[Ansteorra] Teachers, totally off subject... [MUNDANE SPAM]

[Galen W. Bevel]

> [Original Message]
> From: Brian Martin <bm3876 at sbc.com>
> To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
 > Date: 11/14/02 4:47:41 PM
> Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Teachers, totally off subject... [MUNDANE SPAM]
>
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> Caladin asked:
>
> end of the year based on "how well you did", however you determine that...
>
> I figured we had lots of teachers around on this list, and i wondered why
> they were so against pay
> being linked to performance, other than it's harded than just having pay
> linked to seiniority...
>
> Can anyone tell me? You can answer privatley if you don't want to spam the
> list...
> 'Cause it seems like a natural to me...I Mean , more money is more money
> right?
>
>
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> -------------------------------------------------
>
> Okay, let's say teacher A. has a class full of kids from nice
neighborhoods,
> and nice families whose parents are involved in their kids' lives and
expect
> those kids to go to college, and teacher B. has a class full of kids who
> live in a depressed, crime ridden area whose parents aren't around and
where
> college isn't even thought of as a possibility. Which class do you think
> will have better grades and test scores? Would those grades and test
scores
> be an accurate reflection of the two teacher's skills?
>
> My point is that there are a lot more variables involved in student
> performance than how good the teacher is. Cultural expectations, parental
> involvement and other things play a big role.
>
> Pendaran


Once again I agree wholeheartedly.  However, the same can be said to some
extent for every work force in existence.  Some people have a well
motivated and highly trained group who are ready,willing and able to get
the job done.  Some have a group who are one step above trained monkeys
(and some of those are probabvly getting the benefit of the doubt as
regards the monkeys).  Yet, in every single case I know of the boss is
still able to perform a review and make a judgement based on the group
manager's performance.  I think the big problem with schools is that the
kids don't see a bad review (bad grades) as directly afffecting their lives
like someone who's paycheck depends upon it every year.  The method of
determining teacher performance cannot be related only to how students
perform on a standardized test, but I cannot beleive that it is impossible
to judge their performance based on _some_ set of criteria.  I am kind of
torn by this, because I have seen and dealt and been related to some
excellent teachers who have gotten the short end of the stick, but I have
also dealt with some real ....well I shouldn't use those words here.  I
want to significantly reward the many good teachers, but not by passing out
blanket rewards or creating a system that protects the really bad ones.

Galen K.