DC Loses Another Terrific Teacher

[Anonymous]

Well, the system isn't massive. It's small. Under 50,000 students these days, so it's not as if she's reforming Brooklyn, ya know?

It wouldn't have taken a huge effort to see what worked. She would have had to spend less time courting the media and answering parent emails and more time, I don't know, talking to teachers and principals? Maybe her feet hurt and it was hard to walk around school buildings? Perhaps it it was easier for her to sit around and answer emails?

Given that the elementary scores overall, are BELOW what they were in 2007, before Rhee first arrived, maybe we ought to "go back." I'm just saying...

Whatever she's done, it sure isn't working on the elementary school level based on her own measure of success, the DC-CAS.

[Anonymous]

I suppose you're right...eventually gentrification will take care of the low test scores. No reason to do anything about the decades-old rot in the system.

[Anonymous]

Rhee's "do anything" isn't working. No what?

[Anonymous]

Now what, I meant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rhee's "do anything" isn't working. No what?

I always find it a bit puzzling that sitting on our hands for twenty years as things go into the crapper is fine, but Rhee's comprehensive overhaul of the system has been deemed a failure after, what, 3 years?

My DD had to take some medicine a few months ago; she hated the taste of it. Her response was "It's not working! No more!"

While I understand the sentiment, sometimes healing takes time.

[Anonymous]

Take a gander at the evaluation. You would really have to be a terrible teacher to get the boot.

[Anonymous]

"Sometimes healing takes time."

Uh, no. That's not what the Chancellor says. That's not how teachers and principals are judged.

Why is she special?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Sometimes healing takes time."

Uh, no. That's not what the Chancellor says. That's not how teachers and principals are judged.

Why is she special?

Clearly not, since there are hundreds of teachers who scored as "marginally effective" who are allowed to stay in the system and improve. So interesting that you don't get that. Again, after the 2006-2007 school year, exactly *one* teacher was let go for being ineffective. Are you a teacher? I'm guessing not, but if you are, are you telling me that every single one of your colleagues is up-to-snuff? Heck, in my job, half the people here are useless, and could stand to be let go.

We always talk about how teachers should be respected, and how they have the most important job in the world. I happen to think this is true. We should start taking seriously whether they're effective or not. Not everyone can be a doctor; that's why we respect them. Same with teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Sometimes healing takes time."

Uh, no. That's not what the Chancellor says. That's not how teachers and principals are judged.

Why is she special?

Clearly not, since there are hundreds of teachers who scored as "marginally effective" who are allowed to stay in the system and improve. So interesting that you don't get that. Again, after the 2006-2007 school year, exactly *one* teacher was let go for being ineffective. Are you a teacher? I'm guessing not, but if you are, are you telling me that every single one of your colleagues is up-to-snuff? Heck, in my job, half the people here are useless, and could stand to be let go.

We always talk about how teachers should be respected, and how they have the most important job in the world. I happen to think this is true. We should start taking seriously whether they're effective or not. Not everyone can be a doctor; that's why we respect them. Same with teachers.

This is the fault of principals. There was a 90 day review/support/fire policy in place for failing teachers at that time. If I were Rhee, I would have put my money into encouraging principals to follow the detailed process, and perhaps fine-tuning the review process to make it streamlined and user-friendly for both teacher and principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take a gander at the evaluation. You would really have to be a terrible teacher to get the boot.

Which one? There are several versions of the evaluation.

[Anonymous]

Look at all of them. Rhee was even smart enough to come up with evaluations for the support staff. And yes they can help schools function. Ever heard of the Hawthorne Effect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is the fault of principals. There was a 90 day review/support/fire policy in place for failing teachers at that time. If I were Rhee, I would have put my money into encouraging principals to follow the detailed process, and perhaps fine-tuning the review process to make it streamlined and user-friendly for both teacher and principal.

What I heard is that this process is so cumbersome that principals didn't use it. I agree though that it had much to recommend it. I would like have to seen it made more user-friendly as you are suggesting.