Blog Post #14

Teaching our Children can be a Profession

By: Joel Klein

Problems:

• Unqualified Teachers
• Rewarding the Educator
• Job Security Based on Seniority

Solutions:

• Raising the qualifications for a teaching degree and making selections from the top of the class
• Reward based on performance instead of seniority 
• Eliminate the least effective teacher instead of the newest hire

      I agree that this is a major problem in our education system today.  I like the solution suggested to fix the problem.  I recently took the AECTP test that will qualify me as capable and ready to enter candidacy.  That was the easiest test I have taken throughout my college career.  After I finished, I was thinking that even if you pass that test, you still should not consider yourself capable of teaching another person.  I think colleges and facilities should make their own examinations, and focus on what the subject matter is that the person wishes to teach.  One general knowledge test is not enough.  I also think potential employers should look at grades before hey hire someone.  Just because they finished a degree does not mean that they are fully qualified.  

      Rewarding a teacher is a weird thing.  They all would sure enjoy raises and things like that, but how are you suppose to judge that?  A teacher is only as good as their class, if they absolutely have no drive or interest in learning, it's only going to reflect poorly on the teacher.  My mom, a first grade teacher, will have a super hard working class one year and the next year she will have all of the kids that are only in school to provide a free babysitting service for the parents.   So yes, I agree there should be some type of rewards involved, but I do not think it is a good idea to base it off seniority or performance.  Reward the school as a whole when something goes well, that way everyone will help each other out and there will be no hard feelings between any of the teachers.  

      This rule is the silliest thing.  I work a part-time job at Best Buy.  We are expected to preform to cooperate expectation on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis.  If we do not, we are on our way out of the door before you can even add 2 and 2.  It doesn't matter how long you've been there, only how much money you're making for the company.  Teaching is the same way.  If you cannot effectively teach a class, why should you deserve to stay when there is someone who was hired a year ago that has improved a child's test scores or reading level in such a short time?  I am very much supportive of this suggestion as a solution to the problem regarding seniority in the school system.  

      Sure, the school system has problems.  However, that does not mean the community should not just give up on it.  Problems are great because they bring about solutions.  I think its great that these issues are getting out there and known about, now there will be a stronger push for changes in the system.  All of this is for the kids, the students that will eventually be the ones in our places.  My goal is to mold them and make them better people, I want to be a role model.  Even with problems, I believe teachers can fix them and continue to do what we have learned to do: make a difference and teach others!