What a dismal outlook!

[Maeve_Mari]

From here, http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/depart...ality&GT1=8603

Failing grades
Under the No Child Left Behind law, states were supposed to have highly qualified teachers in every core academic class by the end of the last school year. None made it.

How bad are our schools? How can we have 50 states fail minimum standards for education? And for how much longer do we keep putting bad plans and policies into developing minimum standards and testing instead of taking actions that leap past the bumbling and start maximizing education for our kids!

Who would want to be a teacher in a nation/state/school district that just keeps failing?

[KD5MDK]

Peach, apparently.

Of course, part of the question is "What does highly qualified mean?", and by how far did each state fail to meet that criteria?

[Angelic]

Well the web page explains some things for the "high qualified" but I wonder how they do not have qualified teachers ... don't they graduate from university? The university, which is a part of the system, does not know what future teachers should know and in what fields exactly they should be qualified?

[Inquartata]

Unfortunately, state control of the profession has tended to require teachers to become bureaucrats rather than educators, so what they learn at university may not really coincide with what they need to know to become successful at their jobs---at least for those who go into the public school system.

[Angelic]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Unfortunately, state control of the profession has tended to require teachers to become bureaucrats rather than educators, so what they learn at university may not really coincide with what they need to know to become successful at their jobs---at least for those who go into the public school system.

So in fact you are saying that the "system" has provided this problem. And if it has, how can they ask other things than what they provide? They are making a mess out of nothing, for money based on the article which reads as follows:
Quote
The department can withhold money from states that fall short on teacher quality.
Unquote

Maybe it is all about cutting expenses and finding ways to do it.

Rgds

[RITFencing]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Unfortunately, state control of the profession has tended to require teachers to become bureaucrats rather than educators, so what they learn at university may not really coincide with what they need to know to become successful at their jobs---at least for those who go into the public school system.

I half agree. Teachers have become bureaucrats, but not solely because of the state control over public schools. It happens a great deal in private schools as well, not so much because of state regulations but because of teachers more interested in intra school politics or because of petty and incompetent administrators. While the state laws do certainly affect the public schools more, the two factors I mentioned (as well as others) certainly contribute their fair share.

[Five Rings]

A lot has to do with the fact that in many communities teachers not only fulfill their teaching roles, but have to take on parenting responsibilities. Also, union rules prescribing hours of work, lockstep salaries, etc. inhibit the development of talented teachers (or the delivery of lessons to their students). Regard the success in recent years of the well run charter schools in the DC and NYC area (not all charter schools are successful). If anyone is interested, there is a great documentary called The Hobart Shakespeareans about Rafe Esquith who taught English in an inner city in California, and about the sacrifices he personally made to cause his students to excel in school. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet and folks running around calling themselves "The Education President" and for "No Child Left Behind" are, IMHO, flinging epithets around freely without providing real solutions.

BTW, NCLB works great for communities where there is a small achivement gap with students from socio-economically advantaged backgrounds (where all kids go to pre-school, start K reading and writing, and already have a "Head Start"). It is terrible in communities where a majority of the students enter each school year below grade level, and the teachers are compelled to teach to the test rather than to focus on getting the kids excited about learning and about school.

[parrythis]

Originally Posted by Maeve_Mari

How bad are our schools?

I've just finished putting two kids through the public school system. If I had engaged any other business or organization to provide a service that cost as much as I have paid in school taxes for those years and gotten service/results as bad as I did from our school system, I would ask for my money back.

But, don't get me started.

[BrianH]

My wife and I decided years ago to live a simpler life and one of us stayed home with our two children through grade school, giving them more encouragement to read, explore the environment, play music, and do the other things our public schools couldn't afford to do. There was always time to take them on field trips to museums, zoos, gardens, concerts, and so on.

Now our son and daughter-in-law are doing the same things with their sons age 5 and 8. It is a sacrifice, to be sure...they don't earn as much as a lot of people, and don't spend as much to impress their neighbors.

I realize this is not a solution for everyone, but it seems to me to be a responsible approach to parenting.

[Mr Epee]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Of course, part of the question is "What does highly qualified mean?", and by how far did each state fail to meet that criteria?

Had you actually read the article... you would have seen.

Originally Posted by The Linked Article

The law defines ''highly qualified'' teachers as those who have a bachelor's degree, a state license, and proven competency in every subject they teach. It is often regarded as a minimum qualification, because it requires teachers to know what they teach.

I'll be back latter to wipe your chin and take off your bib.

[die Fechterin]

This is rather encouraging for me seeing as how I'm going to become a teacher. *groan* I love being young and an idealist (to a degree).

[Inquartata]

Large numbers of teachers entering the profession leave it within 5 years. I'm not sure whether this is because the could not "prove competency" ( however THAT'S defined ) or whether they just get disillusioned, or decide they need more money...or a combination of those. But it's a problem either way.

[umbrella]

I just learned how to put my head through my arms like you....it was a great feeling. As soon as I learned it, I almost yelled>>>>Mave Mave....it's you!!!!

What can I say, some teachers are better than others. Some directors should be shot........take today for example, the director of the school made one of the nurse students cry and announced to the whole class "she failed and was sent by an agency".. There were about 5 students in the class who go through various agencies to take the class. Maybe some teachers should burn out or go home.

Other news about schools, if public schools were great, we wouldn't have private schools.

Also, did we all see the new Iran man out at Harvard talking with the dudes? Tell me...are we getting places, and our Afgan friend is doing Cola......What's going on, Can I get a job with these people? My Masters is in Home Economics and Dietetics with Psychology and Education later on, and now a little more and I can be a genius.