The national "Race to the Top" requires a new system of teacher rating. Recently, Mrs. English got her copy of the new teacher rating system,
and was she ever bemused!
Let’s see, she said, 25% of the rating that will ultimately
determine whether or not I get a raise – ever – is based on whole school data. Hmmm…exactly what does that
include, she wondered.
Reading further, Mrs. English saw that one of the categories
that fed into the school data would be student attendance. She recollected a
phone call she had recently made on that very topic.
Phone: Ring, ring.
Mrs. H (mother of student): Hello?
Mrs. English: Hi, Mrs. H., this is Mrs. English, John’s
teacher. John hasn’t been in first period for a couple weeks now, and I’m
concerned about the impact on his grade and on his ability to pass the state
test he’s required to pass for graduation.
Mrs. H: Well, John just doesn’t want to get up in the
morning. He usually gets there by second period.
Mrs. English: Doesn’t like to get up? That’s funny; I’m
ECSTATIC when my alarm goes off at 5:15 each morning.
Oh, no, actually Mrs. English just imagined that last line.
So, what other categories will this 25% include, Mrs. English
asked herself. Hmmm…it looks like those state standardized tests will be a big part
of the formula.
Mrs. English recollected another conversation she had
recently taken part in upon running into one of her students on the afternoon
following the test.
Student: Mrs. English, I don’t know why you stressed that
test so much. It was easy!
Mrs. English: So, you did well?
Student: Well, I wouldn’t say that; I fell asleep half-way
through.
Mrs. English: Are you crazy?
Oh, no, actually Mrs. English just imagined that last line,
too.
Mrs. English sighed, but being nothing if not tenacious, she
urged herself to read on. Let’s keep going, she thought; some of these
categories must actually evaluate the teacher. Let’s see, another factor will
be how many students score 3 or 4 on the AP exam. Mrs. English thought back to
a recent in-service where Principal Smithers had addressed that precise topic.
Principal Smithers: Folks, we’ve been putting too many
limits on students who should take AP. AP classes are a good challenge for ALL
students. Let’s stop advising the kids who can’t yet read at a high school
level or can’t write a coherent paragraph to avoid AP! Give them the challenge!
They may surprise us. Sure, they won’t score 3 or 4, but they’ll still be aware
of what a college curriculum entails.
Mrs. English: Are you out of your mind?
On, no, of course Mrs. English did not say that.
Mrs. English took her copy of the new rating system,
crumpled it into a ball, and dropped it into the recycling bin where it rattled
against the empty plastic sides. The students had all dropped their paper
scraps on the floor.
