Obama Offers Hope to Educators

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=e7cb8033543ebc62e81a641e866c92bc


Hope is exactly what presidential candidate Barack Obama gave to more than 16,000 education professionals at the National Education Association annual meeting at the Convention Center yesterday.

U.S. Sen. Obama was one of three presidential candidates who appeared before NEA delegates and members as they closed their 105th Representative Assembly in Philadelphia.

NEA President Reg Weaver said Obama has impressed America’s educators thus far.

“His background as a civil rights lawyer has been equally impressive to NEA members, particularly in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that jeopardizes school desegregation plans,” he said. “Obama has extensive experience and success in organizing support for public schools, and it has been too long since we’ve had a presidential candidate that is equally committed to national leadership and local action.”

Obama warmed up to the crowd by talking about his sister who is a teacher.

“I know the work that she puts in,” Obama said. “ I know the blood, sweat and tears that she experiences teaching every day.”

who decides and on what criteria?

Just because you don't know the answer to the question doesn't mean we can't ever find a good answer to it.
I think people criticizing Obama for this are being extremely closed-minded, almost like the fundies on the right, refusing to even consider a possibility because it conflicts with their strident beliefs.

to what students he or she happens to be assigned to teach is a "strident" belief, then I'm happy to be compared to a "fundy." Call me Pat Robertson.

that it might be possible for merit pay to mean something other than tying a teacher's pay to what students he or she happens to be assigned to teach.

What are some examples of "merit" pay not being basing a teacher's pay on the "production" of his or her students.

Either you're confused about this issue or you're trying to purposely confuse it. Either way, I don't have time for it.

nor am I confused, but leave the conversation if you feel the need.

How about measuring the progress your students make from the time they enter your class until the time they leave. If you are truly and educator, you believe that all students can learn if taught properly. So why not measure the progress the students make within that year to judge the teacher's performance. What is so wrong with that? I am a teacher by the way...for 26 years.

How can a student's progress be measured in a way that would take into account the grading systems of different schools and different teachers? Basing it on the grades the students are given seems like an impossible way to measure it. So, let's say it's going to be based on students meeting certain criteria; wouldn't this simply lead back to using standardized testing as a way to see how students are progressing? Some would say that using standardized testing would be a way to take out variable such as different teachers' and different schools' standards, but most, including Obama, realize that this is not a fair or accurate approach.

Standardized test, performance based evaluations, computerized testing such as MAPS testing,etc. I think doing several different evaluations could give a pretty good picture. Do an assessment at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year. For children coming in from another school in the middle of the year, adjustments would have to be made obviously...perhaps either not including that particular child in the merit pay increase or measuring growth only during the time there. There is a way to do it if the will is there. What do you think I have to do when I get a student in the middle of the year. I evaluate where they are, what their needs are, and then do the best I can to have them where they need to be by the end of the year. What teacher is not going to do a good job knowing the performance THAT year will be evaluated. And if a child comes in a year behind grade level, then why can't the expectations still be for one year's growth. Isn't that fair?

As I've stated in other posts, I agree with the concept of rewarding teachers who go the extra mile. However, I disagree with any system in which teacher pay is tied to the... outcomes, I guess would be the closest word- produced by his or her students. The measures of testing student performance that you mention would, I believe, all be effective measures in varying degrees, but I think even a combination would not produce a method of truly determining a teacher's effectiveness.

I've actually RECEIVED merit pay. I do know what I'm talking about here.

The number of yawning chasms of trouble that can of merit pay opens is worthy of an entire forum all on its own.

Start with this: whatever criteria you use to determine merit, it will become a political tool, divorced from actual classroom dynamics. This opens the door for more political manipulation of curriculum, instruction, scheduling, etc.. that does not directly address the needs of the actual, live students in the classroom. As a matter of fact, it inevitably distracts attention from students.

to set for teachers. He did not say he would independently set goals where the teachers could not make them.

I can only see a problem if they do not perform satisfactorily. Meaning if they do not meet their goals. He would work with teachers to come up with an agreement on how to properly measure their performance. People were jumping to conclusions earlier because they did not really listen to what he said.

According to what Obama wants to do....that is if you are actually listening to him.

him.