Plato, my accountability rests with the student who is in the 6th grade, is below the radar screen and not any real issue to the school but reads at a 3rd grade level.

 

While I agree in part that the teacher is at fault here, I think if a kid can't read past the third grade level, he shouldn't be promoted past the third grade. There should be a set of accomplishments that every kid has to achieve prior to moving to another grade.

 

The problem is administrators would never push this because the parents would get mad and with the current NCLB Laws, that child staying back would hurt the school's scores.

 

Now I ask, would I rather the school's scores be hurt or a child know how to read? Unfortunately, our system is much more geared toward the prior and not the latter.

Here is an interesting commentary on the challenges teacher's face in areas such as curriculum:

 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/351030_schoolreform13.html

 

Great article...everyone should read, particularly those that place all of the blame on the teacher.

One of the most ridiculous things that has come down in the past several years is "lowering the gap." This means bridging the gaps between certain populations of students. In theory it sounds great. But you know the best way to lower the gap? Bring the top down! I have been on a rampage about this for years.

I'm with you on the tenure thing. IMO there should be no such thing as a tenured teacher. They should be just as subject to a "pink slip" as a 2nd year teacher. If they don't do their job - they shouldn't be able to hide behind the tenure label.

 

 

As a 12th year teacher, I would have no problem with getting rid of tenure. I want to be held accountable for my work. However, at least in my school tenure is not a big deal. I can't remember a time where it "helped" a teacher.

I was not aware that the above was the case.

 

I assume then that I hear about so many teachers not being "qualified" due to them not having the undergrad degree in, say, math yet they are teaching math? There was just an article about the # of non-qualified teachers in certain subjects.

 

If a teacher has a degree in elementary education before the last, let's say 10 years, they were allowed to teach K-8 and all subjects. So, they got an 8th grade math class with an elementary degree and were labeled as non-qualified teachers because they did not have a math degree.

 

My degree is in business education. I now teach at the alternative school and teach all subjects. I would probably be classified as a non-qualified teacher.

 

As someone else mentioned, my bachelor degree is basically a double major as I had to take all of the business classes that a normal business major would take and then all the education classes. My master's is in vocational education. Haven't felt the desire to pay about $10,000 yet for a Rank I in which I would get a $2,500 raise.

As a 12th year teacher, I would have no problem with getting rid of tenure. I want to be held accountable for my work. However, at least in my school tenure is not a big deal. I can't remember a time where it "helped" a teacher.

 

Disagree. There are incidents that a teacher has called out a principal for the principal not doing their job and the only thing saving their butt was tenure.

Disagree. There are incidents that a teacher has called out a principal for the principal not doing their job and the only thing saving their butt was tenure.

 

My post was regarding my school. That has not been a problem there.

 

Plato, my accountability rests with the student who is in the 6th grade, is below the radar screen and not any real issue to the school but reads at a 3rd grade level.

 

I won't speak for all but I don't think that happens as much anymore in the public schools.

 

Students are giving tests in elementary schools every year to show what reading level they are on. From that, there are teachers that pull them out daily to work on getting them back to reading on grade level. In addition, they hire classified staff to read with the low readers.

 

There has been a push in the last 5-7 years on reading in the elementary schools as well as in many MS's and HS's.

 

Problem is that the politicians cut the money to these programs every year.

 

In fact, the teachers in these programs at my school (my wife) don't know if they are having a job next year because of our new governor's budget cuts.

I've worked with troubled boys for 17 years and I'm telling you Leatherneck is absolutely right! There are kids that do NOT want an education, period.

 

So, we just throw a 13, 14, or 15-year old kid out to the streets? We give up on them?

 

They don't want an education because of how they were raised. If they have had no rules at home, never have to do schoolwork, can run the streets and do whatever they want at home, of course they are going to balk when they have rules and expectations put on them at school.

 

Alternative schools can and do work. It takes longer and more personal care but they do work. Teachers have to become the parents that those kids do not have.

The problems in current reform stem from non-educators making laws. We need to emphasize more math, science, and language earlier since that's when kids are more apt to learn. I'm all for school uniforms too.

 

This one has slipped by without much comment.

 

To add controversial items to the list, I would be for vouchers, single sex schools and alternative calendars.

 

Classroom ratio of about 15:1 would be awesome.

This one has slipped by without much comment.

 

To add controversial items to the list, I would be for vouchers, single sex schools and alternative calendars.

 

Classroom ratio of about 15:1 would be awesome.

 

I can go along with this so long as compensation rates for teachers are left to the marketplace the school district is in and not a fixed rank and experience schedule.

So, we just throw a 13, 14, or 15-year old kid out to the streets? We give up on them?

 

They don't want an education because of how they were raised. If they have had no rules at home, never have to do schoolwork, can run the streets and do whatever they want at home, of course they are going to balk when they have rules and expectations put on them at school.

 

Alternative schools can and do work. It takes longer and more personal care but they do work. Teachers have to become the parents that those kids do not have.

 

We had alternative schools in my county in Ohio and they worked pretty well. They get the problem kids out of the classroom so they're not a distraction and get them to actually do work

We had alternative schools in my county in Ohio and they worked pretty well. They get the problem kids out of the classroom so they're not a distraction and get them to actually do work

 

All well and good, but at what cost? Do you have any idea what the cost in an alternative setting is vs. a regular classroom? Should our best and most motivated students not get the same amount of money spent on them? If you don't know the cost in the alternative setting is probably 3 times as much as a regular setting. What is fair about that?

All well and good, but at what cost? Do you have any idea what the cost in an alternative setting is vs. a regular classroom? Should our best and most motivated students not get the same amount of money spent on them? If you don't know the cost in the alternative setting is probably 3 times as much as a regular setting. What is fair about that?

 

You can invest that amount and try and turn them around or have the cost later when they are consistently in the courts and prisons for crimes they have committed.

 

I see it more as an investment than a cost.

All well and good, but at what cost? Do you have any idea what the cost in an alternative setting is vs. a regular classroom? Should our best and most motivated students not get the same amount of money spent on them? If you don't know the cost in the alternative setting is probably 3 times as much as a regular setting. What is fair about that?

 

Do you have sources that show this?