California Educator

MARCH 2011

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t the February meeting of CTA’s State Coun- cil of Education, Dean E. Vogel was elected president of CTA. Vogel, a member of the Vacaville Teachers Association, is currently serv- DEAN E. VOGEL The conditions of teaching and learning today are dreadful. Every day teachers are being asked to do more with less, even as expectations rise and opportunities for authentic roles in decision making decrease. Teachers are overworked, disrespected and discouraged daily, yet they con- tinue to give even more, to be creative, to do what they know is right. They need their union to support and protect them when they do. Teachers are ready to fight back, but not alone. Teachers are ready to stand up in support of their students and their fami- lies. They need their union stand- ing with them. President-elect’s statement A Teachers and educa- Vogel tors who work with stu- dents every day are the people who know best how to meet their needs, not bureaucrats far re- moved from schools and classrooms. If you want to know how a child learns to read, ask a teacher, not a bureaucrat. If you want to know how to build positive interperson- al relationships, ask a counselor, not a politician. You wouldn’t hire a chef to build a rocket ship, and it doesn’t make sense to have an in- vestment banker telling us how to teach reading. We must take back our profes- sion, our schools, and our right to shape the education of Califor- nia’s children. And it had better be soon. To that end, the Califor- ing his second term as CTA vice president. His term as president begins June 26. Although Vogel ran unopposed, a cam- paign statement was submitted by the candi- date. This unedited statement was limited to 400 words. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the candidate and not necessarily those of CTA. nia Teachers Association must focus its effort not only at Sacramento but al- so into the classrooms and schools in every commu- nity. Too many people with no experience and less understanding of the dy- namics of teaching and learning have bought their way into the offices of the power brokers and the policy makers. The mission of the California Teachers Association is very clear, “…to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to im- prove the conditions of teaching and learning….” It’s time that ev- ery teacher not only reads that in CTA publications and on the website, but believes it, and holds it as a truth that empowers them to meet the serious chal- lenges facing all of us. The disconnection that teach- ers are feeling between their classrooms and CTA is real, and it ’s CTA’s responsibility to do something about it. Teachers and educators are being asked to do more with less every day. CTA must ask the same of itself. As President, I will take this respon- sibility seriously. I look forward to standing with you as we take our profession back. Heads up! Conferences Presidents Conference Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove July 18-22, 2011 This conference brings together chapter presidents from across the state for five days of instruction ranging from time management to the president’s role in negotiations. For more information, visit www.cta.org/conferences. Summer Institute UCLA (De Neve Plaza and Sunset Village) July 31–Aug. 5, 2011 The premier workshop of its kind, CTA’s Summer Institute offers sessions in a vari- ety of areas that assist chapter leaders in the day-to-day representation and sup- port of members, and features hands-on activities to hone the skills needed to meet the challenges of the coming year. Sessions include strands/tracks on Com- munications, Instruction and Professional Development, Emerging Leaders, Bar- gaining, School Finance, Health Care Benefits and Issues, Legal, Member Benefits, and Community Outreach. For more information, visit www.cta.org/conferences. Deadlines Incentive grants for summer conferences April 29, 2011 Small chapter and minority incentive grants are available for the Presidents Conference (July 18-22) and Summer Institute (July 31-Aug. 5). Apply by Fri- day, April 29. Each grant pays for transportation expenses and the conference fee, including materials, meals and housing based on double occupancy. Mi- nority incentive grants are offered to members of racial-ethnic minority groups to encourage minority leadership within the association. Small chap- ter incentive grants are awarded to chapters that represent a unit of 100 or fewer members for collective bargaining. In addition, Summer Institute offers incentive grants for participants in the Emerging Leaders Track and the Mem- ber Benefits Strand. The Presidents Conference offers additional grants for first-time participation (available to new participants from a chapter of 1,000 or fewer members) and first-time chapter participation (available to partici- pants from a chapter of 150 or fewer members that has not previously partici- pated). You can register for summer conferences and apply for incentive grants online at www.cta.org/conferences. 38 California Educator | MARCH 2011

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