Comments on: Oxendine opposes cuts to top teachers

By: MikeeO

MikeeO — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:02:23 +0000

Why don’t we take a look at cutting Sonny’s pet Georgia Master Teacher program. Compare the rigor of the National Board process to Georgia’s homegrown “Master” teacher program and then ask why we are putting money into the lightweight program. Truth is that Sonny has done everything in his power to erase his predecessor’s programs. This vindictive, partisan baloney serves Georgians very poorly and is just one of the reasons we rank at the bottom of the heap educationally.

Teachers know that it is all about the kids and being the best teacher you can be so that the kids have the best opportunities to learn. We also know that when budgets are tight, we have to take our share of the cuts. But when the ax falls because of political motives – motives that are clearly known and acknowledged down under the golden dome, it makes the Georgia assembly look like a bunch of “good old boys” and makes teachers feel that it isn’t worthwhile to pursue additional professional development in search of improving their teaching skills.

By: howrd

howrd — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:52:05 +0000

Oxendine has gained my respect by this stand for Georgia’s national board certified teachers.

By: countryteacher

countryteacher — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:34:09 +0000

I am a teacher of 16 years and usually do not make comments on subjects that I read. However, this case I am going to be heard. First of all Dussqe, you have no earthly idea what you are talking about and you obviously have had a bad experience with someone, somewhere. I would like to know how much teaching experience you have, how long it takes for you to do your lesson plans, how many nights you stay up making activities that will engaged students rather than a video game and last but not least how many times a day you tell a child that “he can do it”. Obviously, you lack some experience. You are so WRONG! Now, on to another subject, National Board Certif, this is just a way to get the teacher to pay out BIG money to jump through hoops. I started the process and then realized that it was going to take way to much time to jump through the ring of fire. Why? nope, not because I’m lazy and Nope, not because I didn’t think I couldn’t do it. Just the opposite, I saw some of the laziest teachers, get approved for National Board Certified and realized my time could be spent more effectively teaching my students. I have very high marks on the CRCT and I always have great evaluations. So….. to say the very top get the National Board Certi., is simply not true. Yes, the furloughs have hurt, I spent over $1700 of my own personal money in my classroom last year. I get to work at 7:30 (after dropping off my own child) and leave most days around 5 p.m. To say the top need that extra pay is ridiculous, they do nothing the others do. Personally, I am all for the cut in the NCB teachers, simply because, they are NOT THE TOP TEACHERS. Some of you will say I am jealous, or wish I was them, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. I am very happy with my life and live within my means. Do teachers need their money? We have to live to. I want to know how many hours a day parents can take to teach their child to read and make a living. IT WOULD BE PRETTY HARD! First they have to acknowledge letters , then letters make sounds, then put those letters together to make a word, then put the word together in context to make sense. Oh yes, I forgot about the writing part, they have to know that to get a job. It would be hard to get one, if they didn’t write. SILLY ME! I guess as a teacher, I should just forget about feeding my own children and just do it for free. YOU WILLING TO DO THE SAME IN YOUR JOB???

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Prof,
As a fellow teacher, I say God bless you for your efforts and your dedication to the most important profession. However, I am saddened to hear you say what so many other teachers say: “I didn’t get into education for the pay.” My question: why shouldn’t you have? Why do dedication and love for students, and a living wage seem to be mutually exclusive in this country? It’s the teachers who should be making millions–not the CEO’s and professional athletes. The bottom line is that we don’t value our kids because they don’t contribute to the economic bottom line. And so, in many cases, we get what we pay for when it comes to excellent teachers. Teachers who are willing to do what it takes, despite the poverty wage, are rare. And I foresee them becoming almost extinct in this state if the legislators don’t quit screwing us. I know that is an ugly word, but it’s the only one I can think of that fits. Sorry for its nastiness.

By: Prof

Prof — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:41:11 +0000

Husband of Teacher: As a college professor whose already small raise has disappeared for two years running and whose pay has been cut on top of that as well, I know how frustrating the continual cuts are and how demoralizing they can be. It’s tough to realize that working 80+ hours per week in the education sector nets many of us less annual pay than a senior manager at a convenience store. I will say, though, that I didn’t get into education for the pay. I teach because, despite how exhausting it can sometimes be, I love it, and I believe that teachers at their best can make a positive difference in students’ lives. I teach because I believe we can help students become informed, intelligent, engaged citizens of the world, and in doing so, we can benefit our communities, our state, and our country. After reading your posts above, I suspect your wife may have similar motivations. The situation is wretched, but please offer her my heartfelt thanks for all her efforts to become a better teacher and to pass the benefits of her efforts on to her students. I know you can’t bank thanks, but I am truly grateful for those dedicated teachers who continually work to improve their own skills so they can better prepare students to succeed in the workforce and college.

By: ThrashFanMax

ThrashFanMax — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:18:09 +0000

Clearly Dussqe is incapable of producing a legitimate argument to support his case. Just calls names and makes more ignorant rhetoric. Parent now want teachers to raise their kids, and he believes that all teachers are the same. You know he probably thinks all blacks, women, hispanics, whites, and others are the same as well. Ignorance knows no boundaries.

By: Deepdiver

Deepdiver — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:37:11 +0000

Dussqe,

You think that the worst teachers in the world are in Georgia? What about having the worst kids in the world to teach and no support from lazy parents? Hopefully you are not one of the lazy parents who blame the teachers when you buy your kids crappy and expensive video games and not make them do their homework and complain about teachers when scores are low.

By: Dussqe

Dussqe — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:09:28 +0000

Same difference.

By: Husband of Teacher

Husband of Teacher — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:27:41 +0000

Dussqe you obviously don’t know how to comprehend since my name on here is HUSBAND OF TEACHER. Meaning my wife is a teacher, so I am not a teacher. How does one actually excel? By the grades they themselves give the kids??? How can they be judged based on that, they would give all kids undeserving A’s. Let’s face it. It is people like you that are the problem. If you do have children, I am sure you give them every excuse in the world if they are no excelling at school instead of pushing them. Teachers who further their education should be rewarded for their efforts. I lost my wife for a good six months while she passionately pursued her National Board Ceritification. The time and effort she had to put into that so she further her knowledge is something that should be rewarded. You sir have no clue what you are talking about which qualifies you as the idiot. And I will assume you are neither mexican or white since those were the two races you insulted in your ignorant tirade….IDIOT.

By: Dussqe

Dussqe — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:50:54 +0000

No you teachers shouldn’t be rewarded for doing the job you do, you should only be rewarded when you excel, the teachers in this state are some of the worst in the world. By your own admission, you are exactly what I accuse, so apparently YOU SIR are the idiot and just go to further my point. Teachers in Georgia are garbage.