Why the Vehemence?

Every time LK finds an interesting article when he is reading up on the news, he forwards the link to me. He knows that anything education related is something that I definitely want to read. So yesterday he sent me this link http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/no-more-fall-report-card-for-ontario-kids/article1408248/ to an article in the Globe I was very interested. I had heard about the commission doing a report on evaluation in Ontario last year while I was doing research for my course and had forgotten about it. Now it has come out and the Ontario Gov't. is making changes to the report cards in response to that report.

I read the article and then made the mistake of reading the comments. Where did this massive hate-on for teachers come from? Why do so many people hate us? I had to force myself to stop reading and turn it off so I wouldn't get really upset.

But what is the point of getting upset? When we form an opinion about something, as humans beings we often commit deeply to those opinions. Arguments to convince someone that their opinion is wrong doesn't really make a difference. Showing them that there may be other options does.

So, how do I take the looming changes to assessment practice in Ontario and use it to do a better job in serving my students? The only thing that will change the minds of parents and community members convinced that all teachers are leeches on society who constantly complain about how difficult they have it is to see teachers working hard and making a difference.

One thing though, why do people insist on comparing the training of our children with sales? My child is not a piece of stereo equipment. She is a human being, vastly more valuable and complex than the most valuable piece of technology. Her success in her education is not a matter of getting x-number of right answers on a test. Neither is the success of my students.

Couldn't we put our energy into supporting them rather than bashing teachers?