Students Evaluating Teachers
Reformy John King has decreed what students think is important. He didn't ask them whether they wanted Common Core, and he didn't consider how they'd feel when 70% of them fail the tests. He didn't ask them whether they wanted to lose their neighborhood schools, or the large part of their neighborhoods they'd lose along with them. After all, his kids don't go to those schools anyway, so why should he care about that?
He did, though, decide that what kids think will help decide their teachers' ratings. Of course that's a good idea. While he's enforcing laws that mean test scores will determine whether or not teachers keep their jobs, he wants to make sure the kids' opinions count. But actually, if tests are the only things that matter, opinions are not that important. In fact, the Common Core advocates often say they don't wish to read writing about how people feel--what's important is how well they produce tedious essays analyzing other tedious essays.
I can go various ways when I teach. In my current classes, most kids are pretty happy. It's my job to teach them English, they want and need to learn it, and things kind of work out. I actually believe they ought to have fun and be happy when learning. I believe it's part of my job to let them know and see that English can be a thing of joy, that their lives can be joyful, and
He did, though, decide that what kids think will help decide their teachers' ratings. Of course that's a good idea. While he's enforcing laws that mean test scores will determine whether or not teachers keep their jobs, he wants to make sure the kids' opinions count. But actually, if tests are the only things that matter, opinions are not that important. In fact, the Common Core advocates often say they don't wish to read writing about how people feel--what's important is how well they produce tedious essays analyzing other tedious essays.
I can go various ways when I teach. In my current classes, most kids are pretty happy. It's my job to teach them English, they want and need to learn it, and things kind of work out. I actually believe they ought to have fun and be happy when learning. I believe it's part of my job to let them know and see that English can be a thing of joy, that their lives can be joyful, and
