Minnesota Governor Looks for 'Super Teachers'

FOX ^ | 10/24/03

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

What's a good teacher really worth? How about $100,000 a year?

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (search), a Republican, wants to create a new educational job titled, "super teacher" for educators interested in making $100,000 in salary and bonuses -- but there's a catch. Teachers would have to give up certain union protections like tenure (search) and job security.

[Trickyguy]

The first step toward a "superteacher" is to exclude everyone with an Education degree.

[Conservateacher]

"The first step toward a "superteacher" is to exclude everyone with an Education degree."

Tis' a broad brush with which you paint.

[Sloth]

Well, maybe it would be enough if they just apologized for having one & promised it wouldn't affect their job performance.

[Conservateacher]

"Well, maybe it would be enough if they just apologized for having one & promised it wouldn't affect their job performance."


OK....please forgive me and I promise not to ......

Fortunately, I don't remember much that they taught me in the theory classes. I do, however, recall a 1 1/2 hour lecture about how lecture is not an appropriate educational practice.

Union astainer from the land of Patty and Maria.

[Conservateacher]

abstainer

[1john2 3and4]

ok ....im game, where do i sign up?

[ladylib]

I wonder if people looking for homes in a specific area ask their real estate broker if there is a proliferation of tutoring services, such as Sylvan, in the area? Real estate agents are really good at touting how "good" the local schools are, and that can mislead potential buyers if they are concerned with the education of their children.

If there is a proliferation of these companies, I would seriously doubt glowing school reports.

[Eska]

I don't think money will even improve things in many ghetto school districts. Everything starts in the home.

I taught in a native village last year. Massive dysfunction and 80% of the kids were FAS. KIds came to school drunk, huffed up, high on cough syrup, never with any sleep or prepared to learn. Common to have 2nd graders with bruises from drunken parental beatings. Forever having kids swearing at teachers or threatening teachers; just awful place to teach or live. Needless to say, the school will never pass any benchmarks or no child left behind testing; ever.

Now teach in a white community, what a difference. KIds well behaved and high achievers. No drugs, violence, or pregnant 12 year olds. School passed no child left behind testing last year. What a pleasure to live and teach in this community.

The point being without correcting the massive dysfunction in many failing school districts; you will never improve test scores. 100,000 dollar teachers will not do it even if you get any takers. Actually, I don't think many teachers would bite anyway.

[Trickyguy]

"The first step toward a "superteacher" is to exclude everyone with an Education degree."

Tis' a broad brush with which you paint.

Education majors are right at the bottom when it comes to SAT scores. Having graduated from a university that is the largest producers of teachers in Illinois, I know the truth of the intellectual incompetence of the average public-school teacher.

[LWalk18]

Teachers who would qualify likely make $60-70K, with tenure and job security, so they are going to go for $100K to teach in the ghetto until this initutive runs out of money and they are laid off to save money? I doubt they will have many eager to accept this deal.

[conservative cat]

I was an ed. major once upon a time. One of the reasons I stopped the ed. program was that I decided I didn't want the majority of these people to be my peers for the rest of my career.

[VOA]

"They're willing to waive tenure and seniority rights," said Pawlenty.
"So we can hire who we want, fire who we want and assign them when we want and
how we want to assign them."

G-d Bless Gov. Pawlenty. Proposing this takes someone with a steel pair, as it's a
real shot-across-the-bow for teacher unions.

But, Pawlenty just might pull it off. He was (grudgingly) portrayed as a
talented governor even in the Los Angeles Times a month or so ago.

[VOA]

I taught in a native village last year. Massive dysfunction and 80% of the
ids were FAS. KIds came to school drunk, huffed up, high on cough syrup,
never with any sleep or prepared to learn.

Too bad the general public is unfamiliar with how truly awful things are in the
schools of reservations areas and other depressed socioeconomic areas.

For all the faults and evils of old "mission" schools, it almost makes you think
that an updated of the mission school (even a public version) might be the
tough-love education needed in these areas.

[jwalburg]

alternative kinds of compensation models

Trans: salaries

As long as "educators" or "learning facilitators" continue to spew such jargon, nothing will change.