A recent visit to a small, Midwest town has given rise to my desire to share a thought or two about our country's educational system.
True scenario: A high school teacher's performance was deemed unsatisfactory over a period of time. Nothing unusual here but, due to tenure, our educational system rewards mediocrity, and thusly, the high school teacher was then assigned to the middle school and the corresponding middle school teacher was reassigned to the high school. An educational 'switcheroo', which is not uncommon.
Sadly, the flaw in our system is this: The educational pecking order sees a higher teaching value the higher the grade number taught. We've been sold a bill of goods thinking that higher means better. I am not arguing that secondary school teachers are not qualified nor of high quality, but, as with any body of employees, there will be those who are exceptional, those whose performance is mediocre and those whose performance is repeatedly unsatisfactory.
The prevailing train of thought is that if you teach in an elementary setting, you are somehow lesser than one who teaches at a high school. Not so! We have it backwards. It is at the elementary level that basic skills are taught. It is at the elementary level that the educational foundation for life is built. It is at the elementary level that it all begins. This is true for every discipline. When a high school teacher has students that are ready and equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to receive a new set of information - thank an elementary teacher.
I can feel my soapbox becoming slippery, which is a good thing. I'll fall off soon.
Ancora imparo
