[Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Politics & Education..Big Al suck it up

[Herb Parsons]

I probably should have said this earlier, but in my "vision" of a 
voucher system, current "public" schools would also receive vouchers for 
their students.

Also, certain "at risk" categories would receive a high voucher - 
exceptional students that have been mainstreamed or require exceptional 
circumstances at the school.

I know one of the complaints about providing a voucher system is that 
the kids that, because of disabilities, have a higher "cost factor" 
would not be accepted at the schools. That would help alleviate that.

As for the private schools (often) attracting teachers that wouldn't 
teach at public schools; I know there's a variety of reasons:

1) No requirement for credentials (stop and really think on that one a 
bit - ironic that high-caliber folks go places where they don't require 
credentials)
2) Less of a beauracratic  hassle (another irony, the other way. As 
private schools become more successful, the administrative level will 
get more top heavy)
3) A desire to teach the way they want to teach (sort of tied to the two 
above, but a little broader - Christians often want to teach in a 
Christian atmosphere, Muslims often want to teach in that atmosphere, 
etc etc)

One of these days, the education system has got to come face to face 
with the "credential" issue. When we have a seriously broken system full 
of credentialed educators, and well-working systems with 
non-credentialed teachers, there's obviously some room for give.

In TX, the requirement for credentials is worked around pretty regularly 
(and it's funny, because "the system" that does the workaround is the 
same "system" that creates the problem). They are allowed to use 
non-credentialed teachers on an emergency basis. If a non-credential 
teacher teaches long enough, they can earn their credentials based on 
their teaching experience. Guess what happens?

Another bit of irony on a personal level. I've got several different 
certifications as a technical instructor. The dean of a local technical 
college attended two classes where I was an instructor. After the second 
class, he asked if I had any experience teaching at the college level. I 
told him only some computer classes at SMU school of engineering that 
were non-credit (for Microsoft and Novell certification). He asked why I 
only taught non-credit, and I told him because I had no teaching 
credentials. He asked me (actually several times over the next 6 months) 
to go back to college, get a degree in ANYTHING, so I could come teach 
at his school.

Sorry, but it makes me smile that the college adminstrator recognizes 
exactly what he wants, but is required by "the system" to force the 
person to get "qualified" by getting a degree in a non-related field.

It was a little bit tempting, but only a little bit. I suspect I 
wouldn't have last long with the type of frustrations that such a 
"system" would afford.
elle wrote:
> OK, Herb....I'm back...In for a dime...;^)
>
> I was computerless for a day but now all's back to
> whatever passes for normal in my sphere....
>
> You make some good points....school systems vary
> throughout the country that one size can't fit all
> (Hear this, Geo Bush?) 
>
> Again..I can't disagree with much of your last
> post...most kids will rise to whatever level of
> mediocrity or expectation that we set. 
>
> As for why the private schools in Tx garner good
> teachers w/abysmal pay....I'll hazard a guess & say
> working conditions(?)...respectful kids, good
> parents...strong admin...just a guess...
>
> BTW...what are the public schools like with these
> students and their resources skimmed off?
>
> I still have to believe that the solution is not to
> 'segregate' kids with vouchers but to use that $ to
> improve (and therein lies the rub...!) the schools in
> the district so the resources are concentrated...
>
> But the secret to success is people who care...but
> caring has physical, emotional and personal costs when
> you are dealing with people...in my experience, in
> education, it's not "The squeaky wheel..." of "Cream
> rises to the top..."  It's "The nail that sticks out
> gets hammered back down."
>
> elle
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Ha! As to your last comment, you're in it because
>> you answered!! Serves 
>> you right. :)
>>
>> I don't get away from my home area dealing with kids
>> much anymore since 
>> mine are all grown, but what I see in TX aren't
>> people asking for 
>> voucher systems so they can move the schools away;
>> what I see are people 
>> wanting a voucher system so they can send kids to
>> schools already in 
>> existence in their areas. Private schools abound
>> here in TX. The 
>> problems are that they are somewhat expensive, and
>> the teachers are 
>> REALLY under paid. Funny how they can attrack
>> quality teachers on low 
>> pay, but they do.
>>
>> I don't think poorly performing students would be
>> left behind. I do 
>> believe that there will be schools that offer to
>> deal with those 
>> students who were not able to remain in the schools
>> that demand too 
>> much. Personally, I believe those schools will put
>> out a poorer quality 
>> of students, but that happens today anyway, so it's
>> no loss.
>>
>> Excellence and mediocrity are both infectious. The
>> problem is that 
>> mediocrity is so much easier to obtain, it more
>> easily takes over. 
>> That's what's happened today. If you pull those that
>> are determined to 
>> fail no matter what away from those that are more
>> open to a better way, 
>> demand excellence from what's left over, people
>> would be surprised at 
>> the results.
>>
>> Have you read the story of Ken Carter from Riveside,
>> CA? He was the 
>> subject of the slightly fictionalized Coach Carter. 
>> Basically, he took 
>> a baskeball team of students doing poorly in school,
>> had them sign 
>> contracts stating they would maintain at least a 2.3
>> GPA (the district 
>> only required a 2.0), and then enforced it. He
>> cancelled two games in a 
>> row, forfeiting them, and the players' families were
>> ready to have him 
>> fired. But the students complied, and in a school
>> full of kids that 
>> didn't succeed academicly his players DID. His
>> actions actually raised 
>> the academic performance of the entire school.
>>
>> Of course, he's no longer part of the public school
>> system. I haven't 
>> heard the story of why that is, but I have my
>> suspicions...
>>
>>
>>     
>
>
> We can't change the angle of the wind....but we can adjust our sails.
>
>  1992 Rhodes 22   Recyc '06  "WaterMusic"   (Lady in Red)
>
>
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