Teaching Thursday

From Teacher Magazine

The cover story in the current issue of Newsweek proclaims that, in order to improve schools, "we must fire bad teachers." The story points to research showing that teacher quality is the most important factor in student success, and then argues that, for a variety of reasons - union obstructionism foremost among them - the teaching profession on the whole has languished in recent years, particularly in low-income schools. It cites the recently planned mass firings at Central Falls High in Rhode Island as "a notable breakthrough" in coming to terms with this issue, adding that "if more truly bad teachers were let go," the good ones would get more respect and a "boost in status that comes with higher standards."

What's your view? Is firing bad teachers the key to improving schools? Would it ultimately bolster the teaching profession? Why shouldn't ineffective teachers be fired - or why aren't they more often?

To participate in this discussion go HERE.

Comment: What makes a poor teacher? Is it someone who can't teach? Can't relate? Someone who cheats the kids out of learning? Someone whose standards are too high, not high enough?

I believe a poor teacher is an ignorant one. A teacher who doesn't know anything and who clings to the textbook without offering the extras is a poor teacher. An ignorant teacher is going to be ignorant about life in general.

I think administrators should always be on the lookout for good teachers and trade up. That's the way it's done everyplace else, so why should schools be the exception?