Change can be good

This year’s Mat-Su Borough School District in-service began with a new catch phrase.

As I looked at the posters and listened to our speaker talk, I wondered about last year’s catch phrase and focus. Had it served its purpose? Then I wondered about the year before that and the year before that. Why are we always changing programs, textbooks and curriculum in education? Every year it’s the same — new push, focus and philosophy. I realized that change is a key part of education. Times change, the economy changes, jobs change, we change; it’s never-ending. This year is no different. Substantial changes are happening in the teaching profession as we speak.

The hottest and most debated change is in teacher evaluation. Starting next school year, 2014-2015, student performance data will be used when evaluating a teacher’s effectiveness. This year, the Mat-Su Borough School District is deciding what constitutes student growth, what measurements will be used for different disciplines and how to make the evaluation equitable and reliable. Big change.

Concern and controversy are already knocking at the door. Some teachers are concerned about the factors we can’t control. A student’s home life and school attendance can positively and negatively affect their academic achievement. If a student isn’t at school, he or she can’t learn. Other teachers worry about the equity of testing. How does the evaluation look for physical education teachers vs. math teachers?

Education is also seeing a change in content and instruction. The new state standards are more rigorous and analytical. The standards require students to prove their answers with text-based evidence instead of using what they think or feel. They need to be able to analyze, synthesize, summarize and evaluate content. Essentially, they are being asked to really think about their thinking.

The change in content is directly connected to a change in assessment. In the past, students answered questions by choosing a multiple-choice answer. There were a few short answer questions, but space was limited. Now assessments will ask students to apply and demonstrate their abilities. Students will have to synthesize multiple texts; compare and contrast view points and make supported claims. Higher order thinking skills will be needed in order to pass. Students will need time to adjust to this change.

I think these changes are positive and will give education a much-needed professional boost. Because these changes are philosophical in nature — how we view education, learning, growth and success — and require huge shifts in perspective and practice, I expect some growing pains. Hopefully, we stay the course long enough to evaluate whether these shifts in educational practice benefit our students. Sometimes results take time.

There is one change that I look forward to each school year; the new class roster, the list of names. This list represents endless possibilities, endless opportunities. When I first scan my class roster, I don’t have any idea who many of these kids are. I wonder about their strengths, weaknesses and dreams. I wonder how I’ll meet all their needs. This list of names will make demands on my time, my energy, and my patience. They will also make demands that force me to reflect and change so they can be their best. This change keeps me coming back year after year.

As the year gets going, I look forward to seeing the profession I love and believe in change for the better. Sometimes change is a good thing.

Brandy J. Bishop teaches language arts at Houston Middle School.