Why I love LAUSD
If you read my blog post yesterday, you may have left with the impression that I am just slightly cynical toward LAUSD mandated professional development. The above picture should speak volumes as to why. Not only is the culprit napping during our professional development training that is facilitated by local math coaches, but she actually is one of the district math coaches. I don’t know what else there is to say.
Themocracy
I realize that you are only one person, but since you are a designated “leader” (Department Chairman) couldn’t you make a case to some “administrator” or board member about the futility of these kinds of sessions and suggest a better way to use the time & budget? I don’t know if this would be the equivalent of banging your head against a brick wall but at least you could say you tried.
:) Keep hanging in there.
Unfortunately, I’ve tried. The reality is that LAUSD has employees whose sole job is to organize and administer trainings such as these. Which means that if LAUSD were to act on the uselessness of these trainings, the natural result would be that a number of employees would cease to have a reason to be employed in this capacity. “Hmmmm….”, I think, “then LAUSD might be able to spend that money in more effective ways, like reducing class size, or building new campuses”. But no….LAUSD will never downsize these people. (Don’t get me wrong…I know some of these folks and they are great people…who I think at times are keenly aware of the difficult position they are in. I have no gripe about the coaches….they’re just doing their job.
Keyword= re-deploy (not downsize)
If these employees were offered teaching posiitions ( I mean teaching students NOT teaching teachers) wouldn’t this meet all needs? They don’t lose their “job” and class size is reduced because there are more teachers. I’m sure this suggestion is very simplistic and perhaps doesn’t address ALL the variables but don’t other huge school districts across the country have a better way? (What about Chicago?)
Hello there Kyle, it’s evident your mother knows what she is talking about. But in defense of poor Elisa (I think that is her name), maybe she was just tired…well, I tried. Either way, we as educators can only control what is put in front of us and I admire the fact that you rather be with your students than waste time having someone read you a powerpoint!