Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/48237
POINT OF VIEW by Andrew F. Morrill AEA Members Can Empower Their Profession Teaching is a delicate and precarious profes- sion right now in our country. Teachers and, in fact, all public school employees and the work they do to provide great public schools for children are impacted by many factors, includ- ing policy, budget cuts, and a difficult economy – which it bears noting, was made worse by our state leadership's short sighted budget decisions. Arizona's governor and legislature have used a cut-and-run strategy for years by cutting revenue and funding, cutting budgets to public services like education and health care, and then passing policies that are not well thought out and lack supporting resources – and running from the reality thus created. These new policies have good goals and AEA OFFICERS Andrew F. Morrill President Joe Thomas Vice-President Nidia Lias Treasurer AEA STAFF Sheryl Mathis Executive Director Sheenae Shannon Editor Penny Skubal Graphic Design Doug Stagner Editorial Associate Roxanna Horine Advertising Associate - 9 The AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602-264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887 E-mail: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. AEA's Web site may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. 4 Winter 2011/12 ❘ AEA Advocate The AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. constructive outcomes; however, it is unrealistic to raise the expectations placed on our schools and educators and at the same time cut funding and resources. In addition, 4,000 teachers have been laid off in the past two years for reasons not related to retirement or a drop in enroll- ment, creating larger class sizes and imposing added pressure on the performance of schools and teachers. Teachers and educators should have a voice in decisions regarding quality public education and policy impacting their work. AEA knows that the best policies come when they are informed by educator input. In this issue, you'll read about two great examples of AEA mem- bers getting involved and having an impact on their work. You'll read about Mitchell20, a film that doc- uments a group of teachers seeking to improve their profession by attaining National Board Certification together. They seek to change the one thing they still have control over: their performance. You'll learn about AEA Professional Development Day – a training conducted by a cadre of our member leaders, many of whom have achieved National Board Certification and want to share their expertise with teachers in priority schools. This training, like the AEA SEI trainings, is created by teachers for teachers. These examples of AEA members tak- ing charge of their profession and the quality of their work show that even within difficult circumstances – an economic recession and destructive legislative policies – we can still be as good as we choose to be. These actions and events are coming from the best source: from AEA members, the voice of quality public education in Arizona – and that is as it should be. Andrew F. Morrill AEA President