America Needs an Educational Reform
Commentary on: "Why do teachers quit?" by Liz Rigs from The AtlanticCommentary by: Sam Smathers (4th period)
Liz Rigs from The Atlantic attempts to understand herself in the lasting problem of low teacher retention rates across the nation through this article. Shortly after starting the article, Rigs says that about "forty to fifty precent of teachers quit their jobs within five years," she attempts to uncover the "why" to this staggering statistic. She concludes that the main factors are: low pay, no respect, large workload, and emotional toll. Even though a lot of teachers end up leaving the field, a lot stay, the other fifty precent. They say that the emotional toll is strong, and the workload becomes unmanageable sometimes, but the relationships made with the students as well as the joy of making an impact has overweighed the negative factors. The main problems with being a teacher could be resolved by giving teachers more respect and say in what they teach and increase the pay. When these things are done the quality of teachers will increase and the job would be in higher demand.
I think that the American educational system is extremely flawed. Most american teenagers undergo a huge amount of educational stress that causes them to hate school. Kids that hate school are not fun to teach. I think a way to easily fix this problem of non teacher retention would be to loosen criculum requirements and start student specialization sooner. America should adopt fewer standardized acedemic subject tests and more tests that help find combtibility with jobs. By giving every kid a tangible dream and a concreete way to acheive it, kids will be more deterimed to acell in their studies. Determined kids are more fun to teach. The instution of school is so flawed that it almost has no puropse. When the standard level of passing is so low, kids waste seven hours being taught by, a lot of the times, uncaring incomptent teachers that "teach" what the student could teach themselves more effiently and effectively. Until the system is fixed we will keep producing uneducated students and teacher redemtion rates will stay low.
http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/10/why-do-teachers-quit/280699/
Byron Otis- I agree with many of your statements. I believe the American educational system is flawed, but not as flawed as I think you say. I don't think it's nearly pointless. I think we can all agree that most students who do well and graduate high school have learned quite a bit from the educational system. I do however, agree with you in that there should be more rewards for the teachers, so they feel motivated to make the students more ready for their careers and college.
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