Bad teachers are like any other industry- yes they are some bad ones, just like police officers, nurses, doctors, etc but most are adequate or above. The thing is, teachers don't teach anymore, they read scripts and if they get caught not reading the script (at least in our district) they are tagged with a "plan of assistance." Principals formally walk through twice, informally four plus times and the head of the district-curriculum also makes at least one unscheduled walk through. Teachers better be aligned with what they posted for lesson plans that day, down to the eact words they say. The craft of teaching-like finding teachable moments or doing on the spot adjustments based on what each teacher thinks their class needs in real time- is gone. How is selling education going to magically make teachers better? If you think student performace is solely a teacher issue, you are so sadly mistaken. Poor school perforamance is a breakdown of the family problem. Kids don't have the emotional/social foundation to succeed in any part of life and the easiest thing to blame is the school. Everything is the school's fault. Kid can't read-blame last year's teacher. Kid can't do math-must be a curriculum problem. Kid can't get along with anyone-blame the school and the other kids. I wouldn't be surprised to see "school" not even be a physical place in a few years. Parent's and their lazy kids seemingly like virtual school. Out district has seen massive growth in the last three years of kids that are opting out of traditional school and enrolling in online school. No start time and learn in yout PJs. Sounds like a prosocial movement, doesn't it?
Parent's need to quit be wussys. Criticism is for self improvement and it doesn't mean that kids are inheriantly flawed. A bad grade is not going to ruin their futures or automatiically eliminate them from Harvard. Failure is often necessary to fuel desire. Kids sometimes don't get along-doesn't make it bullying. But mild bullying is necessary to teach kids how to stand up for themselves and for others.
If you really want to see the difference in student outcomes per school you only need to look at one demographic-percentage of single parent families.
Sometimes I wonder what schools people are associated with.
I don't understand why you're being so vague in your replies on this topic. Like this reply and your reply to me which was almost a one-liner. You don't usually do that. This is one of those topics where people aren't that emotional or set on any one solution so I don't see why you're not making your opinion clearer.
My question to you was a legitimate question about how to handle bad teachers. I personally think that is an area where we could see improvement.
There are good teachers coming out of college who have s hard time finding a position while some teacher is just biding time on tenure.
As for the other post....I'll admit I over reacted when I read that teachers just stand up and read a script.
If they are doing that, refer to my first two paragraphs.
I said what I did because I don't find that with most teachers. Being a teacher is much more than that.
