August and then not turned in until May and still earn full credit. Our team and another team quietly rebelled against this, by giving students only the current quarter to turn in assignments.  
And let's not talk about teacher support or discipline because there wasn't any. The only student expectation that we had was to "let kids be kids".  
And we were all told that this was a real-world experience.
I came home feeling betrayed by my administrators and worse, feeling like I had let my students down. I knew that I had lowered my expectations just so they could master the standards. I knew that I wasn't really preparing them for the "real-world". I knew that the "real-world' would be a shock for them and many would have trouble succeeding. This went against everything that I believed in. A teacher's duty is to prepare their students to continue learning and succeed. Our students were simply learning how to manipulate the system to their advantage without learning any real skills that would sustain them in high school or college or the "real-world". I know that God gave me a gift to teach. And what I was required to do the last four years was not teaching. 
How does this relate to the common core.........
Well, I've read through the common core standards (numerous times and used them) and the subsequent grading practices and wonder, Who wrote this stuff?  Why aren't teachers consulted and utilized in creating a school curriculum/grading program? We are told that we are professionals, but then the ones who call us that, don't treat us like professionals. We are told that we are the experts in the field, but our opinion doesn't matter. 
-I can agree that we live in the age of technology, but the oldest computer in the world (our brain) should be the first thing we engage. We also need to consider that there are still people who do not have access to internet in their homes.
- I can agree that students should be graded on standards, but the standards and the grades EARNED need to be defined- not a yes or no vagueness. (I used a method of grading that broke down the standards, reported the grade in points, percentages, and letter grades that parents and students not only liked, but understood.)
- I agree that we can make things more real-world to prepare our students for their future, but the current method of dumbing down curriculum and expectations is not the way to achieve this. 
- I agree that a set of nationally common standards is nice, but not practical. Every region has different learning goals and curves. That is what makes the United Stated a melting pot. We are all from different cultures and we share and learn about those cultures. Some of the 'generic' standards make sense (a student will be able to read on grade level), but who defines the grade level?  What about special needs students? Or more challenging students?
 - I applaud the state of Missouri for working on rewriting the standards. There is a group of dedicated parents and teachers that are working together to make a positive change for their children. I know that the work is difficult and time consuming, but I believe the benefits will out-weigh the costs.
So... in regards to the Common Core..... 
Don't belittle my intelligence, nor my student's intelligence, with a rigid group of standards written by a business consortium, that restricts learning.  

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  I've been reading some other posts and noticing an increasing number of frustrated teachers and some that are even considering leaving the profession.  I believe that teaching is a noble profession. However, at times, it is also one that will try even the most patient person. Demands are increasing, while resources are diminishing.  It seems that most educators are being asked to spend more of their time and money for school-related activities (and did I mention meetings?). 
As I was thinking on these things, a former principal came to mind. He was a man of integrity. He supported his staff and often served as a buffer between us and unnecessary expectations. He believed in guiding and being supportive, but also in getting out of the way and letting teachers teach. Unfortunately, he moved on and a new principal moved in. One without a great deal of experience, and, in my opinion, not much integrity.  We went from a school with top test scores, low turn-over, and happy days to the lowest test scores in our area, high teacher turn-over, and low morale.  
Education is important and quality educators are vital to our future. In a toxic environment everyone loses. On the contrary,  in a healthy environment everyone wins.  
I don't have all the answers (I don't have any, really). But I will say that we need to stick together, encourage one another, and help each other out. Everyone needs a helping hand or a smile.  Sometimes that can make all the difference. Remember why we choose teaching as our profession. Be there for each other.  Listen. Sometimes the small things make all the difference. And don't forget to take some time to recharge yourself. Make time.  My most refreshing times are when I spend time praying and sharing my concerns with my Savior. It always diminishes my worries and adds to my joys.  I can't fix all the problems facing educators, but I can make a decision to keep a smile on my face and joy in my heart.  

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Chocolate 4 Teachers