teachers Options

[brooklyneast05]

should we be able to fire teachers who have failing classes? who seem to suck at teaching? should we pay them less? should teachers with passing classes get paid more?

[mipadi]

The bigger issue that you seem to be touching on is passion. Your chemistry teacher was probably inspiring not only because he was a good teacher, but because he really enjoyed the subject as well. My ninth grade English teacher had the same zeal. Unfortunately, there aren't enough people who are both passionate and good at teaching to fill all positions. But, of course, I'm digressing a bit from the point of your initial post.

As for math, well, don't even get me started on that. The way we teach math in schools is abysmal. Math is so taught in such a utilitarian way that the "fun" and creativity of "real" math is completely driven from the curriculum. Furthermore, so many teachers are "afraid" of math and don't trust themselves to teach it. Math is only really cool once you get into college. But again, I digress.

[tokyo-rose]

As for math, well, don't even get me started on that. The way we teach math in schools is abysmal. Math is so taught in such a utilitarian way that the "fun" and creativity of "real" math is completely driven from the curriculum. Furthermore, so many teachers are "afraid" of math and don't trust themselves to teach it. Math is only really cool once you get into college. But again, I digress.

I agree. Statistics is the only kind of math that I actually enjoyed and didn't fail at learning and understanding. I still don't get trigonometry and precalculus, partly because I didn't see the point in those kinds of math and partly because I'm just bad at math.

Math education in the US is sad. I read on this blog that South Korean students are already doing precalculus in the sixth grade, whereas American students don't learn that until junior or senior year.