Comments by create
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Posted on September 5 at 5:59 p.m.
Netloafer, regarding merit pay, no, teachers weren't undermining each others work. One example is that during the height of the merit pay controversy, some schools gave teachers who wore a suit everyday extra points. What does that have to do with teaching? Early in my career, I had a principal who marked me low on appearance because even though I wore a skirt/pants and a blouse to school everyday, he said he couldn't give me a high score because I did not wear a suit. In the meantime, my students' scores were improving, I was staying after school to tutor those who needed help, in other words, I was doing everything I could to be a good teacher -- except wear a suit.
Do you give extra points to the coach who wins a lot of games? Some schools were accused of that.
Currently in Kansas, teachers get points on how much education they have, how many workshops they have attended, that sort of thing. I like that better, don't you?
Posted on September 5 at 5:18 p.m.
OutsiderJ, I enjoyed reading your post. I certainly share some of your questions in my mind too. BTW, the only third party running I'm aware of is Ralph Nader. I'm guessing he will be included in the debates.
Good job, open_eyes, Obama's worth did increase with the sale of his books.
Jayhawker, Yes, McCain supports vouchers for parents, but parents can send their children to other schools now providing the school board in the new district accepts the new student. It isn't likely the district will turn down new students in view of state dollars received, as long as they do it by a certain date. At least that's how it is done around here.
McCain also supports Merit Pay; he just didn't use that term. Many educators have fought for merit pay, but just as many have fought against it. In the long run, it pits colleagues against each other. I've seen it happen. School should be where teachers go to teach. They should all be prepared to the nth degree. Those who don't measure up should be either counseled or sent to brush-up school, or dismissed. We should not accept slackers in our schools.
You're right, NCLB is the baby of Ted Kennedy. I love the NCLB and QPA. It's the best thing to happen to schools across this country because it makes schools accountable. Many teachers hated it because they said they couldn't be more creative or they couldn't use lessons they had had for years. That's not true. With only a little bit of work, I was able to turn all of my lessons that I had designed years previous into exactly what fit the model of State Standards and Benchmarks. I was on the original QPA committee, and later on the school improvement team. The only problem many educators had with being on those committees is that there was a great deal of intense work involved and many schools did not pay anything extra for the tons of time it took.
The only problem I have with NCLB is that it will require ALL students to score proficient or better by a certain year in the future. I think it's 2014. That's simply not possible. There are too many variables involved in the process of human learning. I believe that target date will change. But McCain didn't say anything about test scores, unless he meant merit pay for those teachers who can produce higher test scores. He didn't say. Time will tell. Bring on the debates!
Posted on September 5 at 3:56 p.m.
Oh my goodness, Bjnemp, I should have not been sipping my coffee when I read your answer to crackinsack about the number of posts people are making. I nearly drowned!
And Jayhawker is right. Thanks for making your two excellent points. But I wish you'd sit in the front seat for awhile and drive. Make a few more posts to get this target off my back. ;)
Posted on September 5 at 3:27 p.m.
Maybe what the preacher said is what you would call a drive-by posting?
Posted on September 5 at 11:24 a.m.
Sure, Jayhawker, you can use my prison/jailer analogy. Anytime. I stole it from a movie I'd seen many years ago and often used it in the classroom. When kids discuss anything, most will look around at their peers as if to check for acceptance.
I agree that neither Palin nor Giuliani slammed community organizers themselves. Instead, it was the way they mocked Obama's participation as a community organizer. Over and over and over again, with the audience participating by chanting their words, they made fun of his experiences in the organization he worked for on Chicago's south side. I don't know exactly what he did, nor who paid him, although I do know he had already graduated from Harvard Law School so he must have been doing pro bono work for those who had been recently displaced in their jobs when a plant closed down. This tells me something about the man, because with a Harvard Law degree, he could have gone to work for any number of law firms anywhere and not cared one whit about those who had lost their jobs.
I believe firmly in people getting involved in their communities, so I agree wholeheartedly with McCain's idea of getting involved with something larger than yourself. I for one sit on a local board, so of course I agree. My point was that while Palin and Giuliani put down Obama's community service, McCain urged everyone to get involved in it. It doesn't seem as if everyone is on the same page.
I missed any jabs at Sarah Palin by the Dems. I fault myself there. All I can say is I wish both parties would stop the jabbing entirely and get down to the real issues that concern us all.
Both candidates seem to be calling for change in the same areas. All we need to know now is exactly how they plan to do this. I'd like to hear more about what McCain has to say in the area of Education, for example, because what he said in his speech last night was not enough. Bussing is not the answer to low test scores.
Posted on September 5 at 9:12 a.m.
Amen, Momus!
Sorry Life, your theory with regard to wages does not take into effect the larger picture. Studies show that Medicaid costs for uninsured or underinsured employees is high. Big box stores are notorious for either not offering health benefits to hourly wagers, or requiring at least one year before that benefit can be taken advantage of. Often the cost of premiums are too high for someone making $8 an hour.
Further, big box stores don't come into a market to share it, they come in to grab all the revenue. As a result, the vitality of local businesses is undermined and more derelict store fronts are the result.
Something else is lost too. Local businesses buy more local goods and services because they have no headquarters elsewhere. When local business buys local goods and services, a much larger percentage of their profits stay within the local economy.
I believe the city should provide us with an economic impact statement with regard to Lowe's.
By the way, I hope you will take the time to compare prices offered by such places as Sutherland's and Hill's Appliance with the big guys in Topeka. After doing a comparison, I bought my refrigerator from Hill's a few months ago. No big box in Topeka could compare. Besides, Hill's delivers and services. And did you know that everyone of these local little guys will order whatever you want? They have for me.
I think you're selling Emporia short with what is already here.
Posted on September 4 at 10:36 p.m.
All right, that's it. I'm outta here. Just explain to me why all the put downs regarding Obama's community organizing activities last night in Giuliani's and Palin's speeches, yet tonight in McCain's speech he said in his final thought that he urged people to correct mistakes they see in the country by getting involved wherever they see that action is needed. He said, to join the military, become a teacher, get involved with your community, serve a cause greater than yourself. Is that not community organizing?
Posted on September 4 at 9:28 p.m.
Jayhawker, you're not wrong. Not entirely. Perhaps living in Kansas for 30 years and having grown a head of white hair has helped me to develop a more conservative attitude in a lot of areas. In politics, more often than not, I vote a split ticket. I like that freedom. So I guess that makes me an independent. But you know what? It isn't just party politics that makes up a person's disposition. You and I can agree on many things and still vote independently from each other. I respect your opinions, you seem to be highly intelligent, and I agree with most of what you have to say. We don't have to agree one hundred percent. When you always agree with others, that becomes your prison. We must choose our jailers carefully.
Netloafer, I'm glad to hear you don't like banning books either. I would have refused to teach in a school that allowed it, whether for language or politically incorrect anything. I taught To Kill a Mockingbird for many years and every time I reviewed it to teach it, or to answer the many questions kids had, I never failed to learn something new. When I retired, I brought home my dog- eared, well annotated copy and it has a special place in my bookcase. Over the years, however, I did meet with a few people who complained that I was teaching it. They didn't like the black content. I never once waivered and even invited them to read it. One of those same people also complained because I taught Hiroshima. They didn't like the Japanese content. I can only shake my head and hope the child learns to get beyond the parent's attitudes by studying such books. Books reveal truths.
Speaking of truths, I want to hear more from both sides and McClean is on now touting that "Change is coming." Now both sides are using that word.
Posted on September 4 at 8:49 p.m.
And your post tickled me to chuckling, Pollyanna. Sometimes redundancies are, well...for lack of a better word...nope, I'm not going to say it.
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Posted on September 5 at 6:09 p.m.
Jayhawker, since you mentioned Hawaii, I hope you enjoy this piece by Obama. I found it on the web site of the school he attended as a boy, Punahou School, a prep school originally built to accomodate the children of Congregational missionaries.
http://www.punahou.edu/uploaded/News_Con...
On Palin as Republican VP nominee