tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post8578386139256699336..comments2023-03-30T07:25:06.808-07:00Comments on Annoying Pittsburgh: Mostly Useless Baldwin-Whitehall Teachers Striking-Comments from a Former TeacherGravishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15920580664336083061noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-4780099837783745302009-04-20T06:48:00.000-07:002009-04-20T06:48:00.000-07:00Hello,
I understand your aversion for the whole c...Hello, <br />I understand your aversion for the whole concept of tenure, but having researched the issue a bit more, I find that it is quite necessary for the well-being of the students. Consider the two following points: <br />1. How do you judge the quality of a teacher? In many universities students evaluate their professors at the end of a course, and studies have shown that students will rate their professors better if the professors offers them chocolate in class. In other words, with such a system, teachers will have to PLEASE their students instead of focusing their efforts on educating them. Often, what it takes for a teacher to educate students properly will not necessarily please the students. Is it fair to tie down the teachers like this, and can you really trust students to fairly judge their teachers?<br />2. Suppose you want to judge the teachers by some other criteria, such as performance by students on tests. Suddenly the teacher has no freedom to teach the way s/he wants to teach, and has to transform the class into an exam-oriented course just so that the students do well. I have been in such an academic environment before, and it was stifling- the poor teacher couldn't even teach us the stuff we actually were interested in learning because she had to focus on preparing us for our exam. <br />Annoying Pittsburgh, I can understand your qualms about pay completely, but I think that it is essential for teachers to have the freedom to teach however they feel is the most effective way of teaching, and the freedom to feel like they can tell a student who is misbehaving to shut up without any fear of being fired for it. Before you make such an incriminating complaint, you should think of solutions that would actually work. I am a senior in high school, with some terrible teachers and some great ones. I know the system isn't perfect, but I don't think it should change until we come up with a truly better solution.Ilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10546706849723977834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-36901165703467623462008-07-23T12:44:00.000-07:002008-07-23T12:44:00.000-07:00Garvis, To clarify DC's comment. I think he was po...Garvis, <BR/>To clarify DC's comment. I think he was poking fun at the fact that you wanted to hire antonio for the low price of 30 cents per hour, despite the fact that his lessons were helping you improve your English, thus making him one of the high-performing teachers you are so eager to financially compensate.<BR/><BR/>I believe the post was in jest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-88976379278826634442008-04-09T09:08:00.000-07:002008-04-09T09:08:00.000-07:00LOL. This is hilarious. YOU made the choice not ...LOL. This is hilarious. YOU made the choice not to pay attention and use your education.<BR/><BR/>Do you think they gave you A's and B's because you deserved it?<BR/><BR/>The fact is, the retards and foreigners in these school districts are holding the ENTIRE class back. They are not allowed to move past the slower kids. They are not allowed to discipline the children because their liberal parents will have a cow. The parents for the most part are beer swilling Pittsburgh whitetrash that believe their children are angels and never do wrong. <BR/>The schools are out of hand. The principals and the like do NOT want waves, and sending a kid to the office does NOTHING. <BR/>Education is failing because of the parents and the no child left behind act. <BR/>Think about it? If you were in a battle and the everyone had to wait for the slow guy , shoot like the guy that can't shoot straight, and you weren't allowed to get rid of the guy that was shooting his own mates, how fast would the entire force be wiped out?<BR/><BR/>The SAME exact thing is happening in our schools.<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry you are so angry, maybe you should have taken some college prep classes and out of school college preparation like I had to do. I didn't blame my teacher(s), I blamed myself for not being prepared initially. After a bit however, college was a breeze. I work in the computer industry and can't imagine being a teacher. Sure I would like to have my 'summer off' but consider ALL OF THEM MUST HAVE THEIR MASTERS DEGREE, if I had my masters I would be probably making closer to 80k per year. Most of the teacher I know make about 30-40 k with their master's degree. 3 months off a fair tradeoff for about 40 k?!?!??!<BR/>Not to mention, I would kill a kid if I had to be a teacher but that's another point...I just don't have patience.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-62944135965104130672007-04-10T19:40:00.000-07:002007-04-10T19:40:00.000-07:00DC,I don't know what you are talking about. Who i...DC,<BR/><BR/>I don't know what you are talking about. Who is making $30 an hour? What is 2080? Is this an angry post? If it is, at least call me names like moron, then I will know..Gravishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15920580664336083061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-57404341157237433912007-04-10T18:03:00.000-07:002007-04-10T18:03:00.000-07:00How do you recommend "we" remove a Union??? $.30/h...How do you recommend "we" remove a Union???<BR/><BR/><BR/> $.30/hr. Gravis? A bit extreme from the current $40/hr, and thats with a 2080 hr year, which I know no teacher works. Or am I wrong?<BR/>Why don't you pay him what we pay our teachers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-16200582984850944542007-04-03T08:59:00.000-07:002007-04-03T08:59:00.000-07:00public schools in the United States are a disgrace...public schools in the United States are a disgrace. i agree about the teachers union (it sucks), but there are more factors involved with our churning out dumb kids, like family life, discipline, a desire to learn in the first place, etc. <BR/>we have a cushy life in this country where its easy to get by, so school becomes not a dire necessity, but a day care.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-26372746041234810282007-03-06T10:56:00.000-08:002007-03-06T10:56:00.000-08:00i taught for 10 years in chicago before moving to ...i taught for 10 years in chicago before moving to pittsburgh.<BR/><BR/>that said...i'm totally with you on this one.old man neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09072923627054770157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-9866493182064519982007-03-02T11:13:00.000-08:002007-03-02T11:13:00.000-08:00can't agree with you enough dude. used to live in ...can't agree with you enough dude. used to live in the burgh now out here in LA and shit doesnt change. your highschool was pretty suburban as I can remember, at least out here they have gangs and shit to deal with. <BR/>Keep blogin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-29304265943633586882007-02-27T05:46:00.000-08:002007-02-27T05:46:00.000-08:00I looked at that report you posted and though it i...I looked at that report you posted and though it is slightly dated, I don't think there are many better reports that summarize the garbage that goes on in our schools. None of the pay matches up with the abilities of the teachers. I know that some schools are harder to work at than others, but if you want more pay you should demand results from it, not just "setting it to meet the needs of the rest of society"<BR/><BR/>I am forwarding this post off to my friends that are teachers at nearby schools. Great post and I agree 100%, but I guarantee they will have something to say about this. I hope you let them have it, and please don't block their comments.<BR/>Keep up the great blog, and add some more functionality and articles to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-40582213181885490932007-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:002007-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00I understand it very well as I was a teacher mysel...I understand it very well as I was a teacher myself anony-anus. I know Baldwin teachers do a below average job and they get above average pay, how is that equitable?<BR/><BR/>You should look up some English rules too, dickhead. Farther is used with a <B>real distance</B>. Here is an example:<BR/><BR/>'Anonymous' should drive FARTHER from Pittsburgh, perhaps to Greenland and into a lake of herpes.<BR/><BR/>Was that good? Are my English skills getting better yet? I guess Antonio's training is helping out!Gravishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15920580664336083061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-88645350234911193842007-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:002007-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:00Gravis, maybe you should have spent a little more ...Gravis, maybe you should have spent a little more time paying attention in English class and a little less time complaining about all things under the sun. Seems to me you do not understand the very situation at hand. These teachers are fighting for what is fair and equitable. But before I go any farther, you do know what equitable means?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-88662979453838307142007-02-25T16:57:00.000-08:002007-02-25T16:57:00.000-08:00Tell you what, Antonio, how about I pay you 30 cen...Tell you what, Antonio, how about I pay you 30 cents an hour, and you can train me on how to be expert writer like yourself, or in the likes of Hemmingway or Stein. Typical 13 year old Digg douche.Gravishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15920580664336083061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-86169474494893697452007-02-24T22:35:00.000-08:002007-02-24T22:35:00.000-08:00Wow-seems like your blog is garnering some attenti...Wow-seems like your blog is garnering some attention. It could very well be because of the strength and clarity of your writing.Antoniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15638019878860545948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4701298532605036918.post-41701094390376204022007-02-24T18:13:00.000-08:002007-02-24T18:13:00.000-08:00...I'm having a similarly difficult time understan......I'm having a similarly difficult time understanding the positives of a teacher's union.<BR/><BR/>:)Shawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05093170309806260127noreply@blogger.com