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Readers Say, Remove Failing Teachers
Responses to
Glen Sacks' comments about teachers' "code of silence"
emphasized the powerful impact teachers have on children; thus
underscoring the importance of requiring underperforming teachers to
improve or leave.
Dear Beth:
I think what Glenn Sacks says may well be true; and it is equally true
in many businesses and industries. To some extent these are privately
funded "welfare programs." But unlike teachers, people in other
businesses who aren't performing their jobs optimally can be put in
positions that cause little damage. Teachers, however, effect lives, and
must be dealt with. There is no room in our schools to place
"semi-retired" teachers. Thus, they remain in classrooms. This is wrong.
That being said, let me comment on the notion that just because a
teacher has not formally studied a subject, does not make them
unqualified to teach. What ever happened to life-long learning? Have
our teachers forgotten that there are many ways to learn a subject
outside of formal schooling? I think not. Many great teachers and
scientists have been self taught. This is something we want to teach
our children - that they must never stop learning, even after they
leave school. Statistics that show percentages of teachers teaching
subjects they have not "studied" are, perhaps, not useful, and may well
be unfair. Being a good teacher is a lot more than having a degree in a
particular subject. But we tend to jump on numbers because our
supervisors find that they are an easier way to evaluate employees than
to really understand the job they are doing. There must be a better way.
***
Dear Beth:
This is a great article, but it doesn't answer the question. Or is the
answer: Do nothing because it is too hard to get rid of Failing (BAD) Teachers.
I say the answer is: Get the Administrator to do his or her job! The
administrator should pop into classes uninvited. Administrators need to
build a file on the attendance of the teachers, the academic results of
their students, the complaints of the parents and the complaints of
co-workers (teachers).
I live in a wonderful town. We have no problem recruiting teachers. We
have "skaters," and we know it, but we have been told that it is hard to
get rid of a teacher because of the union. But if you have proof of
incompetence, then the union cannot protect them and nor should it.
A work environment that is filled with happiness, motivation, positive
energy and creativity feeds itself, and it creates learning. On the other hand, the
work environment that includes people that skate through and couldn't
care less about their performance, and are just putting in their time,
make the motivated and creative ones start to feel like failing is OK.
Improve your work environment. Failing is not OK. Speak up!
***
Dear Beth:
Having taught from 1965 to 1990 on the Middle School and High School
levels, I have come across a number of "poor" teachers. They fall into
several categories. There are those who are interested only in the
paycheck and those who love the subject they teach but do not love
children, so they don't know how to get knowledge across that barrier.
It would not be possible for an inefficient teacher to remain in the
classroom, if the administrators did their jobs. The Superintendent
should really get to know his staff, appear in classrooms unannounced,
especially in the years before a teacher gains tenure. If the
Superintendent would supervise his principals and see to it that they
knew their staff and visited unannounced, or just passed by an open door
again and again, in different teaching periods, then it would be easy to
remove the deadwood before they start to feel secure and start to hurt
students! The process of removing a teacher would be so much easier and
cost less if it occurred before tenure is granted.
So, before we speak of failing teachers, we have to address the problem
of the failing administrator. Having secretaries and much better
salaries, they are not all that overworked. In my years of teaching, the
morale and quality of teachers seemed directly related to the
Superintendent we had.
***
Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.
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