Mr. Crowsen, my high school English teacher was a no-nonsense tough guy who told all the losers to sit in the back and not bother those of us who wanted to learn. My friend Steve got up and sat the back. That was the first year he got any Fs on his report card. Halfway through the year, Mr. Crowsen left (none of us knew why) and was replaced by a bird-like man named Mr. Largent. Mr. Largent puffed out his tiny chest and declared that no one gets Fs in his class. He hounded Steve, bugged Steve's parents, and basically tutored him after school until Steve caught up. Teachers who do not permit failure are at the pinnacle of their profession. Schools that carry this attitude are the most successful. Anyone who carries Mr. Crowsen's attitude into a class should get out of the profession. Those people make all teachers look bad. Steve is now the principal of that school we went to years ago, and he embodies Mr. Largent's passion for making certain students do not fail. If charters are being used to house teachers like Mr. Crowsen, I'm doubly against them. However, this runs counter to my experience. The charter school teachers I've been have been more like Mr. Largent. Favorite Teacher Blogs: http://ed-is-life.blogspot.com/ and http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
Amen. Favorite Teacher Blogs: http://ed-is-life.blogspot.com/ and http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
I know this is strange but I like the methods of both Mr Crowsen and Mr Largent. In HS if you are not there to learn you probably need to go learn a trade and stop wasting the class's time. On the other hand I agree that some people need to be dragged kicking and screaming toward a better life. Im guessing Mr Largent had not taught forever or saw something in Steve (great name) and did not want to see it wasted. I betting Mr Crowson saved a few with his methods, too.
I remember Mr. Crowsen blasting our class as lazy. He told us that every one of us had missed the same question on the test. As a teacher, I know if everyone misses a question, it's not the class's fault. I made a mistake in teaching it. I think Crome Dome (our nickname for the balding teacher) just didn't know how to teach. I wonder how many Steves he damaged. Favorite Teacher Blogs: http://ed-is-life.blogspot.com/ and http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
From what I've experienced, charters operate somewhat like private schools. Although they are government funded, the quality of the school will come from how involved the community/parents are. I am at a HORRIBLE charter, no parental involvement/no structure, but 30 min up the road, in the same regional area, is a charter that is excelling past the local public schools. I think the charters that are actually a "choice" for parents in urban areas are fine, it's the charters that are just as bad or worse than the neighboring public schools I have a problem with.
The guy that runs education in the UK has had Arne Duncan over several times. We have Charters (we call them Free schools) we also have Academies where the school is taken out of district control and funded directly by the Government. However they have made sure it is not a level playing field. Free schools and Academies have far more freedom in choosing their own curriculum, they are only obliged to teach English and Maths, all other subjects are optional. The 'Public' (we call them 'State') schools have to still follow the rigid National Curriculum delivering the full range of subjects. Frees and Academies are under no obligation to employ qualifed teachers or to use the National pay scales (they could of course pay more but they don't, except for the Principals who often earn 50% more than one in a State school). Our free schools are not required to teach Phys Ed or to even have a Gym or field! Free schools and Academies are not required to provide meals that follow the national standards for nutrition. A recent survey by one of our newspapers showed that 80% of them are not providing nutritious meals and instead are just providing vending machines full of unhealthy snacks and fizzy pop! It is our Government's aim to make all schools Academies or Frees and to destry local control of education and at the same time destroy the teaching profession.
Why are they doing this? Don't they know the whole nation prospers with with a solid education? Favorite Teacher Blogs: http://ed-is-life.blogspot.com/ and http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
Buit our Government is into Austerity. Destroy the current education system and replace it with one that is a lot cheaper to run, makes profits for your friends (we have a right wing government at the moment), destroy the teacing unions. make sure the people likely to vote for you can have their children educated away from the unwashed and then you win their votes!
