Nothing challenges the consistency of my creativity more than a day job, and I’ve had plenty of those over the years. I’m back to work as a middle school literacy teacher so my days, once again, fill with lessons and meetings and drives across town. Gone are those summer sessions of writing until noon.
Then after a week full of time crunches, I receive a notification that my second full interior proof is ready for approval. Silly me. I thought the actual book would appear in the mail. After all, I did submit the changes. Now I know that I have to pour over the proof, once again, to make sure the changes I requested are correct. READ THE ENTIRE POST…
JoDee Luna Art 
Literacy teacher. Except for the naturally motivated college bound most of my 11th grade kids were 2-5 years behind in reading level. Now merit pay has been instituted. These kids will never grow intellectually because they see no intrinsic value in education and have given up. That means the teacher assigned these kids will be judged incompetent and fired.
Carl, I experienced something interesting recently. One of my former students (who scored Far Below Basic on the State exam) just told me that his high school reading placement level was 11th grade. I said, “You didn’t even read the test last year, did you.”
He laughed and said, “No I didn’t but I’ll try this year.”
If there was merit pay in my district, I would be judged incompetent and fired.
Thanks for your comment.