RBE,
You got school financing reform which allows these CEO principals the freedom to can costly senior teachers and hire cheaper and more pliable Teach for America-type missionaries who will hang around for a few years before moving on to their "real jobs."
As a Teaching Fellow who started three years ago in my mid-30s (I guess that makes me late 30s now), I thought the program would be more mid-career changers like me who were looking for, well, another career (i.e., long term). What I saw was mainly people in their early to mid-20s, some straight out of undergrad who were, um, naive to say the least. Of course, I guess I proved to be the naive one, eh?
I also appreciated your thoughts on parental and student responsibility. Let's face it: If a student wants to screw around and derail an entire class, he or she can do it, and there is precious little teachers can do about it. I've even gone against my philosophical beliefs and engaged in some positive reinforcement (rewards for doing what you're supposed to do). All I've gotten is this: The students who would do the right thing anyway are continuing to do the rights thing and getting concrete rewards. The troublemakers care not.
Amen to NYCMT above.
NYC Math Teacher,
Do you think it would help you if class size were reduced to 25?
The real aim of the Bloomberg Klein dictatorship is to destroy public education and make it as cost effective as possible. They have never had and will never have any true interest in creating a great education system. They only want to cut taxes for the wealthy.
Is this really a surprise. By the way I'm back
Could to see Chaz back.
That was supposed to say good to see Chaz back. Oh and is anyone who works in the schools surprised by these results?
welcome back Chaz--you were missed.
When you shift the onus from teachers to parents and and kids it makes the groupings look too adversarial. Don't misunderstand me, I've been there and I've experienced the frustration.
Those problems won't go away, but they would be greatly ameliorated if we had lower class size. Likewise if teachers and principals would be allowed to put in place curriculum that is engaging, not the crap we are being force fed by Tweed.
NYCE,
The class in question has exactly 25 students. There are about 5-7 ringleaders and about 7 students who consistently do the right thing. The other students are the sheep. Who do you think they follow?
My other two classes have 24 and 30 students, respectively. The larger class, thankfully, is fantastic.
Sorry to hear that, math guy. In my school, classes of 25 are relics of a bygone era, and the limit of 34 is regularly violated, leaving many of my colleagues with 38 or 40 students.
Fortunately we have the UFT at our side, to write in NY Teacher that they're doing something about it. You can imagine how good that makes us feel.
I was never in a class bigger than 25 when I went to highschool and both Millersville University and Penn State Berks University.
More attention is given for smaller classes. Then children are not left behind.
Money is becoming more of a priority over the students actual education.
I have a light reading blog though that gives reviews of original nintendo games at
http://classicvideogamereviews.b...s.blogspot.com/
Everyone's got to contribute one way or another.
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