This movie fired me up, and also made me sad. I rally kind of want to share all my answers to the questions,but I'll limit it. I'll just give one of my responses which I see as a "hot button" topic about tenor.
This piece is suggesting more classroom time, no tenor/ real accountability for teachers, world standards and high expectations. One of the major points that I agreed with strongly is the accountability for teachers. I believe that tenor, if given at the high school level, should be granted the same as it is in college. There has to be motivation for teachers, and consequences for bad teachers. I really liked Rhee’s idea to get around the tenor problem, and it was depressing that the union was so threatened by the idea—it was an admission of guilt to find the proposal so threatening. I also thought NY's "rubber room" was infuriating, the amount of wasted money all because of an idea of "tenor", that money could be used to actually improve schools.
I would definitely used Geoffrey’s idea about his schools. Though it may be impractical for everyone to start from a baby on through college, he must be on to something if he is having such high performance and proficiency in his students. So, I would study what he is doing with his school and imitate those to a certain extent. Also, I would revise the idea of tenure. Maybe add an evaluation at the end of every year or so. Just like other professions, I believe it is important to keep your job because you are good at it. It wouldn’t all be based on scores and testing, but on student evaluations, etc. That way the school would have the teachers that love to teach and are passionate about educating their students. I think the idea of keeping the teacher that the boy videoed in the classroom and then on top of that rehiring him and REIMBURSING him for the year he lost is absolutely absurd. What is that even teaching those students? What message is that school/union sending those students about their views on what a real teacher should act and treat them? That part surely blew my mind. Again, this is not as easy as it sounds and I am not naïve enough to believe it is. So, for now my school would only be able to exist in a utopian society.
The progress of the charter schools such as SEED and KIPP proves that expectations mean everything. At these schools there is no tracking, no division per academic achievement or testing performance. Without tracking, every single student is expected to excel. As we learned from most of the other books and movies, when you believe in your students, your students believe in themselves. Confidence is an incredibly powerful thing and it can most definitely be the difference in a C student and an A student. I believe that SEED specifically, really supports the idea of holistic learning and growth. Because the school is a boarding school, teachers are able to effect and mold every aspect of a child’s development. This will lead to better learning and studying habits as well as more effective social interaction. As a teacher I want to promote the ideas and concepts which founded the charter schools originally. I want to shout from the rooftops that ALL children can learn, and they can all be equally successful. I am interested in learning more about the differences between a public school education and a charter school education. What are they doing exactly that has produced such dramatic and impressive results?
This movie fired me up, and also made me sad. I rally kind of want to share all my answers to the questions,but I'll limit it. I'll just give one of my responses which I see as a "hot button" topic about tenor.
ReplyDeleteThis piece is suggesting more classroom time, no tenor/ real accountability for teachers, world standards and high expectations. One of the major points that I agreed with strongly is the accountability for teachers. I believe that tenor, if given at the high school level, should be granted the same as it is in college. There has to be motivation for teachers, and consequences for bad teachers. I really liked Rhee’s idea to get around the tenor problem, and it was depressing that the union was so threatened by the idea—it was an admission of guilt to find the proposal so threatening. I also thought NY's "rubber room" was infuriating, the amount of wasted money all because of an idea of "tenor", that money could be used to actually improve schools.
I would definitely used Geoffrey’s idea about his schools. Though it may be impractical for everyone to start from a baby on through college, he must be on to something if he is having such high performance and proficiency in his students. So, I would study what he is doing with his school and imitate those to a certain extent. Also, I would revise the idea of tenure. Maybe add an evaluation at the end of every year or so. Just like other professions, I believe it is important to keep your job because you are good at it. It wouldn’t all be based on scores and testing, but on student evaluations, etc. That way the school would have the teachers that love to teach and are passionate about educating their students. I think the idea of keeping the teacher that the boy videoed in the classroom and then on top of that rehiring him and REIMBURSING him for the year he lost is absolutely absurd. What is that even teaching those students? What message is that school/union sending those students about their views on what a real teacher should act and treat them? That part surely blew my mind. Again, this is not as easy as it sounds and I am not naïve enough to believe it is. So, for now my school would only be able to exist in a utopian society.
ReplyDeleteThe progress of the charter schools such as SEED and KIPP proves that expectations mean everything. At these schools there is no tracking, no division per academic achievement or testing performance. Without tracking, every single student is expected to excel. As we learned from most of the other books and movies, when you believe in your students, your students believe in themselves. Confidence is an incredibly powerful thing and it can most definitely be the difference in a C student and an A student. I believe that SEED specifically, really supports the idea of holistic learning and growth. Because the school is a boarding school, teachers are able to effect and mold every aspect of a child’s development. This will lead to better learning and studying habits as well as more effective social interaction. As a teacher I want to promote the ideas and concepts which founded the charter schools originally. I want to shout from the rooftops that ALL children can learn, and they can all be equally successful. I am interested in learning more about the differences between a public school education and a charter school education. What are they doing exactly that has produced such dramatic and impressive results?
ReplyDelete