TEACHERS SPEAK OUT ON THE TEACHER'S ROLE
"What changes would you like to see occur that would improve the education you
provide your students"?
"In my school, teachers are dead last on the list of those who have influence over edu-
cation. Custodians and Secretaries have more influence on the administration than I
do. Please give me a TWO-WAY evaluation process. Everyone gets to evaluate me;
I should be able to evaluate my supervisors. . . "
~
"More accountability on behalf of the student, teachers, and school districts is most
definitely a step in the right direction. Greater accountability for student behavior
would be a major plus. . ."
~
". . . I think the biggest change needed is that STUDENTS need to take responsi-
bility for their own education. The fact that we (the public) cater to their ideas of `I
hate school,' `I only come because my parents make me,' or `I'm bored; school is no
fun' is pitiful. . . Right now, no matter how good a teacher is, at least 50% of the class
doesn't learn anything. This is mainly because the students just don't bother to pay
attention. I tell my students often: I can TEACH you something, but only YOU can
LEARN it!"
~
". . . teachers are not respected as professionals, but viewed as "overpaid" (the public
consensus) babysitters. No wonder that so many teachers leave the profession, they
are not valued, not paid well, and have a burden beyond the understanding of those
who have never taught . . . "
Education in the Future
Do teachers think their students should become teachers themselves? Education
(52%) comes in third place, after high tech (75%) and health care (60%), as an area
that teachers think offers the most potential for their students in their future careers
(Exhibit 11.7). Following education are retail (50%), construction (44%), restaurants
or hotels (43%), manufacturing (41%), and finance (40%).
Students planning to pursue careers in education require college degrees. Yet
teachers indicate that many of their students with potential for advanced learning may
not be able to pursue this option. Half of teachers report that most (13%) or some
(38%) of their students, who have the aptitude to go to college, might not be able to
go because of the cost of a college education (Exhibit 11.8). This effect is particular-
ly striking for teachers with high proportions of minority or low-income students in
their school. Teachers in schools with more than two-thirds minority students are
three times as likely as those with few minority students to report that most of the
students are this affected (30% vs. 9%). For teachers in schools with mostly low-
income students, this disparity is even greater (40% vs. 4%).
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