(Yes, I’m talking about teachers and education again. What can I say - it’s a passion of mine! Don’t worry, I’ll get back to my organizing and productivity tips in my next post!) Reward systems for teachers have been controversial and rarely implemented because
Waiting for Superman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]I was in no hurry to watch Waiting for Superman since I was sure it was just going to be another condemnation of teachers from a non-educator’s point of view.I was wrong about my expectations for the documentary. Davis Guggenheim did an excellent job of trying to explain all of the factors that go into what makes or breaks our educational system. As I was watching, I was making a mental note of – in extreme generalities – what needs to happen in order to fix what’s broken.‘Lo and behold at the end of the movie, as a good teacher would do to reflect at the end of a lesson, Guggenheim summarized the pieces of the puzzle. While I agreed with the sentiments that flashed on the screen, I think there needed to be a little more explanation.So, what does it take to create a school that works?
A teacher and young pupils at The British Museum Duveen Gallery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]I have to admit that I hadn’t watched Davis Guggenheim’s documentary Waiting for Superman until last weekend because 1) it had a long wait on Netflix and 2) I was in no hurry to see it since I was sure it was just going to be another condemnation of teachers from a non-educator’s point of view.Before becoming a productivity consultant, I taught for 11 years, and my husband has been teaching for 17. He teaches (as did I) at a Title I school where 100% of the students are in the free breakfast and free lunch programs. When folks hear where we teach, they literally make a slight bow with their heads and say in a lowered voice,