National Education Weak? Thank a politician

Aberdeen American News ^ | Nov. 16, 2001 | Art Marmorstein

[jackd]

I hate to burst your idealistic heart but handing over education solely to teachers would be like handing over control of the Funny Farm to the inmates (patients). Teachers are certainly in the trenches and can see the idiocy that is sometimes imposed from the top. However, teachers are controlled by unions and are therefore harder to fire than federal workers. Has your child ever had a bad teacher? Mine had two bad ones two years in row and that was in the third and fourth grades. Today she is in the seventh grade and my wife and I are still taking two to three hours a night, five days a week making up for what she lost in those two years. To give you a measure, in third grade (Fall) she tested on the Calfornia Test of Basic Skills as having a 9th grade reading level. When she tested in the Fall of her fourth grade year she was barely at grade level. That is not to say that her skills deteriorated entirely because of that one teacher but current research certainly more than suggests that for each year of having one bad teacher it takes FOUR YEARS to make up for that one in basic skills and conceptualization. Teachers are certainly overworked and underpaid but in any given elementary school of say, 30 classroom teachers there are maybe, five "good" teachers. Read good as teachers that can test the majority of their students as being on grade level in basic skills at the end of their teaching year. Teachers, in and of themselves are not the answer. I will however, give you ONE answer of possibly dozens of answers, accountability. When teachers can come up with some scale/raw score/testing instrument, etc. that would be acceptable to them and parents on accountability then there will be genuine reform. Sadly, this will never occur because unions will continue to protect bad teachers and they will continue to ruin generations of students.( Just look at the steel and automobile industries in this country to see "effectiveness" of unions when it comes to producing highly competetive products in the face of international competition.) Education does need reform from the top to the bottom but there must be attrition at both ends and in the middle as well. Mediocracy is epidemic throughout, not just at the top and not just with the politicians either. And while all you readers out there think that this post represents a knock solely against teachers let me pose a question: "What other profession listens and tolerates interference from individuals whose sole source of qualification is the statement: They didn't do it that way when I was in school!"

[bleudevil]

Apparently no teacher ever taught you about paragraphs. (Meant as a josh, not a flame! :->)

I think the point about "education reform" is right. In the 1990s alone, I heard about Outcome-Based Education, block scheduling, tech prep, whole language, junior-high concept vs. middle-school concept, and more, at school board meetings. I think sincere, well-meaning teachers get excited about new ideas at workshops and go back to school ready to make changes. After lots of meetings, consultants, public hearings, architects, budget workshops, press releases and more workshops, some change is made. Then a few years later another fad sweeps the workshops and Round Two begins.

[jackd]

I couldn't agree with you more. (I apologize for the "graphics.") I'm new at this "posting stuff."

[EdReform]

*Education News bump... (Free Republic Bump List Register)

[summer]

GREAT ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!! I AGREE WITH IT, 500%!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[summer]

Thanks for this fantastic post.

Sincerely, a FL certified teacher

[summer]

I think sincere, well-meaning teachers get excited about new ideas at workshops and go back to school ready to make changes. After lots of meetings, consultants, public hearings, architects, budget workshops, press releases and more workshops, some change is made. Then a few years later another fad sweeps the workshops and Round Two begins.

Actually, bleudevil, you've almost got it right. What really happens is this:

...sincere, well-meaning teachers get excited about TEACHING THEIR STUDENTS, and DREAD GOING TO HEAR YET ANOTHER new idea at workshops and go back to school NOT ready to make changes. After lots of meetings, consultants, public hearings, architects, budget workshops, press releases and more workshops, some change is made. Then a few years later another fad sweeps the workshops and Round Two begins...AND, TEACHERS AGAIN DREAD THE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR STUDENTS FOR MORE WORKSHOPS PROMOTING THE LATEST FAD....

Seriously. That's what happens.

Sincerley,

a FL certified teacher who's been there and seen it :)

[Brett66]

All it takes is more money. (/sarcasm)

They just passed an education bill in my state (Okla.)by a 2-1 margin. It raises sales tax by 1 cent to pay for improvements in schools. They passed something just like this a few years ago to improve schools. Doesn't matter how much the lie is used over and over again, people still fall for it.

[summer]

Brett66, This article is NOT a lie. Allow me to give you a very clear example illustrating the difference between the way (a) teachers think; and (b) the educational establishment thinks.

Every teacher I know HATED the following "ed reform" which was nothing more than an IDIOTIC fad:

"Open Classrooms."

What is an "open classroom" you ask? Why, it's a classroom without WALLS. So, there can be more "student interaction" and I guess, more "love and peace," floating throughout the school.

But here's what really happens: it is a DRAG to try and teach MATH and get students to focus on MATH problems, when: the OPEN CLASSROOM next to mine is singing, dancing, discussing a topic or LOUDLY doing WHATEVER. I want to CLOSE THE DOOR, so my students can CONCENTRATE instead of being a rapt audience for the other class, but: there IS NO DOOR thanks to some IDIOT who is NOT A TEACHER but who controls the BUCKS.

See what I mean? No teacher in his or her right mind would have ever "approved" the resulting actual concept called: NO LEARNING. Yet, schools were actually built to accomodate this ridiculous concept. NO WALLS and NO DOORS. And, no peace and quiet for my kids trying to learn a new math concept.

Thank you to all the idiots who came up with this loser idea! I know you're NOT teachers!

[EdReform]

Bump!

[Khepera]

This supports homeschooling in its own way.

[bleudevil]

OK, point taken. I was just reflecting on what I saw as a news reporter at school board meetings. Experienced, intelligent teachers probably recognize this stuff as another boondoggle and stay away.

[summer]

No problem. I appreciated what you wrote! :)

[summer]

BTW, bleudevil, since you write about education news, I will post a link on this thread to some education information I have YET to see in the national media -- even though, IMO, it is a huge story. I'll flag you again on this thread after I post it.

[summer]

Re your post #12 - A supportive bump here for homeschooling.

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

bleudevil, and others who may be interested, here is the link I described in my previous post. I have yet to see this news in national mainstream media. I guess it would give too much credibility to my own personal belief, based on what I see around me: speaking in political terms, many teachers, including those in the union, are actually very unhappy.

http://www.publicagenda.org/specials/pubengage/pubengage3.htm

[summer]

NEwman, never mind my above post. Newsman, my above post was meant for you. :)

[summer]

A great thread for teachers to read! :)