Education in the News

Mark Federman: Catch Students Before They Fall

Interesting interview. Here's my comment.

I've never believed it is an issue of good or bad teachers. Obviously, there will be differences in skill among any group of professionals. The issue is always the quality of the environment and the organization. A good principal can bring out the best in a teacher and that filters down to bringing out the best in the student. I've been an outspoken critic of homework policy, largely because it violates concepts of good organizational structures by placing too much authority into the hands of teachers, over the home. But in the same spirit, I'm critical of systems that try to micromanage the classroom with too many outside mandates, and the types of performance reviews which force people to watch their back. The teacher needs to keep his or her eye on the student, not fend off criticism or get overly concerned about what happens in the home. And that gets supported best by having principals like the one featured here.

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