Our teachers are skilled professionals who know what works for their students. Yet they spend too much time on paperwork and administrative tasks rather than teaching. As your School Board member, I’ll fight to reduce these burdens and restore the freedom to teach.
Understanding the Challenge
Madison’s teachers face several obstacles to effectiveness:
- Administrative Overload: Teachers report spending 30-40% of their time on administrative tasks rather than instruction.
- Resource Gaps: Many teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies and instructional materials.
- Planning Time Pressure: Insufficient planning time forces teachers to work evenings and weekends to prepare effective lessons.
- Initiative Fatigue: Constant new programs and requirements create burnout and reduce instructional focus.
My Approach
As your School Board member, I will:
- Audit Administrative Tasks: Identify and eliminate redundant requirements that don’t directly benefit student learning.
- Protect Planning Time: Ensure teachers have adequate time during the workday to plan, collaborate, and analyze student data.
- Support Competitive Compensation: Advocate for both base pay increases and benefits that recognize the professional nature of teaching.
- Invest in Professional Growth: Support meaningful development opportunities that teachers themselves identify as valuable.
- Create Teacher Voice Channels: Establish systematic ways for teachers to influence decisions that affect their classrooms.
Empowering Educators
When we trust teachers as professionals, everybody wins. Students receive more focused instruction, teachers experience greater job satisfaction, and families see better results. As a former teacher myself, I’ve experienced both the challenges and the incredible potential when educators have the freedom to teach.