Analysis: The Chicago Teachers Strike

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The Chicago Teachers Strike--Thoughts and Issues of a Future ESL Teacher By Letitia Scott As a future ESL teacher I was watching the Chicago Teacher strike with objective eyes. I realize that all students are at the forefront of this protest. But as I embark on a new journey a new set of students enter my educational stratosphere--the Emergent English learner. During this period newspaper stories and editorials, television and radio programs as well as blogs and social media captured this as an event while not really considering what was really at stake--the future of our students and the national educational crisis. They are the future of our country. As I marched on the picket lines and rallies I got an opportunity to solidify the reason…show more content…
I agree wholeheartly that our students deserve the best of the best teaching our children. But has CPS done their 'best' in providing funding for training appropriate staff and creating tests that accurately assess the bilingual student? How invested in the ELL students are they? Or is it that the change in laws and policy 'look good' as they bid for the "Race to the Top" funding provided by the Department of Education? (Lazarin and Ortiz, 2012). CPS has also noted that testing students will become a major part of the teacher evaluation system. (isbe,net) These tests must be administered to the ELL student to fit their needs and match the standards set for their testing environments and individualized learning plans. The auxiliary staff aide the classroom teacher in developing a well balanced and most times an individualized program for the ELL students, CPS has to increase these 'human resources' to help the ELL student. Next I began think about the fate of the underperforming schools. It is known that the mayor and CPS is moving into the direction of Charter Schools so that parents and families can have choice in the schools their child attends while the city can eliminate the cost of running the public schools (Baltimore Sun, 2012). While I agree that reform is needed…show more content…
This is really a concern for me as I look forward into changing into the ELL classroom. The senate bill 7 does provide the state with a better way of evaluating teachers in Illinois but it doesn't take into account all the things mentioned before that affects a teacher's practice. 1. Does the teacher and the student have the additional support from counselors and teacher's aides to increase the achievement of the students in the classroom? 2. Will this bill provide money for professional development to meet the growing needs of the ELL students? 3. How does bill 7 address the lack of materials in the classroom the support academic growing and deeper understanding of the standards and content the ELL student must digest before increasing scores on the standardized test? 4. Does this bill address the education of the principals on the needs of the ELL students so they can lead the teachers in their schools to a successful learning program for the ELL students? We have seen that principals now undergo "professional development leadership training" which includes modules on a computer and not interaction with parents, teachers and students (Suntimes, 2012). "This legislation will help ensure that Chicago has the tools we need to give our children the education they deserve," the mayor said in a statement. But does it really? As I grow weary from reading blogs and news articles online I do think about the mayor's statement and notice

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