Teachers (and parents) take note

[chickenhead]

I assume there are some teachers here, I just want to tell you that on behalf of all your students, keep your own politics out of the classroom.

I am writing to our Board of Trustees, asking to see the guidance they give teachers on this issue, and am going to lodge complaints against two of them at the end of semester. It is absolutely insidious. These teachers put their students in a very bad position...I don't think most of them even realize it.

STFU and stick to your subject.

[twindouble]

I assume there are some teachers here, I just want to tell you that on behalf of all your students, keep your own politics out of the classroom.

I am writing to our Board of Trustees, asking to see the guidance they give teachers on this issue, and am going to lodge complaints against two of them at the end of semester. It is absolutely insidious. These teachers put their students in a very bad position...I don't think most of them even realize it.

STFU and stick to your subject.

Can you emagine teaching todays politics to young people what would have to be in the text? :eek: :D

T.D.

[Indulto]

STFU and stick to your subject.Chickenhead,
Are you talking about your college class or your kid's public school classes? It's so unlike you to withhold details.

I agree that enlightenment of any sort in an academic environment can impact one's financial and mental health.

Is it OK to discuss condoms in a class whose subject is sex education? What about condom size? Do we need a separate class on that subject?

[chickenhead]

I'm talking about my college classes. I have heard more than enough from both my Lit and Math professors regarding their political idealogies. I could give two sh#ts what they think about anything other than Lit and Math.

The only teacher I have currently who I could not attest with 100% certainty as to political affiliation is my political science teacher, who talks about nothing but politics, but handles himself with integrity.

There is plenty of talk amongst concerned people about keeping religion and sex out of classrooms, and not enough about keeping politics out. In the Bible belt maybe religious propoganda is the problem, but here in California political propoganda is what its all about. Pisses me off.

[chickenhead]

Is it OK to discuss condoms in a class whose subject is sex education? What about condom size? Do we need a separate class on that subject?

Is it OK to discuss big Oil, Global Warming, How we treat Muslims, and why "undocumented workers" are justified in a sex ed class? That is basically what we are talking about.

People who are utterly untrained and unqualified spouting their uninformed opinions, while neglecting to talk about the things they are qualified to speak on, of which I (and you, through subsidies) are paying them to speak on.

[Tom]

Brought to you by.....tenure!
Tenure is a directly responsible for low test scores and our kids inablity to read, write, and so basic math.

And while we are at it, what the heck is sex doing in classrooms? That is something that should be taught at home. Let's stop turning out so many morons, then worry about the other stuff.

Teachers should be teaching kids basics and how to think, not what to think.I'll tell for a fact, most of the stuff I learned in school - history, geography, that type of stuff, was false at worst, biased at best, and had to re-learned on my own.
There should be no grading on the curve - only to a standard that is the same for everyone, and basic skills testing should be done by a third party, no tthe teachers in the school, and those test result used to determine who stays a teacher and who hits the bricks. As it is now, teachers are not accountable to anyone, and it shows in the performance by the majority of them.

[Indulto]

Teachers should be teaching kids basics and how to think, not what to think.I'll tell for a fact, most of the stuff I learned in school - history, geography, that type of stuff, was false at worst, biased at best, and had to re-learned on my own.

There should be no grading on the curve - only to a standard that is the same for everyone, and basic skills testing should be done by a third party, no tthe teachers in the school, and those test result used to determine who stays a teacher and who hits the bricks. As it is now, teachers are not accountable to anyone, and it shows in the performance by the majority of them.Tom,

I agree completely on the elementary level, and with grading and testing procedures throughout. But it's also necessary to teach WHAT different people think, generally, and WHY.

I would add civics instruction starting in the 4th grade. In high school, kids need to start becoming aware of how to get by in society and the world at large. I would add mandatory economics and History of Religious Thought to the high school curriculum. Texts for the latter would be restricted to those created by panels of clergy representing each major religion and celebrated philosophers on related thinking.

Two other areas need to be covered, parental support and teacher feedback. If a child's education is not the parent's priority, his chances for benefiting from mandatory attendance are slim. The primary reason for low scores is insufficient preparation by parents prior to school and lack of discipline once in school. And discipline is the responsibility of the parent, not the teacher. Teachers should never have to put up with disruption of theirr class. Non-cooperative kids shouldn’t just go to the principal’s office, but to mandatory socialization classes explaining why improper behavior can’t be tolerated and what its continuation can lead to. Multiple violations deserve mandatory participation by parents.

Re: feedback, Tom, did you ever go back to see an old teacher or write them a letter to inform them whether their impact on you was positive or negative? Tenure is a bad idea for public education which requires competition for maximum effectiveness, but test scores are not the only way to identify good teachers. Those feedback letters I suggested should be a part of their record to defend their jobs, when compared with potential replacements. I’m not a teacher, but my life was significantly different because a few teachers and professors were willing to go out of their way to find out what kind of person I was, and whether or not I had something to offer.

I’d address chickenhead’s problem at the college level by mandating anonymous questionnaires at the end of every class with the results and comments posted outside prior to the next class. A problem needs to be identified in order to be solved, and effectiveness requires feedback.

[Tom]

One teacher, 7th Grade Social Studies - I was in his class when the news of Kennedy's assasination came through - I still keep in contact with him, in fact, had dinner wtih him Friday. I have told him how postivie he was. Others I have told to thier face that they should consider another career and why I thought they were ruining children. Most, Though, I told that while still in thier classes.:eek:

[chickenhead]

For primary school, vouchers would give all the feedback required, along with a merit based pay scale.

As for my classes, they're gonna get some feedback from me free of charge, no questionairre required. That was kind of the point of my post, is a notice to parents -- "Pay attention!" And if you don't like what you see, let them know it in no uncertain terms. We drive the bus here, not the other way around.

[Indulto]

For primary school, vouchers would give all the feedback required, along with a merit based pay scale.

As for my classes, they're gonna get some feedback from me free of charge, no questionairre required. That was kind of the point of my post, is a notice to parents -- "Pay attention!" And if you don't like what you see, let them know it in no uncertain terms. We drive the bus here, not the other way around.Do vouchers guarantee which teacher's classroom one's child is placed in?

Let who know and when? What initiated the contact that resulted in parental confrontation with their kid's teacher? One size doesn't fit all and I'd be interested in knowing how the parenting compared with the teaching. Few teachers or parents are good with kids at all stages of their life, but a kid needs both, and a teacher is responsible for more than one kid at a time.

The bus can only have one driver at a time. One can always choose a private school. See how much driving you get to do there, especially in religious schools.

[chickenhead]

Do vouchers guarantee which teacher's classroom one's child is placed in?

Let who know and when? What initiated the contact that resulted in parental confrontation with their kid's teacher? One size doesn't fit all and I'd be interested in knowing how the parenting compared with the teaching. Few teachers or parents are good with kids at all stages of their life, but a kid needs both, and a teacher is responsible for more than one kid at a time.

The bus can only have one driver at a time. One can always choose a private school. See how much driving you get to do there, especially in religious schools.

I touched a nerve! Let me explain myself before you assume I'm an idiot.

Does my method ensure a "perfect" school system? No.
Does my method turn bad parents into good. No
Neither does any other method I've ever heard.

What does it do?

It allows the schools more freedom, to run themselves as they see fit. Merit based pay allows them to retain the teachers that they think are best. It allows them to get rid of teachers that they do not think are best. It allows them some leeway in how to administer the curriculum.
It allows them to expel those students who are disruptive, who bring down everything else.

Does this guarentee they do things the way I want them to?

No, and that is why parents must be able to choose which school their child goes to. They vote, they give feedback, with their vouchers. Allow the schools to do what they think is best, and allow the parents to send their children to wherever they think is best.

Sounds a little like our University system, which is the envy of the world, which puts out very highly educated people.....and not very much like our current primary schools, which are an embarrasment, and put out some of the least educated people in the world.

Also, as a final note, private schools certainly allow parents to drive the bus...they are dependant upon the parents for revenue. No kids=No school. They have to be somewhat responsive. And you can always take you kid "off the bus" if you don't like the driver. Not so with our current public school system, many can't afford private schools...they have no choice but to accept the mediocrity their zip code ties them to.

Also, the idea of choice in schools is not a republican or conservative idea...many of those European countries that kick our ass every year when it comes to education at all levels...yep, vouchers and school choice. And they think we are nuts. "Why in the world would you make a student go to a bad school?" they ask. Good question, and one I've never heard answered.