A MAJOR OBSTACLE FOR IOWA TEACHERS

The  11-17-11Cedar Rapids Gazette reported the average Iowa teacher graduated from high school in 1987.  The vertical line in the mind development chart below shows a major obstacle—far worse than teachers not being taught the five essential components for teaching reading, such as occurs at UNI, ISU and UI. 

 And journalists and others think the solution is to pay teachers more—and extend the school day and school year, and expand preschool—and have performance measures, as if NCLB worked, and as if there is no cheating.  Those who think such thoughts likely graduated from high school about the same time as the average Iowa teacher.   Not good.

 Governor Branstad backed off on 4 tier teacher pay.  Just as well as he gave no indication of how much he expected it to increase student achievement, if any—or why.   He didn’t give any such improvement expectations for the blueprint either.  What is going on?  Look to Judy Hintz for improvement. 

 Judy Hintz trains the teachers who work for her.  The chart likely shows the reasons why.  It is also quite obvious why educrats see no reason to listen to Judy—or why some think It appropriate to equate poor, minority and special education students to “rotten blueberries”.

 God help the kids to be home or on-line schooled—with valid math, where things have to add up,  and with phonics—and by teachers who know how to teach!!!