A Conversation on "Waiting for Superman"

[willamricard]

I Really Like The Video From Your discussion of educational experts regarding the controversial film Waiting for Superman and the complex education issue of teacher quality

[imegatrone]

Your Video Is Very Useful Sharing The panelists discuss the problem and all its intricacies as well as potential solutions.

[grunder20]

intriguing title, but the content was more intriguing.

[firu864]

Imagine all young generation being motivated with payment for their future careers since they are kids, the funds will be saved in some education program that will generate interest trough the years, only every summer kids can withdraw a couple of hundreds in reward, this will reactivate the economy and keep them focused in get best grades...part of welfare, tax refund, grants, gov funds, etc,.. money that adults trown away will help our kids now so they not need any loan when they mature

[Supersonicshadows]

I went to a discussion that encouraged young children to look forward to two hundred thousand dollar education loans to invest in themselves... isn't there a better way?

[agapitoflores001]

This is a nice discussion, I've picked a lot of important details.

[MsJanetWood]

Why don't we get rid of all those ugly, old, wrinkled, gray-haired, denture-wearing, bifocal-wearing, arthritic, slow-moving teachers that stink like Ben-Gay!

Let’s replace them with pretty, young teachers that can keep up the pace!

Who else thinks this is a great idea?

[elbuggo]

Lots of talk here, and talk and talk and talk. And more talk and talk.

[LordKarmaUSA]

This group make me ill..seriously ill and I am a Stanford Alumnus. One should note that Bill Gates was a college drop out. People like these reflect the graduate population and what is wrong with this country. Over paid and proof of the saying, those who can not do, teach.

[jsimo28]

@LordKarmaUSA I ask you to reconsider your position on this. The attitude of "those can't do teach" and that "teachers are overpaid" is extremely harmful. Only if we increase teacher salaries to attract motivated people to the profession can we ever hope to improve the system on a large scale. Teachers are leaders to their students, and therefore it's in the classroom where students' life trajectories are shaped. They deserve great teachers.

[LordKarmaUSA]

@jsimo28 I have a daughter in Senior Year of High School, as well as a son who is now a two of Iraq Marine Corp veteran. My daughter has always been top of her class, a 4.4 GPA and will likely go on to become a Naval Officer because that will provide the best opportunities along the lines of her interests. However, there is a problem, she is not and has not done so well in school because she is a genius by my standards but because she surrounded by crud and that includes the teachers.

[jsimo28]

@LordKarmaUSA But this is exactly why, as Professor Darling-Hammond says, we need to create an "attractive teaching profession". This gets rid of the "crud" teachers and puts good ones in there. You clearly believe that teachers make a difference, so why wouldn't you want only the best, most motivated folks in the field teaching your kids? That's how the most successful countries do it, and we need to follow suit.

[LordKarmaUSA]

@jsimo28 The teaching profession can not be fix. 

[jeffsimon28]

@LordKarmaUSA You can't possibly believe that. Finland, Korea and other places have attractive teaching professions. Saying it's "unfixable" does nothing for our kids who need us. I hope you are able to see through the challenges and do everything in our power for our kids.

[LordKarmaUSA]

@jeffsimon28 Actually, that is what I believe. Today we have thousands, even millions of individuals who are unemployed, underemployed and whose degrees are basically of no use; they would have been better off learning a skill like farming, building, fixing, making and would not be saddled with Sally Mae loans they will be bond slaves for most of their lives to pay off. Colleges produce more well educated dysfunctional idiots than I care to number but they are here, there, everywhere.

[samten10a]

@jsimo28

.

The problem is not just needing higher wages and benefits for teachers. You need a way to get rid of the dipshit that are teaching. You also need away to get rid of fuc k head administration. It teacher/student ratios that are more then 1to 14 from k to 4 and 1 to 20 for the grades 5 to 9. If you want a good education for every kid. All Teachers will need to have master degree in teaching kids with learning disabilities.

[samten10a]

@jsimo28

. Parent need to make it important to them that their kids get a good education. They need to work very hard to get the kids to buy into the fact it is important. The need to motivate the kids as well as teach every day. Years before the kids start Kindergarten

[Voliev]

In order for teachers to function in optimum they need to become computer literate to make it easier for themselves and the students. They need to dress appropiately as they are the mentors not go like they just woke up. To many princhipals at the high school level who have a negative impact on the students. Counselors don't help the student or the parent. Clerks don't want to bother helping anyone.

[Voliev]

The teacher not only teaches but is a mentor also. A student can be encouraged to participate they have issues also; sometimes it just takes a little listening and a few ideas exchanged among you. A boss or supervisor does motivate an employee by giving them additional work and mentoring them as to they know they can handle it and setting deadlines for the work. A doctor does motivate a patient by telling him what his options are medication, surgery or death.

[FloodTheDrummer]

Phila Pa: Arlene Ackerman receives DEATH THREAT weeks after the Philadelphia Public School rejects a proposal from Techbook Online Corporation. Techbook Online Corporation does not promote violence or terror, but we don't blame the people who do. Enough is Enough... wwwdottechbookonlinedotcom

[bbbbmer]

Hogwash. WFS was a hit piece on teachers in denial of environmental and economic impacts on education. PERIOD. This discussion focuses on 'teacher quality' rather than other important issues that detract from performance.

Canada, who draws $500k to oversee two charter schools with fewer than 500 students, can pompously extol all he wants, especially about teacher unions, given that he has two billionaires on his board. In doing so he is nothing more than a liar.

[Huxang]

My seventh grade teacher was a bitch. She called me stupid, humiliated me and singled me out when it came to spotting problems. When I closed my eyes for a moment, she made me stand for the rest of the class. The students at my school put in a petition for her to be fired and she was, but for some reason, she got rehired. Shes very popular with other faculty members but is a shitty teacher who gave me 5th period HELL.

[1falconeye2]

In Florida, (Broward County), it is very hard to find a great Charter high school. There is one that is very difficult to get in to.

[Voliev]

The parent gets the student to school. The teacher needs to motivate them enough to stay in school by making the subject interesting. Both the student and the teacher need to be present at the time.

[level242]

Why should a teacher "motivate" a student? A boss or supervisor doesn't motivate an employee.A doctor dosen't motivate a patient.So why should a teacher motivate of pupil?

[phantomsuccour]

@level242 Canada's schools perform much better than all the other public schools around that area. and the majority of his students go to college.

[evange03]

@level242 Really you don't think Employer's work to motivate their employees? That is just not true!

[adhiluhur]

@level242 This must be the one of those bad teachers we should fire

[level242]

No I am not a teacher but I am a taxpayer and my property taxes increased an extra one hundred and twelve dollars.I have to pay property taxes four times a year(Feb,MayAug and Nov) I want Dads and Moms to motivate their kids not some blonde 24 year old straight out of Pace University.You feel me Dawg?

[jsimo28]

@level242 My friend, think about it this way. Employees are adults, with jobs. We need to motivate students to love learning because that attitude will get them a job, and even better, it will get them a job they want. You have to understand that many of our students are facing extra challenges that are discouraging them from completing their education, and a teacher has a big role to play in counteracting those influences.

[retownsend]

VOUCHERS. 

[Eff3ct3D]

ok,im just going to leave 47 minutees of teachers talking,just got back from school,yeh,bye

[TheMargaret333]

When teachers unionized they became extreemly effective at taking care of teachers,but the students have been left behind.

[MsJanetWood]

The IMPACT evaluations are BIASED and lead to FAVORITISM ! Mean-spirited and UNFAIR!

The majority of the teachers fired were OLDER, BLACK WOMEN who had a vested interest in the community. They were fully credentialled and had years of experience.

They were replaced with YOUNG, WHITE, inexperienced kids who were temporary "slumming" through the ghetto.

BLATANT DISCRIMINATION and OUTRIGHT RACISM!

Michelle Rhee has NO RESPECT for teachers, and often refers to them with disdain!

[LimpingGoat6]

@MsJanetWood IF the majority of the teachers fired were old black women, then the majority of bad teachers are probably, in fact, older black women. It's only logical. Are you a teacher?

[MsJanetWood]

@LimpingGoat6 Or maybe . . . just maybe . . . the evaluations were BIASED and UNFAIR!

Older veteran teachers COST more than young, inexperienced teachers with no credentials!

"After 30 years of hard-work and dedication, I was ENCOURAGED and talked into RETIREMENT! I could have taught another 5 years, but I was too expensive!"

[retsep81]

@MsJanetWood Every profession has evaluations, why doesn't this same thing happen to computer programmers or chemists?

It is amazing how good teachers seem to rally around the small pool of garbage at the bottom instead of doing what they can to help get rid of those people.

[MsJanetWood]

@retsep81 In the WAITING FOR SUPERMAN movie, Geoffrey Canada states, " I actually know how hard it is to be a GOOD teacher.

It took me 3 years to become a DECENT teacher, BEFORE I really LEARNED my CRAFT. And then in about 5 years, I was a MASTER teacher."

Ironically, 50% of NEW teachers QUIT within 5 years.

Inner-city schools are innundated with NEW teachers, because once a teacher gains EXPERIENCE, she moves to a school in the suburbs. Schools with better behaved students!

[Keenanville09]

@MsJanetWood

i would agree about the young teachers but the fired ones were union hog sucky ass teacher who had a vested interest in their money

[qwertical]

I'm really glad that I can go to school in Finland, because here I have respect to all of my teachers. I spent my last year in the US in a high school. I had some brilliant teachers there, but then, some were just awful. Some seemed as they had completely misunderstood their whole profession.

For some reason in the US, teachers take their respect as a granted. In Finland the teachers earn the respect of the students' because they're acting professional --not yelling to the students.

[MsJanetWood]

The kids that talk loud and laugh during the movie! The ones that throw popcorn at the screen! The ones that run up and down the movie aisles. The ones that keep getting up to go to the bathroom! Those kids!

Do you think those kids could sit down for a 45 minute Math Lesson?

They can't sit still during a movie! You think they are going to pay attention to their math teacher?

So, who do we blame? The teacher? The administrators? The parents? Or the kids?

[qwertical]

@MsJanetWood How does it help if "we" blame someone?

I'm a 19 years old Finnish student and I have 75min classes. Right now I have 3 math courses, which results in a wednesday 4h30min of math, from which 3h15min is straight.

In Finland, school is mandatory only to the 9th grade and after that the student must apply(with their grades) to an upper secondary school would they wish to continue an academic school.

My point is: In my math class or school in general there are only people who chose to.

[MsJanetWood]

@qwertical Interesting, so the STUDENTS must COMPETE for the LIMITED SPACES in the high school!

Maybe, we should do that in America!

An education is a priviledge!

Michelle Rhee only taught for 3 years! She went straight into administration!

As chancellor, she made a quarter of a million dollars per year!

The young, white teachers that Michelle Rhee hired, are they still teaching in Washington D.C.? No? Why did they leave?

Why are they rehiring the older, black teachers?

[mednos]

Read the article by Malcolm Galdwell on teachers.

It harder to be a teacher in Finnland than to get into Harvard, teachers in Finnland are the very elite of the society there.

Income inequality should be the issue not highschool education.

[MsJanetWood]

Michelle Rhee does not have a teaching credential. She taught for only 3 years under a special program. How can she be qualified to evaluate teachers, if she's not even qualified to teach.

The majority of the teachers she fired were OLDER, BLACK WOMEN with teaching credentials who had a vested interest in the community. She replaced them with YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED WHITE people with no credentials, who were temporarily "slumming" in the ghetto!

BLATANT DISCRIMINATION and RACISM!

[Th3Wab3]

thank you for making this discussion available to the public..

[ThisSentenceIsFalse]

Finland is 90 percent unionized but has 2-3 years of graduate tuition with a salary, they invest for a stable and equitable economic infrastructure for the students? Finland, Singapore, and Korea focus on professional development, they don't just fire people, they create desirable environments that teachers want to be in? Connecticut public schools focuses on education systematically and it works? Hmmm....why are people debating statism v. privatization down in the comments section?

[HigherPlanes]

If it's been on Oprah you automatically have to watch it.

[whichdegree4me]

Let go of the idea that you can put good or great teachers, physically, in every classroom. Start thinking about using the technology of youtube in conjunction with hands on classrooms.

Check out my channel for more on my project to help students find their degree. Which Degree For Me.

[pgunn01]

@MrManuelNoriega It's really wishful thinking of Libertarians that leads to confused posts like yours. "I can be maximally selfish by pretending society doesn't work - why bother? Let it all end so I can ignore my duty to society and stop paying taxes, and somehow pretend that's virtue". Sad.

[pgunn01]

@MrManuelNoriega No need. I was a libertarian, I represented the party in debates, I voted for Harry Browne twice. I've read Nozick, I've written countless essays. Been there, done that, and realised I was wrong. Libertarians are good at pretending to be kind while their ugly philosophy corrodes the bonds that hold society together. The public good is what matters, not (just) liberty. Libertarian notions of it are deficient.

[ThisSentenceIsFalse]

@pgunn01 I use to be a libertarian as well. Even took a class on Ayn Rand and read all her books in college. And I'm sympathetic to libertarian positions on social if not economic issues. But, yes, over the years it's just been too easy to pick their arguments apart, especially as I expanded my reading of history and economics.

[roseking900]

@ThisSentenceIsFalse If you've actually read the ideas of Ayn Rand, you would know that she finds libertarianism completely ridiculous, too. She might promote the idea of rational self-interest, but in no way did she ever promote libertarian thinking over conservative thinking... it's not that their arguments are easy to pick apart, it's just that no one (not even Rand) has ever really come up with a good argument for libertarianism, haha.

[ThisSentenceIsFalse]

@roseking900 True, her ideas are more nuanced than what is normally caricatured as her ideas (as with all other thinkers), and so was her relationship to movement conservatism (she craved W.F. Buckley's approval but he trashed Atlas Shrugged). Still, the number of qualifications, question marks, critiques, I have red marked all over the pages of her books outnumber the checkmarks and agreements I have for her. But, are you saying she is more a conservative than a libertarian???

[pgunn01]

@MrManuelNoriega Don't confuse political irresponsibility in our system with faults intrinsic to that system. I am committed to the system - mandatory taxes, public education, etc. I am not committed to spending that serves little purpose - big and effective government is what I want.

[roseking900]

@pgunn01 How did this video about education end up dealing with libertarianism again? It's quite interesting, actually, because "MrManuelNoriega" has deleted his posts, and I'm left wondering what "wishful thinking" he was using. Ah well, guess I won't know what the discussion was about now.

[caveatemp]

@pgunn01 The Grace Commission proved that the federal income tax goes to pay the interest in the national debt alone, not public services and infrastructure.

[Alix916]

Unfortunately I find that it all boils down to how much money the school has and if they find a teacher that has more experience and will take a lower pay they will fire the tenure. An example of this would be when my middle school teacher that was tenure and was fired for a less pay employee. I was very disgusted about this. I hope to also see the campus of Stanford because i love what this school stands for and for all the things it has done for people.