Im a child of teachers. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have all been teachers at one point or another.
Ive spent my entire life hearing about the problems in our school systems - mostly from the perspective of AFT-member public school teachers. Combined with my own personal politic views and experiences, Ive spent a lot of time thinking about the problems of our educational system.
The complexity of the problems, and the immediate barriers to reform - the opposing forces and lobbies, each with their own plans and explicit arguments against the opposition make the task of reform nearly impossible.
So I put some time into trying to think of a way to reform the education system that would both change the status quo, and still be politically feasible. (I'll be honest, this idea partially came from an episode of The West Wing, but I think it could work).
A "GI Bill" for teachers: Offer student loan forgiveness to new teachers who agree to teach in high-need areas for a certain number of years.
As I see it, that will both bring in new, young, and innovative teachers into the schools that need them the most, as well as injecting new blood into the Teacher's Unions, perhaps making them less resistant to change in the school system.
There are few ways to attack the problems with our school system that don't step on the toes of the Teacher's Union. This is one that I think could work.
Thoughts?
Ive spent my entire life hearing about the problems in our school systems - mostly from the perspective of AFT-member public school teachers. Combined with my own personal politic views and experiences, Ive spent a lot of time thinking about the problems of our educational system.
The complexity of the problems, and the immediate barriers to reform - the opposing forces and lobbies, each with their own plans and explicit arguments against the opposition make the task of reform nearly impossible.
So I put some time into trying to think of a way to reform the education system that would both change the status quo, and still be politically feasible. (I'll be honest, this idea partially came from an episode of The West Wing, but I think it could work).
A "GI Bill" for teachers: Offer student loan forgiveness to new teachers who agree to teach in high-need areas for a certain number of years.
As I see it, that will both bring in new, young, and innovative teachers into the schools that need them the most, as well as injecting new blood into the Teacher's Unions, perhaps making them less resistant to change in the school system.
There are few ways to attack the problems with our school system that don't step on the toes of the Teacher's Union. This is one that I think could work.
Thoughts?