A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com
The Connecticut State Teacher of the Year doesn’t believe she is necessarily the “best” teacher in the state. “I was selected to represent all teachers,” Kristen Record said at a meeting with Naramake Elementary School teachers Monday afternoon.
Record, a Stratford physics teacher who came out on top after a rigorous selection process by the state, was invited by Superintendent Susan Marks to meet with Norwalk teachers and students to promote the importance of teaching, as well as to promote Norwalk’s own newly initiated Teacher of the Year program.
“One way to encourage the best and brightest to enter and stay in this profession is to find ways to recognize high quality teaching,” said Record, 33, who has been a teacher for the past 11 years. She received her undergraduate degree in physics from Fairfield University and master’s degree in science education from Harvard University.
During the day, Record visited Rowayton Elementary School, Brien McMahon High School, Ponus Ridge Middle School, Nathan Hale Middle School and Naramake Elementary School. “I sat on a carpet with first-graders and talked about the stars,” she said charmed by the young students.
As teacher of the year, Record said she’s become an advocate for her profession. “We are the professionals in the classroom. Decisions and policies that affect us are not always made by people in the classroom.” Since she was selected in October, Record been traveling around the state to schools, universities, the legislature and education conferences to talk about importance of supporting public education, teacher recruitment and retention, and “why experience matters.” She’s met with Arne Duncan, federal education secretary, and will meet with President Obama next month.
Record also said that she’s become a source of pride for her school and community. “A lot of time the headlines are dominated by budget cuts and test scores. We have to celebrate not only student achievement, but teacher excellence.”
Record, who stood by Marks, encouraged staff, parents and students to participate in Norwalk’s Teacher of the Year program. “It’s great for students especially to have a voice about the adults in their building.”
The Teacher of the Year program has not received the support of Norwalk’s teachers union. “We don’t believe in singling out one person. We take the holistic approach and believe that we have 900 exemplary teachers,” said Bruce Mellion president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers. He says he holds the same position as his national union, the Federation of Teachers.
Mellion said that instead of a “Teacher of the Year” he’d like to see the district “beef up” Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. “Recognitions is always good, so what is the district going to do to recognize teachers during Teacher Appreciation Day or Week?”
Marks says that she “regrets” that the teachers’ union in not supporting the Norwalk Teacher of the Year Program but said she is committed to moving it forward. “We need to recognize teachers and the best of teaching now more than ever. In a school system, it’s the people that make it great.”
In Norwalk, each school will select its own teacher of the year. From those, a district “Teacher of the Year” will be selected and go in the running for the state recognition. The deadline for nominations is April 15. Nomination forms are available on the district website or through your principal’s office. Contact Joan Glass, academically talented instructional specialist at glassj@norwalkps.org or 203-854-4111, for more information.
The Connecticut State Teacher of the Year doesn’t believe she is necessarily the “best” teacher in the state. “I was selected to represent all teachers,” Kristen Record said at a meeting with Naramake Elementary School teachers Monday afternoon.
Record, a Stratford physics teacher who came out on top after a rigorous selection process by the state, was invited by Superintendent Susan Marks to meet with Norwalk teachers and students to promote the importance of teaching, as well as to promote Norwalk’s own newly initiated Teacher of the Year program.
“One way to encourage the best and brightest to enter and stay in this profession is to find ways to recognize high quality teaching,” said Record, 33, who has been a teacher for the past 11 years. She received her undergraduate degree in physics from Fairfield University and master’s degree in science education from Harvard University.
During the day, Record visited Rowayton Elementary School, Brien McMahon High School, Ponus Ridge Middle School, Nathan Hale Middle School and Naramake Elementary School. “I sat on a carpet with first-graders and talked about the stars,” she said charmed by the young students.
As teacher of the year, Record said she’s become an advocate for her profession. “We are the professionals in the classroom. Decisions and policies that affect us are not always made by people in the classroom.” Since she was selected in October, Record been traveling around the state to schools, universities, the legislature and education conferences to talk about importance of supporting public education, teacher recruitment and retention, and “why experience matters.” She’s met with Arne Duncan, federal education secretary, and will meet with President Obama next month.
Record also said that she’s become a source of pride for her school and community. “A lot of time the headlines are dominated by budget cuts and test scores. We have to celebrate not only student achievement, but teacher excellence.”
Record, who stood by Marks, encouraged staff, parents and students to participate in Norwalk’s Teacher of the Year program. “It’s great for students especially to have a voice about the adults in their building.”
The Teacher of the Year program has not received the support of Norwalk’s teachers union. “We don’t believe in singling out one person. We take the holistic approach and believe that we have 900 exemplary teachers,” said Bruce Mellion president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers. He says he holds the same position as his national union, the Federation of Teachers.
Mellion said that instead of a “Teacher of the Year” he’d like to see the district “beef up” Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. “Recognitions is always good, so what is the district going to do to recognize teachers during Teacher Appreciation Day or Week?”
Marks says that she “regrets” that the teachers’ union in not supporting the Norwalk Teacher of the Year Program but said she is committed to moving it forward. “We need to recognize teachers and the best of teaching now more than ever. In a school system, it’s the people that make it great.”
In Norwalk, each school will select its own teacher of the year. From those, a district “Teacher of the Year” will be selected and go in the running for the state recognition. The deadline for nominations is April 15. Nomination forms are available on the district website or through your principal’s office. Contact Joan Glass, academically talented instructional specialist at glassj@norwalkps.org or 203-854-4111, for more information.
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I'm not so sure that I like pitting the teachers against their union. It wasn't so long ago that we read that Susan Marks' major strength was working WITH the unions. Doesn't anybody remember?
ReplyDeleteWorking with the unions as a strength? That's a joke.
ReplyDeleteBruce is correct on this. All teachers have their strengths and weaknesses. To say one is "best" in each school and then the district undermines collaboration and cooperation!
Do I believe she works WITH unions? Not at all. I think it is all grandstanding and lip service. She is more interested in the appearance of being the one who listens and brings people together. In reality she is a steam roller who is interested in her own opinion only.
ReplyDelete8:00 pm, couldn't the same be said for BM as well? Sadly, I think everyone is working on behalf of their own agenda, and not necessarily in the best interest of the NPS students.
ReplyDeleteA happy, well trained teacher is much better in the classroom than a teacher who is pitted against the other teachers in his/her building. The Norwalk Public Schools/Susan Marks is now looking for principals to have a teacher's pet? Wrong move, Susan. Train all teachers well, get your evaluations in order and don't think competition is in any way good for the students. This will backfire on you without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteHow were the schools chosen for the visit?
ReplyDeleteThe Norwalk Teacher of the Year selection is just a popularity contest. All of the teachers work hard at their jobs.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent I think the Teacher of the Year nominations are a great idea, so do my kids and it's nice to have a voice to acknowledge great teaching. This isn't about pitting teachers against each other any more than the Edit scholarship for high achieving high school seniors is about pitting student against student.
ReplyDeleteI hope teachers refuse to take part in this popularity contest. Professionals don't get this in other fields. Should we elect Surgeon of the Year? Dentist of the Year? This is insulting to the profession.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when you hire a candidate with no superintendent experience. She'd make a better salesman.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/04/06/27hanushek.h30.html?tkn=ZPRFauegnM8IgZ4MwVrc2GXjxjf8UvgnMuz3&cmp=clp-edweek
ReplyDeleteTo improve teachers, require principals to be instructional leaders who evaluate teachers. If teachers don't improve after constructive guidance, don't renew them.
ReplyDeleteThat means that the powers that be hold principals accountable. Simple.
Contests among the teachers won't make up for years of lousy oversight.
I agree with you 100% 12:42. It's time Dr.Marks start looking closely at all buildings it be smart for her to begin with Silvermine Elementary. This school is and has been in dire need of a complete overhaul. It is shameful that with a full time literacy and math specialist this school continuously has students who are struggling. They continue do blame it on demographics. It is of no value to have smartboards if your teachers are not teaching and speicalist not providing the support they should. Instead of cutting 1st grade aides get rid of these two as they have done nothing to assist the teachers let alone the students. It's always the same two teachers who are running the afterschool reading programs and not the literacy specialist. Leadership in this bldg is disfunctional at best. Teachers who teach are having to do double the work because of the incompetence of their colleagues. Then you have the special education team who is ill equiped to handle the needs of the children let alone provide the interventions these children need. So they do the next best thing they don't identify children and turn a blind eye. Those that do have an IEP don't make real progress nor do they generalize the skills supposedly being taught. All because the principal deems it burdensome for her staff and this is where the district plans to house the pre-K program next year. I suggest Dr.Marks re-read the CREC report and house herself in that school for a few weeks and closely look at how the classrooms are run and how special education services are being OR NOT being delivered and files being back dated and report cards being falsified, DRA evals being administered inappropriately. Have the mess straightened out before you place more children in a environment that lacks the leadership and skill set students need and deserve.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Sounds like a disgruntled employee to me....
ReplyDeleteSounds like someone brave enough to tell the truth!
ReplyDeleteProblems like this exist in other schools in Norwalk. Until the CO leadership (Directors of Elementary Ed and Special Ed) get into the schools and see what is happening it will continue. Changing the calendar will not address these issues. Ask the teachers how many times they have met or seen the directors in their schools.
ReplyDelete4:02 PM, you are absolutely right!!!!! Good for you for telling it like it is.
ReplyDeleteOh, Please say this Teacher of the Year award is going to go away! Teachers definitely need support right now and this is NOT the way to go about it!! With low morale, this will do nothing but make it worse. Does Dr. Marks have ANY idea of how awkward it is for any one teacher to assume a position like this? An honor? Are you kidding? This is so incredibly sad.
ReplyDeleteTeachers don't need awards; they need SUPPORT and validation. PERIOD.
ReplyDelete8:18 You say it straight and like it is! Agreed. Awkward just begins to describe it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the parent comment made at 9:31. The Teacher of the Year award is a good thing and thanks to Dr. Marks for starting it here.
ReplyDelete5:53 AM, you are obviously not hearing what teachers are saying. Do you understand that this award is lowering the morale of teachers? Do you want unhappy teachers in the classroom? Dr. Marks needs to start by holding the central office director accountable for what is going on in the schools. I thought Dr. Marks was smarter than this. She needs to start the ball rolling by seeing what central office administrators are really in the schools doing their jobs! An award to single teachers is a very passive way of showing leadership.
ReplyDelete12:42 & 8:35 - its a shame on the lack of leadership that Exist in Silvermine - what is even more shame is the fact that your principal could be the President of NASA very soon. It is comments like yours and teachers/admin that confirms why it is that people/city does not want to support and increase to budget to continue paying incompetent leaders in our school system.
ReplyDeletethis is about teacher of the year not about talking trash about an elementary school and hding under anonymous. If you have a problem bring it out in the open. Its like the boy who cries wolf and runs away
ReplyDeleteshame on you
agreed, the subject is teacher of the year, not axe to grind. Can one of the complaintants actually give a reason why they hate this idea so much? People in other fields are awarded for excellence, kids are awarded for excellence. also, if the answer is whinny, please spare us.
ReplyDelete5:18PM it's interesting you say don't hide under anonymous yet you just did. And trash well again that's what you just did so the same freedom of choice you have is the same others are entitled too. Get your head out of the sand.
ReplyDeleteAnd about it being out in the open believe me enough complaints have been made about this school. It's the very reason enrollment decreases every year. No one here is crying wolf it's a fact. Read the CREC report before you talk trash and the shame is on you.
My guess is the only people who find fault with this award are those who are not cutting it as educators.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong, 6:22. Ask teachers you know if they would accept this award. The criteria is vast. No one teacher fits the shoe and anyone who thinks they do is questionable, at best. There will be those who are nominated and decline because they are far too humble and would rather stay in the classroom than travel to distant lands, because they love to teach. You probably won't hear about those humble and gifted teachers and therein is the problem with this sordid award.
ReplyDelete6:22, I, too, believe you are wrong. Why? We have many outstanding teachers in Norwalk.
ReplyDeleteThese teachers look to each other for collegiality as opposed to looking at each other as competitors. Many teachers share their expertise, their lessons and their thoughts freely with others. Why put a stop to this so that one teacher is put in the limelight and the others are 'less than?' Have your read the book, 'The Hunger Games?' Are we creating an arena where only one comes out alive? Not interested, thank you. I would rather share good lessons with my colleagues and try to help all children in Norwalk, not just the ones in my classroom.
Is Dr. Marks thinking about the impact something like this has on class choice, let alone school choice? Can you imagine being that person at Central Office who has to refuse the many, many requests to transfer to that school or that poor principal who has to deal with disgruntled parents whose child is assigned another teacher on that grade level in August? On the surface, it only seems right... why would anyone NOT be allowed to have the Teacher of the Year? This sets itself up for some real equity problems.
ReplyDeleteIt would be difficult to evaluate for Teacher of the Year. It would have to include a committee of teachers and an administrator. If the evaluation happened once a year, the award would not be meaningful at all. Every teacher is capable of putting on a 'one day wonder' lesson. Also, given the composition of a particular class, a teacher might be restricted by any number of reasons...special ed. needs, psychological needs..or an evaluation day might be disrupted by a student who acts out because of a reaction to a medication (or whatever reason that has nothing to do with the teacher).
ReplyDeleteWho pays for release time for the committee (to observe several times from their own classrooms? If the observation team does not consist of some of the best teachers in the district, are they worthy of being on the committee? Lots of questions to ask...
Here is one way to promote outstanding teachers without a trophy.
ReplyDeleteIdentify teachers in every school who are doing great things. Have them give workshops to their peers-- great way of recognizing them without putting them in competition.
Lose this idea and let's focus on making our schools better. Dr. Marks... have you met with teachers yet?
ReplyDelete