see responses below.
norm
-----Original Message-----
From: Keaney Michael [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2000 10:34 AM
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
Subject: [PEN-L:5862] Weber & American 8th Graders
Hey Norm
Some of your commentary touched a nerve with me. I don't know the evidence
personally, but I jar a bit when I read of teachers "sabotaging"
improvements to the curriculum. That reads like a licence for administrators
to stamp all over whatever remains of educators' discretionary autonomy.
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teacher sabotage: a recalcitrant teacher simply slows down and blames
his/her falling behind on "that damn, good-for-nothing new textbook". how
can a progressive dept. head or school administrator buck that attitude?
ain't easy.
of course, the school admin. can be reactionary too and simply ignore the
improved textbook as most have done.
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The UK has, in recent years, and in keeping with the so called "New Public
Management", undergone great centralisation and standardisation, with
dubious educational results (nominally improved, but with diluted curricula
what would you expect?) and all too predictable consequences for teachers,
whose criticisms are systematically ignored or ridiculed as the typical
outpourings of a vested interest, or, worse, the rantings of
politically-motivated militants. However true some of those charges MIGHT
be, the very lack of professional participation in the "reform" of education
is sufficient to indicate the nature of what is going on.
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yeah, agreed, that's the other side of the argument: top down management
using one-size fits all remedies are deadly too.
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I rate use of the internet as a panacea to educational woes way below
providing more money both for teachers' remuneration and to pay for more
teachers (thereby increasing their status and reducing class sizes) as well
as improving the infrastructure in which the very same teachers must
operate. This is no substitute for a complete overhaul of a disgusting
system, but it serves in the interim.
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correct, money is the most important ingredient - not just for hi-tech, but
more importantly for higher salaries and smaller classes, as you say.
however, with "infrastructure" getting low budget priority, it ain't gonna
happen in the U.S. to any appreciable extent that i can tell (we're talking
billions here). instead, we have all these "alternate school" schemes which
will only be beneficial if they bring in commensurately more money into the
total school system. useless if more schools go chasing for the same
bucks/pounds, IMO. guess it's the old guns vs. reading priority fight.
---------------------------------------------------------
Michael K.
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norm
