Is there so much cheating the kids never learn and consequently do poorly on standardized tests? Are you not allowed to insist on good performance? Are writing skills ignored? Are you forced to entertain children? Is there no ethic of excellence taught to the kids?
I don't know that cheating is the problem. I do know that in many schools, teachers are not allowed to insist on good performance, and subsequently there is no ethic of excellence for many students. This depends on the principal, frequently. I know of at least one principal who wouldn't let any elementary-aged students fail (lots of students who can't read at grade level from that school), principals who set quotas by grade, and principals who set quotas by class. I had a student last year who had failed most of his classes for the previous year, but the principal had "administratively promoted" the child from middle school to high school (and the student promptly failed all his classes).
Elementary & middle schools seem to be particularly bad about that. They say they don't want 16 year olds in with the little kids, and they say they are afraid of hurting the child's self-esteem.
Writing skills in many cases are not very good, and yes, many principals think we must entertain students, "because they are used to TV and video games and constant entertainment, and if you don't keep them interested they won't learn and they won't behave." Of course, if they behave badly enough, then the principal has to deal with them....
What is your biggest challenge in the classroom? Do you think the material you teach now is comparable to what you learned in school, better, worse? Is appropriate material taught, but the children don't make an effort? Do parents cheat for their children and do their children's homework? Do parents call the school to complain about every little thing and insist that grades get changed?
My biggest challenge is probably students who are several years below grade level in reading and/or math, followed closely by unmotivated students. My biggest complaint about what is taught at the high school level is with the "language arts" classes. I don't think students have to write as much as we did 30+ years ago, or perhaps they are writing more but the same quality of work is not required. More of the writing now seems to be "journaling", but fewer persuasive essays, comparison and contrast papers, and research papers.
Parents do frequently call the school to complain if their child is punished for misbehavior or if they do not agree with the grades. Grade complaints are more frequent with the honors classes, in my experience.
I will say that my current principal is very supportive of the teachers and expects that if students do not master the skills or do the work, they should fail. I have worked for several principals such as the ones I referenced above, however, and I know a number of lower-grades teachers who have and still do.
I think a bigger focus on basic skills mastery in lower grades and less focus on fun and self-esteem would go a long way, but no one who has control over those matters has asked me. ;-)
Great teachers speak to their students from their soul every day. But only some kids hear. I wish that weren't so, but it is.
I also wish there were a pat answer for poor performance, by teachers and students. Divorce is probably the main culprit for children's poor performance. I know several boys who needed to be left back because they were emotionally devastated by their parents' divorce. Teachers are held back by the union because the union is so good at what it does -- it makes money for the teachers, as many teachers as possible. Whether these teachers are any good is immaterial; this is a union, not Jeopardy. However, the union has let bad habits solidify in the worst schools, and now the profession is facing a crisis of legitimacy. This crisis will only get worse as boys continue to drop out or forgo college. These boys will educate themselves somewhere else, probably on the internet with tutors in other countries, cheaply. Once this happens it will be very difficult to justify the teachers' benefit packages, vacations, and salaries.
Amelia, I found your mention of the principal's role in school excellence interesting. I assume, as in some private companies, there is little preparation for leadership given to teachers who wish to become administrators. It's too bad something can't be done about that.
As an aside, it would be fun to start a thread celebrating great teachers who changed the way we see the world.
On the other hand, one remembering rotten teachers who were so bad the fact should be carved on their tombstones might be better. Many Freepers could use a catharsis, because, good or bad, teachers are forever. ;-)