tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post8919202624817056658..comments2024-03-27T08:53:29.267-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: Living in Dialogue, Teacher Voices, and The NEA 360 ReportPeter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-14298935861466819472015-04-18T14:31:47.345-04:002015-04-18T14:31:47.345-04:00Right, diversity and not just "those good at ...Right, diversity and not just "those good at tests and playing the system." And there are many different qualities needed to be a good teacher. I do think there needs to be more substance in education coursework, but instead of demanding higher test scores to enter, I think there should be more regular classes like cognitive psychology required, instead of just courses specifically for education majors. I think teacher candidates should also take more sociology and psychology courses in general. Rebecca deCocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168718846105012814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-56160067678952952742015-04-18T14:21:16.174-04:002015-04-18T14:21:16.174-04:00As Cody was told when he was involved in a similar...As Cody was told when he was involved in a similar experience, "there are certain things the funder requires." When the funders of the supposedly neutral VIVA are Gates and the Waltons, what can you expect. Five of the six teachers seem to feel totally betrayed by the process. I wonder how Lily feels about this.<br /><br />It's certainly nothing new but so discouraging just the same. In a reply to Cody's post, a retired teacher comments that, in his experience, every time teachers were asked to generate solutions to problems, the district administrators controlled the process and made sure that the result was what they wanted in the first place, leaving teachers feeling frustrated and betrayed, while the administrators could claim teacher input. In my experience in several school districts, whenever teachers were asked to come up with solutions, the process wasn't controlled, but absolutely nothing was ever done with any of our recommendations. Rebecca deCocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168718846105012814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-81888940994298868892015-04-18T14:19:54.738-04:002015-04-18T14:19:54.738-04:00Absolutely, LI Band Director. My university's ...Absolutely, LI Band Director. My university's college of education has been forced to increase the GPA and ACT scores of the students entering the program. I see at least two things wrong with this.<br />1. If we want diversity in the teaching force, we need to keep open the door to diverse students, and not just those good at tests and playing the system.<br />2. Smart, capable students are not going to want to work in a system that just wants drones to read from a script. MsSinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14678705576605254172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-22955829450682536282015-04-18T13:36:41.650-04:002015-04-18T13:36:41.650-04:001)" Implement multi-pronged solutions to the ...1)" Implement multi-pronged solutions to the multiple factors that impact student learning."<br />Right. We will implement solutions to pervasive poverty, domestic violence, drug and sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy, learning disabilities, etc, etc. Because teachers are responsible for all of society's ills.<br /><br />2) "and raising the pedagogical qualifications of teachers."<br /><br />Stop saying this. It just reaffirms the pervasive and damaging notion that "bad teachers" who come from the "bottom of the educational barrel" are the cause of "failing schools", and that if we only "raise the bar" for teacher trainees everything will improve. This is what has led to the insidious new Pearson NYS teacher qualifying tests (Weingarten's vaunted "Teacher Bar Exam") that are currently plaguing our teacher candidates and driving many of them right out of the profession. Just. Stop. LI Band Directorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06693029876707282754noreply@blogger.com