tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post2442546036731407900..comments2023-06-21T08:08:17.898-07:00Comments on A Sum of Infinite Thoughts & Experiences: Pay Our Teachers More, Part 1Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407805328773420219noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post-56499470982797798472010-07-18T09:33:41.248-07:002010-07-18T09:33:41.248-07:00You're right, but when you can't back up y...You're right, but when you can't back up your observations about student performance with something concrete like test scores, it's pretty hard to fire the crappy teachers. "So and so's students seem unprepared" just won't hold up in court, especially with the 3928349273 ridiculous policies we have protecting public employees (including myself) from being fired.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post-58219525181775139772010-07-17T21:09:31.970-07:002010-07-17T21:09:31.970-07:00You measure skill in teaching the way you measure ...You measure skill in teaching the way you measure skill in anything else - by observation, performed by those who know what to look for. We already have teacher observations, just not generally performed by those who are qualified to observe.<br /><br />My calculus teacher in high school had a knack for, amongst other things, being able to tell which students had which teacher for pre-calculus, based on how prepared they were. Since students were assigned more or less randomly (depending on their schedule), it wasn't a matter of student ability. Those that had the better teachers were more prepared, even if they didn't have as much raw talent as those who had the (relatively speaking - we didn't have many BAD math teachers at my high school) worse teachers.<br /><br />Those who were innately better would often end up ahead of the rest, but they started off behind.Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04407805328773420219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post-3048834436253410292010-07-17T20:55:34.243-07:002010-07-17T20:55:34.243-07:00That's true, though without standardized measu...That's true, though without standardized measures of some kind, it's pretty hard to evaluate who the shit teachers are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post-42129919356836473602010-07-16T16:52:36.163-07:002010-07-16T16:52:36.163-07:00That $300,000 from a classroom would barely cover ...That $300,000 from a classroom would barely cover the salaries of the superintendent and one principal at my school district back home. Just to put things in perspective a bit.<br /><br />Also, don't forget that the $10,000 figure takes into account teacher, administrator, district, and classified staff salaries. Not to mention supplies, facilities, and utilities, and a bunch of other things (unions included).<br /><br />I'm not proposing that cutting administrator salaries and raising teacher salaries is going to solve all of our problems. Especially not financially. But I am showing that economically, it's the right move to attract and keep better teachers, and increase the quality of our education.<br /><br />As for the one thing taking a big shit on American education, I'd turn the focus away from teachers unions, and on to standardized testing as the be all and end all of our education policies.Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04407805328773420219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133654825791711562.post-16330873777068733792010-07-16T16:36:59.517-07:002010-07-16T16:36:59.517-07:00I've got the link on your first fact:
http://...I've got the link on your first fact:<br /><br />http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2003-09-16-education-comparison_x.htm<br /><br />I read it in a Larry Elder book, when we spent $6,000 per kid per year, which was astronomically more than other nations. This old but 'newer than the book' article puts that figure at $10,000 per kid per year.<br /><br />With classrooms around 30 kids, that's $300,000 per classroom. Where does that money go?<br /><br />Not to administrators.<br /><br />...teachers unions. Those are the culprit. If there's anything taking a big shit on American education, it's the teachers unions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com