Teacher Pay and Leave us Alone

Pensions have been a recent conversation on NPR this week. Pensions are crucial to guarantee we have quality public employees. A solid and good pension system is crucial to provide good teachers in any state. If the pension is neglected, that state will soon find a weak educational system. The pension system is our counter to outrageous salaries of some Americans and bonuses of other Americans. Pensions are equitable and reflect true value unlike astronomical salaries for a few and outrageous bonuses of the plutocrats.

Why shouldn't students be responsible for teacher pensions? (go to 11:15 of audio) Who was most responsible for the job that students will get one day? Have teachers received bonuses from those who are now making good money the way many of them get bonuses for their work? What is very ironic is that the very folks who have found success and criticize teachers got to where they are because of teachers, not all their teachers, but some of them and they should honor them with greater respect. The work of the teacher goes unrecognized because we are never sure of that teachers effect on us as we know the effect of a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, a coach, a cook. How many times does something we learned from a teacher become cognizant to us years later and maybe after that teacher has died?

The teacher's pension is the most important business of all school boards and if the future generations are to be made responsible for those pensions, that seems appropriate.

On another note, Diana Senechal, please leave us alone. I was absolutely disgusted with her recent AFT submission. I was disgusted with the cry for maintaining the status quo, for the lack of sound pedagogy like differentiation, and for the lame attack on technology. Here we have a former elementary teacher of four years who has had an elitist edcuation of her own speak about something she has no knowledge, technology in the high school. I'm still wondering why the AFT published this maudlin piece. We really aren't paying attention. And when Diane Ravitch and ED Hirsch are key references, I know we are in for a one sided reactionary status quo type of article that will make me lose my last meal. Most daring reform of all, indeed, do nothing. Leave us alone Ms Senechal. At then we see a promising article, only to find it fall way short. It is sad to see the major teacher union publish backward looking articles about reform, obviously protecting someone from actually getting into the 21st century. Nothing about how technology can be used well and mentioned only when they bash technology. Another example of why we are so far behind and being bashed by everyone. Why do we consistently defend our practice by living in the past and forgo the present at the cost of the future. Keep in mind when we quote Socrates, we aren't quoting him because he was the first teacher, but because he was forced to kill himself because he corrupted the youth by looking forward. Quite obviously these authors don't know Socrates. Socrates wasn't in favor of the status quo. He would embrace technology as would Dewey.

I'm looking forward to the next two week vacation. Happy holidays to those who celebrate.