tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307187040250193857.post8474320383978207801..comments2024-03-20T03:33:22.357-07:00Comments on Skeptophilia: Grading the teachersGordon Bonnethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003472005971594466noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307187040250193857.post-30030322918597473332012-02-28T17:03:06.849-08:002012-02-28T17:03:06.849-08:001 trillion dollars per year buys the best, most we...1 trillion dollars per year buys the best, most well oiled military industrial complex in the history of man.<br />(I can say, first-hand, that our military education is excellent. I think some of you teachers would be flabbergasted at the efficacy of military education programs.)<br /><br />Too bad our country isn't as equally interested in having the most well-oiled civilian education system in the history of man.<br /><br />"Race To The Top" is a cookie-cutter program designed for low effort, low yield. Throw a pittance of money at the problem, create a standardization model for the sole purpose of extracting "data" that can be used to "gauge" the efficacy of our education programs and have a powerpoint presentation on the DoE Director's desk by week's end, that he can disseminate to the media as a positive article about the administration's response to Education.<br /><br />Our education system is being tossed around like a rag-doll by our government. Our representatives, in their selfishness, look for the perception of short term gains in education efficacy to bolster their election/re-election chances, knowing full well that at best they are probably doing more harm than good, and at worst... just kicking the can down the road.<br /><br />Education won't get "fixed" until Washington does.<br />I won't be holding my breath.<br /><br />To the teachers among us who trudge on, fighting the good fight in spite of all of this... I salute you.Hontseur Thotshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10799765178908406877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307187040250193857.post-17471210149503311272012-02-28T08:40:08.765-08:002012-02-28T08:40:08.765-08:00As a National Board certified teacher, I would not...As a National Board certified teacher, I would not be afraid to show my portfolio, or my classroom, to anyone. However, I wouldn't support publishing my one-time test scores until parents agreed that it was appropriate to post their students' end-of-year test scores in the local paper. All those arguments that make them say 'no' to publicizing their students' scores apply to me as well.<br /><br />Now, let's get on with improving the schools.Nancy Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05138313832899984644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307187040250193857.post-61730838681252979722012-02-28T05:47:05.635-08:002012-02-28T05:47:05.635-08:00I don't think there actually is an anti-educat...I don't think there actually is an anti-education crowd. Everyone is pro-education. There's an anti-teacher's-union crowd, who see the unions as blocking all efforts at reform.<br /><br />I want to be fair to teachers. But I want even more to be fair to students, and to see to it that they get the best education possible.<br /><br />We spend more money on elementary and secondary education than most developed nations, but get worse outcomes than most, especially in math and science.<br /><br />I agree that the test in question doesn't sound like an especially effective measurement. But it's not anybody's first choice of how to fix things. The people you call "anti-education" would prefer to let parents choose their kids' schools, believing that healthy competition is the best way to improve outcomes. That hasn't proven politically possible so far, but a test is a simple concept, one that they can sell, and that it isn't possible to characterize as religiously motivated. They can sell it.<br /><br />I think vouchers are the best way to improve outcomes. You know me dude. I'm not a religious person. I think it would be best for the kids to get them a quality education.<br /><br />The rubber rooms and so on are totally a product of union rules. If you really want teachers to be judged on fair measures of performance, elect union officials who will push for quality improvement instead of going all out to protect jobs regardless of the consequences for outcomes.Tyler Torkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11460706772136362593noreply@blogger.com