Cory and I attended the same junior high and high schools, and while we did not have many of the same teachers, we shared very similar experiences. Unfortunately the majority of these "formative" educational experiences left me feeling as if I was being babysat and not taught.
Why were we babysat? Why were expectations so low? Well, the truth of the matter is that in order to pass the students from one grade to the next, the teachers and school systems dumbed down the curriculum and lowered expectations. You see this is a win-win situation when it comes to working with adolescents and entrenched teachers. Let's look at the mindset of each of the actors in this "play." The kids are like cows searching the pasture fence for any opening, any area of escape, and any way to get by with the least amount of work. The teachers including administrators are afraid of risk and have to justify their existence through the "success" of their students. You put these two mentalities together and it is a perfect storm for a teaching system that makes the failing tail of the normal curve passing, while giving the majority of the students who are the middle and overachieving tail of the curve little incentive to do anything other than passively witness the crazy daily events of school-like some skinhead kid getting his head stomped by three "large" LVL girls, etc.
Cory's videos point out that the teachers, and more their unions call for increased funding to raise the level of teaching and positively change student outcomes. What this infers is that the teachers are either purposefully holding back their best instruction for more money, or that magically an additional 20 or 50 dollar bill in their back pocket will change them into master-teachers. Either way these justifications really support the ouster of these self-serving molders-of-young-minds. (Think of that, these are the people that are influencing our kids on school days!) Additionally, if all it takes is a larger salary, why not pull toothless-Joe, or Colt-45 Smith off of the streets, put the money in their pockets and "bling" magically they are master-teachers raising the level of education leading to better educated young people.
Of course we aren't going to put toothless-Joe or Mr. Malt Liquor into the classroom, but why do we allow those who teach at the level that Joe and Malt would teach at to remain? The answer is because the teacher's union is a cartel that works for the teachers best interests irrespective of the needs of the students. Watch the trailer to the new documentary so appropriately named "The Cartel."
While we have to be pragmatic-we can't fire all teachers, nor would we need to, but we should fire between 10-25% of all teachers (those that we can realistically expect to be failing) (pragmatism tells us that it's not possible for 100% of teachers to be successful). Fire the bad, give raises to those who are exceptional, and develop those who are good. And as for the teachers unions...shame on you! You rob the taxpayer while delivering a poor product! What should they get for their deceit? Let Willy Wonka tell-ya!
(An aside, the teachers union and teachers in general supported the public option of healthcare reform, and why not, they are the ultimate public option-a failing and inept public option. The only option for too many students).
The decision is ours, the course is before us, and the votes that will make a difference are upcoming. We must support and elect true leaders who will support school reform (not leaders who send their daughters to private schools while supporting the removal of the voucher program for kids in the same DC area-but what do you expect from Mr. O). Leaders like NJ gov. Chris Chistie who is kicking butt and taking names in battling the teachers union for the NJ kids and families. (Check out this link for Teacers Unions Exposed)
In the words of world famous artists, we need to fight for our right, to "education."
Why were we babysat? Why were expectations so low? Well, the truth of the matter is that in order to pass the students from one grade to the next, the teachers and school systems dumbed down the curriculum and lowered expectations. You see this is a win-win situation when it comes to working with adolescents and entrenched teachers. Let's look at the mindset of each of the actors in this "play." The kids are like cows searching the pasture fence for any opening, any area of escape, and any way to get by with the least amount of work. The teachers including administrators are afraid of risk and have to justify their existence through the "success" of their students. You put these two mentalities together and it is a perfect storm for a teaching system that makes the failing tail of the normal curve passing, while giving the majority of the students who are the middle and overachieving tail of the curve little incentive to do anything other than passively witness the crazy daily events of school-like some skinhead kid getting his head stomped by three "large" LVL girls, etc.
Cory's videos point out that the teachers, and more their unions call for increased funding to raise the level of teaching and positively change student outcomes. What this infers is that the teachers are either purposefully holding back their best instruction for more money, or that magically an additional 20 or 50 dollar bill in their back pocket will change them into master-teachers. Either way these justifications really support the ouster of these self-serving molders-of-young-minds. (Think of that, these are the people that are influencing our kids on school days!) Additionally, if all it takes is a larger salary, why not pull toothless-Joe, or Colt-45 Smith off of the streets, put the money in their pockets and "bling" magically they are master-teachers raising the level of education leading to better educated young people.
Of course we aren't going to put toothless-Joe or Mr. Malt Liquor into the classroom, but why do we allow those who teach at the level that Joe and Malt would teach at to remain? The answer is because the teacher's union is a cartel that works for the teachers best interests irrespective of the needs of the students. Watch the trailer to the new documentary so appropriately named "The Cartel."
While we have to be pragmatic-we can't fire all teachers, nor would we need to, but we should fire between 10-25% of all teachers (those that we can realistically expect to be failing) (pragmatism tells us that it's not possible for 100% of teachers to be successful). Fire the bad, give raises to those who are exceptional, and develop those who are good. And as for the teachers unions...shame on you! You rob the taxpayer while delivering a poor product! What should they get for their deceit? Let Willy Wonka tell-ya!
(An aside, the teachers union and teachers in general supported the public option of healthcare reform, and why not, they are the ultimate public option-a failing and inept public option. The only option for too many students).
The decision is ours, the course is before us, and the votes that will make a difference are upcoming. We must support and elect true leaders who will support school reform (not leaders who send their daughters to private schools while supporting the removal of the voucher program for kids in the same DC area-but what do you expect from Mr. O). Leaders like NJ gov. Chris Chistie who is kicking butt and taking names in battling the teachers union for the NJ kids and families. (Check out this link for Teacers Unions Exposed)
In the words of world famous artists, we need to fight for our right, to "education."
