I saw the executive director on CNN discussing this program yesterday and I actually laughed out loud. They are trying to find the 10 worst teachers in the US and offer them $10,000 each to quit their jobs. Talk about a progressive idea!
If you don't know about the public education system from the teacher side, here's a brief synopsis*:
1. Go to college and get your Bachelor's Degree (most students choose to study some type of education as their undergraduate focus, but you can have a specialization first and then get your master's in education)
2. Take the necessary tests and get fingerprinted, then apply for initial certification.
3a. Start teaching
3b. Go to graduate school to get a master's.
4. After a master's is received, apply for permanent certification.
5. Teach in a school district for 3 years and be observed/recommended to receive tenure (which basically ensures that you cannot be fired for "petty" reasons)
*This is the process for New York State, other states may vary.
Some teachers get tenure in their specific school districts and are amazing, wonderful, inspiring people who make a huge difference in the lives of their students. But others...are not. These teachers who get into education and receive tenure may decide to "coast" through their careers. They might come in "late" to school every day, they might leave as soon as the bell rings at the end of the day, they might not be available for their students, they may grade unfairly or show strong favoritism in the classroom. They may rely on the same set of lesson plans for years after practices have gone out of date. I'm sure all of you have come across someone you felt was a poor teacher. Someone who was more or less waiting for retirement. It is near impossible for these teachers to be forced out of their jobs because of the tenure system. So, Mr. Berman is suggesting that we offer some of these poor quality teachers $10,000 to retire in an effort to "clean-up" public schools and start making positive changes to help out the students and the other teachers.
I think this is a fantastic idea, but there are some logistical questions that worry me. Who exactly is going to decide what is a "bad" teacher? I hope its neither students nor parents, but instead trained professionals who have had years of experience in the field. These people should be outside of the actual schools in question so that they can be unbiased, but they should be able to see the difference between both good and bad educators. And any of these poor educators should be observed over an extended length of time, since any teacher could have a bad day on any given day. This could be a really subjective thing if gets into the hands of students and parents, and would not be as effective. But if done correctly, it could make a huge difference in public school systems.
Yeah we should do the same for congress and senate. Throw the bums out. It is a careeer choice and like any. There are your shining hard working devoted types and the coaster's. Just like in congress you remember the one's that affect change the most. Your argument I like. What you present is the hurdle in humanity I've been trying to rationalize. Why are there motivated people and lazy people.
In high school I orchestrated a walkout. I actually organized, it more than being a part of it. Cincinnati Public School was firing non-tenured teacher's due to budget constraints. We the students proposed that the teachers be evaluated before firing. We were able to save two teacher's job for a year. Then they were fired the next year. What I find funny is the labor union has done a wonderful job of protecting jobs in the education industry. But it is strong because the people they represent are educated folks. Realizing the power of organized labor it is strong because of it's members. Try organizing a fast food restaurant, factory,or retail. , just think you could get your burger's hot and drinks cold. There would be something to take pride in.
Hell look at the private school's, they still teach creationism. So who is educating poorly. Maybe we could just give 10,000 multiplied by how many teacher's are bad and apply it to the district's that are bankrupt. Maybe creating a reward system for student's and teacher's to succeed in high poverty area's.
whats wrong with creationism....i attended a catholic school in the city of chicago, and they taught creationism, during our lesson on christianity, but that was only one lesson of many during my theology course. we learned the teachings of all religions....even confusionism( from the chinese emporer Confusious)
I'm a little bit confused as to why you say Congress and Senate. Congress consists of the U.S. House of Representatives (435 members) and the U.S. Senate (100 members). It's like saying, the House of Representatives and the Senate AND the Senate. It just makes no sense. I don't know where the idea of "Congress and the Senate" came to be, but people need to learn the simple fact that Congress is the entire Legislative Branch of government, not just the House of Representatives.
I think a better idea is just to get rid of the system that makes it so hard for teachers to be fired. And pay them more so that more qualified professionals would be interested in the job.
The system is already broke. Public education is losing out to exclusive institutions that have a lot of power behind them. In 1776 the year of the new republic, the idea of a public school was about 20 years off. Remember no one is entitled to anything. It takes work and a desire for it. Everything that has been implemented socially, came as a reaction. To hear my neighbor's with kids in school. It's like history is being forgotten. This country wasn't for the people until the landowner's realized without them they were nothing. Hence an educated working class, through "Public Schools".
Nothing if it's what you want to believe, everything if it is being taught as a science to a captive audience. The cycle of discussion, where we come from will always continue. That is what drives us, the mystery of what is on the other side. But I believe religion is a personal experience. Not something that can be taught as this is how it is. Too many people I know personally feel righteous because they go to church on Sunday. The same people that laugh at another's misfortune. The same that ask "why do they do that to themselves?". What kind of asinine life is that. I see it too much, condemnation, without reason, fear of what you can't explain, or don't want to understand. I guess you could say I am doing that too....But not really.
Theology is a wonderful science. But it is a science of humanity not a physical science,sure the "miracles" that happened are physical, but science "real" science can describe most of the events in the bible, or is it magic
. To teach it in a public school, and the fact that it is exclusive, as I understand it to be taught.
I have a big problem when private institutions receiving public money in the form of voucher's. That really begins to muddy separation of church and state. I enjoy religion, there are some wonderful stories, some very sound principles, but...Did Jesus die for our sins, or was his message starting to shake up the powers that were. I could go on forever ranting. All religions have a beauty in them, because it unites, and not one is superior than the other.
I have a bad teacher who drones on through class. All she makes us do is group project after group project, and everyone gets an A no matter how little effort they put in. However, when an inspector comes in and sits in the back of the class, everything changes. She asks the class questions, gives individual assignments, and actually makes the class pay attention. This plan to give bad teachers $10,000 is a good one, but it would only work for those who are too stupid to fake being good when they are observed.
good Article i think it's very interesting. Even though teachers are underpaid and should be paid more... there are some people who you just can't handle. They are annoying and just try to hurt the good students and favor the bad ones like this one teacher i have.
THEY SHOULD JUST FIRE THEM THEY DON'T DESERVE IT!
It's an interesting ideal to tempt teachers into quiting with money, but only $10,000 is not much to convince someone of a career change.
Also, I think there should be other efforts included in strengthening public education rather than getting rid of the bad teachers... What encouragement is there to get new teachers if they only get $10,000 if things don't work out.
Plus, only ten seems weird. Who would want to be one of those ten in public.
Elliott
www.youtube.com/MechanisticMoth
www.myspace.com/PseudoPsychicAccumulation
Only the 10 worst?
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
If they choose the 10 worst and one or more declines, would they have "back up" teachers to give the offer to?
Yeah! Good question! And how long will this offer be good? I enter the workforce in a year and a half...will I be eligible for this esteemed prize if I find the teaching thing really isn't for me? Kidding.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Oh! Sort of like how bad can you be and see if you get their attention? But you might want to be careful; you wouldn't want it to backfire on you. Then you wouldn't be teaching, but you wouldn't have the money either.
Guess that's not the best plan, then!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Nope. I thought the same thing (I was a new teacher this year). But the article says its only for the 10 worst TENURED teachers. Sorry! (-;
It does seem like a good idea, but there are some major factors that will mess up our system even more.
1) The money. Offering 10,000 dollars to quit? Doesn't that seem more like encouraging a bad thing rather than doing good? Paying someone almost half a teacher's annual salary for doing a crappy job? (At least, that's what my boyfriend's mother makes.) Not to mention getting fired won't really matter. If a teacher gets fired in one state, all s/he has to do is apply and get certified for another state.
2) No system is unbiased. There could be a lot of teachers like the one ccleffboulder described. Of course, getting students involved in the desicion would be a bad idea because some students will hate a certain teacher who is a great teacher.
The best thing to do would simply fire them.
One word: Tenure.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman