The Scores Are In!

Who rules? Me! Now I don't believe in teaching to the test or judging a student (or teacher, for that matter) solely on some test, but since my employers do, I let this news work for me.

First, I'll set the scene: my witchy bosses have it in for me! They've been giving me trumped-up negative write-ups in my file and undeserved negative observations (My lesson was unsatisfactory because my font was too small? I could read it from the back of the room, but okay...) They even sabotaged me in the meetings where we would plan my observation lessons. ("Parents blame you when their kids don't do well. When you're a weak teacher, there's only so much I can do to defend you." Wow. You think I'm a weak teacher? [That may not be clear in writing, but it was clear in her tone.] Well, that makes me feel comfortable and confident with you visiting my class tomorrow.) My friends an I suspect they do this so I can't get a job teaching at some other junior high or high school. As a bonus, if I quit, it looks like I quit because I was a bad teacher (as opposed to "Oops, we lost another qualified, experienced teacher").

During my last post observation, I said, "Look, what do I have to do to get a satisfactory rating for the year?" "Well, I don't know," the Principal replied. "What steps can I take? I want to do the right thing." "I don't know..." I had to ask her four times. She said she would send the literacy coach and my AP to observe my lessons and give advice. She said she would visit to see if I was taking her suggestions. She said I should get my students to follow all my instructions. I should do this without ever raising my voice. Right. Now basically, she couldn't give me an unsatisfactory rating because she didn't follow through on her part of the bargain, but now she really can't!

The top score on the test is 4, above grade level. Who has the only students in the whole school with level 4 scores? That would be ME! And they didn't come to me with 4s. I helped them raise their scores to 4. I raised more scores in one class than any other teacher. I raised more scores total than all but two teachers. In my worst class, I managed to retain the scores of all but one student. In short, I rule in a way that my number-cruching boss cannot dispute. Hooray! If she wants to live by the scores, then her vendetta will have to die by the scores. YAY, YAY, YAAAAAAAAY!