Some Teachers Want Better Bargaining !

In the WaPo Sunday's September 28th edition , teacher colleagues Liz Davis and Kerry Sylvia along with Mark Simon of the Mooney Institute wrote an opinion piece titled 'Bargaining For Better Teaching.' What I personally liked about the piece is that the trio suggests that the method in which Rhee and Parker have been negotiating the teachers contract is broken and needs to be fixed. The group outlines a sense of urgency about their concerns that Rhee/Parker's one-to-one contract negotiation style which by the way violates labor negotiation regulations. They put the ball back in Chancellor Rhee and WTU President Parker's court by acknowledging that teacher contract negotiations should address more than higher pay and due process.

Here's an excerpt: "The contract talks have focused on the chancellor's proposal regarding pay, teacher transfers and due process rights. While increasing salaries is important, there seems to be no administration plan for improving and supporting teacher quality. To fill this void, the WTU should have brought forward a plan for improving professional working conditions, teacher evaluations and instructional support. While some of these issues were raised by the WTU negotiating team, nothing ended up being proposed to the WTU membership, and nothing was brought to negotiations with the chancellor."

The trio suggest that contract negotiations should also focus on a collaborative effort between management and labor which defines quality teaching from a system wide perspective. They pose some critical and well thought out questions for both Chancellor Rhee and WTU President Parker to consider. Here are their critical questions :

1. What is the plan to build understanding about what defines good teaching, so it becomes the norm in every classroom?

2. What is the plan to provide new teacher induction or, better yet, a "teacher residency" program so that the next generation of teachers has the knowledge and skills to engage in quality teaching ?

3. What is the plan to create professional teaching conditions and support for good teaching at every school so that talented teachers stay?

4. What is the plan to create an expedited and a high-quality teacher evaluation process that teachers respect? Is the WTU interested in the "peer review" approach taking hold elsewhere? How will the teacher evaluation process be infused with a deep understanding of how to observe and analyze teaching in a way that respects the complexity of the craft?

5. The consensus about the need to raise teacher pay is admirable, but how will the dollars be sustained over the long haul, and what in the bargain will deliver higher-quality teaching as a quid pro quo? Will teachers be any better prepared and supported under the proposed contract than before?

I'd like to hear your comments. Two thumbs up or two thumbs down for 'Bargaining For Better Teaching? agree or disagree with your colleagues ? Why ? posted by Candi.

Link to WaPo story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603350.html