I Just Have a Few Questions

Last week was full of people in education using bad judgment.  Really bad judgment.  My problem is that it looks as if it will all go by without correction.  I don't want anyone strung up by their privates. (not entirely true, but for the sake of this post I can make that statement) I don't want teachers fired for making minor mistakes.  


Unless what they are doing is harmful to kids and their families as well as their colleagues.  


And that is what happened.

• Should principals be trained in de-escalating children in crisis?
• When a kiddo has an IEP and is showing signs of distress in reg ed class, should the special ed staff be called in to help out?
• When a kid is in distress and it escalates, should administrator ask a parent, who just happens to be in the office at the time, to hold on to the upset child so he/she can make a phone call?
• Should administrators ever yell at a kid in distress that the next time the police will be called?
• Should special ed teachers be allowed to continue to practicing when they are so absolutely clueless as well as unmotivated and are teaching just so they can coach?
• Should the bulk of the responsibility for making accommodations for special ed kiddos fall on the reg ed teacher... or on the special ed teacher who is supposed to have the knowledge and expertise to do this?
• When teachers demonstrate incompetence and their colleagues see it, why are they so damn loyal and not bring it to the administrator's attention? Should special education teachers be allowed to continue after repeated issues with poorly written (at times with illegal components) IEPs.

• Why do professors think it is good teaching to powerpoint every chapter in the text and read it to you for class...but then for good measure assign a chapter of the same text to the each member of the class to present again?
• Why is it considered good practice for professors to have the students teach the class by brining in articles and presenting, bringing in bits of inspiration and presenting, bringing in artifacts and presenting while they themselves sit in back watching and asking "probing" (not) questions thinking that is prompting deeper reflection?
• And what the hell is the point of all these damn portfolios?  Cripes, I already have three and now have to do another one?  And get this... this one has to be done electronically.

I propose we clean house in our schools.  Let's quit protecting the incompetence that seems to be seeping into every level of schools. 


We are in shark infested waters... and the sharks are the incompetent, unmotivated, mediocre people teaching our kids and running our schools.