Shari Nielsen

I agree that a LOT of teachers aren't up to par, especially a lot of the young ones. Unfortunately, the teacher training programs teach a lot of "perfect world" stuff and not practical stuff that the teachers actually need. As a result, they are in shock when they get out into the real classroom and on their own.

The Praxis tests are the tests which most states accept in order to grant certification. (It's interesting to see which states have the higher minimum scores needed to pass and which have the lowest standards!) Anyway, these tests don't evaluate how a teacher performs in the classroom, just that they know the content. So...teachers study the content for the test and may pass, but that doesn't translate into quality teaching.

Newer teachers need to be given an opportunity to try their hand in the classroom, get some experience, and be mentored by a quality, experienced teacher throughout the process. These teachers need to spend time in the classrooms of great teachers to get ideas and learn what works and what doesn't then take these ideas back to their own classroom and try them out.

Unfortunately, most school systems don't provide newer teachers w/ this opportunity and just show the teacher their room and wish them luck. As a result, many flounder, do a sub-par job w/ the kids, and are frustrated w/ the entire profession. Its such a shame that the kids are the ones that suffer the most from this!

musicmom

I've only had great teachers so I can't complain. When we go to functions and we see teachers out they are out of school and they are laid back and relaxed.
My children's teachers and I communicate through email and they type fast like me and there are often mistakes. No big deal. I respect all teachers. Kudo's to all of them.

hwnorth

musicmom - I was of the understanding that you taught.

musicmom

hwnorth

Put your paranoia away for a minute will ya.

This is a thread about an actual factual situation thats happening in the school system. I therefore would, and was, hoping, that persons that taught would also add their input (and some already have), since we arent the teachers, nor the ones that take the training.

One would hope that a legitimate debate could be had here, as well as the possibility of even slightly assisting in being able to come up with changes to assist our children.

Im sorry that you feel that Ive pulled out something with such huge media and political attention and effects children nationally... just to bait you. Interesting mindset, to say the least.

I would deduct that by the factual posts Ive made, feedback Ive gotten in the short amount of time Ive been here, that troll doesn't exactly fit me ..

musicmom

hwnorth

.. I asked for an educated opinion on the matter ... sorry ... my mistake

cheers

fallon

end the personal attacks now please

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Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult

NiallNai

I'm a school psychologist and I've only been working in the field of education for three years now. Before that, I worked in the behavioral healthcare field. My wife is a high school librarian. She has a dual bachelors in education and history and an masters of library and information science. She has worked in education for about 10 years.

Looking at it as an outsider (and in some ways I still consider myself an outsider because I don't think I'm in that deep yet), I think there are a number of things about the education that impact teacher effectiveness.

1. Some teachers are hired and then given a class schedule that doesn't necessarily match their qualifications. There was a recent instance where a teacher qualified to teach computer assisted drafting had been given a schedule to teach general computer classes for the last nine years. Or non special education teachers that are assigned to teach classes consisting of all special education students. That sort of thing is the fault of the district and may be due to a number of things, such as the district not wanting to pay the money for the qualified person or just a short in a particular specialty, which happens alot with science and math instructors. That last part leads to my next point.

2. Many science and math instructors are obtained from industry, meaning that they have degrees in their specialty but have never had any sort of formal training in pedagogy or education. At least in New Jersey, they are referred to as alternate route teachers. They've entered the education system and now have to obtain addition training in education to become fully certified. It's interesting to note that there seems to be heirarchy among teachers and I've seen alot of traditional route teachers look down on alternate route teachers. I've also seen some amazing alternate route people. Two doors down from my office in school is probably one of the best teachers in the school and he came from industry. Teaching seems to be somewhere between an art and a skill. You can certainly learn a lot of the principles regarding teaching others but actually applying them is different.

3. This is the big one for me and I'll probably come under fire from other teachers because of it. I see tenure as the bastion of mediocrity. I worked in behavioral healthcare for 10 years before entering education. I did not have a union and there was no such thing as tenure. The last company that I worked for (for 7 years no less) had an "employment at will" policy, meaning that at any point they could decide to let me go. Not once did I ever fear for my job. I've seen and heard about a lot of teachers that have been using the same lesson plans since they got tenure 10-20 years ago. That is appalling to me. I've seen inclass support teachers just sitting on their rump for the entire 40 minute period, never once getting up to help a student and there is nothing that can be done about. Perhaps if their pay increase was attached to their performance they might do something. Perhaps if it didn't take 2+ years to fire a poor, ineffective, tenured teacher, there would be fewer of them.

4. Standardized testing is killing the imagination of education. When you teach to the test, your kid may be able to answer the tests on the questions but little else. Students aren't learning to think and apply their intellect. They aren't being taught to reason. They aren't being taught the meta-skills that can be applied in any area of study. They are being taught to answer a particular set or type of questions. As a school psychologist, I've started to wonder if being taught to take a test is impacting overall ability. Some of the general information questions that I ask which anyone from my generation would be able to answer just stop my students dead. Really basic things.

That is my opinion on the ineffectiveness of teachers and education.

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