The plight of public education in America has nothing to do with the vagaries of current fashion ("Bad way to motivate teachers," Commentary, Jan. 16.) What is indisputable is the fact that all children would benefit from having superior teachers, and the failure to provide equal opportunity is the root cause for the low mark with which we are presently plagued.
In my 40-plus years in education, the definition of an outstanding teacher has remained constant. The many teachers who are truly excellent share the following traits: the drive to keep up to date in their respective academic disciplines; the willingness to observe and to adopt best practices; the recognition that a wide range of learning styles and abilities requires a varying approach; and a genuine love of kids.
The truly gifted teacher can, to be sure, "tell you what they need to improve." But too many others are allowed to go unchallenged and are often denied the constructive feedback and professional upgrades needed to do so. Moreover, there is little consequence in maintaining the status quo.
What other profession guarantees a job for life that has no obvious link to performance?
Physicians and lawyers can lose over a single case their license to practice. We have no difficulty dismissing CEOs after a year's poor return on investment, and athletic coaches after a losing season.
While I am not suggesting that this is the way to raise the bar in the classroom, I do question the validity of the obstacles we face in agreeing on a nationwide set of high standards for teachers, and a fair method for both rewarding them and holding them accountable.
It is much easier, it seems, to bash and/or dismiss all of the previous attempts to address the problem, than it is to create, negotiate and fund a sensible solution. There is, indeed, no purpose in "throwing money at education where it is not needed."
However, teacher improvement is about money when it comes to sufficient funds for schools of education, meaningful professional development, and essential supplies and equipment in our schools.
"Teaching," according to John Steinbeck "might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
It should not come as a surprise that students have a universal understanding of who is a good teacher and who is not. It would behoove us to pay closer attention to our "consumers."
The public television program "The American Graduate" is engaged in some significant work on the high school dropout rate and what to do about it. The interviews with students are eloquent, poignant, and spot on. That we entrust the minds and spirits of our children to adults who spend more waking hours with them than we do, obligates us to stop dithering, and to act, to do whatever it takes to bring out the best in those professionals who have dedicated their lives to educating our most precious possession.
Caroline Mason is the former Head of School of The Albany Academy and Albany Academy for Girls.