MORGANTOWN — More than 200 teachers gathered at Camp Dawson this week for the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia annual summer school.
The class offers teachers a chance to take graduate-level continuing education courses, have fun together and encourage each other.
Thursday morning’s opening session featured door prizes and a panel discussion with five Democrat members of the House of Delegates. AFT-WV typically endorses Democrat candidates, so it’s no surprise the hour involved much electioneering.
But the delegates also commented on the nine-day school walkout during the legislative session that led to jammed Capitol halls, loud chants echoing off the marble floors and walls, and an unprecedented 5 percent raise for teachers, service workers and other state employees.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Delegate Jason Barrett, D-Berkeley. Their presence put a face to the education issues legislators were wrestling with.
Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, was first elected in 1996 and told the teachers, “I have never seen an energy level like each of you brought to Charleston. … I have never been so moved.”
And Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, who routinely disparaged proposals for smaller raises as “Christmas hams” during the session, told them, “You have to be a force that has to be feared as a political body.”
This is AFT-WV’s 24th summer school, and the ninth held at Dawson, said union President Christine Campbell. For the continuing education portion of the week, teachers choose among weeklong courses in reading, math, technology, classroom management, leadership and local advocacy.
Adam Greer, a high school special education teacher in Wood County, chose the classroom management class, dealing with handling antisocial behavior. This is his third year attending, and he always finds it rewarding. “They’re all very good, teaching things you can take back into your classroom and use in your classroom.”
While he teaches high school, he said, the issue of antisocial behavior is especially relevant at the elementary school level, where children belonging to families hurt by the opioid crisis present new kinds of challenges.
But just as important as the lessons is the fellowship, he said. “We have a great time together.”
Politics is an integral part of education, Campbell told the teachers during the morning session. “What helps us helps the students.”
And the class Local Advocacy in Education showed teachers how to apply that concept in the marble halls. A group of five gave a presentation on how to read and understand a bill and how to relay their needs and concerns to legislators.
Kristie Skidmore, a union officer and Title I reading specialist in Randolph County, was among those in the class. “This is the single most important event we have in the year,” she said.
AFT-WV’s summer school wrapped up Friday.
