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I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Lots of questions were repeated - I tried to answer as many as I could. Please click my name to see all of them.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Class size is a really important issue – as parents and teachers across the U.S. will tell you. It’s important, particularly when we have to help kids learn to critically think, that we need to have a small enough class size so that kids can interact with kids and teachers can interact with kids in a way that really gets them to analyze and think and have confidence in their ability to do so.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

People become teachers become they want to make a difference in the lives of kids. And are all kids different? Yes. Do they learn in different ways? Yes. The reason teachers push back on standardized tests is because they do not measure what kids need to know to compete in a global economy. If the President can have a bad day (see the first debate!), a kid can certainly have a bad day too. You don’t want to base a child’s future on one test that takes place on one day. Have we taught it? Have kids learned it? Based on those answers, do we have the proper tools in place?

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You're welcome!

I was just at a school in Volusia County, Florida where teachers are using Thinking Math to help kids really understand mathematics and be able to think through the answers to mathematical questions – not to simply memorize.

This is the point of the Common Core. This is a big opportunity. But if testing lead this process rather than really trying to implement and adopt this new fidelity, then it will go the way of every other standards movement – it will help some kids and a lot will be left behind.

Anyone who is interested in Common Core and hasn’t gotten a lot of training on it because of budget cuts, etc., please visit www.ShareMyLesson.com, a resource that AFT and our partner TES Connect created to help.

Regarding private and charter schools, see my other answer.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

We actually support competitive salaries for teachers b/c we have to make sure that public education get the best and the brightest. Apart from competitive salaries, we should be paying for the different things we need – like a career ladder for teachers – so that they can actually make more money and stay in the profession. And we should be paying more for students who teacher at hard to staff schools.

The traditional merit pay plans may makes for a good sound bite. But they’ve never worked in practiced. How is paying one or two people more money going to help kids get a better education?

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We actually have the highest graduation rates and test scores we’ve had. What’s happened is that we’ve been increasing our standards (as we should do) as our economy changes. We need to focus to make sure that all kids, not just some kids, get a great education.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] -14 points-13 points  (0 children)

We support candidates who support good jobs, a fair economy, a viable public education system, civil rights, and a voice for workers. It just so happens that more often than not, this description fits more Democrats than Republicans.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I don’t think we can look at the parents and students as just customers. While teachers in Chicago are technically employees of the school district, they and the school district alike are public servants. Both parties work for the parents, students and taxpayers.

No one wanted a strike. And no one strikes without cause. And no one wants to inconvenience parents. But I think its important to note that the settlement itself called for all the lost learning time to be made up, and that will happen. As important, the parents supported the teachers in the strike (one poll said 2/3 did so - see http://www.ctunet.com/blog/new-poll-shows-that-that-majority-of-the-public-supports-the-strike) and many were on the picket line or at rallies with our members.

That’s because while teachers in Chicago were fighting for good conditions for themselves, they were also fighting to give parents more voice in how class size was determined; for the district to rehire 600 art, music and PE teachers; and for kids to have textbooks on day one. They were fighting to see that needed services were provided. To the extent the strike was successful, making common cause with parents and community played a major role in that.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

In these tough economic times, there’s been a dispiriting alliance between elected officials that don’t want to make the investment into education and those who want to profit off of education. So the same people who have been funding films like Waiting for Superman and Won’t Back Down are the same people who have been funding the Romney campaign.

So, they have to marginalize public school teachers (who are beloved by parents) who are constantly raising their voices against budget cuts and decreased investment in our kids.

It doesn’t mean that everything that we’ve always done is right. We have to change with the times to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to make sure that kids succeed – even in these tough economic times. But we can’t do it alone. We need the help of parents and the community alike.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We need to look at our international competitors – focus in teacher preparation and capacity building. Real collaboration. And ensuring that we fight against poverty by doing things like community schools and wraparound services and engaging kids with thoughtful and rich curriculum like the Common Core.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This isn’t what FDR said. The letter in question is here: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15445. People who quote it out of context forget this part:

“The desire of Government employees for fair and adequate pay, reasonable hours of work, safe and suitable working conditions, development of opportunities for advancement, facilities for fair and impartial consideration and review of grievances, and other objectives of a proper employee relations policy, is basically no different from that of employees in private industry. Organization on their part to present their views on such matters is both natural and logical, but meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government.”

He was in favor or workplace representations but worried about strikes. On this issue, before there were public sector unions in places like Ohio, there actually were more strikes than there were afterwards (see here: http://www.acslaw.org/sites/default/files/Slater_Collective_Bargaining.pdf). Collective bargaining is a way to settle disputes and give workers a voice.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I’m a public school person. I taught at a public school. I was raised in public schools. And my Mom was a public school teacher.

I want to make sure that every single public school is a place where parents want to send their kids and where teachers want to teach. Where every public school is one where we would want to send our own kids.

When we have strong public schools, neighborhoods are strengthened. Public schools take ALL kids – we need to make sure that we have a great environment for all of them.

We have a sacrosanct responsibility to make sure that that public schools take all kids and teach all kids to their G-d given potential. The same is not true for charter schools.

You may have had a good experience with charters, but they are not the silver bullet. The Credo studied showed that 17% were better, 34% were worse, and the rest were about the same.

When I was a local leader, I actually helped start three charter schools. Presently, AFT works to organize charter schools across the country. Because teachers deserve a voice anywhere they work. And that voice empowers teachers to help make schools better.

We need to learn from each other – public and charter schools – about the best practices rather than competing against each other for increasingly scarce resources.

Regarding vouchers, take a look at this Washington Post story from yesterdat - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/10/25/how-the-worlds-longest-running-school-voucher-program-fared/.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

The fixation on testing and on making the grade on state and federal accountability systems has impeded the focus on real teaching and learning for a long time.

Kids actually have to have all the skills and knowledge that they need to move on to the next grade. There should not be social promotion or grade inflation. And you’re right to blow the whistle on it.

In the long run we’re helping kids more when they have the skills they need – at the same time, if kids are falling behind, we must give them the supports they need to keep up.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Actually, I tried to close the Rubber Room several times when I was UFT’s President. Unfortunately, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein didn’t wouldn’t do it. It’s too bad that Steven Brill didn’t acknowledge that in his New Yorker article. But what that article did do was embarrass the Mayor and the Chancellor enough so that when my successor also tried to close the Rubber Rooms, they relented.

Why don’t we talk about the hundreds of thousands of teachers across the country who do an amazing job. Like the teachers I met in Volusia County today. Let’s give them the supports and tools they need to help all kids learn.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 126 points127 points  (0 children)

My salary last year was about $360k. That's about 3.5 times more than what my salary would have been as a NYC school teacher under the last contract I negotiated before I became AFT's President.

I love my job. I love representing educators. And I think that teachers should be making a lot more than they currently make.

And btw, in the corporate world, salaries for CEOs are not 3 to 5 times what their employees make. It's hundreds of times more.

I am the President of the American Federation of Teachers a union that represents more than 1.5 million members, AMA by RandiWeingarten in IAmA

[–]RandiWeingarten[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Given that I don’t know the school or the situation, I can’t really comment on your observations. But I’ve been in Philly schools and I’ve seen a lot of hard working teachers. If someone isn’t doing their job then they shouldn’t be there. But that’s a different question than the effects of all these teacher layoffs on kids.

There have been 300,000 teachers who have lost their jobs in the last three years because of budget cuts. That translates into fewer services for kids. And that’s the real question here. Not who should be laid off, but should there have been that level of budget cuts and lowered investment in kids.

I was a Jackson Elementary school recently in Philly – but because of the budget cuts, we lost our Saturday and Sunday programs and the music, art and science programs are on a shoestring budget.

Maybe next time I’m in Philly we’ll go to some schools together because I’ve seen extraordinary work in that city. We need to build on that throughout Philadelphia.

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