Thanks to JJ for the link to this incredible article. By the way, it is 9 pgs long so I have only made it half way through.... Lunch is over, back to work...
NYT Building a Better Teacher
Then this one shows up on my home page...
Newsweek Fire Bad teachers
Now if we don't know what makes a good teacher... How do we fire the bad teachers? My first thought is we use the very subjective method used in almost all other businesses. The boss decides based on their perception of the employee's productivity and results ...
Of course then we also need the freedom to fire the Bad Bosses/Principals/Superintendents without big early termination payouts... Thoughts?
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6 comments:
Bravo for posting these links, Give. I subscribe to both, have read them, and they're very informative.
I've been chewing on the ideas for a couple of days, and they seem to be saying many of the same things. The change has to come from both ends--yes, get rid of the rotten teachers, but also recruit top-notch students to become education majors and reward them with high salaries and professional prestige.
I'm very pro-teacher, but I have no interest in a crappy teacher in my kid's classroom. By the same token, I have something near reverence for the professional who can not only hold the attention of 23 people for 7 hours straight, but do it with children. A demi-god, and worthy of genuine respect.
AND, we need to give aspiring teachers the tools they need to succeed. Teaching's an art, but it's also a science, and needs hard, specific skill building to succeed.
Recruit well, train differently, cut the weak links, and reward excellence. Seems straightforward--would that it were that easy.
--Annie
I agree with Annie. I've tried it, and it isn't for the unskilled nor faint of heart. But what needs to happen isn't difficult. We need performance pay for good teachers, and it doesn't have to be all subjective. The performance of somebody's class on objective tests given before and after the school year are an excellent assessment of teaching ability. Add that information to the subjective assessment of administrators, fellow teachers and especially parents-- don't laugh, every parent knows, via their children, who the "good teachers" are and are not-- and you have an effective rating system that can be used to dole out salary increases that will, eventually, draw better "competitors" into the teaching ranks while making poor performers seek another line of employment, where they CAN get a raise in pay. Just that simple.
The only thing really standing in the way of this sensible and long overdue competition is the unions and the political power they hold.
J. Ewing
As I have written before and will probably write again. Almost every course that I have taken in college and during my working career has had an end of course survey to fill out.
How were the teaching materials?
What did the Instructor do well?
What could the Instructor do better?
What did you find most informative?
Was the room comfortable?
etc
Now I am thinking the younger kids may or may not be mature enough to do this. However I am pretty sure most Parents would do this responsibly.
It fascinates and frustrates me that this isn't standard practice for every class/teacher. It would be pretty simple to implement and tabulate via Parent Portal.
Of course, what use is feedback if you have no power to improve the teacher's behavior or skill set...
Also, I agree this would need to be just one input. Since I want kids learning and somewhat happy, instead of parents/kids just really happy.
To nudge this a bit more positive/specific... And since the experts don't know... (surely we bloggers can solve this) {hahaha}
What are/were key behaviors, methods, comments, traits, beliefs, techniques, etc that you feel made for excellent teachers?
What are these that make for poor teachers?
We have all been in class and certainly have views on this.
I'll start:
Good teachers can maintain control of the class through proactive discipline and keeping the kids interested.
Poor teachers lose control, chaos begins and the learning stops.
I'll add that good teachers have to "unlearn" some of the bilge they are fed in education courses they have to take to be licensed. Crap like preserving phony self-esteem helps produce results, when we as parents know that accomplishments are what create real self-esteem. And knowing that discipline must be yes, be consistent and measured, but also must be unconditional and immediate. And realizing you're not there to be liked or be their friend.
Actually, the best path to discipline (assuming that the school system doesn't completely undermine any semblance of order long before the kids get to a particular teacher's class) is that of having a highly engaging and challenging curriculum. Consider the movie "Stand and Deliver." Our classes are so watered down of content, so rare in a sea of PC, feel-good non-academic junk, it's a wonder they learn anything at all. There ARE schools out there doing it right. Public schools too often are not.
J. Ewing
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