Comments on: Get Rid Of Bad Teachers http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/ Challenge The Status Quo Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:15:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: mike http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-25584 mike Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:59:57 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-25584 My daughter is in 5th grade. Her math/science teacher leaves a lot to be desired. No test papers came home until a few days before the mid-term progress report (in which she has a "C" in math and an "F" in science. She has been an A-B student in science up to this point. My daughter says that she goes entirely too fast and that she seems to be preoccupied with keeping up with the other teachers as opposed to taking time to present the lesson. The length and complexity of the tests seems rather excessive as well. One science test covered two or three systems of the body at one time. Over a week and a half has passed since her last science test, which still has not been returned. On the night before a recent math test, she sent home a math worksheet (due the next day) that was completely unrelated to the test. So my daughter, needless to say, was quite stressed trying to study for her test and complete an unrelated worksheet on the same night. In class, the kids have to go through the ridiculous act of standing up straight and then delivering their answer. If they don't, the answer is counted as wrong (even if they are right). My daughter is doing quite well in her other subjects, which, of course, are taught by a different teacher. My daughter is in 5th grade. Her math/science teacher leaves a lot to be desired. No test papers came home until a few days before the mid-term progress report (in which she has a “C” in math and an “F” in science. She has been an A-B student in science up to this point. My daughter says that she goes entirely too fast and that she seems to be preoccupied with keeping up with the other teachers as opposed to taking time to present the lesson. The length and complexity of the tests seems rather excessive as well. One science test covered two or three systems of the body at one time. Over a week and a half has passed since her last science test, which still has not been returned. On the night before a recent math test, she sent home a math worksheet (due the next day) that was completely unrelated to the test. So my daughter, needless to say, was quite stressed trying to study for her test and complete an unrelated worksheet on the same night. In class, the kids have to go through the ridiculous act of standing up straight and then delivering their answer. If they don’t, the answer is counted as wrong (even if they are right). My daughter is doing quite well in her other subjects, which, of course, are taught by a different teacher.

]]> By: Don't mess with my kid http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-25115 Don't mess with my kid Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:59:56 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-25115 What do you do with a teacher who passes kids along just so she won't have to deal with them the next year? In my state of Utah it's so difficult to hire teachers because they are paid so miserably that if one is fired they won't be able to replace them. We decided that we wanted my son who is now in 9th grade at Evergreen Jr High in Salt Lake City, Utah to retake Algebra because he was not ready for Geometry. So here it is the first day of school and the teach marches him down to the counselor's office and won't let him back in her class because he's "too good" to be in her class. What do you do with a teacher who passes kids along just so she won’t have to deal with them the next year? In my state of Utah it’s so difficult to hire teachers because they are paid so miserably that if one is fired they won’t be able to replace them. We decided that we wanted my son who is now in 9th grade at Evergreen Jr High in Salt Lake City, Utah to retake Algebra because he was not ready for Geometry. So here it is the first day of school and the teach marches him down to the counselor’s office and won’t let him back in her class because he’s “too good” to be in her class.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24869 anonymous Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:19:59 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24869 I have never had a bad teacher. I have found that if I study enough, I do fine. Most teachers will at least tell you what chapter to read. I have always viewed learning as mostly my responsibility and the teacher is just there to help. If I don't understand them right away, then I just study harder. I put my focus on improving my own performance. I avoid the students who gossip about the teacher. The only time that I have struggled in a classroom is when I did not have the preliminary courses necessary in order to do well. I also have seen teachers say things that could have been better left unsaid. Teachers are people and people do imperfect things. I don't dwell on them. This attitude has always worked for me as a student. It has always worked for me in the world of work. I am not a teacher. I am an engineer. I have never had a bad teacher. I have found that if I study enough, I do fine. Most teachers will at least tell you what chapter to read. I have always viewed learning as mostly my responsibility and the teacher is just there to help. If I don’t understand them right away, then I just study harder. I put my focus on improving my own performance. I avoid the students who gossip about the teacher.

The only time that I have struggled in a classroom is when I did not have the preliminary courses necessary in order to do well. I also have seen teachers say things that could have been better left unsaid. Teachers are people and people do imperfect things. I don’t dwell on them.

This attitude has always worked for me as a student. It has always worked for me in the world of work. I am not a teacher. I am an engineer.

]]> By: Estie Cuellar http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24756 Estie Cuellar Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:41:56 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24756 I just spent the better part of an hour reading all the comments posted here. Wow! What content! I read a number of concerns, complaints, and such...but few of the posts attempted to answer the question posted by Mr. Seal - How do we get rid of bad teachers? Honestly, I'm not sure. I left business/industry several years ago to teach...a calling if you will. I am about to begin my 7th year in teaching and I love it. I am exposed to (a few) teachers that are stuck in the status quo and do little to provide quality teaching to their students. I, on the other hand, have committed myself to life-long learning so that my content will always be relevant to my students...I rewrite my lesson plans every year; last year's lesson plans are just so, well, last year. But I digress...Getting rid of bad teachers is the topic here. From what I can tell, this issue is but one manifestation of a system that's broken. To solve the problem of bad teachers, we need solve the problem of the entire system, overhaul it...--heck, we need a brand new system. In industry, successful companies are always looking to improve their systems...most of the time these companies are proactive and solve problems before they even become problems. If/when an issue does arise they resolve the problem systemically. In public education (possibly because it's a government entity), few (if any) issues are resolved systemically--we'd rather "whack the mole" to hide problems for a short time (the bandaid approach) rather than re-engineer our processes. In my estimation, it's this bandaid approach that has led to the issue of not being able to get rid of bad teachers. When/if education is re-engineered from a systemic level, then I believe that the issue of bad teachers and bad teaching will no longer exist because there will no longer be any bad teachers screwing up our kids. This may sound simplistic, but it's reality. When I get sick, I go to my doctor. Let's say she determines I have strep throat. If she gives me a cough drop, that may help my throat feel better right then, but it doesn't heal my illness, does it? She gives me antibiotics which heal me systemically, thus my illness goes away and I get better. By approaching the issue systemically, we solve the various manifestations of a broken educational system, thus eliminating bad teachers/teaching from our schools. JMHO I just spent the better part of an hour reading all the comments posted here. Wow! What content! I read a number of concerns, complaints, and such…but few of the posts attempted to answer the question posted by Mr. Seal -

How do we get rid of bad teachers?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I left business/industry several years ago to teach…a calling if you will. I am about to begin my 7th year in teaching and I love it. I am exposed to (a few) teachers that are stuck in the status quo and do little to provide quality teaching to their students. I, on the other hand, have committed myself to life-long learning so that my content will always be relevant to my students…I rewrite my lesson plans every year; last year’s lesson plans are just so, well, last year.

But I digress…Getting rid of bad teachers is the topic here. From what I can tell, this issue is but one manifestation of a system that’s broken. To solve the problem of bad teachers, we need solve the problem of the entire system, overhaul it…–heck, we need a brand new system.

In industry, successful companies are always looking to improve their systems…most of the time these companies are proactive and solve problems before they even become problems. If/when an issue does arise they resolve the problem systemically. In public education (possibly because it’s a government entity), few (if any) issues are resolved systemically–we’d rather “whack the mole” to hide problems for a short time (the bandaid approach) rather than re-engineer our processes. In my estimation, it’s this bandaid approach that has led to the issue of not being able to get rid of bad teachers.

When/if education is re-engineered from a systemic level, then I believe that the issue of bad teachers and bad teaching will no longer exist because there will no longer be any bad teachers screwing up our kids.

This may sound simplistic, but it’s reality. When I get sick, I go to my doctor. Let’s say she determines I have strep throat. If she gives me a cough drop, that may help my throat feel better right then, but it doesn’t heal my illness, does it? She gives me antibiotics which heal me systemically, thus my illness goes away and I get better.

By approaching the issue systemically, we solve the various manifestations of a broken educational system, thus eliminating bad teachers/teaching from our schools. JMHO

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24708 Anonymous Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:08:01 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/04/get-rid-of-bad-teachers/#comment-24708 Teacher First, Thanks for responding. You've inspired me in more ways than you know. As for transporting students, I stopped that a few years ago. God conditioned it where my own children are now participating in after school programs and must be picked up at a certain time. Also, as far as tutorials, the principal stopped me from doing so. She only allows her friends to teach them, which is a big joke, because many of them use this time to gossip and cover for each other while they take turns leaving early. In the meantime, the kids are "slapped" with worksheets and no instruction. They do it strictly for the money, but I was doing it for free. The parents were outraged when I was prohibited from tutoring, but now I have other things to do with my time after school. Nevertheless, I do believe that there is a reason for everything in life. With all of the allegations of teacher/child abuse in the media, I’ve learned to never put myself in a situation where someone could question my actions. I never have and never will cause harm to a child, but some people are evil, and their atrociousness and voraciousness could destroy not only careers, but lives. Good luck to you as well, and thanks again. Teacher First,

Thanks for responding. You’ve inspired me in more ways than you know. As for transporting students, I stopped that a few years ago. God conditioned it where my own children are now participating in after school programs and must be picked up at a certain time. Also, as far as tutorials, the principal stopped me from doing so. She only allows her friends to teach them, which is a big joke, because many of them use this time to gossip and cover for each other while they take turns leaving early. In the meantime, the kids are “slapped” with worksheets and no instruction. They do it strictly for the money, but I was doing it for free. The parents were outraged when I was prohibited from tutoring, but now I have other things to do with my time after school. Nevertheless, I do believe that there is a reason for everything in life. With all of the allegations of teacher/child abuse in the media, I’ve learned to never put myself in a situation where someone could question my actions. I never have and never will cause harm to a child, but some people are evil, and their atrociousness and voraciousness could destroy not only careers, but lives. Good luck to you as well, and thanks again.

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