We could do something useful, or we could continue doing what we've done the last year

by: Eric B.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 at 12:11:47 PM EST

Tom Watkins, yesterday.

Yet, rather than seeking ways to develop a share vision and common agenda to make this happen, political and ideological battles sharpen and continue to beat down the very people we need to build up -- our teachers.

If education is the key, why are we locking teachers out of the reform agenda? The voice of the classroom teacher must be heard, especially around issues of classroom discipline, instructional design and delivery above the reform chatter.

Let's finish connecting the dots here. Last year, when everyone was yelling that the only thing the MEA was doing was stopping "reforms" from taking place, the MEA released a list of reforms it was proposing. The Republican-dominated Legislature promptly ignored the entire thing, and set upon doing stuff that had nothing to do with what takes place in the classroom but that they cloaked as "reforms" anyway. I mean, does anyone else remember Randy Richardville's attempt to move Right to Work legislation aimed specifically and uniquely at teachers?

Let's further establish that the beating down of teachers is coming strictly from one party. In fact, in the past, the criticism aimed at the Democratic Party was that it was too cozy with teachers' unions, i.e. the very people Watkins has correctly identified as being beaten down in the name of "reform." And, by reform, what we really mean is political posturing in Lansing for the sake of not educating children but strengthening the Republican Party (not confined to Michigan and teachers unions, mind you). Let's not place the appearance of civility above truth telling by suggesting that blame can be shared equally by all players, either by saying so or implying as such by not identifying the guilty.

I think we can all agree that if you want to reform something to improve it that you have to make as your partner the people who will be responsible for implementing it. Leastways, that's the hallmark of every effective organization I've been a party of. As such, we go to this.

Those surveys, also being piloted by the foundation in school districts around the nation, are not popularity contests, Kane said. They focus on class experiences and ask students to talk about things like whether they are being challenged and engaged.

College professors have been evaluated by their students for years. Kane, who is also a Harvard professor, said he thinks school teachers could learn to appreciate that feedback, as well.

College professor surveys are popularity contests. Faculty, especially temporary faculty not protected by tenure or tenure track, who make classes difficult and grade accordingly get results that reflect a student culture of entitlement ... i.e. they're entitled to good grades just for enrolling. They get reduced amounts of work, which means less pay, or they are simply let go. I don't think that's the sort of thing we need to incorporate into teacher evaluations.

By the way, there's a word that's missing in all this ... Finland. Anyone who's followed education issues very closely has heard it, and it's not because it's some wacky bit of geography no one can find on a globe anymore. It's a nation that has produced a super-effective education system. They've done it not by beating up their teachers or by privatizing it under the auspices of "choice" or by turning it into a consumer product where children are treated like customers, but by investing in it and treating teachers like respected professionals.

We could emulate that success, which is the polar opposite for what we're doing, or we could continue assuming that the things we're doing will somehow magically succeed.