America is losing its teachers at a record rate

[jet57]

I taught for 33 years in the public schools. If I were twenty years old today - I would NOT go into education because the job today is far far different than the job I went into in 1972. Today, you teach to standardized state tests and all the freedom to teach has been flushed down the toilet. I taught Government and History and some of my absolute best lessons happened as a result of hearing the news that morning on the radio. Today, with a very strict timeline and imposed lesson plan in place from on high, that could not happen. That is NOT teaching. It is parroting what somebody else told you to parrot, when they want you to parrot it.

No thank you.

In addition, I had important union protections in all aspects of my job. Those are pretty much gone today and you are an annual renewable employee or even worse - an at will employee. Mediocre pay and average benefits is a poor swap for a loss of job security for ones family.

For those two reasons - I would not teach today.

The entire agenda started with GW Bush and the goal is destroy free public education, teacher's unions and usher in the age of conservative based for profit K -12 education.

 

[Dutch]

The entire agenda started with GW Bush and the goal is destroy free public education, teacher's unions and usher in the age of conservative based for profit K -12 education.

Yeah, I’ve been a teacher for over twenty years and this statement is basically rubbish.

First off, teachers unions exist to raise teachers salaries and then funnel some of that cost into the labor bosses pockets and some of it into the Democratic Party coffers. Teachers unions do absolutely nothing for the education of children.

Second off, the only real profit scheme I’ve seen in this time was the adoption of common core. This was “largely” spearheaded by bill gates in an effort to have a single set of educational criteria to allow a single grading program nationwide instead of 50 for the individual states.

There are now only two testing companies throughout the nation. These testing companies do make money better spent elsewhere in education. They also get to dictate to the schools which operating system will be required by the school systems benefitting both computer manufacturing, mostly in China, and Microsoft.


[/I]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-what-bill-gates-said/?utm_term=.84553eb8b297

 

[jet57]

Yeah, I’ve been a teacher for over twenty years and this statement is basically rubbish.

Private school right?

 

[Dutch]

Private school right?

Nope. Poor rural public schools.

 

[haymarket]

The entire agenda started with GW Bush and the goal is destroy free public education, teacher's unions and usher in the age of conservative based for profit K -12 education.

You are 100% correct. His current Secretary of Education is a good example of those efforts.

 

[Dutch]

Yeah, I’ve been a teacher for over twenty years and this statement is basically rubbish.

First off, teachers unions exist to raise teachers salaries and then funnel some of that cost into the labor bosses pockets and some of it into the Democratic Party coffers. Teachers unions do absolutely nothing for the education of children.

Second off, the only real profit scheme I’ve seen in this time was the adoption of common core. This was “largely” spearheaded by bill gates in an effort to have a single set of educational criteria to allow a single grading program nationwide instead of 50 for the individual states.

There are now only two testing companies throughout the nation. These testing companies do make money better spent elsewhere in education. They also get to dictate to the schools which operating system will be required by the school systems benefitting both computer manufacturing, mostly in China, and Microsoft.


[/I]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-what-bill-gates-said/?utm_term=.84553eb8b297

You are 100% correct. His current Secretary of Education is a good example of those efforts.

This was my response to jet. It’s also my response to you.

 

[Bullseye]

Interactive testing is a good idea.

I'm not advocating for a group project. Follow my reasoning:
Assessing an individual student is best done by means other than a standardized multiple choice sort of test.
Therefore, the purpose of said test is to assess how well the student body of a school is doing as a whole, so that school A can be compared to school B.
Students, particularly younger ones, don't have the attention span to take an hours long test and apply themselves to it. Therefore, the results of such a test are highly questionable.
Therefore, the idea of having each student take a part of the test and then put the results together makes sense.

I disagree. First off, tests for lower primary grades don't have to be hours long. Second the purpose of testing is not to keep children amused or keep from being bored, it's to evaluate if they, individually, have achieved the learning objectives established for their grade level. Assessing school performance from a joint effort hides both star performers and those needing additional work.

IMHO, teaching children a little perseverance and self-discipline in the face of daunting or boring tasks is a benefit.


I understand the drawbacks to multiple choice but subjective group assessments is, IMHO, not productive or informative.

 

[jet57]

Nope. Poor rural public schools.

Non union - right?

 

[jet57]

You are 100% correct. His current Secretary of Education is a good example of those efforts.

This started with Reagan and has reached it;s peak today, but teachers are fighting back and winning thus far.

 

[haymarket]

This was my response to jet. It’s also my response to you.

There are none so blind as they who will not see.

 

[haymarket]

This started with Reagan and has reached it;s peak today, but teachers are fighting back and winning thus far.

Yes - it is the pendulum swinging back on the side of public education for America's children and the people who provide that valuable service.

Sad that it took a virtual lost decade to get to this point.

 

[Fearandloathing]

America Is Losing Its Teachers at a Record Rate



Teachers are indeed leaving for a variety of reasons. I think that there are many factors unrelated to pay and benefits that make teaching more difficult than it used to be: gangs, out of touch bureaucrats calling the shots, too many children from dysfunctional families, more responsibility for the school and less for the parents, there are many factors behind teachers' decision to find another career.

I suspect you omitted the most important reason....the possibility of being shot

 

[Fearandloathing]

You forgot all the pedophiles becoming teachers and acting out their sexual urges.

Oh really?

How about seeing the information you have that backs that up.

But we all know that you have none and all you are doing is the same old troll and bait.

But what kind of low life scum makes up **** like that and why?

 

[Fearandloathing]

Another problem that crops up here (Canada) now and then is female teachers and nurses being lured by big bucks in Persian Gulf countries.

Japan and China.

Both countries recognize that it is not only important to be able to speak English, but knowledge of the way the west does things is most valuable. A colleague of mine some years ago, when Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule was recruited to teach, and was paid almost double, along with perqs, like a hired car to take to and from school every day.

 

[Dutch]

There are none so blind as they who will not see.

Some of the kids I work with now I've known since kindergarten. I don't miss much. I marvel at their growth from little ones to approaching young adulthood. I cheer them on their successes. I feel their pain when they lose.

I struggle with too little money, a leaky roof, worthless paperwork, the latest teaching fads, territorial teachers, and a principle who thinks computer programs can teach reading better than........reading actual books.

You can think anything about me you want. You can denigrate me for any reason you want. But don't tell me I cannot see. I see this every single day of the week.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Another problem that crops up here (Canada) now and then is female teachers and nurses being lured by big bucks in Persian Gulf countries.

The bigger problem is nurses.

We train them in the thousands and they stay here in the 100's

 

[Fearandloathing]

Oh look. Bucky was here.
Anyone got a snow shovel?

You mean pooper scooper don't you/

 

[haymarket]

Some of the kids I work with now I've known since kindergarten. I don't miss much. I marvel at their growth from little ones to approaching young adulthood. I cheer them on their successes. I feel their pain when they lose.

I struggle with too little money, a leaky roof, worthless paperwork, the latest teaching fads, territorial teachers, and a principle who thinks computer programs can teach reading better than........reading actual books.

You can think anything about me you want. You can denigrate me for any reason you want. But don't tell me I cannot see. I see this every single day of the week.

First, I applaud you for your work. You sound very dedicated.

Second, you do not see that this is NOT a political issue but an educational issue. If teachers are not paid decently and have good benefits, we simply will not get good people to teach. If you want to help America's children, you need to support strong teachers unions as they are the only thing helping to achieve good pay and benefits for teachers.

 

[Grand Mal]

You mean pooper scooper don't you/

Industrial sized.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Money alone won't solve the problem, but that's one thing among others that is necessary. What you say about students' "rights" is right on the mark.

I can remember years ago we would put boxing gloves on kids who were determined to get into a fight and let them have at it. Imagine doing that today! We also had the use of a paddle when necessary, but I'm not so sure that's really a good idea. Detention/time out is a better option.

One thing for sure when it comes to student discipline: If the parents are against you, you lose. The kid loses, too, but he doesn't realize that until later in life.

The truth for me....

I was always in ****. It was the 60's and school discipline included not being allowed to bring any "subversive" music to high school. I introduced an "underground" album for which I received a week's detention - the Album was Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane.

I got detention in grade 9 for an essay entitled "Better Red than Dead" when the assignment was the opposite. I was put on detention for an essay about how the US created Ho Chi Min as he was a graduate of one of America's finer institutions of learning. I got detention for telling off a teacher who made a joke about the ONE black kid in our school. I got detention for being consistently late for class when I had a broken ankle and had to get up and down three flights of stairs on crutches.
And I got detention for wearing a tie died T-shirt with a great looking peace symbol.

And do you know the result of that teaching? Five years of resistance to authority and the war makers, 30 years as a journalist exposing corruption, and all my life resisting all forms of authority. I successfully sued the RCMP for preventing me from obtaining facts for my story, a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

My teachers and other educators all figured and worked at steering me to a uniform and killing yellow people.

I know things have changed, but knowing the incredible schism in the US I question WHAT they are being taught. Everything in the US sooner or later becomes political, red or blue....and wonder about the concept of "independent thinking"

 

[Dutch]

First, I applaud you for your work. You sound very dedicated.

I appreciate the thought but working in education has given me far more than I can ever repay. I am indebted to the children I work for. I can never repay them what I owe them.

Second, you do not see that this is NOT a political issue but an educational issue. If teachers are not paid decently and have good benefits, we simply will not get good people to teach. If you want to help America's children, you need to support strong teachers unions as they are the only thing helping to achieve good pay and benefits for teachers.

There are many problems in educatiion. Increasing costs in an effort to siphon off some of that to fund the political activities of the Democratic party isn't a solution to any of them.

 

[haymarket]

I appreciate the thought but working in education has given me far more than I can ever repay. I am indebted to the children I work for. I can never repay them what I owe them.




There are many problems in educatiion. Increasing costs in an effort to siphon off some of that to fund the political activities of the Democratic party isn't a solution to any of them.

I would suggest that your own political beliefs are blinding you to the realities of the need for strong teachers unions. Yes, the unions support the Democratic Party largely because the Democratic party sports teacher unions and their goals.

I find it incredibly sad - if not outright pathetic - when people allow their political beliefs to outweigh their own personal financial interests. And that seems to be what you have done.

I hope the Republicans Party appreciates your financial sacrifices. I expect they are laughing all the way to the bank if they ever get around to pretending to raise a glass in your honor.

 

[Dutch]

I would suggest that your own political beliefs are blinding you to the realities of the need for strong teachers unions. Yes, the unions support the Democratic Party largely because the Democratic party sports teacher unions and their goals.

I find it incredibly sad - if not outright pathetic - when people allow their political beliefs to outweigh their own personal financial interests. And that seems to be what you have done.

I hope the Republicans Party appreciates your financial sacrifices. I expect they are laughing all the way to the bank if they ever get around to pretending to raise a glass in your honor.

I was a registered Democrat when I started teaching in 1991. I was, for a short time, a member of a teachers union.

If we overlook this however, I could suggest it is you that is letting your own political beliefs blinding you to the realities of just what political party teachers unions serve.

 

[haymarket]

I was a registered Democrat when I started teaching in 1991. I was, for a short time, a member of a teachers union.

If we overlook this however, I could suggest it is you that is letting your own political beliefs blinding you to the realities of just what political party teachers unions serve.

How so exactly? My political loyalties have always been deeply connected with my economics and personal lot in life. Had I been born into a rich family sucking on the corporate teat living in a mansion - I am sure I would be a republican. But I was born into a working class family where my father was in a union as a skilled worker.

 

[Dutch]

I appreciate the thought but working in education has given me far more than I can ever repay. I am indebted to the children I work for. I can never repay them what I owe them.




There are many problems in educatiion. Increasing costs in an effort to siphon off some of that to fund the political activities of the Democratic party isn't a solution to any of them.

How so exactly?

I've already pointed that out. If my small rural school had to pay greater wages for teachers......it'd have to close. It was the same with my first school.

I like teaching at the same kind of schools I started out with as a child. (later in life I ended up in very large schools in other states) You make allowances in life. I get the kind of work environment I want. I live with less money. I'm fine with that.

The Republicans have nothing to do with my life choices.