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If I had a dollar for every person who blamed a teacher when something went wrong in a classroom,school,  or district I’d be rich. Rich enough to retire -on the spot. The trend of blaming teachers has gotten worse since we are in the “day and age” where test scores are released to the public  via the local newspaper and when educational leaders like Michelle Rhee become advocates of firing teachers  to cover up system failures. Teachers are blamed for bad test scores, their student’s behaviors and as the ultimate reason the  American education system is failing.

Teachers are not to blame for the current state public education is embroiled in with educational reformers. Despite all of the rhetoric of school districts being filled with bad teachers, the reality is that   most of the “bad” teachers leave schools quickly either through the “weeding out” process or they can’t handle the pressure and quit. Instead, what I’ve observed is that schools and districts overall are failing our students. Schools have set up systems and bureaucracies that permanently hinder what a teacher can do in a classroom. What can a teacher do with 30 plus students who all read below grade level? In addition, if  half of the population has an IEP then it may take the teachers double the time to teach one lesson. Then you have some systems that are  more concerned with their elite students and many times cut funding to programs that help their most vulnerable students.I just received word that in a school where 60% of the students were reading below grade level, their reading program had been cut.

Instead of always blaming the teacher–think about who is really in control of things at any given school.

Let me give you an example. A couple of years ago I worked with a new teacher who was teaching a brand new integrated Math course to already struggling 9th graders. These students were already behind academically and many of them failed to understand basic algebra. Despite their deficiencies,  they made it to high school (via social promotion) and she was required to teach them all. All year she taught her heart out, held tutorial and contacted parents. However, in May only 25% of her students passed the End of Course Exam for the course. According to the district, she was not a competent teacher and was placed on probation.

What isn’t mentioned is that the district had similar scores for ALL students in this integrated math course across the district. That’s right– few teachers in the district could get the students to grasp the material at a proficient rate. So is every Math teacher in the district incompetent? No, but due to the academic readiness of these students, the new curriculum, and lackadaisical parenting students could not grasp the material. Eventually, this teacher was tired of being “beat up” about her test scores and left the field altogether. That’s right –one more teacher gone from education. No administrator offered her help to develop her craft. Instead, she was made to think she was the worst teacher in the district. If given needed resources, she could have been made a master teacher.

Instead of blaming teachers, society needs to realize that in order for student achievement to rise EVERYONE has to play their role. Parents have to start parenting their children and investing time and resources in them. Children are like flowers they need attention and care to flourish. Parents have to  attend parent meetings, help with homework and become an advocate for their children. Schools have to set teachers up with resources to succeed and this starts with the “top” of the school, the Principal.

However, many schools can never be great because many times I have seen totally incompetent teachers promoted to principals due to who they knew in the district offices. Anyone in a school knows that be a good principal  you have to of been a strong teacher–not someone who took all the right  tests and knew all of the right people.Now you have incompetent principals running schools!   I’ve seen principals get rid of (or transfer) good teachers because of personality conflicts . While the students are the ones left with teachers who may have great personalities and resumes, but who could not teach their way “out of a plastic bag”.

In the end, instead of always blaming teachers, school districts need to deeply examine their practices from the school level to district level and find ways to engage everyone (parents, principals, janitors, community leaders, teachers, etc.) in the educational process. What do you think? Are teachers blamed for everything wrong in education?

 

For fifteen years Franchesca taught English/Language Arts in two urban districts in Atlanta, Georgia,...

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14 Comments

  1. I honestly feel sorry for our teachers. They really want to teach THEIR way but instead, are forced to teach to the test. Thank you, "no student left behind". Every year when we sit down with our girls teachers, we make sure that they know that WE understand the limitations that they are under. We make sure that all of us are on the same page that this is a working arrangement – YOU, Mrs/Mr Teacher are the professional. It is in our best interest to work together on the task at hand – my child.

    We also make sure that we find out what's on their wish list of supplies since our district invoked the "you can't ask for extra items" rule. While I respect that stance since not all families can afford the extras, i also don't like the fact that the extras end up coming out of our teachers pockets.

    1. We thank parents like you Kristen! Honestly in a lot of schools teacher's hands are literally tied. They HAVE to teach to the test and the people who suffer the most are the students! Thanks for the comment!

  2. Thanks, but I'm the one that gets chapped every time a professional athlete comes on TV or we laud those who "entertain" us. I'm all for a good movie or sports game but seriously? The people who are educating our future leaders have to work 2nd jobs to make ends meet? It's just wrong on all angles. My hat is off to you and other educators and if I can help in any way – I most certainly will.

  3. I definitely don't think teachers are entirely responsible. You're right, it takes everyone working together, and we can't forget the effort and determination it takes from the student!

  4. I absolutely DO NOT think that our FAILING education system should be blamed on the teachers. The article made a KEY POINT – There have been systems and bureaucracies set in place to hinder a teacher from evolving within the classroom as the environment and other countries evolve around us. Give me a break finger pointers… Teaching requires a paradigm – parents, children and teachers – and at the top of that triangle is the government. We need more resources and an equal concern for ALL children.

  5. I agree with your point, but I'd just like to point out that "of" and "have" are completely different words. Just because we pronounce them similarly when we fail to enunciate does not make their meanings the same.

  6. Thank you, Philip – I was reading this and typing the same thing before I realized you’d beat me to it.

  7. I hardly think teachers are to blame. They have no say in the children they get. They have no say in the curriculum they teach. Puhlease…..the gene pool gets narrower and narrower and teachers can only do so much with what they are given. Some children just cannot get it the way we are teaching “it” nowadays. And no one seems to ever think it is “their” precious child who is the behavior problem that keeps other children from learning. How much of a teacher’s time if taken up by this kid? Or kids? I have never been sadder to say I am in education. We are not treated like the professionals we are, and it is sad to say we probably helped create this mess because we kept taking it and taking it. Now, here we are.

  8. I need to comment on the incompetence of principals and the higher ups in education. Get out of your office every once in a while. Do recess duty some time. Do lunch duty once in a while. See what the children are really like. You are promoted by being poor at your job, that is what I am thinking. What else could it be? Cronyism? But you are certainly not behind your employees. Almost seems as if it makes them feel good to put the screws to others. I have one word—-ugh!

  9. its teachers falt wanna know why its beacase they give us so much work at one point and time that we are in so much stress and they ceep piling on and on and on and i have to go to school 2 days a week they should give us the work on the days we are at school then tell us how to do it and say ok you got it and they say yes and we would be passing the resen why so many kids are not passing is beacesa of that the just rape us with so much bull shit at one point and time

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