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ISTA President Teresa Meredith

ISTA President Teresa Meredith

Classroom teachers today feel they’re not being appreciated.  Education reformers, politicians, parents, taxpayers criticize teachers for the state of public education in America and Indiana.  New laws have placed more burdens on teachers.  The job of a classroom teacher now involves increased pressure to have their students perform well on tests. Teachers pay and even their jobs are dependent on how their students score on those standardized tests.  In an hourlong interview on Afternoons with Amos, the President of the largest teacher group in Indiana talked frankly about the challenges Indianapolis and Indiana teachers face today. Teresa Meredith is President of the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA). That organization not only represents teachers in the Indianapolis Public Schools, but Indianapolis township schools, suburban schools and many school districts in cities, small towns and rural areas of Indiana. Meredith told Amos and listeners about what Indianapolis and Indiana teachers face today.  Rigid lesson plans, detailed work plans for each half hour or less of a school day.  Pressure to teach to the standardized tests and teach to the state standards.  In the interview Meredith told Afternoons with Amos listeners that if a subject isn’t in the state standards it can’t be taught to kids.  So things like manners and behavior get left out.  Meredith talked about the time pressures in school which have reduced or eliminated recess and cut lunch hours.  Meredith, who has taught at the kindergarten and 3rd and 4th grades said that a teacher can’t anymore give their students a rest break to relieve stress, because that would put them behind in their lesson plan for a day or a week.  Meredith also discussed ISTA’s concerns about HB1321 which would give IPS flexibility to place “innovation schools” inside existing underutilized IPS buildings.  Teresa Meredith provided listeners and the community an insight into what Hoosier classroom teachers face in today’s test-oriented, evaluation-oriented high stakes educational environment.  Click the Arrow to Hear Amos’ Interview with ISTA President Teresa Meredith.  Runs 42 Minutes ©2014 WTLC/Radio One.