Those
Who Can’t Do, Teach?
William Arthur Ward said, “The mediocre
teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.” The sad truth of the matter is that these words
aren’t really applied or appreciated anymore. One of the biggest problems with
our education system today is that while the fantastic teachers who go above
and beyond for their students are not recognized, the horrible teachers who
don’t care and don’t teach are rewarded. The single-most important change I
would make to the K-12 education system would be to ensure that the teachers
are properly prepared to educate our children.
In his article titled, “What Makes a
Good Teacher”, Dan Brown states the question, “ Are teachers born or made?”
(Brown 1). I believe that most are born with the passion and desire to teach,
but the great ones are both born and made. They have the desire to teach, but
if they are faced with obstacles, they learn new ways to overcome them.
However, not all teachers possess these qualities. As a way to improve our
education system, I would propose that any tenured teachers who have a poor
track record, show no interest in teaching, or have been reprimanded for
behavioral issues are examined more closely. As shown in the film, Waiting for Superman, these teachers are
not being punished in any way. If anything, they are being rewarded. They are
taken out of the classrooms and sent to the “Rubber Room” in New York, where
they are paid their regular wages to sit in a room all day and do nothing. Some
read, some play cards, and some even sleep; and the average amount of time
spent there is three years. Not only do they get their full pay while they are
“under investigation”, but they also receive their full benefits. I think it is
despicable. Quite frankly, the amount of money that is spent on these teachers
is more than they deserve. Not to mention, it could be put to much better use.
I would suggest that any teachers sent to the “Rubber Room” should be sent back
to school to learn how to be a better and more effective teacher. If they
refuse to go back to school, it would show a blatant lack of interest or desire
to teach, and therefore they should be let go. Some would object to this idea,
saying that those teachers earned that tenured position and it would be unfair
to take it away from them. I would have to counter-object, and remind everyone
that too many schools in America are under-funded. Schools are shut down or are
not run properly because of a lack of available funds. Some students are shoved
into classrooms that are too full, and therefore they don’t receive the
attention they need. Others have certain talents for the arts such as music or
dance, but they cannot express themselves or explore their areas of interest
because their school doesn’t have the money to support the arts. A good example
of an under-funded school is Garfield High School, which is portrayed in the
movie, Stand and Deliver. At Garfield
High School, teachers who are supposed to be teaching computers are teaching
mathematics, and there are not enough books or supplies for the students
because of a lack of funding. The cost of letting these bad teachers sit in the
“Rubber Room” seven hours a day for up to three years? That money could buy
textbooks, supplies, and support for schools in need. It could open other
schools and open up jobs for people who really want to teach. Or, it could be
used to rehabilitate the teachers who just need a little extra help. In his
article titled, “Against School: How Public Education Cripples our Kids and
Why”, John Taylor Gatto states, “They said teachers didn’t seem to know much
about their subjects and clearly weren’t interested in learning more. And the
kids were right: their teachers were every bit as bored as they were” (Gatto 1).
This leads me to my next argument: that
if the teachers aren’t just lazy or indifferent; if they GENUINELY need more
training in other areas, such as classroom management, sending them back to
school could solve this problem. For instance, in the documentary, Chalk, Mr. Lowrey was a first-year
teacher. The film showed his continuous struggle with his students, and even
showed him going to the library to get books on classroom management. Mr. Lowrey’s
actions show a huge effort on his part. However, though he began to show
improvement with his students towards the end, he still ultimately chose to
leave the school. He was unprepared for the reality of what it takes to be a
teacher, and his feelings of defeat overpowered his desire to teach. In my
opinion, his quote at the end of the film was one of the most powerful statements
that I’ve heard all quarter. He says, “Being a teacher is a gift. Maybe it’s
something you can learn, but no one’s taught me.” (Chalk). He is a perfect example of a teacher who really wanted to
connect with his students, but just wasn’t properly prepared in ALL aspects of
teaching; not just in regards to the curriculum, but in classroom management as
well. Some would argue that if the teachers finished school already and are
clearly not successful, why pay to send them back? The answer to this question
is that it could give the teachers the opportunity to improve in areas that
they may not have studied thoroughly enough. That is, if they actually care
enough to improve. If not, they are free to pursue another career path.
Finally, and in my opinion, the most
important reason: because children will learn better from teachers who care
about teaching. Not only in the sense of their education, but also in regards
to values and work ethic. In the movie, Mona
Lisa Smile, it is shown that Ms. Watson is clearly unprepared to teach her
students on that first day. However, her desire to teach outweighs the defeat
that she felt, and her creativity allowed her to find new, brilliant ways to
help her students learn. Not only in regards to the artwork they studied, but
also in life. She taught her girls many valuable life lessons, and at the end
of it all, they could call her a friend and a mentor. While some would say that
the “Rubber Room” does not affect the kids; that they are resilient and will
not be ignored, and that they’ll simply get another teacher when their previous
instructor is relieved of their duties. To that, I say that a child’s biggest
influences are their parents, teachers, and friends. If their teachers act
indifferent about the education of their students, it shows not only that no
one cares about our children’s education, but also teaches them that the
behavior is acceptable. The children could accept a lower form of education,
and could possibly show the same indifference when they reach adulthood. Simply
put, it’s the blind leading the blind.
Our children deserve to have the best
education possible, and that requires teachers who make an effort to teach
them, and who actually want to help. By sending the teachers who are below par
back to school to improve their teaching skills, we can help shape the
education of future generations. The money being spent on these teachers would
be put to better use in helping support the children, it would help the
teachers who need to specialize in other areas, and it would teach our children
valuable life lessons. Not only will the children gain a proper education, but
also our society as a whole will benefit from their knowledge. At the very
least, it will provide future generations with a stronger workforce, thereby
instilling a better work ethic and a stronger sense of self.
Works Cited:
Chalk: Real Teaching Leaves a Mark.
Dir. Mike Akel. Perf. Troy Schremmer, Janelle Schremmer, and Shannon Haragan. Someday
Soon Productions. 2006. DVD.
Waiting for ‘Superman’.
Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. The Black Family, Geoffrey Canada, and The Esparza
Family. Paramount Vantage, 2010. DVD.
Stand and Deliver.
Dir. Ramon Menendez. Perf. Edward James Olmos, Estelle Harris, and Mark Phelan.
Warner Bros. 1988. DVD.
Mona Lisa Smile.
Dir. Mike Newell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles. Revolution.
2003. DVD.
Gatto, John Taylor. "Against
School." Against School - John Taylor Gatto. Cornell.edu,
Sept. 2003. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.
Brown, Dan. “What Makes a Great Teacher?” WJLA.com. ABC 7, August 2012. Web. 14
Mar. 2013.
