Teachers Matter: Rethinking How Public Schools Identify, Reward, and Retain Great Educators

[Synapticsnap]

Although I agree that we need great Teachers, without proper Administrative, Regulatory, and Legislative reforms on the present School system it won't matter who is a "Great Teacher". They are in a corrupted system that strangles real Teaching and will not allow much if any effective learning. Fraud waste and abuse are rampant. I also found it a bit disingenuous to show a closed Store Front and imply it had something to do with bad teaching, it's more likely bad "Government" policies.

[chrisscottsauer]

I have a hard time with the initial premise that the US is lagging other countries in academic performance. Do other countries test all students? Didn't think so. How do you compare country's score that does include students with learning disabilities (US) with those that don't (China, Korea, Japan)?

Let's use another measure to judge the success of our educational system. Compare the number of Nobels that have been awarded to different countries. Suddenly the US doesn't look so bad.

[chrisscottsauer]

I agree that we need to attract better teachers to the profession and we definitely need to revamp the current structure of promotion and compensation. However, I don't agree with the current fascination with standardized test scores as the main criteria for teacher effectiveness.

[MrEmmettTill]

You can teach to the standardized test or you can teach students to think. The danger in teaching students to think is they'll be able to apply the Constitution in their critical thinking. They'l be able to put the Bible in proper perspective. They'll understand that Christianity is only one of many world religions (each which would have you believe that THEIRS is the only true religion). You'll create people that recognize the dire consequences of state-sponsored greed. A dangerous possibility.