IntenseDebate - peachteach

15 years ago @ Big Hollywood - 2011 Best Picture Nomi... · 2 replies · +8 points

I always want to like Natalie Portman, but there doesn't seem to be much substance to her characters. Mila Kunis just shines on screen.

15 years ago @ Big Hollywood - 2011 Best Picture Nomi... · 0 replies · +1 points

I completely agree. I was really disturbed by this movie but didn't like it as much as I wanted to like it. I felt like the story floated without concentrating on its most interesting plot ideas and the camera work at time made me a little sick to my stomach.

15 years ago @ Big Government - On Reagan · 0 replies · +1 points

Agreed. I would like to have a president like Reagan again. I remember the pride I had in the United States and in my president as I was growing up and I would like to feel that again!

15 years ago @ Big Government - Teachers Union Honesty... · 0 replies · +1 points

I agree. It is not the amount of money, but how it is spent. Most teachers (not those I work with here in Los Angeles maybe) will tell you that increasing funding WILL NOT solve the educational problems we are facing. Look at the bureaucracy that has been created as funding has gone up. Take a look at how the standards (what teachers are told they have to teach at each grade level for each subject) have changed. We spend tons of money on character education, crisis intervention, test prep., and more administrators. All of that could all go into the classroom for professional development, providing supplies and updated equipment if government regulation and meddling could get out of the way of many schools and parents could be in charge of feeding, clothing, providing discipline, transporting, and giving character education to their children so schools can do their actual job.

15 years ago @ Big Government - Immigrating Prosperity... · 1 reply · +2 points

You actually make many of the same arguments I've made with people when having this conversation. Unfortunately, both sides seem so entrenched in their own argument that nothing get done to solve the problem. I am looking forward to part 2 of your story.

15 years ago @ Big Government - Senate Republicans to ... · 3 replies · +5 points

Where is the ACLU on this?

15 years ago @ Big Government - Americans Have It Righ... · 0 replies · +1 points

Not do the job for them! I expect parents to make sure their children are properly fed and clothed. I expect parents to discipline their children and teach them how to behave in public. I expect parents to teach their children the value of an education and to reinforce homework/classwork completion and the need to ask questions when you don't understand something.

15 years ago @ Big Government - Americans Have It Righ... · 0 replies · +2 points

Thanks for the sane analysis.

15 years ago @ Big Government - Americans Have It Righ... · 0 replies · +2 points

The follwing link may be interesting.

https://mail.lausd.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=...

One problem to eliminating seniority as a factor altogether is that it opens the door to schools being able to fire teachers they don't like. I've been in this situation as the teacher who is at a school screaming for higher standards for my students. It is too easy for administrators to manipulate test scores alone as the deciding factor. Seniority shouldn't the deciding factor, but could it please be in the equation.

People need to see classrooms and schools these days to understand the battle teachers are fighting. We need allies not just enemies determined to run us all out of the profession.

15 years ago @ Big Government - Americans Have It Righ... · 0 replies · +1 points

As a teacher who has worked in a system without a teacher's union and in a system with a teacher's union, I'd like to respond.
Thank you for the link to the Gates study. It will be interesting to read the full report in April. I think you may have misprepresented the study by implying its only finding is that teachers can be effectively evaluated only using test scores. The report finds that looking at the IMPROVEMENTS made in test scores, not how many students tested at proficient levels, along with the additional test given to those involved in the study, can be used to evaluate teacher effectiveness and also states the following:

Valid feedback does not need to come from test scores alone. Other data can give teachers the information they need to improve, including student opinions of how organized and effective a teacher is.

Weirdly, I started writing this reponse to agree with some of what was in the article. I am not a fan of the union. I can't really remember what I was about to agree with, however.

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