Education Law

Texas students and teachers “Raise the Roof”

In an ABCNews.com article that highlights stories of misbehaving teachers that have recently made headlines, NSBA General Counsel Francisco Negron points out what BoardBuzz already knew: that these stories are the exception, not the rule. ?There will always be cases, as in every part of society, where there are a few bad apples,? Negron said. ?Those bad apples are not representative of the profession as a whole.

Negron believes that the public understands the difference between these few poor teachers and the remaining majority.

?The parents love their kids? teachers,? he said. ?We know that really good teachers make the difference in a student?s education.?

In fact, BoardBuzz has come across an example of some Texas teachers who are willing to go to great heights for their students- literally! The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports that nine teachers and three administrators at Jack Elementary, including Principal Shauna Hittle, promised their students that if they ?raised the roof? and brought up their scores on their Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests, the teachers would actually sleep on the roof.

The students, who say their bargain motivated them to work harder on the test, raised their scores to more than 90 percent passing in every subject. In response, the administrators climbed to the roof on Tuesday night, armed with sleeping bags, pillows, and chairs. Students and parents stopped by to visit, bringing along snacks, drinks, and even glow sticks for their dedicated teachers. The teachers retrieved the goodies by lowering a bucket on a string and hoisting it to their perch on the roof.

Hittle said that the teachers were excited to sleep on the roof since the students were so enthusiastic about the deal. ?It?s just fun and is to show the kids we?re willing to go the extra mile for them because we?ve asked them to go the extra mile all year long,? she said.

Students not only appreciated this extra effort that one fifth grader called ?the best gift,? but also learned an important lesson from the bargain. Fifth-grader Hudson Hill said he learned that, ?If you try really hard, you can succeed and you can get something in return.?

BoardBuzz loves to see the creative ways that teachers are inspiring students.  What are teachers doing in your district to inspire their students?

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on June 05, 2009 (boomark / email).