Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy already in the highest reading group....

I feel a burning need to defend my profession- sorry if I offend anyone.

Sadly, we are moving in the "robot" direction in my district as well. You are right, lucounu, it is terrible to teach under those conditions. Creativity, differentiation, trying to really know and reach my students, all gone because politicians, parents, and the average Joe know more about teaching than I do...

I hold two Bachelor's degrees, one in Biology and one in secondary education- yes a double major. I could work in a lab if I want to. I hold a Master's degree in school administration and am starting my doctorate... I'm working very hard to get OUT of the teaching profession, because I'm hoping to move into higher ed. Education reform was designed to get rid of bad teachers. The powers that be might want to consider the dedicated, qualified teachers that are getting out as well...

Consider this: Those of us who are the most highly qualified and educated can easily find something else to do. We will most likely be treated as professionals in another field. I haven't worked this hard and dedicated my life to children to be insulted. I know there are lousy teachers out there. However, I do get tired of teachers being lumped into one category, and I get tired of the profession as a whole being attacked. For every crappy teacher, there are dozens of good ones doing our best every day.

I'm sure nearly everyone can think of a teacher who made a difference in their lives. And I do think I know an awful lot about how kids learn, much more than the "methods of varying degrees of wackiness." Just saying... That level of disrespect is the reason that I, and many other dedicated professionals are getting out.

From the article: "District leaders say the approach will usher in universal high expectations, erasing discrepancies in what students learn and how well they learn it."

Oh. My. God.

This approach stems from a basic misunderstanding of the problem, and also of what teaching involves. A teacher can't be restricted to murmuring encouragingly in response to whatever students say, because there must be an opportunity for dialogue, and students have to get feedback on their ideas (canned, unchanging answers give no information whatever). I just can't believe that the solution for underperforming teachers is to limit superb teachers, and turn everyone into parrots. Why not just "teach" over the intercom?

It's also just hit me that this mindset is probably behind some of the enthusiasm for using Khan Academy in the classroom: a teacher can't get it wrong when all they do is press "play".

Thanks Cricket-
I think reading the article, combined with the teacher bashing and what's happening in our district just did me in!!

I guess it was my return vent!

I could vent with you. I did social sciences research on federal contracts and drew maps for a major newspaper before I became a teacher in the same year that No Child Left Behind was enacted. Part of the response to that federal act has been a movement to replace professional, experienced teachers with fresh college graduates (e.g. Teach for America) and highly scripted curricula.

A friend of mine who entered the field at the same time as me used to complain about the "Success for All" curriculum. He wore a timer on his belt because the program required him to spend exactly ten minutes on vocabulary, even if it took ten minutes to get all the kids settled down with the vocabulary materials in front of them and all pencils sharpened and ready to go. I imagine all of the students were learning from exactly the same vocabulary. I believe he left the teaching profession after a few years.

Up to this point, it has been the low-performing schools in low-income areas that have been afflicted with these short-sighted measures for the most part. But by 2014, any public school that is not achieving 100% grade-level proficiency in reading and math will be considered a failing school under the original NCLB.

Momtogirls - I'm sure I've been guilty of complaining on this forum, but it wasn't because my son didn't have good teachers. The teachers we were dealing with when trying to advocate for more challenging materials for our HG+ DS probably had not ever encountered anyone like him, and it is undertandable and human nature for those teachers to want to get to know him themselves. Once they got him, they did do their best to accommodate and differentiate, but when you have 24 other kids who are at varying different levels, it's really hard. That prompted us to seek out a school for HG kids, and the teachers have been amazing.

I think we all should remember that there are teachers on this forum too. I have a tremendous respect for what teachers do - I'm not sure I could do it. I posted the St Paul article because I believe that all teachers need flexibility to be able to teach in their own style to different kids who learn in different ways. I am glad I do not currently live in that district. I wonder how the enrollment gains that district has recently made will pan out if the scripted teaching becomes established without flexibility. But I digress... Thank you Momtogirls and other teachers!

Momtogirls - I used to be a teacher too, and I know there are good teachers, but damn, there were a lot I sure wouldn't want to hand my children over to. But it's not just teachers. There are a lot bad doctors, lawyers, etc too.

But actually, I think the main problem is the system. The system makes it so hard for good teachers to do their jobs and unfortunately provides enough cover for bad teachers to hide behind. The system is the problem.

A lot of the "reform" that is happening ties the hands of good teachers. Those of us who want to differentiate and use methods such as problem based learning, research projects, etc., can no longer do those things. In our district, every single teacher in the same subject area has to be doing the same activities, testing, etc., at the same time. This means we all have to agree what we're doing on any given day. So, if a kid has me for Biology 1, they are doing the exact same thing that the kids next door are doing. Moving ahead or slowing down really isn't an option. Doesn't matter if their highly gifted, or special services.

I have many gifted students, and I also have two gifted daughters. So, I know both sides. I know what it feels like as a parent when their needs aren't being met in the classroom. Unfortunately, measures such as those in the article are the reason that good teachers can't always do what they know a kid needs.

So, what you're left with is a good teacher, doing what they can within the constraints of a broken mess. A lot of factors come into play in making the mess. Unfortunately, classroom teachers take most of the blame.

Maybe I'm blessed to work with good people, but there's not a teacher in our district I wouldn't give my girls to. Do I like the rules, the testing, the system? Not necessarily. However, I know these people care about my kids. My oldest has an IQ of 141, and a vocabulary equivalency of 17. She is nine. Do they know what to do with her? Not necessarily, but I do see them trying to meet her where she is. I also see an awful lot of caring and compassion.

My overall point is, don't assume that teachers aren't experts about how kids learn. A lot of us are. Across the country, as the article illustrates, there are a lot of teachers who aren't being allowed to use that expertise. I'm sorry if you've come across teachers who are truly uncaring, immoral people. They give the rest of us a bad name. But remember, in a lot of cases your child's teacher is probably as frustrated with the system as you are. I think it only helps everyone (our kids included) to try to keep things in perspective.

I don't know how a thread about reading turned into this

I guess we must be passionate people... Gifted grownups usually produce gifted little people, which I guess explains the intensity of the conversation!

My stepmother is a principal at a public h.s. and was a teacher for 15yrs. She goes to a lot of conferences and reads a ton. One of the things she's shared with me was a study she read about. Unfortunately I do not recall the name of the study, or where it was published, but it showed that a good teacher can advance a child on average 1.5 grade levels in one year. But a bad teacher can slow a child down by 2 grade levels. As with many things in life, it takes a lot of good to overcome one bad.

I consider myself lucky that 5 yo dd has a really good kindergarten teacher and is doing an awesome job challenging her with her reading and dd has improved immensley. Math, however, is another story and I wish she would differentiate but her belief is not to advance in math for fear there may be gaps that could become a problem later on. She has taught before in 4th and 5th grades where this was a problem apparently. So we are just supplementing math at home for now. Next year we may request that she goes to 2nd grade for math.