ATTENTION TEACHERS!

[ELA]

Friend, I agree with you about that, NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND, but this part of the law will have no positive effect on that matter! In fact, many great teachers will be forced into early retirement and some of them will be replaced by new teachers right out of college who have no serious experience in the classroom. Special Needs children need older experienced teachers to help provide them with a quality education. Young teachers need these experienced teachers to serve as mentors!

 

The only good thing I can see about this aspect of the new law is the abolishment of the waiver system.

[Guest region4fan]

I was wondering if there will be tests for parents too. It seems like the teachers/coaches that I have been talking to over the last few days about this feel that many of the problems in school could be settled quickly if the parents got their acts together. One told me about a high school girl who missed a major test to go prom dress shopping. Mom wrote a note excusing the daughter from class saying that she had a stomach virus.The teacher had to give the girl the test late even though he knew the Mom lied. I have heard very similar stories from everyone that I have spoken to. It seems like the children are controlling the households. Until we force the parents to do their jobs, I am afraid there is no hope for these kids. No matter what tests that teachers have to pass to be called QUALIFIED, it will make no difference if a child is left at home alone at age 6 because mom is out partying at a bar.Teachers cannot take over any more than they are already being forced to do. It is not their place to act as a parent. I guess what I am attempting to say is that until parents do their part.....making sure the child is fed, clothed, nurtured,disciplined, read to, made to do homework, made to go to bed at an appropriate time, and loved........there are going to be plenty of kids LEFT BEHIND!!

[boneal52]

Good point ELA, the teachers having to go back to school for more hours and taking expensive tests, will have to pay for all of this on their own. For a profession that is so grossly underpaid, how can we ask this of them? Tell them right now that, on paper, they just aren't good enough and that over the matter of a few classes in the next summer or two, they will instantly become that much of a better teacher. Give me a break. Adding five or so hours to your certification will not make any of these employees better teachers, it will only make the people in charge feel better about their stacks of paper with all the "important" numbers on them. They do not go in the classroom and see the work being done and the lives being touched. They dont know the teachers, only their degrees. Sad.

[ELA]

Bobby... I'm giving you another good mark! I would give another one to Region4A fan, but you can only give one per thread. You guys have got this thing right on the mark! I can't tell you how many times I have waited for three or four hours on parent-teacher conference day and not had ONE parent come by to see me about their child. Even when a few drop by, it is usually the parents of the kids who are making almost perfect grades.

[boneal52]

ELA, its good to see that you're doing the job right though. Thanks for the mark.

[Guest region4fan]

What happens when the teacher takes all of these tests at their own expense and FAIL?? Does that mean that they are out of a job? I would hate to think that I had to take ANY test of ANY kind to keep my job. I have put 20 years in myself. That would mean that they would lose their insurance and benefits....what few that they are. What if you had a teacher who developed a terminal illness during this time and could not take the test? They would lose their job and insurance. Who would insure someone terminally ill??I know I am being melo-dramatic...but it could happen.

What about all the millions of foreign kids who do not speak English? Where do they fit in?

[ELA]

All great points. I took the Praxis Tests (history and government) about nine years ago. I didn't find them to be very difficult; however, I'm sure some would find them to be somewhat of a challenge. I'm a different sort of a guy... I enjoy the challenge of a test. I may sound like I'm bragging, but it is really a gift; consequently, I feel fairly comfortable taking tests. Having said that, I know many excellent, highly intelligent students who simply tremble at the thought of being forced to take a test, and the more important the test can be to their career (i.e. the GRE, Praxis, ACT, SAT, SAT II, NRE, LSAT), the more fearful they become!

 

I have no problem with this law, IF they grandfather in all teachers who have already earned a Masters Degree in Education or their field of study. Give all other existing teachers the option of finishing their Master's Degree (something that will put more money in their pockets) or going back to fulfill the credit hours required. Don't hang their whole career and future on meeting the deadline in two years! Have them sign a contract stating they will complete the work in five years or retire in five years. This will allow those teachers who are within five years of retirement to complete their career in peace and also allow everyone else plenty of time to get the college classes behind them while teaching full time.

 

I don't find teachers to be people who don't enjoy learning new things. On the contrary, teachers are the type of people who love to learn and spend their extra time doing things that make them more informed. For instance, while most people watch reruns of sop operas or I Love Lucy on Cable, I like to watch The History Channel, Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, etc.. It is a part of who I am. I also enjoy watching ESPN, but that is the other side of my personality. I am a teacher AND a coach, this is who I am!

 

I just wish the federal government would stay out of our classrooms and concentrate on running the business of the federal government. State governments have always done a good job at taking care of education. It is in their constitutional mandate to regulate public education. Whatever happened to the concept of "Institutional Empowerment." I guess that philosophy was yesterday's news. Even though I am not a Republican, the one constant that they always stood for was smaller, less intrusive public policy at the Federal Level. This seems to be changing now that they have control of both sides of the legislature and the executive office. You have to ask yourself, what kind of law could get the extreme left and the extreme right wings of our government to come together? Surely it must be a great thing, RIGHT? The concept is sound, provide more money for educational reform, but unfortunately there is not one dime in this bill to pay for these classes or the added expenses that well established teachers will bare to meet the demands of the new law! I ask you another simple question... Didn't the federal government during the 1994-95 legislation pass laws that ended unfunded federal mandates? This seems to be contrary to that philosophy as well!

[jclariday]

I agree with ELA about the 5-year plan. I can't get all of the proposed requirements done in two years. My certificate expires in 2008. Five years from now. I could do that in five years, I need to get out if I can't do it in 5. What the FEDS are saying that my cerificate is only valid for two more. That's hogwash! If a teacher has less than five left on their certificate, they should get an extension to where years are added to make the time 5 years left (if a person has two years left, add three more to their expiration date) and during that time, they try to fullfil the requirements necesary. If they don't make it, they can retire. That's my opinion, how about yours!

[coachmax]

Whoa, Yall sure have alot to write about and just skimming through the pages, I learned a great deal. Some talked about teachers who were not very good, others about students not caring about a test, etc and that is frustrating in our system these days. As an Interim this year for a short while, I learned that most high school students are not looking to the future, their lack of concern for what is in front of them is not there and it should be.

I saw where Region4 Fan gave a compliment to ELA about getting students to think and that is so important these days. Last year I read a book on improving our schools and the author said numerous times that teaching the tests is what the problem that lies on many of the teachers. I have witnessed that in a school system and I thought, just start doing different lessons, ask questions, etc, get the students to start thinking instead of just using the information in the book.

I have done that in every Social Studies class I taught, because I wanted to provide my students with so much information to help them learn and apply it to their learning process.

I am looking for a Position, so maybe I should I be careful in what I write, but with a degree, certificate and everything I have yet to find the position I am seeking which is Physical Education. I am a teacher and with all the information coming out now on obesity and other problems, we need teachers who are going to go in and teach. I spoke with someone who subbed for a week in a PE class. She said she was worn out everyday. And yes, that does happen and it needs to happen more. I have commited myself to never cheat a child when I teach because there is so much I want to teach. I mean how many children really know how to throw a ball, catch a ball, bounce a ball, hold a bat, swing a tennis forehand, etc. How many children know the principles of a fitness program. All it takes is going into a class, teaching skills, correcting skills, drills, activity games, other various games, teaching fitness concepts by exercising and having the students run everyday, etc. Oh, there is more, but the whole process starts with going in and teaching and that is not done enough these days because too many children are not getting the quality instruction that they need.

I should think more of getting into Science of which I am certified, but for me, students need quality instruction in Physical Education and with the knowledge and expertise I have in this area, students will know they are learning because of my enthusiasm of teaching them.

Thanks

[PowerSet]

I attended a Praxis standard setting forum in Nashville on April 2. We looked at the actual test that graduating college seniors have to take to be certified to teach that subject area. Our job was to determine the relevancy of the test for new teachers. A spokesman from the State Dept of Education talked to us and said that the requirements were still being worked on. She said that it looked like teachers would have until the 2005-2006 school year to become "Highly Qualified." The options could include the Praxis Test, OR having at least 24 hours in your subject area, OR some type of evaluation/observation option. She said that any one of these would work, so to my understanding, you wont have to have 24 hours AND pass the test. She said that there were still MANY details to work out, but it would be affecting teachers in the next couple of years. It will affect middle school teachers with only a K-8 certification the most. For others who are specialized in an area, it wont be as bad She said that there was the possibility that a teacher could be certified to teach something, but still not be "Highly Qualified." Conversely, one could be "Highly Qualified" but still not be certified to teach that subject. For example, a middle school science teacher that is certified in science might only have 21 hours of science in college. Tahts enough the be certified, but not "Highly Qualified." That same teacher might have 24 math hours in college that were required for the science curriculum, so even thought he is "Highly Qualified" to teach math, he is not certified. He is only certified in science. Its all confusing to me, and I was there, so I figure that I have thoroughly confused you. If you have any questions, let me know (Plus members send me an instant message), and I'll try my best to explain to you what we were told by the State Dept.

 

As a young teacher, I greatly respect and admire the experienced teachers at my school. I know that some of our best are looking for jobs out of state because of the sometimes unnecessary requirements that Tennessee puts on them. This new "Highly Qualified" subject will not take the place of the experience these teachers have gained over their years. I hope that the goals are accomplished without compromising our children's educations.

 

In agreement with ELA, I think it will hurt students in the present time, but be better for them in the long run.

[Edited by PowerSet on 4-22-03 9:08A]

 

[gordo1965]

Well now how do all the republicans feel about this? My "moral values" are worse than ever because this makes me want to use foul language. Votye democrat because this is a partisan issue

[WesTNFootball]

I think if the teacher holds an upper level degree, then they are ok. By this I mean Master, EDS, or Doc. They are quailifed with the degree and they do not have to take a test, that's how I understood it.