On “We Must Fire All Bad Teachers”

Cathie: You seem very upset, Elliot
Elliot: Did you see the March 15, 2010 cover of Newsweek?
Cathie: No, I …
Elliot: Newsweek has crossed the line into sensationalist journalism!!
Cathie: Oh gosh… I feel a rant coming.
Elliot: Rant? RANT? Me rant?
Cathie: Now I am sure ….
Elliot: …The cover says, and I quote, “The key to saving American Education” is “We must fire bad teachers.”
Cathie: Teacher bashing--a favorite American pastime.
Elliot: On so many levels Newsweek is wrong!
Cathie: Did you read the article?
Elliot: What do you think?
Cathie: Thought so.
Elliot: I don’t need to read the article; I can’t read the article; it’s too painful.
Cathie: Read the article, Elliot; then let’s talk.
Elliot: Ok, Ok, you’re right. BRB.
Cathie: We aren’t texting, remember.
Elliot: Oops – be right back!
Cathie: <patiently waiting – but also reading the Newsweek article>
Elliot: I’m back and it’s worse than just teacher bashing. Newsweek is saying that the fundamental problem with American education is bad teachers. Yes, there are teachers that should not be in classrooms and yes, there should be a mechanism to get those individuals out of the classroom, but firing the bad teachers will not fix America’s education system.
Cathie: During the auto industry meltdown, we didn’t see a magazine cover that said: Fire all the bad auto workers.
Elliot:  Right! No other profession takes such a public beating.  Maybe there should be a magazine cover saying “Fire all the Wall Street speculators.”
Cathie: Careful, careful…
Elliot: The problem with the Newsweek article is its simplistic analysis…
Cathie: …you mean its overly simplistic analysis.
Elliot: Newsweek’s unprofessional and naïve journalism doesn’t contribute to the solution.
Cathie: My, my, you are on a tear.  I wonder how our readers feel about this issue.
Elliot: There is no debate on this one!
Cathie: Now whose analysis is simplistic…
Elliot: <grumble, grumble> Stop being right all the time.
Cathie: Relax, relax... let’s hear what folks have to say!

Comments

[Mark Egli, School Supt]

Everyone needs to read Disrupting Class by Clayton Christensen. Education's greatest fault is its intransigence as an institution. Technology has great potential to change the way we teach and learn, however teachers are very good at adapting technology to the way we currently teach and learn. They aren't necessarily "bad" teachers, but they are out of touch with how today's students communicate and want to obtain information.

[Elliot Soloway]

Thank you for your observations, Mark. Disrupting Class is definitely a must read - even though Cathie & I disagree with the book’s basic premise. (See http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2127). It is healthy to get shaken up and Disrupting Class is indeed disrupting! Your comment about adapting technology to our current instructional methods is very right accurate. I have a special place for electronic whiteboards in my hall of shame. While it isn’t fair to blame a technology for how it is used, EWBs make it so very easy to devolve back to a teacher-centric classroom. That said, am I naïve to believe that cellphone technology will be much more difficult to be co-opted to support didactic, drill-and-practice instruction?