Vote for teachers
Some of you don't know that I'm a teacher. I rarely get on a soap box (well, not on a big soap box, anyway), but I felt that this required me to take a stand.
In November of this year, in the state of Missouri, there is a resolution to amend the state constitution to change the way teachers are granted tenure (or in this case, not granted tenure) and how they are compensated. The new measure would place a much greater emphasis on testing in the teacher evaluation process, tying student achievement to personnel decisions. The argument for this is that a small percentage of lousy teachers have remained employed due to tenure, despite their poor skills. This amendment aims to throw the baby out with the bath water by imposing this requirement on all districts for all teachers.
This measure is terrible for a lot of reasons.
First, it would require a much greater emphasis on testing, which has already taken over most of what happens in the classroom. Teachers are already forced to "teach to the test" on most of what they do. Gone are the days when children were inspired to learn and given opportunities to explore areas that interested them, setting the stage for future passions and career interests. Now teachers spend the bulk of their time covering concepts which are directly tied to state assessments. Many districts offer routine mini-assessments throughout the year to determine student progress toward passing the "big" test in the Spring. This focus on assessment has stolen the joy of learning from students and the joy of teaching from their educators.
The second reason this measure is terrible is because it assumes that teachers control all the variables in student success. But this simply is not the case. Teachers don't control the kinds of students they are assigned each August. In any given classroom you'll have IQ levels span from near mental retardation all the way to genius levels. Some children come from homes where books were lovingly read to them each day of their young lives, starting in the womb. Other children come from homes where no book has ever been owned, much less lovingly read. Some children attend pre-K or private preschool, while others have their very first day of formal education on day one of kindergarten. Teachers must equally educate the rich and poor, the child with head lice, ADHD, autism-spectrum, malnutrition, dyslexia, English as a Second Language, Fetal Alcohol Affect, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, test anxiety, and the spoiled child. Are teachers expected to bring them all to a certain achievement test percentile regardless of background or need? Imagine if doctors in were paid based on how healthy their patients were. Would we pay a lower salary to doctors who specialize in the care of elderly patients? Or those whose clinics are in poor neighborhoods without fitness centers or fresh, organic food markets? Of course we wouldn't evaluate doctors on this standard because it simply isn't reasonable or fair.
Third, if this amendment is passed in November, how can poor districts (or poor schools within large districts) possibly hope to attract and retain quality teachers? It is a near-impossible task to bring students to the state standard against the all the odds of poverty. Essentially, teachers in poor districts will be doomed to a lower pay scale regardless of how excellent their teaching quality may be.
If you are able to read this, chances are good that you had a teacher who taught you to read. Even if you were home schooled, at some point in your educational career you have probably had a family member, friend or neighbor whose life has been positively impacted by at least one excellent teacher. Perhaps you can think back to that teacher who inspired you to go to college or to pursue a particular career path. Maybe you had a teacher who saw something in you that everyone else had overlooked and that was a defining moment in your life. Vote on behalf of that inspiring teacher. Don't buy into the lie that this law will make education better, because it won't. It will simply make good teachers feel less satisfied in their jobs (and cause many of them to voluntarily leave the education field) and will keep potentially good teachers from entering this vital career path.
November is coming. Be ready to cast your vote on behalf of teachers.
In November of this year, in the state of Missouri, there is a resolution to amend the state constitution to change the way teachers are granted tenure (or in this case, not granted tenure) and how they are compensated. The new measure would place a much greater emphasis on testing in the teacher evaluation process, tying student achievement to personnel decisions. The argument for this is that a small percentage of lousy teachers have remained employed due to tenure, despite their poor skills. This amendment aims to throw the baby out with the bath water by imposing this requirement on all districts for all teachers.
This measure is terrible for a lot of reasons.
First, it would require a much greater emphasis on testing, which has already taken over most of what happens in the classroom. Teachers are already forced to "teach to the test" on most of what they do. Gone are the days when children were inspired to learn and given opportunities to explore areas that interested them, setting the stage for future passions and career interests. Now teachers spend the bulk of their time covering concepts which are directly tied to state assessments. Many districts offer routine mini-assessments throughout the year to determine student progress toward passing the "big" test in the Spring. This focus on assessment has stolen the joy of learning from students and the joy of teaching from their educators.
The second reason this measure is terrible is because it assumes that teachers control all the variables in student success. But this simply is not the case. Teachers don't control the kinds of students they are assigned each August. In any given classroom you'll have IQ levels span from near mental retardation all the way to genius levels. Some children come from homes where books were lovingly read to them each day of their young lives, starting in the womb. Other children come from homes where no book has ever been owned, much less lovingly read. Some children attend pre-K or private preschool, while others have their very first day of formal education on day one of kindergarten. Teachers must equally educate the rich and poor, the child with head lice, ADHD, autism-spectrum, malnutrition, dyslexia, English as a Second Language, Fetal Alcohol Affect, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, test anxiety, and the spoiled child. Are teachers expected to bring them all to a certain achievement test percentile regardless of background or need? Imagine if doctors in were paid based on how healthy their patients were. Would we pay a lower salary to doctors who specialize in the care of elderly patients? Or those whose clinics are in poor neighborhoods without fitness centers or fresh, organic food markets? Of course we wouldn't evaluate doctors on this standard because it simply isn't reasonable or fair.
Third, if this amendment is passed in November, how can poor districts (or poor schools within large districts) possibly hope to attract and retain quality teachers? It is a near-impossible task to bring students to the state standard against the all the odds of poverty. Essentially, teachers in poor districts will be doomed to a lower pay scale regardless of how excellent their teaching quality may be.
If you are able to read this, chances are good that you had a teacher who taught you to read. Even if you were home schooled, at some point in your educational career you have probably had a family member, friend or neighbor whose life has been positively impacted by at least one excellent teacher. Perhaps you can think back to that teacher who inspired you to go to college or to pursue a particular career path. Maybe you had a teacher who saw something in you that everyone else had overlooked and that was a defining moment in your life. Vote on behalf of that inspiring teacher. Don't buy into the lie that this law will make education better, because it won't. It will simply make good teachers feel less satisfied in their jobs (and cause many of them to voluntarily leave the education field) and will keep potentially good teachers from entering this vital career path.
November is coming. Be ready to cast your vote on behalf of teachers.
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