Our city has the 2nd largest public system in the State. Just released data says that students are failing in many areas. (Average) However, we also have a large number of immigrant families where the kids are 1st generation English speakers. Unfortunately, these 1st gen kids are also part of the average. Exactly, how many years does it take a ESL teacher to become proficient in teaching HS math or english?
Big declines in writing scores. Yesterday I bought a John LeCarre (cold war spy) and a Daniel Boorstin (history), 25cents each. Really, Today, how many current middle and HS students will read anything more than a couple of screen pages" ? Our newspapers are vanishing, general info magazines as TIME, NEWSWEEK, BUSINESS WEEK, ScienticAmerican are condensed to a few column inches or a couple of pages at most. How many read Vanity Fair, Atlantic?
What ever happened to the National Inquirer, at least it broaden the mind to far out places and events.
At least the 3rd Testament is written in modern english
Tenure was designed to protect college professors from limits on their free speech and research. There is no reason for public school teachers to have tenure. They do not have the same requirements for independent research.
While I'm against the tenure system that is currently in public schools, I'm not sure how to replace it. The teachers do have a point in regards to evaluating teachers performance based on standardized tests. In poor school districts, many students' families are so mobile that they do not even stay in the same school for a single school year. making standardized testing useless.
1. No tenure. They get paid a higher salary. They save their jobs because they must meet or beat the end of yr testing scores for students. ~~~ A teacher that is confident in their abilities take this path.
2. Tenure They are safe once tenured, but their salary is much lower, and thus their retirement pay will be too.
DC of course needed to do this because many of the teachers were going into VA due to pay.
I completely agree the problem with our education system is they don't understand it is a socio-economic problem. Teachers are one part, of the problem. However, when you place into that equation the money to fund comes from State and RE taxes, than you realize they are creating the fiscal issue. They are creating a burden on the state with their demands. They can't scream that we have old books, and must clean our rooms because janitors were fired. They were the reason why that occurred. They placed their paycheck as their top priority, their greed is the problem.
I have no pity for them. 16% over 4 yrs is great! Bullet retired in 08, his COLA has gone up 1% per yr. He is now a govt employee, Obama forced his job to convert from contractor to govt 3 yrs ago. For 3 yrs he has received 0% increase, along with every other GS, which most make way below 76K a yr. Active duty members defending this country and putting their lives on the line every day has not seen a 4% increase in yrs.
-- Edited by pima on Thursday 13th of September 2012 07:14:38 AM
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Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
It is true. Most teachers don't earn this kind of money, and it is unfortunate. They are often undervalued.
I value those teachers that helped my own children reach their potential. Along the way, there were a few that weren't amazing. Some left teaching for a variety of reasons, too soon. There were some that we're simply amazing, gifted in the art of teaching. I owe so much to these fine people.
What bothers me about the current tenure system is that you can have two teachers with vastly different skill sets, but the same number of years teaching, or the same educational achievement grid who make the same wage. These two teachers bring different things to classroom, but they get paid the same. This is wrong.
We don't reward innovation in the classroom.
We use a totally different math, one that breaks wages down to a common denominator.
I am sorry to hear about your trials over the years. , sls. You'd better believe most of these people go into teaching for the gravy train. Of course 4 percent a year is way more than most are getting in this economy. I suppose they are striking "for the children. " they make me sick, and they should be ashamed, if they could only grasp the concept of shame--of which they are not capable.
John doe,
In my government job with no benefits and two degrees, I made 23,000 last year. I work 20 hours a week, which translates to let's say 46,000 if I was full time. I kept hoping that I would get moved to full time if I just stayed long enough. Not the case. Instead I am working the same job at multiple sites with increased responsibilities
This year I celebrated 10 years with this public employer, which got me nothing. No other perks. No vacation days, no sick days, no pensions.
I started my own business so that I could get ahead. thank goodness, I have. It kept us afloat when husband was out of work for almost two years. I still don't make a bunch, but it kept us from charging more debt than we would have.
My husband's job hovers in that range of those Chicago teachers. He has 20 years of experience, works 10-12 hours a day and gets 2 weeks of vacation a year.
He also has two degrees.
We live in California with high cost of living.
Those Chicago teachers are doing better than many folks.
I work in a school. We are closed multiple months a year. Most employees in the rivate sector would love 12 weeks if vacation a year.
honestly, I think they should consider themselves fortunate to have such excellent jobs right now, considering how many people have lost their jobs over the last 5 years.
I don't think you will find very many people that have gotten a 16% salary increase over the last 4 years, or will get such an increase over the next 4 years.
-- Edited by soccerguy315 on Wednesday 12th of September 2012 07:31:32 PM
I think the bigger problem is the cost of their pensions. I believe I heard it is 71 cents for every dollar spent on education. That is just not sustainable, especially when you add in pay raises.
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Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
In Oregon, public state and county employees' retirement is 21% of budget and that is with pension reform in 1990's and 2003. It is expected to be 24% of budget in 2013. I don't know what are the pension obligations for our public schools.
disclaimer: DS was PS student k-12. We are grateful that he had an excellent outcome. 1st in hs class of 400. Many teachers spent extra hours for his EC's. The district also spent thousands of $ for transportation to send him across town for a single class.
-- Edited by longprime on Wednesday 12th of September 2012 09:01:02 AM
I got a slow computer-Dell, vintage 2006, and the video pauses every 5 seconds to do a download. Speakers on this laptop are blown. So between the long pauses and unintelligible speakers, I wouldn't know anything about her Rant and Rave. I had a Toastmaster's humorous speech, long time ago, on the typing of public speakers. ... This lady is the type who is "running away" from the stuff she is throwing at the audience.
As for her garb, I never comment on woman's wear.
-- Edited by longprime on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 08:58:54 PM
