Schools Riled by Teacher Ranking Site

Fox News ^ | Tuesday, October 28, 2003 | Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

[jimkress]

WASHINGTON

[Michael Barnes]

re #8

The ONLY teacher I can recall from my high school days is Mr. Aldrich.

He's the only one that really "got through". The ONLY one who (even though I was total f*ck up in those days); cut me some slack when he found out I was signed up for the Corps.

I like to think that Mr. Aldrich was a conservative. I didn't learn much in his Gov't class (though no fault of his own). The man, cutting me some slack, helped me make the Corps on time and did more for me than any other teacher ever did. Yes, it was a Spikoli type moment; Yes, I "squeeked" by. Yes, I like to think he knew a Drill Instructor was gonna put some spit shined, leather boot in my ass and straighten me out. Call it a judgement call on his part. His was the class I need to graduate. He knew it.

Thanks Mr. Aldrich. (Hope your here on FR...It's a place you can definately call your own)

[Dan from Michigan]

I just looked at that site. My old high school is there. I may go back and rate a few of them. The good, bad, and in between.

I have to drop that 1.6 to a 1 in one case though.....

[cyborg]

Yes absolute props to the excellent teachers who make a difference, as opposed to the UFT whiners brigade...
I can think of one very good teacher I had Mr.Papali for eight grade science. WONDERFUL MAN.

[the lone wolf]

These NEA teachers are upset at being ranked against each other because, under Socialism, all class distinctions were supposed to end.

[Alberta's Child]

I just went back and rated a few of my high school teachers. I'm surprised how accurate most of the assessments were, though most students who posted there seemed to think my sophomore math teacher was "easy" when he was most definitely "difficult" when it came to grading.

[doug from upland]

Great comments.

[Azzurri]

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/index.jsp

Damn, I wish that site existed when I was in college a few years ago. It would've been useful, especially in finding classes taught by hot female professors. ;-)

[maui_hawaii]

If they can subjectively rank me according to my peers, I can do the same to them.

Any President of any university should encourage feedback like this. The stuck up know it all professors who don't respect students and don't do their own homework should be identified and demoted.

[ModelBreaker]

There's a great idea. Ban it. That always works great with college students with computers.

[Born Conservative]

I like the idea of the site; I'm sure that there will be some that abuse it or don't vote honestly, but overall, it's a great idea. Just like on ebay, I think that people should consider the number of negatives compared to the overall total i.e. if the teacher has a bunch of votes and only 1 is low, then I wouldn't place too much emphasis on that 1 vote.

Another concept about it that I like is that addresses the problem of accountability. If I mess up at my job, there are consequences (no raise, suspension, firing). With teachers (specifically Pennsylvania), unless they do something really horrendous, their job is safe, and it doesn't matter what the quality of their work is.

[not-an-ostrich]

Now we need the teachers to start a Rate Your Student web site; apptitude, behavior, appearance, parental involvement, etc.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

"It's akin to medieval public flogging," said Brian Porter, spokesman for the Montgomery County Public Schools (search), which said the Web site is filtered out automatically by a central Internet firewall, which blocks student access to anything deemed non-instructional or harmful to children.

What a crack up!!! Living here, I have to put up with these arrogant government school administrators all the time. These people are so PC that teaching reading, writing, and math are number 12 on their top 10 list of things a school should do for a child.

How DARE these "unqualified" students rank our ivory tower "teachers." Morons running the education system...

[Old Professer]

And you're still "squeaking" I see.

[Steve Eisenberg]

Now we need the teachers to start a Rate Your Student web site; apptitude, behavior, appearance, parental involvement, etc.

This is important. And they already do it with report cards.

Now what I think is next is rate my boss. I say this with a little trepidation, since I am a boss, but it's inevitable. Most likely, I'd get primarily good comments, but the only ones I'll learn anything from will be the critics.

So rate my teacher or boss, go ahead. But having the teacher rate the parent, as not-an-ostrich seems to suggest? No way.

[ladylib]

Chicago sends report cards to parents rating them on all sorts of things. So does a town in PA.

I'm sure it's going to catch on all over the place.