Off The Grid

Teachers will soon be returning to higher education; not for continuing educational requirements, but pursuing another career. California is setting a new precedent in the field of education. The “Value-added” model is controversial in evaluating teachers performance on the elementary school level. Teachers will be evaluated solely based on their students standardized test scores in English and Mathematics. I take issue with the constraints of the evaluations and what is not considered.

After working with the impoverished in the field of social services, this is a disturbing trend. The educational system is intertwined with many variables such as poverty, mental health, domestic violence, learning abilities, social status, intercity schools, and money. Teachers today have to be a parent, social worker, a big brother (or sister), a counselor, and be able to wear many hats to educate. The educational system is colliding with a certain populace at a crucial point. It is painting a canvas that is defining and critical to the future of education. Good or bad, the message is clear: The education system is not working.

So whom do you blame? What is the cause? Can children successfully pass standardized testing if they have not eaten prior to the testing? Can one do math homework at a homeless shelter or in the back of a car? Does the educational institution have enough books? Can one drink the water? Are the classrooms overcrowded? What are the social implications? The questions continue to flow about what is wrong with the educational system with no real clear answer.

Do we fire teachers because their test scores are low? Does that define their skills? Unless teachers cannot pass the academic standards set forth by their institution, the problem is more comprehensive.

California’s “value-added” model is nothing more than a “trial-by-fire” process that assigns blame. As a society, we want and demand answers instantaneously. Never mind that the issue is multifaceted, geographical, and generational. Never mind that the media suggests that California is setting precedence, and instilling fear into any student that aspires to become a teacher.

Teachers take notice! Your name is now published online and America is watching! Go back to school and learn new skills. Start a charter school or learn how to adapt to being under-employed. Join the Army, start a business, get a paper route because academia in America is a dying art!