Teacher's PET Winter 1994
Published in November of 1994
The Professional Educators of Tennessee (PET) has once again shown strong membership gains as more and more teachers see what PET has to offer. The membership for this school year is already over 56% larger than last year. Since PET's reorganization under the current leadership and incorporation in 1990, membership has maintained more than 50% growth each year.
The strongest areas of gain this school year have been in Bradley, Polk, Knox, and Muray County. PET now has members in 36 Tennessee public school systems, one private school, and three college/universities.
It is evident that there is much room for growth left in the state. Many teachers still do not know about PET, and many are afraid to join because of misinformation that has been spread by members of other organizations.
Advertising by mass methods has been somewhat successful, but most members are reached by word of mouth by other members. It is therefore important for you to do your friends and associates, who may share PET's belief that teaching is a profession rather than a job, a favor and tell them about PET.
Dues have been kept at a small fraction of other organizations, and a good growth rate can help that policy continue. If you have any ideas on how membership can be increased, write PET at the Columbia address or call (615) 381-5292.
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From the President of PET...
Where are You From? This is a question that is asked often and I was wondering Why?
What difference does it make where we are from? Does the answer give the questioner a mental category into which we are then placed? Or is it for the purpose of identification and seeking affinity? Oh, yes, I know so and so who is from there. Well, I have reached the conclusion that where we say we are from gets bigger as we are farther from home. For example, if I am in Columbia, Tennessee I would say I am from Jefferson City, in Florida or some other state I would say I am from Tennessee, but in China I would reply that I am from the United States. From outer space I would say to a Martian, I am from the planet Earth. Were you ever a long way from home and saw an acquaintance from back home and suddenly it was as if he/she were a long lost cousin? Would it help humanity if we all pretended to be in outer space and the Earth was home and everyone was a cousin?
In the field of education we who are teachers come from a variety of backgrounds and with different perspectives. We are, as it were,
from different places. We need to take a look from outer space and view the children as ours. What ever we put on the agenda should be there for their benefit. If we make better schools for them, they may make a better world for us.
PET Congratulations on a great year. Our membership has almost doubled. Knox County now has an organization and their membership went from about a dozen to over sixty. We are on the grow!!!!!!!
Come to Chattanooga this summer to make plans for an even brighter future. See you at our annual meeting.
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A better schedule, or a passing fad?
Several schools are looking at a new and sometimes controversial scheduling system called the 4 X 4. At least one school with PET members has already changed to this system, and they are quite satisfied with the new program.
The 4 X 4 program is a scheduling system in which there are only 4 one and a half hour class periods in a day. The students earn a full credit each semester for a total of 8 possible credits in a year.
In the plus column for this system, teachers only teach 3 class periods a day with an hour and a half planning period. Total class loads are reduced as teachers only have about 60% of the number of students they usually have. This reduces the amount of papers a teacher grades, freeing up more time. The long class periods allow more time for lab work, group projects and cooperative learning.
With eight credits possible a year, students have a variety of elective credits to earn. This lets the student explore areas of study not available before because there was no time for the student to fit it in a schedule with all the required courses the state mandates.
Grades supposedly increase because there is more time to concentrate on fewer subjects at one time. Also, homework loads are reduced with less subjects to have it in.
With all these fantastic things said so far, what could be negative? Concerns have been voiced by many unsold teachers. For one, you have the same students for a full hour and a half. If it a good class, no problem. But what about that 1 class that drives you to the edge of a cliff in only 45 minutes? What about students that miss class? It is like missing 2 regular classes.
Other questions that are raised is whether the students learn as much as if they were in class the entire year. Concerns have also been expressed with students possibly going 9 to 12 months without any math courses.
It is obvious that this type of system will require a lot of planning on the teachers part. Before a school changes to this type of system, they should ask themselves one main question; is this a better system for the education of our children?
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According to the bylaws of PET, three members are elected to the board of directors at the annual meeting. The election term is for three years. Any class one member (Professional) is eligible to be elected. Only class one members are eligible to vote.
The current board members whose term will end at the meeting this summer are Dr. Bernard Bull, Jeannie Coile, and Laura Loyd. There is no restriction in the bylaws that would prohibit the nomination of these three to another term. It is now time for the membership to make nominations for this election.
Nominations should be received by March 15, and will be published in a newsletter before the annual meeting this July. Please send your nominations to:
Walter Jewell
403 Formosa Drive
Columbia, TN 38401
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For further information or comments, please contact us at pet@cdc.net
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