I wrote an email to one of our Senators designing and introducing a teacher merit pay bill. I did leave my name and contact info at the end (which I deleted here). I didn't receive a response until I over-loaded emails to other reps and their assistants! Here is my OPINION:
Dear Mr. Chairman,
I am sending this email concerning SB 386. I am very curious why it is being introduced when there are unanswered questions about implementation. I am an educator of nine years and currently hold a Master's Degree of Education. I love learning and immerse myself in learning every chance I can. Just this week, I started my first class for a Reading Endorsement and last year finished my Gifted Endorsement. The endorsements do not increase my salary, but do assist me in learning new methods in which to facilitate learning.
I do not feel that SB 386 is the answer to improving education. I have only taught for nine years, but have experienced very different students with very different developmental rates. As an educator, I give my all in and out of the classroom. Even during our January furloughed days, a colleague and I traveled through three states, at our expense, to attend a Whole Brain Teaching conference. Teachers work very hard to make a difference! Sometimes the standards are developmentally out of the reach of some students. That doesn't mean they did not show growth, it just means that they didn't reach the standard. Just yesterday, we had a celebration in our class of one student's great achievement. That student is not meeting the standard, but did work hard to master something that was very developmentally difficult for the student.
I hope that before SB 386 is introduced, it is completed with no unanswered questions! I will remain on my salary schedule because I work hard. I could not work any harder even if merit pay was offered to me. I love and enjoy going to work and facilitating learning each day! The students' success is such a joy and is celebrated in our room by all, not because of merit pay!
I would welcome a discussion with you and/or your committee. I am extremely interested in this bill and need to understand all of it. Thank you for your precious time and have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Sandra
Hi! I wanted to respond to your question about the foam roller & your shin pain. I don't know if it could help or not. (I know, not much of an answer!)
ReplyDeleteBut I do know if you have shin splints (which you'll have to Google since I'm not totally sure what they are!), my husband said this is how he always got past them: Sit down and "write" the alphabet with your foot, just "writing" into the air. It gets your foot moving in all sorts of directions and works those muscles in the shin area, and it's supposed to help with shin splints. Thankfully that's not an issue I've had, but it's really common with runners. Hope that helps.
Thanks so much! I just might do that the evenings I run!
ReplyDelete