Tag Archives: teachers

Standardized Testing, Merit Pay, And Misaligned Incentives In The American Education System

Two rhetorical questions: When you pay a loan broker based on the total number of loans he doles out, without considering whether or not the borrowers will actually be able to repay these loans, what happens? When you pay a CEO based on the short-term profits he generates, rather than the long-term stability of the company, what happens? Unless you

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The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do

Today, I’m a high school teacher. I spend my days culturing teenagers. Sometimes, my students get disruptive, and I swear to myself in frustration. Acquaintances ask me how my work is going. I explain how I’m having a difficult time with a certain kid. I can’t seem to get him to pay attention in class.

Acquaintances smirk knowingly. And they say, “well, have you tried making it fun for the kids? That’s how you get through to them, you know?”

And then, they explain to me how I should do my job….

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