Comments on: The five principles of real school improvement

By: wedum59

wedum59 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:02:30 +0000

I do think taxes are an improtant point. It is my impression that when I was in K-12, tclass sizes were a little smaller and teachers were paid significantly better. High-income people also paid a significantly higher percentage of their income in taxes during those Eisenhower year.

However, an increase in taxes for people with children in the schools is already de facto in effect, as there are so many supplies that the parents are now required to buy that used to be provided for in the school budget.

By: beanie

beanie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:45:27 +0000

You are right in your assessment, Michael. Truly good teachers know these things, and in spite of large class size, limited resources and the pressures of standardized test expectations and expectations of many parents that the school raise their children as well as teach them, dedicated teachers strive to provide a learning atmosphere where a child can not only explore and grow, but also fail and rebound with dignity intact. Teachers who enjoy teaching work hard to convey and instill a love of learning in their students. These teachers should be supported at all costs because there is no greater resource to protect our children’s future than a dedicated passionate teacher who loves his or her students and cherishes the privilege of teaching them. As for your last comment, teachers ARE the experts in education and the governor would do well to enlist their knowledge and experience.

By: Doris V

Doris V — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:18:10 +0000

Like your ideas Swickard. Cummins your third point is ridiculous. Everyone should pay equally whether they have children or not. Education is needed to keep this world functioning. All people should accept responsibility for quality education.

By: ched macquigg

ched macquigg — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:04:00 +0000

You’ve hit the nail on the head, sir. When education finally sees students as individuals, individual needs will finally be recognized.

Any discussion of this subject should include the idea of developing independent learners at the earliest opportunity, and then making full use of the internet. Were education internet based and self paced, a myriad of problems simply disappear.

The real question I suppose is, how do we wrest power away from those who have kept education static for generations?

By: Joseph Cummins

Joseph Cummins — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:55:53 +0000

Mr. Swickard:

I agree with your expressed premises.

In my opinion, not likely shared by anyone — If future progress is to be made a few more fundamentals require implementation:
1) cut administrative fat to the bone, leaving only individuals that do not receive one penny more than the average teachers income, as well as these administrators also do the same amount of ACTUAL hours of work teachers are expected to perform without financial compensation.
2) educate students in comprehending that having progeny is a huge responsibility that they alone must bear and not their neighbors.
3) begin educating adults by taxing those with school age children more than those without children.