Just the Beginning...
By Dick Gale, SDEA Executive Director

The great American philosopher, Yankee Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once said, “You got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.”.

This is exactly where I find myself as I begin my tenure as the Executive Director of SDEA. I am grateful and excited to have this opportunity, but I’m not exactly sure how I got here. I certainly had no idea where I was going in 1972 when I began my career as a high school social studies teacher in San Dimas, California. My only focus then was surviving with my students by staying one chapter ahead of them in class.

For those veterans among you who are reading this, feel free to chuckle when you recall the olden days when the focus of our curriculum was relevancy and teaching the whole child. I left the classroom in 1996, after twenty-four years and over 6,000 students. I left teaching just as standards-based curriculums arrived and shortly before the insanity of accountability took firm hold. In the ten years since, I have worked alongside hundreds of teachers as their advocate in my role as a staff person for the California Teachers Association. I have watched the transformation of our profession as the system shifted in the singular quest for higher test scores. I have heard the frustrations of teachers who are forced to refocus the learning process around testing.

Within this sifting educational landscape, teachers need and deserve strong advocacy and representation. Fortunately, you have elected SDEA leaders who are progressive and committed to the well-being of all San Diego teachers. They are supported by a staff that is knowledgeable and dedicated. And we all work with the assistance of our state and national associations.

In the months (and years) ahead I will share my ideas about education and our profession. I want to encourage a dialogue among us so we can collectively discern the “right” path for our colleagues and our students. I encourage those of you who have an interest in tackling critical issues to join SDEA in a leadership role. Your involvement enhances our collective
wisdom and increases our collective strength.