A Report Written While High

[Rich K]

Wait, people think this is for real?

 

[jrohrer]

That is pretty much it since we live in the days of politically correct, all encompassing, inclusiveness. You do not want to hurt little psyche's by offering a failing grade; no accountability and no recrimination for lack of performance. We continually decend into mediocrity with ever lower standards of achievement. Grade inflation hit its zenith during the 1960's as professors used it as a protest tool to keep young men out of the war in the RVN. Unfortunately, there has never been a "correction" back to reality.

opposing viewpoints with this (and Drew's subsequesnt post)

as a teacher in a public high school, I do indeed see many problems with our surrent educational system/philosaphy (with the country as a whole). This much I can tell you though. As far as I'm concerned, as well as the vast majority of high school teachers I have met and talked to in New York State, save possibly for NYC (I only mention the state because each has their own individual policies and policymakers...NCLB is trying to 'unify' this front, but don't get me started on that backhanded piece of legislation!), I will not 'give out' passing grades, regardless or pressure from students, parents, or administration. In fact, I tell each one of my students that I do not give out grades at all, I simply do a little math at the end of each marking period. I have failed plenty of students in my tenure as a teacher, and will continue to do so for those students who do not earn a passing grade. In fact, with a most recent example, I failed a student last year. Turns out, he didn't like being failed, and told his parents, my bosses, and a large amount of students that he was failed because he has Indian heritage, and that I am nothing more than a racist, and only white kids can pass my class. Needless to say it was an interesting opening to this year. Luckily, I have made the connections and alllowed my colleagues and bosses to get to know me well enough to realize that this couldn;t be further from the truth.

Now with our current University system, I do agree that this system has some major flaws. For example, I currently have a graduate professor, who is a completely self-absorbed, egomaniacle asshole (which seems to be becoming more common place today with people in the world of university level academia). In addition, this particular professor hasn;t been in a public high school classroom in over 24 years, and more-so...NEVER taught in one in New York State. Meanwhile, he is trying to tell me how to do my job, and never misses an opportunity to tell me how things 'can be done better' and 'how he would have done them....and to a much more successful degree'. Don't get me wrong, I am fully aware that as a fourth year teacher I have PLENTY to learn. But that being said, I do feel I am pretty damn good at what I do, especially for being so 'new' to it. This professor however, after every assessment and observation, makes me literally feel as though I should be in another profession, and that perhaps I am simply not cut out to be a teacher. Now I, my colleagues, my bosses, and most importantly my STUDENTS know this not to be true. I simply cannot figure out when my career became all about this professor and his ego. SO, Drew, I do agree with your statement, as there have been times when I've wanted nothing more than to Cut the University a check, collect my degree and get on with my career. Don;t get me wrong, I value a quality education as much as anyone you will ever meet, and I do believe that standards need to be held high, and mantained as such (especially if we plan to produce citizens who will be able to be competitive in todays global economy), I just get frustrated when I see professors (whotechnically are mycolleagues)who lose sight of their responsibilities to foster the development, both professionally and intellectually, of their students, and turn their 'classrooms' into a forum for their ego-driven, self-righteous anecdotes.

But I do agree. Our current education system has some major cracks which need to repaired, not just filled in. Unfortuantely, I do not see this happening until the policymakers begin to think on a more global scale. Education should be about the improvement of an individual, and the advamcement of a society. Not the devlopment or opportunity to push personal beliefs or foster business opportunities.

Sorry rant over....carry on

 

[jrohrer]

just a quick apology....I know my post above is riddled with grammatical errors.

I guess that's what happens when you pull a string of something I'm passionate about and I start running off at the mouth. Sorry, hopefully my point comes through in all that gibberish

 

[Fox]

just a quick apology....I know my post above is riddled with grammatical errors.

I guess that's what happens when you pull a string of something I'm passionate about and I start running off at the mouth. Sorry, hopefully my point comes through in all that gibberish

That is okay, brother. . .:smile: Take a look at my post on tenure and it will really make your day. . .

 

[David]

Tenure doesn't mean jack shit other than you are not observed every year. In my county, all it means is I am off the observation cycle for 2 years and on for 1...then the process repeats.

You think they are not able to get rid of a poor teacher because they are tenured? Ridiculous...

 

[David]

Of course, all the people in the world that aren't teachers have this fantasy that tenure means a teacher can do anything without being fired. :laugh:

 

[Fox]

David, I can only relate my own experiences in CA and WA. . .They CANNOT get rid of tenured teachers due to a host of reasons; litigation, politics, public relations, payoffs, etc. Unless the teacher does something really egregious, they are in for life. . .It may be different where you live, but not here. It took a statutory rape charge to get rid of Mary Kay Letourneau.

 

[jrohrer]

Of course, all the people in the world that aren't teachers have this fantasy that tenure means a teacher can do anything without being fired. :laugh:

agreed, and it's similar people who believe, that teachers have the easiest jobs on the planet, and that we are nothing more than 'walking-textbooks', and those who can't do...teach.

makes me sick!

 

[AndrewDill]

What a few teachers have to say about that.

[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU[/ame]

[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=hy1R2m3kR1Q"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=hy1R2m3kR1Q[/ame]

 

[cvm4]

None of your links work for me :dunno:

 

[David]

David, I can only relate my own experiences in CA and WA. . .They CANNOT get rid of tenured teachers due to a host of reasons; litigation, politics, public relations, payoffs, etc. Unless the teacher does something really egregious, they are in for life. . .It may be different where you live, but not here. It took a statutory rape charge to get rid of Mary Kay Letourneau.

And of course, all I can do is speak for Virginia. So perhaps your tenure statement was a blanket statement that doesn't apply to all teachers/states?? :wink:

 

[Fox]

And of course, all I can do is speak for Virginia. So perhaps your tenure statement was a blanket statement that doesn't apply to all teachers/states?? :wink:

No, I would stand by my tenure statement in general terms based upon studies that I have read and my own observations. Virginia indeed may be an exception, but tenure per se has nothing but negative value for the entire nation. It was an historical overreaction to the politics of the time, the consequences of which continue to haunt us.

 

[David]

Online studies? I would be interested in reading them since I have never researched the impact that you mention.

 

[Fox]

Online studies? I would be interested in reading them since I have never researched the impact that you mention.

David, it is time for my beauty sleep. . .:grin: The studies I referred to were hard copies and provided to me sometime ago. I would have to do some homework to see if there are some online versions. I did do a quick Net search for the heck of it and came up with this one, which I found interesting since it refers to northern Virginia. . .You may know more about the incident than is apparent in the article. I cannot comment on the veracity of the source; it was just one of interest after a quick search.

 

[jrohrer]

and I can only speak for New York (technically only my district) but I happen to know first-hand that tenure is NOT something rudimentarily handed out to all who 'survive' three years in the profession.

I was hired with a new teacher 'class' of 32 teachers (massive amounts of retirements recently in my district), and of which only 8 were awarded tenure at the opening of this year.

Again, I can only speak for one district in one state, but I refuse to believe this is the only public school in the country where tenure still means something (and by something I do not mean unconditional job security). I for one am damn proud to have it!

 

[jrohrer]

andrew...that first video is intense...I love it!

I've seen that same monologue in print, but it's definately more vivid in that presentation, thank you!

 

[CWS]

I'm trying to figure why this is in the comedy section at this point.:scratchhe

 

[Fox]

I'm trying to figure why this is in the comedy section at this point.:scratchhe

A comment here and a response there. . .pretty quickly sidetracked from the original discussion. Color me: guilty. . .:frownno:

 

[waterboy]

Wow and he got a 61

I hope it was because this was a creative writting class.:headroll: I would've bought a ticket to watch the discussion with the prof about his paper. OMG!