A partial response to Bill Gates’ op-ed about teachers
I don’t have billions. My school system and state pension board are taking actions that could force me into retirement for financial reasons. Following the logic of a Bill Gates, the two new teachers who could be hired to replace me with the same money I receive may financially be more beneficial for the school system, but I question if it would be more beneficial to the almost 200 students I teach each year.
I cost more. I have several advanced degrees. I have more than 15 years of teaching experience. What makes me a superior teacher is that I am constantly reflecting and attempting to become an even better teachers. Give me another 20-30 students and I will have less time for each student, and even less time to reflect and improve. Replace me with two rookies and the students they teach will be the material on which those newbies learn how to teach.
Gates may be well meaning. Unfortunately, what he proposes is not well thought out, and is likely – as was his effort to propagate small schools – be counterproductive to real improvements in teaching and learning.
Peace.
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Paul Rosenberg:
February 28th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Three Things To Remember About Bill Gates
(1) He bought DOS, the foundation of his empire. He did not write or develop it.
(2) He missed the emergence of the Internet & had to play catch-up.
(3) He has no background in education.
So, his education record is not all that surprising.
Jeff Bryant:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:54 am
Excellent post Ken. But we need to get off the defensive and be way more offensive. In particular, letting parents consider how they would like the “founder” of Microsoft controlling what their children learn in school. We need to frame ed-deform as the technocrats taking over and the testing as mass socialization much like the videos of throngs of Japanese kids learning the violin via the Suzuki method.
seabos84:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:55 am
Class size doesn’t matter – tell that to the ritzy Seattle prep school you went to Bill – Lakeside.
I worked as a low level serf at Microsoft for 5 years before and after the dot.bomb – this guys is so accustomed to having toadies singing his glories that he doesn’t notice the ridiculous inconsistencies?
Other than the random technical wonder kids in redmond, for the rest success is a function of back stabbing, ass kissing and mastering doublethink …
once we bring the marry the egos of Julius Caesar (the Shakespeare one)to powerpoint and 1984 education will … be a thousand points of light!
rmm