Julie's Work to Rule Diary

We Did It!

2007-12-10T23:12:00.000-06:00

At about 9:00 pm, our negotiations team reached a tentative agreement!!!! So, work to rule is supended as we look at the proposed contract.

I know work to rule had a large part in getting a settlement. Together with big turnouts at Meet and Confer and the school board meeting, letters to school board members, an ad in local papers, our work on the levy, and wearing all that red, we really earned this one. I'm so proud to be part of a dedicated, effective, gutsy group of educators.

So, I suppose I'll get at up at 4:00 am tomorrow, get into school, stay until 10:00 pm, sign up for fifteen unpaid committees...

Seriously, I need to be careful not to slip back into that old, comfortable martyrdom. Looking back over these ten days, there are some changes I'll work to make permanent. I won't be using the fancy powerpoints that came with the curriculum that took hours to fix and no one appreciated but me. I will keep going to "JMS Choir Practice" after school on Fridays. I'll check in more often with colleagues about how their handling their workload. Students are going to be running more of the day to day work of my classroom. I'm going to worry less about pretty bulletin boards and fussy activities and focus more on big picture planning and efficient assessment. I'll choose time with my family over time with my gradebook more often. I'm going to make another $300 on eBay.

I encourage you to look at what you can take from these ten days.

Let me know what works and thanks for reading. Thank you more for acting.

Day 10 - Grading

2007-12-10T21:29:00.001-06:00

I'm typing this blog while I obsessively check the negotiations hotline (952-736-6471) to see how today's round of bargaining went. It's 9:30 pm and it's not yet updated. Is that good? Are they just kicking in and hammering out all the details of a tentative agreement? Or are they in a knock down drag out fight? Should I be popping the champagne or figuring out bail money for our negotiators?

Tomorrow is the deadline for entering midquarters. Holy moly, do I hate grading. Not assessment mind you - I love figuring out what my students understand and how to improve their performance. It's accounting for points to assign a letter that I hate. First off, correcting and data entry are an ADHD nightmare. In fact, the some of the tests that check for ADHD look a lot like EZ Grade Pro. However it's trying to fit an entire description of a student's progress, effort, and understanding into one letter and two stock sentence fragments that really sends me. Do parents understand that a D with the comments "low test scores" and "good participation" means the kid is struggling with the material and needs additional support from some other source that we are looking into, but is getting all her homework in, taking risks in class, and has terrific persistence skills - so you shouldn't ground her for a month but rather cheer her on as she fights her way through algebra?

I've been tempted to just call all 147 of my students and spend fifteen minutes with each parent updating them fully. When I do the math and realize that it would take just under 40 hours, I come back to earth. Also, when I realize the only way to get parents on the phone would be to call in the evening, I am kind of glad for work to rule.

This is why support for parent communication is my top personal workload priority. If the time I spend calling, emailing, writing, or otherwise updating parents could be recognized it would be a huge improvement. Virtually everyone in the district office and on the board says increased parent communication is vital. It's time they put their money where their rhetoric is.

Day 9 - Trying to Leave at 3:25

2007-12-09T11:54:00.000-06:00

Today seemed to be the hardest so far for staff to leave at 3:25. As I walked out, I stopped in to check on people who were lingering. I always wonder just exactly how to approach those who are struggling with work to rule. I don't want to walk in with a line that reads like "So, you don't care about the profession?", "Why do you hate your colleagues so much?", "You're so rich you don't need a better contract?", or "You don't really want to mess with the union, do you?"

(That last one is particularly ironic for me. I'm not so much the crow bar toting union thug stereotype - I'm about the least intimidating person you'll meet. With my chubby cheeks and short stature, I'm more your friendly neighborhood union boss.)

These are my friends and people I admire, so I decided to go with, "What can I do to help you get finished?"

That unleashed the flood.

The litany of unfinished items that came tumbling out in those moments of extreme frustration were all worth doing. Grading, entering midquarters, responding to parent emails, pyramid of intervention forms, planning for Monday, and on and on - I couldn't deny that they should get done.

When I was successful in getting someone out the door it was when I just gave them permission to let it go for now. There's something powerful in just saying about what you feel most guilty and having someone respond that you're not terrible.

When we really looked at the need to get some of it done right now, we realized how many artificial deadlines we hold. We also found we have a lot of job requirements in our heads that just aren't real. We also need to just tell the person who designed the new form or program or whatever (probably with all the best intentions) that they are just more work than result. Often, these people want some feedback and may never have intended for their project to blow up into a workload nightmare. In our attempt to spare someone's feelings, we trudge through and let it affect our other work. That's not fair to us or the program designer.

Most of all, we need to realize that work to rule makes our classrooms different, and probably not in a good way. That difference is very important. If we don't take action to protect our compensation, we will lose more and more quality educators. Last year, 44% of Minnesota educators in their first five years left the profession entirely. We may hate how our classrooms look now, but if we don't make sure dedicated professionals stay in teaching, that's the way they will look permanently.

Just when it was getting all deep and soapbox-y, I decided to go to "JMS Staff Choir Practice" at the 5-8. There is nothing like a little choral venting, joking, and libation to get you back on track. I hope your staff has a Friday after school "book club", "library meeting", "staff development" or "hey let's all go to the bar but call it something clever so the kids don't overhear and tell parents we're all alchoholics night". If you don't, you are only one group email away from it. Don't expect the whole staff or that everyone will come every week. It only takes a few to make it fun, and you won't regret a minute.

Day 8 - Field Trip

2007-12-07T12:43:00.000-06:00

Came back after three days out sick to a field trip day. Perfect! I had already put in to stay back beforehand and am really lucky I got to do that. I needed the day to catch up, though my real reason for staying back is that field trips really stress me out. I am convinced that at least one kid will get killed playing in traffic and I won't notice my count is short until the principal calls me into his office for a little chat.

Speaking of workload, the amount of effort field trips take is insane. Being a math teacher, I haven't run too many of them, but I know those million little details take forever, Permission slips, bus schedules, bus lists, chaperone management, medication concerns, stayback plans, coordinating with the site, money, late money, stowaways, attendance, supervision, the incessant counting - sometimes I wonder if we get a good enough educational bang to justify the huge workload bucks.

Day 7 - Still Sick

2007-12-07T12:39:00.000-06:00

Still sick. You really appreciate good health care on days like this. When I think of the six Education Minnesota locals that lost health insurance all together in their last round of bargaining, I feel for those educators.

Day 6 - Guilt

2007-12-04T07:06:00.000-06:00

Day 2 out sick and oh, the guilt.

I really feel I am wronging my students by being absent today. Maybe I'm sharing too much here, but when the symptoms kick back up, I feel a little happier. If I'm in pain, at least I'm paying for my laziness.

Now that's not healthy.

How did I get to this point? When I was in steel sales (my job before this one), I could hit the couch with no guilt at all. I knew I'd have extra work when I got back, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. If my Frito Lay parts were late, well that was one fewer corn chip packaging machine clogging the arteries of our nation.

Maybe it's an artifact of being in nurturers, but many educators have an enormous capacity for guilt. The level of guilt that if harnessed into an energy source could power a small city. Actually, it is currently harnessed to power our school district.

I'm not saying that district officials have some specific master plan to turn our guilt into cost savings, but there are people taking advantage of it. They don't do much - a few comments like "it's for the kids", "well, I guess we'll have to cancel it then", "salaried professionals in other fields do committee work for free", or "but you didn't go into teaching for the money" and we're martyring ourselves all over the place.

Maybe my first step in standing up to this guilt is to go back upstairs and lay down.

Day 5 - Sick Day and Pacing

2007-12-03T12:53:00.001-06:00

Sick day - apparently, when a drink has warnings plastered all over it "DANGER - EGG WHITES!", I should heed that warning. And I'm sure that's all you want to know about that.

As I lie on my couch watching extremely bad afternoon television, a few things keep me from relaxing. First, one more episode of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Marathon and I will be insane. Second, I am now so hopelessly behind that none of my students will ever get into Harvard, Stanford, St. Cloud State, or even All American University.

The pressure to crank through math curriculum is enormous. We need to cover every chapter to touch on the mile wide inch deep standards put out by the state. At the same time, we need to make sure the foundation is solid enough for every kid to be successful in Algebra next year in eighth grade (another state mandate). Now, everything I've read about math education tells us that we need to focus on fewer topics. Japan does easily HALF as many concepts per year. Every teacher I know that takes their time and really hits the key ideas deeply is successful. Yet, the message from the district is clear - get moving!

Maybe it's not a fever that I'm struggling with today. Maybe it's the magnifying glass of No Child Left Behind focusing the rays of unachievable accountability on me and I am getting cooked.

Day 4 - Getting Things Done

2007-12-01T17:14:00.000-06:00

I got a ton done today. The best thing I did to save time was to have students do more of the day to day classroom tasks like updating the homework board, reading announcements, handing things out, etc. This not a new idea - lots of educational gurus talk about how important it is to have students take charge of their classrooms - but I don't take full advantage of it. Granted, the board is a little harder to read and the procedures can take a little longer, but the kids love doing it and it saves me time.

It seems easier to get things done when I know at some point I will be done. At one point I wondered if I could take these new found efficiencies and apply them to my old schedule once work to rule is over - I can't. I can sprint through my work when the race is short, but if it goes back to a marathon there's no way I can keep up this pace. Maybe something I take from all this is that I need to give myself permission to let myself be finished.

On a side note, we were working on conversions in class today, and for the first time in my career, I am making about a penny a second! I wrecked the moment though when we compared my salary to Jerry Seinfeld's at a $1.49 per second.

Day 3 - Remembering My Sales Job

2007-11-29T21:26:00.000-06:00

I had a Minnesota AFL-CIO General Board meeting today. I mentioned we were working to rule and everyone gave me that look of support and sympathy. It's nice to be in a group where everyone gets it when you talk about the importance of fair pay. I had a tough time concentrating though as I kept thinking of all the things that could be going wrong back in my classroom. My students are really terrific this year, but images of technology crashes, students running wild, and small desk fires ran through my head. I was in such a rush to get all the materials together, I imagined my sub floundering to understand my lesson plans and cursing my name.

When I wasn't stressing out, I was reminising. Before teaching, I had a job in sales. Sitting in the corporate style meeting took my back to halcyon days of using the restroom whenever I wanted, having a generous pay package and hour long lunches, and being accountable for only things I could actually affect. On the flip side, I didn't care about my work and it was totally unsatisfying. I went into sales to see if the grass was greener. It wasn't greener, but it was much higher.

Day 2 - W2R Really Hits Me

2007-11-29T20:31:00.000-06:00

It’s only been a day and a half and I’m ready to kill everybody. I have an AFL-CIO meeting tomorrow, so I need to prepare for a sub today in addition to getting ready for my three preps. I’d be scrambling no matter what since my students decided not to learn at exactly the pace I had prepared for them during my pre-W2R scramble this weekend. Maybe it’s karmic payback for trying to make W2R easier by doing a ridiculous amount of unpaid overtime just before the kickoff. So all bets are off now and I’m starting to feel it.

I felt the first prick of frustration when I noticed that people don’t put the colored paper back into the right piles by the copy machine – why is the blue on the orange? While I was copying, I wondered why didn’t Holt consider that maybe the kids should just learn one thing at a time and give me a two-step equation worksheet without all the negatives and fractions to start with when I don’t have time to create one of my own? Why is the bell ringing already!? And why is that rainbow spinner coming up when I’m trying to type up the sub notes and run the copier at the same time?!? Why won’t that kid stop running – am I fast enough to chase him down and not lose my place in the copier line??!?? Don’t ask me about the school board meeting Monday while I’m trying to get all these copies done– why weren’t you there??@#? Oh, your kid was in the hospital, sorry. HOW DOES THE COPY MACHINE KNOW TO JAM JUST WHEN I’M LATE??!!??! “I don’t think it will be a huge adjustment for me this time” (I wrote that in yesterday’s blog) – WHAT THE @#$* WAS I THINKING???!!?!?!?

At least is clear that I am not sneaking work home and am sticking to spirit of W2R. I will wear my craziness a badge of loyalty to our cause.

On the home front – I just started selling things on eBay. With my extra time, I’ve noticed a lot of things around my house could be sold at what I am sure are fabulous prices. When my husband saw the postal scale I bought today, he packed up some of his favorite things to hide in his locker at work. Good choice.

Day 1 - Wading In

2007-11-29T20:30:00.000-06:00

I had to get up earlier than usual to get the donuts to celebrate Jackson’s first day of work to rule. Now, it’s really ironic that W2R is more work than usual for me today, but cuddling up in the entryway with my colleagues since it so cold your head could fall off and walking in for donuts was kind of nice. As far as how W2R will affect me personally, I think I’m in a better position than most. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve almost been on work to rule due to all the work on the levy, so I don’t think it will be a huge adjustment for me this time. However, it only took until fourth hour before I noticed I was getting behind. Still, walking out at 3:25 was immensely satisfying.

Getting home at 4:00 pm was weird. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the extra time. Some people might catch up on home improvements, reconnect with family, or do some self improvement like exercise. I went online and read all the wanted postings on Craigslist. Lots of fun - I sold my old super-8 projector to a nice couple in Bloomington and really hope that one guy finds his 40 ukeles.

Day 0 - Kickoff

2007-11-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my work to rule diary! My name is Julie Blaha and I teach seventh grade math at Jackson Middle School. This is my ninth year teaching and my second time working to rule. I am also the Governmental Relations Chair in for Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota and am on a whole bunch of other union boards and committees.

Working to rule is an action designed to help achieve a contract settlement by doing the duties outlined in our current contract and nothing more. Seems simple enough, but as an educator, it can be challenging, frustrating, infuriating and heartbreaking. We do an inordinate amount of unpaid work to give our students the kind of education they deserve.

As contract negotiations stalled for us and this work action loomed, I decided I would keep track of my experiences as we worked to rule. I knew I'd have time to write, I wanted to reflect on just what my work as a teacher really entails, and everyone in my generation has a blog.

So, read on and either celebrate the fact that work to rule has given me the time I've always wanted to write or keep working for a fair settlement for Anoka Hennepin educators so I will stop.