Taking Sides on the Chicago Teacher Strike

Sorry, teachers, accountability is coming.

Teacher accountability - - based on student test scores - - is coming.  And that is good.  We now have software to measure how far a given teacher can take her or his class in a given year.  And we can compare that to what another teacher can do in a given year for the same students, and certainly students with the same demographic profile.

The era of subjective teacher evaluations based on what other teachers think, is gone.  Those of us in business get evaluated based on outcomes.  As a taxpayer, business person, and parent - - it's time for teachers to be held accountable as well.

Photo by Nine Shift photographer Doyle Darvis: stuff to help men in a seminar fidget, from AIHA seminar in Washington DC.  Why can't teachers HELP their students fidget, instead of just telling the boys Not to fidget?  Just one good teaching technique.

 

Comments

[Tim in San Antonio]

No one is in charge of public schools; accountability may very well be a failed concept because principals, superintendents, State Board of Educations, State Legislatures, and voters all claim some authority in running schools, yet no one claims responsibility. Or worse, can't take responsibility, because one of the other power centers usurps. I throw my hands up in despair.

[Addelgado]

I personally find Finland to be an example of what schooling should be like. When their economy was a shambles in the 70's, they chose equity in all schools and investing in teachers. Sweden and Norway are rated lower than Finland because they adopted corporate ed models. http://www.pasisahlberg.com/blog/?p=234

Misconceptions and Realities about Teacher and Principal Evaluation
http://createchicago.blogspot.com/2012/03/misconceptions-and-realities-about.html

[Terry Newman]

I don't think its fair to judge a teacher entirely based on outcomes. Teachers are expected to be teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists and more. How can we hold a teacher accountable for what the student learns when many students come to school without proper sleep, with language barriers (parents don't speak English), parents don't support what the teachers are doing in school, and in the light of helicopter parents who think their child can do no wrong. Frankly I know a lot of teachers and the vast majority of them are not lazy or careless in their work. They put in many hours of time and energy into providing our children with a good education. Why don't we hold parents accountable as well for their children's learning?