Moving beyond 'blame the teacher'

[shreyadas]

Most of the current efforts to improve public education begin with the flawed assumption that the basic problem is teacher performance.

This "blame the teacher" attitude has led to an emphasis on standardized tests, narrow teacher evaluation criteria, merit pay, erosion of tenure, privatization, vouchers and charter schools.


The primary goal of these measures has been greater teacher accountability - as if the weaknesses of public education were due to an invasion of our classrooms by uncaring and incompetent teachers.


That is the premise of the documentary, "Waiting for Superman," and of the attacks on teachers and their unions by politicians across the country.

In education as in industry, progress toward quality will require collaboration among administrators, teachers and their unions.

 

[drnaga]

The administration determines the attitude and the dedication of the teacher. Of course, every school admin will have a goal of making TOPPERS! But there is a difference if it done via proper education which may include simple ways to make students understand. There is no point in making a student a good learning by scaring him and bashing him which only makes him a coward for the society.

There are few schools and administration that provides proper education or we can say " A good place to learn things."

I have a question, there are schools which has teachers that beat up students to make them learn. So, why isn't that considered seriously for child abuse? We know that it is happening, so don't fool yourself by saying a NO to this!

 

[Himanshi Agarwal]

Yes it is true that the educational system today is in dire need of good teachers especially at rural school levels. However, one cannot completely blame the teacher for their obsession for marks and non-commitment towards extra curricular or sports activities. The teachers also get pressurised to improve the scores of the students from the higher administration level and mainly from the parents for the students themselves.

 

[poornima lagadapati]

Most of the current efforts to improve public education begin with the flawed assumption that the basic problem is teacher performance.

This "blame the teacher" attitude has led to an emphasis on standardized tests, narrow teacher evaluation criteria, merit pay, erosion of tenure, privatization, vouchers and charter schools.


The primary goal of these measures has been greater teacher accountability - as if the weaknesses of public education were due to an invasion of our classrooms by uncaring and incompetent teachers.


That is the premise of the documentary, "Waiting for Superman," and of the attacks on teachers and their unions by politicians across the country.

In education as in industry, progress toward quality will require collaboration among administrators, teachers and their unions.

The complete education system is wrong. That is more worse coming to rural areas. In our village teachers leave children to play in ground and all the teachers combinely play indoor games. Teacher post used to have a lot of value at times. Those days gurus taught their shisyas without paying a penny. But now even though we are paying they are not teaching in proper way.