Stumble It!
Jun 09 2008
Toledo, OH Teachers Union Peer Review for All Teachers Finally Spreading
Yes, a new Nation Public Radio segment is talking about something I’ve been saying for years. The Toledo, Ohio Teachers Union has been conducting a program of peer review for its teachers. According to the report, the goal is to root out bad teachers who are either “burnt out” or “incompetent” or “should never have been allowed to teach in the first place. ” The union has been using the peer review method for the past 27 years and and it’s finally catching on. Under the review, factors such as preparedness, rapport, lesson planning, punctuality and dress are all fair game. Teachers are even evaluated on how well they know what they teach. And shockingly, and I say that sarcastically, they can actually be fired!
Why this took took so long is beyond my understanding of… well anything! Many of us may have had bad teachers who didn’t care if their students didn’t understand them or the ones who made the class so easy that the students weren’t really any better off. I had one tenured college professor who was actually proud that the vast majority of his students got D’s and who’s lessons has almost nothing to do the with anything he ever had us read in the course book! Another of my high school teachers gave weekly essays the only had to be 250 words in which he literally formated them for us! Of course, I must never leave out those teachers who state all their opinions as facts and haven’t a grain of objectivity in the entire bodies! Subjectivity is for bloggers, but not teachers! Further, who ever invented tenure in any form is stupid in my view. if someone does any job poorly or at any point begins doing that job poorly, then they should not do it any longer, period!
Just so you know, I’m not angry I’m just waxing poetically :D!
Link to the article:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91327130&ft=1&f=1001
That’s almost the best part of leaving school to go to college. The teachers are of a MUCH higher standard after school. In the UK, it seems almost as though there is a teacher shortage (there probably is) because we’re bombarded with mediocre “teachers”.
One, an art teacher with a doctorate announced: “It doesn’t bother me whether you pass or fail, I get my wages no matter what!”
Mikey, you crack me up. I remember a teacher in college who asked our opinion on a test…would you believe he marked it wrong? LOL So, maybe I disagree about a higher standard after HS. I think any level of education is well served with bad teachers…and I say that sarcastically. Great post!