Fox news had a man on the street asking students about the presidents of the United States and which of whom was the most outstanding. Only ONE student could come up with Jefferson and then didn't know of his achievements. NO ONE else had a clue..didn't know the prez. of the day or the vise prez, and these are the voters of the next election? It would be funny if it weren't so sad. So why put more money into schools to be educated by the uneducated with the obvious agenda of dumbing down our children so they can be the next sheep of the world.
Sally Herbertof CA12:02PM September 24, 2009
Let me see if I have this straight, the people who ran our state into the ground are now going to fix our education system?
David R. Geismeof CA12:36PM September 12, 2009
Real Reform and merit pay? Hmmmmm....I get 150 new students every year all at different ability levels and am to be judged on the makeup of my class. There are no new ideas here. The leaders of this state want a quick fix for a quick money grab.
Real Reform should be much more.
1. Stop running education mills. We cram 30, 35, 40, 45 in a classroom, require way too many standards to teach, test students 4-6 weeks before the end of the school year and then cry foul at teachers not being innovative? I would love to teach less and get out of the standard "rat race" so I can add more hands-on activities, web based projects or extended projects to foster more application of what we learn, but there is never enough time. When have any of these politicians stepped into our classrooms and watched and asked us what real reform looks like?
2. Let's talk innovation: How about funding schools properly for teachers to learn and use technology properly. How about supplying enough computer labs so we can all use them regularly with our classes? My school district is doing very well with what they are given but many of us have earned or are working on a Masters in Education with a focus on technology as our school has developed a cohort with a university to do so. Now we are all needing time in the lab; not a bad problem. We need a way to secure more funding to build more space as the needs arise.
3. How about getting away from the idea that students are widgets and making real programs for real students. Shouldn't the math students learn relate to the fields they may be gravitating towards after high school? Why not build schools within our schools; art academies, builders academies, science academies, computer academies, and so on. Make the curriculum relevant towards what these students are gifted in and by what motivates them to learn. I am a math teacher. I cannot fix my car, build my kitchen and bathroom cabinets, entertain myself with a beautiful piece of music or create art to hang on my wall to soothe me. Yet, we expect all of our students to be like me. Know math. We are behind other countries. America is not doing a good job teaching. Sure, we can teach the students algebra, but let us gear it towards the students needs for THEIR future.
4. For the country, not everyone can teach. Just because you know the material doesn't mean you can convey it. Learn to respect teachers. I weary of the argument that if I would be paid by merit I would work harder. I work hard, sometimes at my family's expense.
4. Please study step and column schedules. Do you see it takes 25-30 years for a teacher to make $70,000? This country should be ashamed of themselves. It is a battle to even have a full cost of living handed down on the salary schedule. Yes, no one goes into teaching for the money, but this excuse for paying teachers poorly has gone on long enough.
I agree, it is time for reform. True reform.
Carleen Maselliof CA12:15PM September 07, 2009
Adopting a merit pay system: Can someone define “effective” in a way that can actually be used to make a decision when it comes to handing out merit awards? – Is it an individual student’s incremental growth or improvement in a given area based on a true pre & post test (actual developmental progress by an individual in a specified area over time)? What about non math, English, or science teachers- the one that enable students to apply knowledge in settings meaningful to the student and desired by the school (& parent & community, & workplace, & US)? Who determines placement of students (at the subject, class, school, district)? Who determines the context- doesn’t the community (admin, parents & family, city & local industry) impact effectiveness?
District evaluation of teachers: Same issues as merit pay. Most administrators know very little about how to teach or how to evaluate good teaching. Bad teachers have tenure because of bad administrators. Also, tenure means due process prior to termination and not a life appointment. Any teacher (k-12) can be fired for cause- it’s the administrators duty to document and address. It also goes without saying that egregious acts by anyone (administrator, teacher, coach, custodial, etc.) is grounds for immediate termination. I would argue for incentives that improve the evaluation of administrators. Improving the quality and effectiveness of administrators can prove to a greater impact than making teachers the scapegoat for all that ails our schools. I have a question for the free-enterprise & business oriented individuals out there. Would it really matter what you did with your front-line work-force if your middle & upper management were incompetent?
Evaluation by "value-added" analysis: The language here (catch-phrase of “value-added”) conjures up images of something new and/or improved at the individual level. Nothing about our current testing system allows for measuring or evaluating individual student gains or improvements over time. Also, our current assessment and testing system does not allow us to make a meaningful assertion as to whether or not a school’s intervention (or an individual teachers performance) can even be attributed to student performance. Possibly more important is whether or not we (the parents, siblings, community members, and society as a whole) value what is being added! Do we want thinkers, problem solvers, democratic citizens, productive individuals, and positive contributors to our society OR do we want excellent Scantron test-takers that believe only in absolutes, need be told what the answer is, are subservient, acquiesce to authority, are unable to create new knowledge and lack vision to renew our society for the better?
What is the purpose of school?
AJHof CA2:18PM September 01, 2009
I AM IN A HIGH-PERFORMING DISTRICT.
WOULD a "merit pay system that would reward effective teachers and give them incentives to work at low-performing campuses" PLAY OUT AS A DEVELOPED TEACHER, PERHAPS ONE WHO HAD DEVELOPED AND PROVEN HIS/HER "EFFECTIVENESS" AT A "GOOD" OR "BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL," IS THEN "given incentives" TO MOVE DISTRICTS "to work at low-performing campuses."? I SAY "MOVE OR CHANGE DISTRICTS" BECAUSE MANY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE MADE UP COMPLETELY OF "HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS," AND SO CHANGING JOBS TO WORK AT LOW-PERFORMING CAMPUSES WOULD NECESSITATE CHANGING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WOULD THAT TURN MY NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL INTO A TEACHER DEVELOPING MILL, RUINING THE COMRADERIE AND TEAM COHESIVENESS THAT IS PART OF WHY WE ARE SO SUCCESSFUL AS A SCHOOL?
Report cards may come out only twice a year, but education news happens every day. Here is where U.S. News writers grade the latest developments, from school districts banning the game of tag to congressional debates that affect college affordability. Check regularly for the most recent updates.
Reader Comments
Back to blog
Sally Herbert of CA 12:02PM September 24, 2009
David R. Geisme of CA 12:36PM September 12, 2009
Carleen Maselli of CA 12:15PM September 07, 2009
AJH of CA 2:18PM September 01, 2009
A. S. Wilkinson of CA 3:32PM August 28, 2009