Helping Teachers

The Problem:

There are a few teachers who do not know the material they are supposed to be teaching. There are others who need help with their teaching skills, or have difficulty maintaining order in their classrooms.

The ‘do not know the material‘ problem is, we believe, the least important. -- the majority of teachers are very well-qualified. However, this problem does exist. While I was working with the schools, I met a sixth-grade teacher who didn’t know the multiplication tables. And I saw notices containing misspelled words posted on bulletin boards.

The teaching skills and maintenance of order problems have to do with communications -- see the ‘new ideas‘ page.

To solve this problem we must:

• Carefully evaluate existing teachers, perhaps by requiring that they take tests (though principals are likely to know which teachers need help.) Incoming new hires must also take such tests.
• Provide remedial classes to help troubled teachers improve their teaching skills, handle discipline, and acquire knowledge of materials. Teachers who fail even after taking the classes cannot be retained.

It will take money to set up and administer the tests, and to create the remedial classes. However, except for testing new-hires, this will be a one-time cost.

Action hoped-for from the reader.

We’d be delighted to hear from anyone (in New Mexico or anywhere) who has a comment on the teacher problem. To comment, just click the underlined word ‘comments’ at the bottom of this page (or any of the other pages), and tell us what you think. We’d be glad to hear from anyone. You might like to tell us:

Why we’re wrong about the problem discussed above, or what additional problems exist that we‘ve ignored or overlooked.
What you think should be done to improve schools.

Incidentally, your comment or remark or criticism can, if you like, be anonymous, if you think it might be unwise to criticize or comment publicly.

CLICK HERE to read the complete plan in its present form.

CLICK HERE to read suggested solutions to the promotion problem.
CLICK HERE to read suggested solutions to the discipline problem.
CLICK HERE to read suggested solutions to the ‘new ideas’ problem.
CLICK HERE to read about other problems which have been suggested as being important
CLICK HERE to return to the Home Page.

To read comments already made, click the time-of-day down below.
To make a comment, click the word ‘comment’ below.
To send a copy of this page to a friend, click the small envelope down below.

(This blog is an independent enterprise, not in any way affiliated with the Santa Fe Public Schools.)