No disagreement about textbook quality going downhill. I think the better ones were written before 1967.
But teachers frequently have little choice about what textbooks are being used. That decision generally comes at the district level and gets tied up in politics, economics, and the perks a publisher can offer. The district also takes into account pressure from the public.
Which is where you come into the picture constructively. I just wish that everyone who had something to say about textbooks had done all the things you've obviously done -- researched the replacement cycle of the local school district's textbooks, read the selection that's available, found a suitable text which meets state standards, researched the costs, and (where necessary) identified and secured funds to make up the difference between the 'bad' ones the district wants, and the 'good' one you want.
You know, the constructive things which stand a chance of furthering your noble quest.
Because doing less, such as indiscriminately putting down every teacher for a problem they have little control over, really just comes off as whining.
Sure, teachers could take a stand on principle and just walk off the job. (By the way, have you noticed the unemployment stats out there?) Which would accomplish little, other than putting a new teacher in the job next year. Or they could do one of two things.
One -- do what I think many do, and tolerate the beating, and eventually get to the point where they just don't care, and say, "Okay, if that's what you say, then that's what I'll do." The burn-outs. The ones who just put there head down, put the book in front of the kids, and say, "Read pages 18-21, do the worksheet, don't break anything." Sure, some are like that, and I've known a few.
Or two -- use the textbook for limited references, dig around and find better quality material, challenge the students, and turn out kids who have 'learned something' more useful on a regular basis, than a one-in-a-billion chance of being on a beach when the ocean begins receding.
I know some of those, too.
And I'm sure as well, that you've pushed other initiatives to improve the teaching profession, such as pressuring your legislators to pass laws which restrict the portion of school budgets which can be spent on anything outside the classroom. Or laws to identify and fund quality teachers -- you know, the ones you want to keep, but know will leave the classroom soon, because the pay scale for teachers tends to run a bit lower than other professions with comparable education requirements, and good teachers figure out quickly that they can make more money, work fewer hours, and have to put up with a lot less finger-pointing, at a job somewhere else.
Then who's left? The ones who are there because they want to make a difference for the students and can afford to stay, and the ones who don't have as many options.
Keep up the unproductive beating, and guess which ones you'll wind up with more of.
Quiller, to put it mildly, your presentation troubles me.
Who is the hands on person here? None the less it’s the rest of the public and me you look to, to correct this situation.
What other profession do you know of who when confronted with problems, tells the public it’s all their fault?
I worked in a hospital. I didn’t demand the public fix our problems. The administration, the managers, and co-workers jumped in to fix things. We didn’t send letters to the community telling them they had to fix things for us.
If you’re telling me the teachers haven’t got any power, I’m going to respond that right there is the problem.
If there aren’t enough teachers out there who object to this stuff to the point where they will walk out as a body and tell the community why, then no amount of community dissatisfaction is going to fix things.
The community members do get upset. They do approach teachers and administrators. What they get in return is some holier than thou disgusted look that immediately translates to, “We’ve got another live one idiot, we’re going to have to deal with.” And then they proceed to lie to you or tell you that you are powerless to change things.
Where is the uprising from the school administrators? Where is the march on state capitals, or even one state capital?
I’ve been living in my community for 40 years. During that period of time I have not seen one teacher stand up on this issue and tell the community what is going on.
Don’t tell me this is my problem. It is my nation’s problem, my state’s problem, my community’s problem, my and my children’s problem. It is YOUR PROFESSION. You are a part of that problem, no matter how well meaning you are.
I have never seen a business that blames everyone else more for it’s problems than the teaching profession. When I address it, and mention teachers, I am constantly hit over the head with the idea that it’s my fault, not theirs.
It’s so bad people are opting out to home school at great financial impact on the family.
None the less, all our poor teachers out there are doing a bang-up job. Don’t blame them for what they are teaching.
Good grief.