Paper # 3 Final Draft...

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.