thank you, teachers unions.
People always complain that teachers are underpaid, but my response is always that most teachers aren’t any good at teaching, so why should they be paid more?
Public education in this country, with a small number of exceptions, is a joke.
NCLB and other efforts that focus on getting every child to the same level have the effect of causing the best and brightest to be ignored. Those kids will pass the test regardless so schools focus on those who might not because so much is dependent on test percentages.
I think we need more tracking. More vocational options (we need plumbers too!) for the kids who clearly aren’t academically inclined and more higher level options for the kids who we can identify as being the best and brightest.
We do not have influential teachers' unions in Georgia. But we do have liberal educrats who hated math as students. They "feel" that the best way to learn math (if it MUST be learned, at all), is through 'reform math' curricula (Everyday Math, TERC, Connected Math, Integrated Math). However, 'reform math' is not true math. Arithmetic is discouraged as students are encouraged by the 'facilitators' to 'discover' math concepts within their groups. Math tests are in essay form, with no problems to solve, and are often "group tests." I AM NOT KIDDING!!! I have 3 kids in public schools and I have an engineering degree. I am about to lose my mind over this ridiculous excuse for math!