Seven things teachers are sick of hearing from school reformers

[Contrary1]

"Teachers have long been accustomed to “going along to get along” but increasingly are raising their voices to protest standardized test-based education reforms of the last decade that they see as harmful to students. In this post, Georgia teacher Ian Altman explains what he and his colleagues are really sick of hearing from reformers. Altman is an award-winning high school English teacher in Athens, where he has lived since 1993, as well as an advocate for teachers and students. He has presented at several national conferences and published in the Journal of Language and Literacy Education. He won the 2014 University of Georgia College of Education Distinguished Alumni Crystal Apple Award as well as the 2012 University of Chicago Outstanding Educator award.

Altman’s list of seven things that reformers should stop saying to teachers comes from conversations he has had with educators across the country and speaks to the fury felt by many teachers who see their expertise being devalued and their profession denigrated.

A recent psychological study concludes that polite people are far more likely than ornery and contrarian people to harm others because they are more likely to follow orders — bad ones as well as good. Teachers, acting from their socialization into the profession but also as a result of fear and intimidation, are far too likely to stay quiet about harmful practices school reformers are imposing on classrooms. It’s past time for teachers to stand up for themselves and their profession. In that spirit, here’s a list of things reformers should quit saying to teachers because they are wrong-headed. This list is not exhaustive, but it is a start.

1. Don’t tell us that you know more about good instruction than we do.

This tells us there is an institutionalized disregard for our professional judgment. Some teachers get scripted curriculum that is often sub-par and that gets in the way of real teaching and learning. Others work under policies that are so broad that they are essentially meaningless..."

The rest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/08/14/seven-things-teachers-are-sick-of-hearing-from-school-reformers/

[Warpy]

1. Good list

The nursing profession is also plagued by ivory tower "reformers" who have never shown any inclination toward or ability to do the actual job.

[SheilaT]

2. Very good.

I know, as someone who has never taught in a classroom, how easy it is to criticize teachers. I'll admit to having done my share of that criticism. But not in recent years.

I had the good fortune to attend excellent public schools when I was growing up, and then so did my kids. But when my oldest entered 7th grade and the younger one 3rd grade, I moved them to an even better private school for reasons that were particular to my two kids: Oldest son was being bullied, and younger son was becoming a class clown and disruptive in the classroom.

The private school had classes no larger than 15 students, and often in high school they were even smaller. As small as four students.

By the time of the first back-to-school night I understood that our (and I want to repeat the word excellent here) excellent public schools still weren't funded well enough. Class sizes were typically 25-30. It has been my observation that the vast majority of teachers are dedicated to teaching and really want to teach. But what I saw in the private school was how much happier those teachers were. They made less money (the main reason some would drift back to public schools) but they knew they had the support of parents and administration.

So whenever anyone says piously that we can't improve schools by throwing money at them I say, "Really? We throw lots of money at the military? Why not at schools?"

I do clearly understand that private schools have the privilege of only admitting or keeping the students they want. No special needs kids usually. Disruptive ones are booted. So that means we have to fund the public schools all the more to take care of the special needs, to do what we can (sometimes an impossible task) for the unwilling or unruly students.

I and my kids were lucky. Oldest son absolutely thrived at the private school. He wasn't bullied and his being smart was admired, not scorned. Younger son got appropriately squelched by the third grade teacher. He stopped being a disruptive class clown (although to this day he has a wonderful sense of humor and sometimes does open-mike stand up comedy) and did very well, academically and socially.

I can think of some other problems or issues with schools, but rather than give my opinions here, I'll just say that it's a very complex and complicated issue, and there's no one or simple solution to it all. But I'd start with funding.

[MyOwnPeace]

3. OMG!!!!

What a great response!

"So whenever anyone says piously that we can't improve schools by throwing money at them I say, "Really? We throw lots of money at the military? Why not at schools?" "