Anonymous Teacher: Even high-performing districts need more space and time to teach

Today we have a disturbing account of the scarcity of resources available to teachers in Mississippi: Leaky classrooms covered in black mold. Rolling carts in schools so overrun some teachers use the cafeteria for a classroom. Even schools in "A" districts can struggle when they're underfunded. 

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As a Mississippi educator for over ten years, I have worked in a classroom where black mold covered one wall and the roof poured water every time it rained. Desks and chairs need to be replaced. I have worked with students who needed books, so I scoured every garage sale, library sale, thrift store, and online sources to get used books for my students.

We had a furlough day a few years ago. Little did I realize how much we lived from paycheck to paycheck. EEF funds never come in until October, and by then all of the Back-to-School sales are over. Funds need to be spent by February, which is never a problem, but needs arise between March and May.

When I got married, my husband took a look at my finances. He explained that I was spending $100 to $300 a month on my students, and that my student loans were not paid off. I did receive scholarship and grant money during college, and I ‘worked off’ the portion allowable, but a big part of my undergraduate degree had to be funded with student loans.

I tried to explain to my new husband how much my students NEED these materials. He firmly stated that until my student loans were paid off, I had no business spending that much money on my students. I compromised, promising not to purchase consumables anymore. I found people who were willing to donate paper, pencils, notebooks, and basic supplies. That time could have been better spent preparing quality lessons for my students, but we had to have pencils and paper!

Now that we have children of our own, I don’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to spending money for work. Our son needed tubes in his ears to the tune of close to two grand with insurance. I am working all summer to pay for his medical expenses.

A year ago, I left the regular classroom to work with students who are dyslexic. There is not enough money to fund someone to do this job at every school, although we desperately need someone qualified at each and every elementary school. I know of several qualified teachers who would love to do this job, but there just is not enough money available. I worked with over 75 students last year. At one point I was assigned seven schools. Everywhere I went I was told, “You have so many students here that you should be here full time!” I chuckled about it at school, but at home I cried. How can I possibly be an effective educator when I’m running from school to school all the time? My husband asked me, “Do you still think that you are making a difference, however small?” I would nod my head, and go back to do it another day. I absolutely love my job, and I adore each one of my hard-working students. Their teachers are bending over backwards, but they need more time to collaborate with me. There just isn’t enough of me to go around. I give my cell number and email address and tell them that I’m only a text away, but we both know that’s not the same.

There is one other serious problem. I don’t have a classroom. I’m teaching in book closets, in cafeterias, in P.E. rooms, in the bookkeeper’s office or the counselor’s office. Anywhere we can find a space. And I’m not the only one using these spaces! There are several different teachers who are using these spaces for instructional areas! One of us will use the closet in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Sometimes we use the teacher workroom. (It’s a myth that schools have ‘lounges.’ I have never seen one.) Teachers needing to make copies cannot do so because we are squeezed into the room. Sometimes we use the conference room until it is needed for standardized testing or a meeting. Sometimes we are in a portable, and two teachers are trying to teach at the same time. Students who are struggling with auditory processing disorders are trying to filter out the lesson going on right behind them while focusing on their toughest area: reading. I know several people who have the same position I do, and not one of us has a dedicated instructional space. Portables are being used for regular classrooms and most schools have converted some of their lobby space into instructional space or the teacher workroom.

Every year that I have taught, it seems like I have been asked to do more with less. And I have managed to do so. I’m proud of myself for doing so much with the resources I have been given. At this point, I would be happy with actual classroom space to teach and time with my students and their other teachers. I never dreamed that I would be asking for that when I went into this profession.

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