4 ms·

That's really sad when you think about it. It implies, on average, our minimum viable college students go into education. Not our best and brightest. Who ends u

by ohashi 12y ago

That's really sad when you think about it. It implies, on average, our minimum viable college students go into education. Not our best and brightest. Who ends up being the majority of the people teaching our children? Probably those same people.

Padding 12y ago
I agree this is sad. On the other hand however one needs to consider how much is really lost this way. Given the inefficiency/pointlessness of much of the effort involved in compulsory education, I'm not sure better teachers would be able to significantly improve the system. We need a structural change here first, and only then start to look around for brigther people. Otherwise, any bright people that may enter the system, will eventually be frustrated, give up, and in the end achieve results (in the field) that are no better than those of the borderline-acceptable teachers.
- VLM 12y ago
  Another way to put it, is the problem is located in the area of "Education - Administration" not front line teachers.
- thaumasiotes 12y ago
  > We need a structural change here first, and only then start to look around for brighter people. If you do things this way, the effectiveness of the current people is likely to suffer (in pretty much any area, not education specifically).
morgante 12y ago
Yup, it's an acknowledge problem (though most politicians avoid coming out an admitting that most teachers aren't very bright). Considering where education falls in the pay spectrum for college graduates (near the bottom), it should be no surprise that our "best and brightest" go in to tech, finance, and consulting—never education.
- z200 12y ago
  This. I love working with students (am a TA while doing my grad degree in engineering) and volunteered with elementary and middle school children in the past, but unless you can get close to my engineering salary (at least 100k/year) I'm not going to switch to teaching as a career.

by ohashi 12y ago

Padding 12y ago

I agree this is sad. On the other hand however one needs to consider how much is really lost this way. Given the inefficiency/pointlessness of much of the effort involved in compulsory education, I'm not sure better teachers would be able to significantly improve the system. We need a structural change here first, and only then start to look around for brigther people. Otherwise, any bright people that may enter the system, will eventually be frustrated, give up, and in the end achieve results (in the field) that are no better than those of the borderline-acceptable teachers.

VLM 12y ago
Another way to put it, is the problem is located in the area of "Education - Administration" not front line teachers.
thaumasiotes 12y ago
> We need a structural change here first, and only then start to look around for brighter people. If you do things this way, the effectiveness of the current people is likely to suffer (in pretty much any area, not education specifically).

morgante 12y ago

Yup, it's an acknowledge problem (though most politicians avoid coming out an admitting that most teachers aren't very bright). Considering where education falls in the pay spectrum for college graduates (near the bottom), it should be no surprise that our "best and brightest" go in to tech, finance, and consulting—never education.

z200 12y ago
This. I love working with students (am a TA while doing my grad degree in engineering) and volunteered with elementary and middle school children in the past, but unless you can get close to my engineering salary (at least 100k/year) I'm not going to switch to teaching as a career.