[quote=captcha]Eavesdropper, it seems to me like you are having issue with the style, not the substance of my comment. My poor choice of words is caused by a reflex reaction to the tone of the article which I perceived as a lament to the loss of an awesome teacher. If the article was about inability to keep mediocre at best teachers as the one described in the article I would not respond.
My second paragraph assumes that the person described in the article could not have achieved the level required to teach math at a level that exceeds the generally atrocious level of public education in the U.S.
I grew up in a family of pedagogists and andragogists (my dad’s side, including my dad. My mom’s side are mostly cops, including my mom :)) and I married to one, I am six-time national champion in mathematics (some another nation, obviously) and I taught highschool and college-level math for several years. I often have no idea what I am talking about, but this time I have a leg to stand on.[/quote]
To be absolutely honest, captcha, my gut reaction to the subject of the article is probably much closer to yours than you would think. I’m a read-between-the-lines type, and I got kind of a hinky sensation while watching her being interviewed. However, that part of me is tempered by another that most closely resembles ACLU attorney. That’s the part that keeps me from being judgmental without due cause or evidence (aka more judgmental than I already am).
But you are absolutely correct: too often we credit people with being “great” at their jobs, when they are, in fact, people who have good personality traits and who are very nice while, at the same time, not terribly competent in the actual requirements of the job.
That being said, I felt that the article some very important points to the forefront of the education debate. One was the compensation issue: considering that we entrust those most precious to us to the care of teachers, we don’t pay them adequately. The other is that there is more to teaching than standing in front of a classroom imparting knowledge. As someone with considerable teaching experience, I know that you are well aware of both these points.
Given your background, it is easy to understand your frustration over the shortcomings of the American public school system. Trust me when I say that I am equally frustrated. I read the article you suggested in the WSJ – and the comments – and was struck by the number of people who (accurately) suggested that the issue of parental attitudes about education and their level of support to the education of their children is one that is almost uniformly ignored in the literature on how to improve the educational level of U.S. students.
We aren’t doing our nation’s children any favors when we address their academic weaknesses by lowering the standards they have to meet to get a diploma or a degree. They will not be able to hide their educational shortcomings when trying to find their places in a global economy. We are already in the unenviable position of not being able to compete on an economic basis; we can’t afford to also be shut out because of academic incompetency.
Thank you for using your education and experience to drive this point home.
