THAT’S AN EASY ONE
Delaware teachers, as represented by their NEA-affiliated DSEA, are refusing to participate in a pilot program aimed at implementing a teacher accountability program. It seems that a few years ago, the DE legislature included a requirement that 20 percent of a teacher’s annual review be based on student performance. Back then the union agreed. Today, though, they’re backing out. The News-Journal wonders why:
It remains a mystery why teachers don’t want student progress to be considered a factor in their evaluations. Isn’t student progress what should most concern teachers? What is so wrong with being held directly responsible for the work that you do? It is the case in every other professional endeavor.
Teachers view themselves as professionals. They are clearly well-educated and perform their work independently. But their union doesn’t seem to encourage teachers to act as professionals.
The union says there are too many variables in measuring academic progress. That’s just another way of prolonging the old “excuses” approach. Teachers should be creative leaders, so why do they insist on acting like assembly line workers?
If the teachers won’t cooperate in a pilot program, it should be implemented as soon as possible. That’s what the General Assembly demanded.
Why don’t teachers want to be judged as professionals are– that is, on how well they actually do their jobs? Because, for the most part, those in leadership positions have far more in common with the AFL-CIO than they do with, say, the AMA.
An old story to illustrate: The Frog and the Scorpion
So, why does the DSEA oppose any meaningful form of evaluation? It’s a union; that’s what unions do. As long as teachers are represented by the NEA and continue to elect the same tired union “leadership,” this is what we’re stuck with.
The solution, of course, is to blow up the whole system and let teachers sink or swim on their own.
6 Responses to “THAT’S AN EASY ONE”
 Comment by Rikki August 22nd, 2004 at 6:51 am |
I want to kick you for putting that song in my head from your last topic. :p Anyways, regarding this one, the sad thing is that the test for the kids are crap. I don’t see how this would accurately do anything but force the teachers to teach the test in order to do well on evaluation. There’s too much fear over those tests. |
 Comment by Daryl Cobranchi August 22nd, 2004 at 7:00 am |
The problem is that this is state law. They really don’t have any choice. If they won’t participate in a pilot program, the EdDept will be forced to implement it untested. The union really is shooting itself (and the teachers) in the foot. Like I said- Frog and Scorpion. |
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Comment by Rikki August 22nd, 2004 at 7:12 am |
Well, if that’s truly the case, then perhaps it’ll be a wise up for the union members? |
 Comment by Laura August 22nd, 2004 at 9:52 am |
Teachers who don’t want test results to determine their evaluations make two good points: (1) There’s nothing in it for the kids so sometimes they blow the test just for the heck of it. Teachers have reported watching kids just Christmas-tree their answer sheet without even reading the questions. What are they going to do about it, beat them? Threaten to send them to bed without their supper? I’d hate for my livelihood to depend on that kind of thing. (2) For some teachers in inner-city schools, turnover is 70% of the class from the beginning of the school year to the end. Of course this affects their ability to teach those kids, and it renders the snapshot of a single standardized test fairly useless in determining that teacher’s effectiveness. The individual student’s knowledge (providing that student didn’t blow off the test) or the overall school district’s performance might still be measured that way. |
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Comment by Tim Haas August 22nd, 2004 at 7:22 pm |
I believe they could correct statistically for obviously blown tests, no? |
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Comment by Laura August 22nd, 2004 at 8:04 pm |
I guess “they” could, if anybody’s really paying attention. The people that score those things don’t have anything at stake. |