Several of my closest work-friends are first-year teachers, and because of new credential requirements they have to do this program called BTSA.
They have these huge binders they have to complete, and they have meetings with ‘mentors’ who are there to help them get through the paperwork. My friend (who will probably be reading this) is a very good teacher. Like all first year teachers, she has things to work on, but considering her lack of experience, she’s pretty darned good. And yet, she is apparently ‘failing’ BTSA because she’s having trouble understanding the paperwork.
Let’s look at BTSA’s “goals”:
Provide an effective transition into the teaching career for first- and second-year teachers in California.
Well… teachers sure do a mindboggling amount of paperwork. So, the binders get teachers ready to be buried in paperwork. Good job so far.
Improve the educational performance of students through improved training, information, and assistance for participating teachers.
It is time consuming. Extremely so. There are tons of classes, meetings, workshops, etc. to attend, which takes time away from lesson planning, parent conferencing, grading, etc.. Clearly, this is THE way to improve student performance.
Enable beginning teachers to be effective in teaching students who are culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse.
By requiring them to spend several hours a week fussing over papers such as student interest surveys, sign-up sheets, and reflective journals. The time wouldn’t be better spent observing other teachers, taking a conversational Spanish class at a local adult school, or attending after-school activities to participate in the school’s culture.
Ensure the professional success and retention of new teachers.
BTSA is a huge incentive for teachers to stay in their jobs. That’s what people go into teaching for… to lug around 2 inch binders full of useless papers and stress over not having a particular tab item complete, to attend countless meetings after school (in addition to having to take night classes to finish the credential), and to spend hours writing ‘reflections,” lesson plans be darned.
Ensure that a support provider provides intensive individualized support and assistance to each participating beginning teacher.
Unless the ’support provider’ can’t be bothered to help. Kind of how so many master teachers go AWOL when a student teacher takes over the classroom. And again, those meetings are SO supportive… after all, that time couldn’t be spent in any better, more productive way.
Ensure that an individual induction plan is in place for each participating beginning teacher and is based on an ongoing assessment of the development of the beginning teacher.
An individual induction plan? That’s why there are so many papers to complete? Is the paperwork being assigned after the teacher has been observed, so that the teacher can work on their weaknesses rather than have to put together a ‘portfolio’ of crap that they already know how to do?
Ensure continuous program improvement through ongoing research, development, and evaluation
Sure, because BTSA leaves SO much time for teachers to continue improving their skills through education, observation, and research.
I took a look at my friend’s paperwork. It’s a NIGHTMARE. It’s HUGE, full of tabs (half of which I couldn’t even figure out, and I’ve been teaching for a while), even more full of papers of all colors, including forms, printouts and who knows what else.
First year teachers need MORE time to work on their craft. Not less. Had I had to do this as a first year teacher, I probably would have quit… it’s a completely ridiculous amount of time and work.
Some real-world experiences with BTSA participants:
Beginning Teacher Stress & Aggravation
Busywork, Tedious, Senseless, and Asinine
BTSA gets a big thumbs-down from me. Yuck.
July 6, 2007 at 1:40 am
Here is the mastermind behind BTSA. Her name is Kerry Mazzoni. She is now a lobbyist in Sacramento and used to be a State Assembly Member. She authored the bill SB2042 (along with others laws leading to BTSA) which is stamped on your credential. She has responded with nasty letters to teachers who have written her expressing their frustration. Mazzoni even went as far to say to a teacher who wrote her expressing his frustration about SB2042 that, “I have concerns that you may not be cut out for the profession.” She claims short stints as an adult school and pre-k teacher as her experience. She has no credential, never went through BTSA, and claims to be an expert on education.
Her email is kmazzoni@teamgsi.net and her work phone # is (916) 552-2629. I encourage those of you who are sick and tired of the BTSA hoops to call or email her letting her know how you feel. She no longer authors ridiculous laws such as SB2042. But, she is a lobbyist and still tries to influence public policy.
July 23, 2007 at 6:07 am
BTSA does exactly the opposite of what it is intended to do. As a new teacher who has taught for the last two years, I have seen the frustration among fellow teachers who are very upset and frustrated with the endless amounts of paperwork that is supposed to “support” us as educators. I taught science in an inner city school, where the turnover rate for teachers is high. The consensus among educators where I worked who were involved with the BTSA program expressed an overwhelming amount of dissatisfaction and frustration with the program.
As a BTSA participant, I have remained loyal to my students, working extremely hard to ensure they receive an exceptional curriculum. I have also received commendable evaluations from my administration, but yet, because I forgot one piece of student work to attach as evidence, I cannot clear my credential? Now, I have to repeat another year of the BTSA program at my own cost because I forgot some small piece of evidence which has hindered me from completing the BTSA program. I am now so frustrated and so upset, that I have decided to leave public education, in order to teach in a correctional facility; where, apparently crime does pay. Here, I will have more personal autonomy and less bureaucracy to deal with. It is no wonder why we have a huge teacher shortage in California. For one thing I would like to study for the CSET so I can teach chemistry as well. Unfortunately, I just don’t have much time thanks to the BTSA program. Not only do we have one of the most, if not the most, stringent Credential Program in America, but, we now have a tedious, confusing two year program to pass. I agree that beginning teachers need support, but, BTSA is not the answer. Not only is it a huge waste of tax dollars, but, a burden on our educational system. It has driven me and other teaching professionals alike out of the school system. The ironic thing is, we actually lose teachers who go to work for the BTSA program!
Sadly, another long term sub will gladly take my position, who, most likely does not hold a science degree and will administer endless amounts of mundane paperwork to the students who will no doubt copy them from each other. All of this while the long term sub sits at his desk and surfs the net and the kids learn nothing. Given the endless amounts of hoops I have had to jump through; I am officially burnt out. Why pile on more work to an already exhausted overworked teacher? BTSA has succeeded in taking time away from my students, while investing it into some ineffective program that is no doubt, hurting the profession rather helping it. Remember, the teacher shortage is not because of pay, or lack of support, but because of endless, laborious tasks that have if anything helped sustain the demand for qualified teachers.
July 26, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Hi California Teacher Girl! I found your blog while surfing “teaching” tags on wordpress. I’m entering my seventh year of teaching, also in SoCal, North OC to be exact. What you say about BTSA is absolutely the truth. In my opinion, the biggest problem is that the program is run so differently between districts. When I went through the program (2001-02 and 02-03), I taught in a very large district in Riverside county whose BTSA support providers were full-time release, meaning they had no other responsibilities other than BTSA. Because of this, I feel lucky that I actually had a very good experience. Good mostly because I didn’t really have to do anything, not because I really learned anything from the program. My support provider filled out ALL the paperwork for me, and our weekly visits were mostly used for venting and chatting. If it hadn’t been for her, I would have wasted away to nothing. I’m fortunate to be one of the few that had a good experience with the program. What a waste of money! There has to be another way to “support” beginning teachers without forcing them to jump through yet more hoops!
November 24, 2007 at 5:30 am
Even though this blog was posted months ago, I’m just now reading it. So here’s my reply: I agree with everything you wrote here. I’m a BTSA mentor who is working with 4 very busy and overworked new teachers this year. I remember feeling so overwhelmed when I was a new teacher- and thinking that the money was not worth it.
My response to all of this is to help the new teachers with all of their assignments and events. We work on them together and I bill the district for every single hour I am alloted…
but the assignments are very abstractly written, and the whole process is difficult for a new teacher to comprehend. Sure, they make sense to me, but I have been teaching for 16 years! BTSA is just another one of those teaching assignments written for teachers by non-teachers. NCLB, anyone?
November 24, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Thank goodness I don’t teach in California! I thought all of the paperwork here in Texas was bad enough, but the BSTA (do you call it the “Bastard”–just curious?) Sounds utterly ridiculous!
May 9, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I went through the 2 year BTSA requirement. I shed many angry tears about the injustice of it all. I so agree with you, California Teacher Girl, and with you, John. (I left the state to go teach in greener pastures). My nickname for the program was Better Teach Somewhere else, Anywhere other than California!
June 2, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Outwalk says : I absolutely agree with this !
August 25, 2008 at 3:10 am
I was completing my IIP for BTSA when I decided to look for anyone out there who felt as frustrated as I did about the program. I have not received any support because I teach in an alternative setting where my students are on probation or have been recently released from juvenile hall. BTSA has done nothing but aggravate my situation. Rather than finding a nurturing, supportive learning environment it’s made me want to quit teaching! So glad I’m not alone!
September 6, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Our daughter HATED BTSA! And, I’ve seen what a WASTE it is at my school. The LEAST competent teachers are chosen because THEY need the extra money! We had a kindergarten teacher mentoring a fourth grade teacher! I mean, REALLY! What a waste of $$$$ and time!!!
February 5, 2009 at 3:33 am
John,
Your last sentence says it all. I had to go through BTSA, though it was a while back and not as stringent.
And now folks are talking about loosening requirements!