Education

Addison

(299 posts)

48. Squinch, you said it was "silly" to ask kids . . .

Tue May 7, 2013, 06:58 PM

May 2013

"What do you most want to learn about, and why?
Have any of your teachers gotten you interested, even excited about subjects or issues you hadn’t previously thought about? If any did, how did they do that?
How well do your teachers know each of you outside of class?
What do you care about and do outside of this school?
What was your life like before you ever came to school?"

Just tell me, are those questions really so awful to ask a kid?

No one is suggesting that students be given the power to fire their teachers at the blink of an eye.

But is it really so wrong to ask their opinion about their teachers? What are you so afraid of?

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Why Not Teacher Evaluations by Students? [View all] Addison May 2013 OP

No shit, right? Who, in the end, are the clients, the customers? NYC_SKP May 2013 #1

How does your comment relate to teacher evaluations by the students? Buzz Clik May 2013 #3

Students traditionally are powerless. Letting them evaluate teachers would go against tradition. NYC_SKP May 2013 #4

I don't know. I think that teacher evaluations by a bunch of hormone poisoned kids... Buzz Clik May 2013 #5

"hormone poisoned kids"????????? Addison May 2013 #7

You ever have a 14-year-old boy or girl in your home for more than 2 hours? Buzz Clik May 2013 #10

Folks said the same kinds of things about blacks Addison May 2013 #16

save that all kids are that way DonCoquixote May 2013 #27

Ageist. Neoma May 2013 #49

Brain research. LWolf May 2013 #54

Be careful Addison May 2013 #62

What the poster described is not pseudo-science. And to liken it to phrenology is quite bizarre. Squinch May 2013 #67

It isn't pseudo-science. LWolf May 2013 #74

Citing "brain research" Addison May 2013 #75

No. LWolf May 2013 #80

LOL!!!!!! Buzz Clik May 2013 #57

Seemed to strike a nerve Addison May 2013 #60

Yeah, you're trying to bait me. Buzz Clik May 2013 #61

You're baiting yourself, and I'm just reeling you in Addison May 2013 #63

We're CRK7376 May 2013 #56

Yep. Buzz Clik May 2013 #58

Yes, I do think most teachers of adolescents ask them on some basis to say what was good and what mbperrin May 2013 #77

Just a guess: you don't spend a lot of time in schools, right? Squinch May 2013 #26

Spent most of my life in schools Addison May 2013 #29

Your wording is very careful. In what capacity did you spend most of your life in schools? Squinch May 2013 #31

Not that I think it matters Addison May 2013 #40

And who said that children don't have thoughts and feelings and perspectives? Squinch May 2013 #46

Squinch, you said it was "silly" to ask kids . . . Addison May 2013 #48

I am not afraid of anything. But here are some realities: Squinch May 2013 #50

We're not arguing over the same topic Addison May 2013 #52

And if the children's opinions of their teachers becomes part of the evaluation, how are you going Squinch May 2013 #65

And should administrators never be allowed to fire a teacher? Addison May 2013 #68

On the say so of a child? Squinch May 2013 #69

Of course. Addison May 2013 #70

Really, you are too much. Have a nice day. Squinch May 2013 #71

Here's one. I teach seniors. Young lady spills a drink in class, so I hand her some paper towels we mbperrin May 2013 #78

And if she handed in excellent work, according to your standards, Addison May 2013 #79

If your attitude is shared by other adults in these kids' lives, then they don't have much chance. NYC_SKP May 2013 #9

And you'd be willing to let them have decision making power over your employment? Buzz Clik May 2013 #11

I would not give them sole power, any more than I'd use just one form of assessment for them. NYC_SKP May 2013 #12

Well, it is a crazy idea! marew May 2013 #32

Well said Addison May 2013 #14

Putting aside the disgusting fact that Cato provided this... Buzz Clik May 2013 #2

I do find the fact that Hentoff joined the Cato Institute one of life's great mysteries Addison May 2013 #6

There are teachers who should be banned from the classroom until the end of time. Buzz Clik May 2013 #8

Because being children- marew May 2013 #20

Wow is right Addison May 2013 #23

So you are comparing children to animals! Really? marew May 2013 #36

Nothing simple and primitive about reading Addison May 2013 #41

no mystery at all. hentoff is a winger. HiPointDem May 2013 #81

You have that right! marew May 2013 #17

I'm not suggesting teachers don't care Addison May 2013 #21

Of course they care! marew May 2013 #37

. Squinch May 2013 #22

Thanks marew May 2013 #39

I think it would be very easy to go through the Squinch May 2013 #42

You are so on target! n/t marew May 2013 #45

This is really very silly. Squinch May 2013 #13

What if we had no idea what kids "need" to learn Addison May 2013 #15

We have a pretty good idea what kids in grade school need to know. Even Bill Gates. Squinch May 2013 #19

I work with kids, too Addison May 2013 #28

What you are suggesting has nothing to do with giving children credit for their intelligence. Squinch May 2013 #33

Come on! marew May 2013 #44

Right! marew May 2013 #43

Excellent post! n/t marew May 2013 #18

+1 MichiganVote May 2013 #30

agreed 100 percent.... mike_c May 2013 #34

Well said Addison May 2013 #47

I think we are talking about two different things.... mike_c May 2013 #73

I've seen it countless times where a teacher is Squinch May 2013 #51

I agree with some CRK7376 May 2013 #59

Because DonCoquixote May 2013 #24

EXACTLY! marew May 2013 #38

Old issue on Long Island HockeyMom May 2013 #25

I was not involved in K-12 education.... chillfactor May 2013 #35

There isn't any reason not to have students evaluate teachers. FBaggins May 2013 #53

Ask a first grader "how many times they are called on to interact with the content," and his answer Squinch May 2013 #66

Stupidest idea EVER duffyduff May 2013 #55

Can we pick the students? My 1st graders love me. proud2BlibKansan May 2013 #64

Some college kids could do it just fine. Igel May 2013 #72

The evaluation of teaching skills is difficult at best, even when done by experts. Student may ladjf May 2013 #76

professsors greymattermom May 2013 #82