Jeb Bush forms new education group to reward top teachers

Florida's shadow governor.

can blame the result of using inferior materials (unwilling students who don't want to learn) on the person who makes a product from the inferior materials ...

Imagine if you were faulted for having to make a car out of two twigs and some wire - the only materials you're allowed to use ...

Wonder how much weight is going to be given to the teacher's political leanings/registration when it comes time to determine who gets a bonus ...

If you are at 95% there is not much room for improvement, and improvement is the criterion for the award.

It's about discrediting public education, pitting teacher against teacher, school against school, placing more and more unreasonable demands on teachers which divert attention away from reforms that would actually benefit children and strengthen public education. And of course a maniacal obsession with testing diverts attention away from the elephants in the classroom... Even if test scores rise, real and lasting learning and the joy of learning for its own sake has not.

And the sad part is, I think politicians like Jeb Bush KNOW that it is fundamentally unsound and unjust to place so much credence in the ability of standardized tests to judge the quality of teaching and learning. Apparently they just don't care...priority one is loading public schools down with so much crap under the guise of "accountability" that they eventually cannot survive and more and more money is funneled to private interests in the name of so-called "failing" public schools.

And about those vouchers--- a few days ago I posted a question on my blog for politicians which shines a spotlight on the hypocrisy involved. Actually I directed the question to presidential candidates who would support vouchers but the point is the same. The question itself is in red and the post isn't very long if you'd like to take a look. http://aplacetorespond.blogspot.com/2008/01/waiting-list-question-1.html

For those of you who live in Florida, maybe those words or similar words would make good letters-to-the-editor to submit to Florida newspapers? Anyway, if anybody wants to, please steal those words or modify them to your liking to make the point!

I'm sorry to be such a dummy and this is a little embarrassing but what does "n/t" mean?

Thanks!

the same as "eom," which means "end of message."

It's to let you know that there isn't any further message to click on.

:hi:

:thumbsdown:

As in, "pay for education" is coming your way.