Monday, June 09, 2008
Education Bureaucracy Run Amok - Australia
This post by William Katz says it all:
"There is deep concern in the Australian educational establishment over teachers who actually raise their voices in order to control their classrooms. Those cruel, inhuman teachers:
If you have not been in a classroom lately, maybe you should visit one. Teachers are in a real bind (some of it is of their own making). If they discipline, they're "picking on someone" and often are told, "My parents will sue you and the school system." Boards of Education often refuse to back teachers.
Result: Teachers cannot teach; students do not learn.
Wake up!
I have major differences with the teachers' unions but I will support their efforts to control their environment. When teachers work in an environment where students can attack them and parents threaten to sue over anything and boards and administrators fail to support teachers, we all lose. Spoiled parents and students deny others their right to learn.
Finally, check this article for the absurd attitude of parents in Japan - all students got to play Snow White - no witch, no dwarfs, etc. We do children no good by letting them think they will always win, be first, get A's in all subjects, etc. In essence, we are lying to them.
"There is deep concern in the Australian educational establishment over teachers who actually raise their voices in order to control their classrooms. Those cruel, inhuman teachers:
TEACHERS are under scrutiny for shouting while trying to control students in the classroom and playground.Teachers have launched legal action against the department, claiming the investigations are eroding their authority and affecting discipline."
Education Department officials are investigating teachers for shouting at students to "put that down'', "leave him alone'', "sit down'' or "pick up those papers'' and demanding to know, "who told you that you could go there?''
The Sunday Telegraph has obtained letters sent from the department to teachers, asking them to explain their actions.
One letter stated: "It is alleged that while you were employed as a teacher you engaged in unreasonable conduct towards students, contrary to the Code of Conduct 2004, in that on unspecified occasions in class you unnecessarily yelled at students''.
If you have not been in a classroom lately, maybe you should visit one. Teachers are in a real bind (some of it is of their own making). If they discipline, they're "picking on someone" and often are told, "My parents will sue you and the school system." Boards of Education often refuse to back teachers.
Result: Teachers cannot teach; students do not learn.
Wake up!
I have major differences with the teachers' unions but I will support their efforts to control their environment. When teachers work in an environment where students can attack them and parents threaten to sue over anything and boards and administrators fail to support teachers, we all lose. Spoiled parents and students deny others their right to learn.
Finally, check this article for the absurd attitude of parents in Japan - all students got to play Snow White - no witch, no dwarfs, etc. We do children no good by letting them think they will always win, be first, get A's in all subjects, etc. In essence, we are lying to them.
Labels: education
