Pardon my ignorance, this is only my observation and personal experience. Charter schools (more than public schools) care what everyone else thinks about them. An ordinary public school "cares" if they have caring-types running the place, but it's not like they are at risk for getting shut down so it's up to them if they care about their reputation or not... or care about their students. Public schools will have 40 kids in every classroom no matter what. I mean, I'm not up to date on all the laws but I am positive it is against the law for public schools to just not exist. Sadly, there are too many poor people (and even middle class people) who cannot afford private schools, so kids just keep going to these (mostly) terrible public schools.
Charter schools: They are constantly recruiting and also putting tons of added pressure on the teachers to increase test scores so their doors don't get closed or lights don't go out or whatever the expression is. Sometimes they kick kids out and don't tell the teachers until it's too late. The expectations they place on teachers are laughably unrealistic. Let me exaggerate a conversation that happened to me just the other day...
Administrator: "Good morning! You won't be seeing 'so-and-so' anymore so today we are giving you three new students. One of them will be great, he had an older brother go here. The other two we don't know much about but they seem to not know any English. One is from Somalia and the other is from Mexico... or maybe it was El Salvador? Anyway, make sure everyone gets above a 70% so we can become a reward school or I may fire you because we don't want to our school to get shut down and also because I make 150k+ a year and I need more Gucci ties. Got that?"
Me: "Roger!!! Oh yeah, and expel my favorite student while you're at it... but be sure to NOT expel the student that makes my life a LIVING HELL because we need their brilliant, docile sibling who is super good at soccer!!!"
If only I had the balls to say these things. I love my job so damn much that I am a huge wimp and say "yes sir" to whatever my principal suggests even though he has never been a teacher so he's usually pretty off. I live in fear of getting fired. Even though coworkers have told me I should not be worried, I am TOTALLY ALWAYS WORRIED. Sadly, I am scarred. My best friend at work got fired in October and it tore my heart in half. The turn-over has been CRAZY and it's because of all the added work and added pressure they put on the teachers because of the fear of getting shut down. Not to mention the teachers work way more hours for the same pay as public school teachers, but that's not even the part that gets to me. The worst part is the politics and how they can just "kick kids out" and teachers don't have control over this process.
On a different day I will talk about why my school (and other charters) are great. But today, I am frustrated and heart-broken. I think my next post will be more upbeat, as it will be featuring one of my favorite expelled students. I'm already excited and feeling happier just thinking about all the glowing things I'll have to say.
Charter schools: They are constantly recruiting and also putting tons of added pressure on the teachers to increase test scores so their doors don't get closed or lights don't go out or whatever the expression is. Sometimes they kick kids out and don't tell the teachers until it's too late. The expectations they place on teachers are laughably unrealistic. Let me exaggerate a conversation that happened to me just the other day...
Administrator: "Good morning! You won't be seeing 'so-and-so' anymore so today we are giving you three new students. One of them will be great, he had an older brother go here. The other two we don't know much about but they seem to not know any English. One is from Somalia and the other is from Mexico... or maybe it was El Salvador? Anyway, make sure everyone gets above a 70% so we can become a reward school or I may fire you because we don't want to our school to get shut down and also because I make 150k+ a year and I need more Gucci ties. Got that?"
Me: "Roger!!! Oh yeah, and expel my favorite student while you're at it... but be sure to NOT expel the student that makes my life a LIVING HELL because we need their brilliant, docile sibling who is super good at soccer!!!"
If only I had the balls to say these things. I love my job so damn much that I am a huge wimp and say "yes sir" to whatever my principal suggests even though he has never been a teacher so he's usually pretty off. I live in fear of getting fired. Even though coworkers have told me I should not be worried, I am TOTALLY ALWAYS WORRIED. Sadly, I am scarred. My best friend at work got fired in October and it tore my heart in half. The turn-over has been CRAZY and it's because of all the added work and added pressure they put on the teachers because of the fear of getting shut down. Not to mention the teachers work way more hours for the same pay as public school teachers, but that's not even the part that gets to me. The worst part is the politics and how they can just "kick kids out" and teachers don't have control over this process.
On a different day I will talk about why my school (and other charters) are great. But today, I am frustrated and heart-broken. I think my next post will be more upbeat, as it will be featuring one of my favorite expelled students. I'm already excited and feeling happier just thinking about all the glowing things I'll have to say.
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