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Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff |
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Chicago Public Schools Chief Wants to Give Fewer Teachers Tenure
Produced by Jennifer Lacey on Wednesday, December 02, 2009
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Chicago Public Schools chief Ron Huberman is floating a few ideas for how to improve teacher quality. He says fewer third year teachers should be granted tenure.
He also wants more selectivity in the teacher hiring process. Huberman says an applicant’s undergraduate GPA and quality of the teaching program they attended should be used to narrow the pool of teacher candidates. Chicago Teachers Union President Marilyn Stewart agrees a better evaluation process is needed, but Stewart says the district needs a system where mentor teachers do the evaluation.
STEWART: It’s a fair equitable way to evaluate teachers. It actually tells a teacher what that teacher needs to be a good teacher. And what we need in a system as big as ours is a fair way to evaluate teachers.
Stewart says one reason teacher turnover is high is because young teachers don’t get strong mentorship from the district.
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ELLEN GROSSMAN, LAKEVIEW // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 10:23 AM
I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS FAIR NOT TO GIVE TENURE TO TEACHER THAT DESERVE IT. ALL TEACHERS ARE HARD WORKERS SOMETIME IN BAD SITUATIONS. ALL TEACHERS SHOULD GET TENURE. IT IS NOT FAIR NOT TO GIVE DESERVING TEACHERS THERE DO'S. STEWART YOUR WRONG.
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mel stevens, hyde park // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 10:59 AM
I support tenure. High turnover because teachers pigeon holed in inferior system designed to self serve political faction(s) rather than the students and citizens of Illinois
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Anthony Michael McGeath, Edgewater // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 1:50 PM
Not all teachers are hard workers, and not all teachers should get tenure. It's also presumptuous to say that because someone has worked for three years in a job that they are expert and deserve a job for life.
In post-secondary education (i.e. colleges & universities) tenure is granted typically after no fewer than six (6) years on-the-job. I think it's more than fair to ask the same of elementary and high school teachers.
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Viking47, Hydepark // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 5:33 PM
My GPA and school were secondary even tertiary at best.I graduated. To illustrate, the dumbest person graduating medical school is still called Doctor. I've enjoyed thirteen years as a CPS teacher after thirteen years of selling money...buy low/ sell high...Two Masters including a 75, goes along with my 7 and 63. The suburbs are calling...How many teachers bought BAC last year at 2? Obama really oughta to share his transcripts....
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xian from CORE, Chicago // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 7:51 PM
There is currently an evaluation system. My question is why should we institute a more rigorous system when the current system is not used to its limits. If the current system is only used for principal vendettas, won't a more aggressive system be used for more principal vendettas.
Here's an idea--if we want higher teacher quality, central office should try supporting classroom instruction rather than squander millions on impeding quality instruction.
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chicagoteacher, Chicago // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 10:13 PM
Tenure is not a guarantee of a job for life. It is a guarantee of due process.
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chicagoparent, chicago // Thursday, December 10, 2009 @ 3:31 PM
What does a guaranteed due process means? I am so fed up with the school system in general. We have good teachers and they should be rewarded the bad one should be fired. If we ran business the way we ran in schools we would be in trouble. If you are not delivering the service you are hired to deliver then you should not be kept around. It is a disservice to the children.
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Chiteacher, Chicago // Saturday, December 12, 2009 @ 8:39 AM
There are more good than bad teachers, however more should be done to remove those that are inferior. The process however means that principals have to LEAVE their offices and actually spend time in classrooms daily to see what is really happening in their buildings rather than relying soley on those who come to tattle or toot their own horn. The biggest problem however is that many principals just have NO idea what good instruction looks like and sounds like because they have not keep current in newer and effective practices. They give lip service, but actually have no idea. Until those in charge ALL know what is good instruction, nothing will change. So those who are inferior will contiue to work and do a diservice to the students in front of them.
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