From the President
Want Meaningful Insight on Recruitment, Retention and Compensation? Ask a Teacher.
I
n my countless visits with teachers in my role as 2014-15 PAGE president, I have encountered a common theme: Teachers are using every available resource to engage their students, and students are learning more than ever. The disappointing news, however, is that Georgia educators feel very unappreciated for all of their hard work. Pam Williams, a member of the Governor’s Education Reform Committee and a PAGE member, recently brought more than 30 educators together to voice their ideas regarding teacher recruitment, retention and compensation (see article on page 18). The teachers asked for annual steps on the pay scale, cost-of-living adjustments, funding of National Board Certified Teachers, a guaranteed continuation of the Teachers Retirement System, uninterrupted planning periods, help with Response to Intervention, mentoring and more money for classroom materials. The teachers also said that they are very concerned about the emphasis on standardized test scores — scores that will impact their TKES evaluation and could eventually impact their salaries. Instead of classrooms that focus heavily on improving standardized test scores, teachers know that the best way to optimize student learning is for the educators to teach based on a deep understanding of their students: What are their interests? How do they learn best? What activities most engage them? With the insight offered by teachers who attended the forum hosted by
May/June 2015
Leslie Mills
Williams, as well as the input of the thousands of Georgia educators who responded to the PAGE survey on testing, we implore Georgia policymakers to process this feedback and act in the best interest of education. CARRY ON AS POINTS OF LIGHT
Prior to becoming president of Georgia’s largest and most influential professional association for educators, I was very proud to be a Georgia educator. Now that I have met so many of you and have witnessed firsthand the great work you do, I am not only proud but also humbled and honored to have been your president. At each PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition banquet I attended this spring, STAR students recounted how their STAR teachers impacted their lives. The banquets are truly celebrations of achievements in Georgia schools. Although all teachers cannot be formally recognized as STARs, they are all points of light in the hearts of the students they teach. As George H. W. Bush said, “We are a nation of communities ... a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.” As my year as PAGE president ends, I challenge all Georgia teachers to carry on as points of light in our state. If together we shine like blinding lights, policymakers will be compelled to listen. Thank you for allowing me to serve as n your voice during this academic year.
Instead of classrooms that focus heavily on improving standardized test scores, teachers know that the best way to optimize student learning is for the educators to teach based on a deep understanding of their students.
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