Teachers take a lot of hits. I, know, I have taken a few myself. I also know, as in any profession, there are many teachers who are not doing a great job and need to be fired. BUT (and I must emphasize this) there are far more great teachers then there are bad ones!
In my many years of teaching I have only come across one person who I would consider a "bad" teacher (out of maybe 100+...maybe...give or take a couple). That is often not mentioned in the news when they are reporting about "that" teacher. However, this bad publicity is having an impact on attitudes and perceptions. Many parents and students have done some terrible things to teachers and teachers have had to pay dearly (public humiliation, job loss, financial ruin, etc.). I attached a link to a documentary film that a friend of mine is working on exposing "holding centers" for teachers who have had allegations made against them.
Here is the link: http://www.rubberroommovie.com/
Does this shock you? Why is this happening? Should these rooms even exist? If a teacher is guilty shouldn't they be fired? If a teacher is innocent, shouldn't they be put back in the classroom?
There are many underground movements that are fighting back but you don't hear about them very often. Why? Are there forces trying to keep them silent?
Here is a link to a phone message (not sure if it real or not, but entertain the idea for a moment...) from a school in Australia. What if schools fought back, what would happen?
Here is link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwghabw4N80
If we are going to change the school system in America, we really have to know what we're dealing with. There are monumental forces that are having a severe impact of our children's lives. If we do not meet these forces head on and challenge them, they will continue to maintain the status quo and our children and nation will continue to suffer.
Oh, and did I mention the drop-out rate in New York is 52%...
What do you think happens to those kids?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The EPIC Project
THE EPIC PROJECT: Exploring Ways to Pay Teachers More
EPIC is leading the way in revolutionizing education reform. Our mission is to solve the recruitment and retention crisis in the teaching profession. No national, non-profit organization is currently making this issue a priority. EPIC, through The EPIC Project is.
The issues impacting the teaching profession are directly connected to America’s ability to compete in the future. The EPIC Project will provide expert support for K-12 school districts to develop and implement pilot projects focused on teacher recruitment and retention through higher pay.
If current trends continue, there will not be enough teachers to teach our children by 2012. This will negatively impact our nation’s future for generations to come.
Consider the following:
· 50% of new teachers leave after five years.
· Fewer young people are entering the profession.
· Baby boomers will be retiring soon; they constitute the largest age group in the profession.
· Districts around the nation are outsourcing because of teacher shortages.
· Oversize classrooms are becoming the norm because there are not enough teachers to teach.
· The National drop-out rate of 30% continues to rise.
In the United States, the average salary of a teacher is approximately $31,000.00, according to the National Education Association (NEA). In most states, a teacher’s income, cannot sustain a single person, let-alone a family or allow him or her to purchase a home. Many of them struggle to live day-to-day; over half, work second jobs to supplement their income.
Currently, several experiments studying the impact of higher salaries for teachers on recruitment, retention, productivity and effectiveness, are happening in small pockets around the nation. EPIC wants to expand these efforts.
EPIC is leading the way in revolutionizing education reform. Our mission is to solve the recruitment and retention crisis in the teaching profession. No national, non-profit organization is currently making this issue a priority. EPIC, through The EPIC Project is.
The issues impacting the teaching profession are directly connected to America’s ability to compete in the future. The EPIC Project will provide expert support for K-12 school districts to develop and implement pilot projects focused on teacher recruitment and retention through higher pay.
If current trends continue, there will not be enough teachers to teach our children by 2012. This will negatively impact our nation’s future for generations to come.
Consider the following:
· 50% of new teachers leave after five years.
· Fewer young people are entering the profession.
· Baby boomers will be retiring soon; they constitute the largest age group in the profession.
· Districts around the nation are outsourcing because of teacher shortages.
· Oversize classrooms are becoming the norm because there are not enough teachers to teach.
· The National drop-out rate of 30% continues to rise.
In the United States, the average salary of a teacher is approximately $31,000.00, according to the National Education Association (NEA). In most states, a teacher’s income, cannot sustain a single person, let-alone a family or allow him or her to purchase a home. Many of them struggle to live day-to-day; over half, work second jobs to supplement their income.
Currently, several experiments studying the impact of higher salaries for teachers on recruitment, retention, productivity and effectiveness, are happening in small pockets around the nation. EPIC wants to expand these efforts.
How are Cuba and the United States the Same? They Don't Pay Teachers
America and Cuba have a long history. Recently I was made aware of a blogger from Cuba who was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.
While visiting her blog site, http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/?p=477 I read the following:
From Generation Y: A very high percentage of those who choose a teaching specialty—I would venture a guess that it’s nearly all of them—do so because they have no other option. They are those students who, because of bad grades, can’t aspire to a computer specialty or pre-university hard sciences. In fewer than three years of training, they will be standing next to a chalkboard with students nearly their own age. Without these “instant teachers” the classrooms would be empty of instructors because the miserable salaries have led to an exodus to better paying occupations.If such a noble profession continues to be filled by the least qualified, the education level of the generations to come will be very poor. Already, a teacher confessed to my son and his classmates, when they started the 7th grade, “Study hard so you won’t end up like me. I had to become a teacher because of my bad grades.”
We have more in common with Cuba then we think...
While visiting her blog site, http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/?p=477 I read the following:
From Generation Y: A very high percentage of those who choose a teaching specialty—I would venture a guess that it’s nearly all of them—do so because they have no other option. They are those students who, because of bad grades, can’t aspire to a computer specialty or pre-university hard sciences. In fewer than three years of training, they will be standing next to a chalkboard with students nearly their own age. Without these “instant teachers” the classrooms would be empty of instructors because the miserable salaries have led to an exodus to better paying occupations.If such a noble profession continues to be filled by the least qualified, the education level of the generations to come will be very poor. Already, a teacher confessed to my son and his classmates, when they started the 7th grade, “Study hard so you won’t end up like me. I had to become a teacher because of my bad grades.”
We have more in common with Cuba then we think...
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