Pet Peeves: Merit Based Pay for Teachers

I have been pondering what to make my next blog topic. Orginially I was going to write about the Democratic chairwoman but something regarding education on Facebook caught my eye. It was a poll asking you to “grade” the education system in Missouri. When I clicked on it, it took me to a Republican candidate for MO governor, Dave Spence, homepage. (http://www.spenceforgovernor.com/home/) After I voted I looked around his page to check him out. A lot of what I read pertains to education. Here is what he had to say:

Dave’s initial “Back to Basics” education reform principles include:

• Let Teachers Teach- No Child Left Behind along with state testing requirements has made the ability to truly teach and advance students a part-time job. We must eliminate busy work for teachers to make more time for individual attention with students.
• Reward the Best Teachers- We need to work with local school districts to develop a merit-based pay incentive for teachers that focuses on student improvement during a school year.
• Keep the Best Teachers- The “last in, first out” policy for teachers must be addressed at the local level. If a teacher with two years’ experience is getting results while a teacher with ten years’ experience is not, we owe it to the students to keep the best educator.
• Rescue Failing Schools’ Students- Kansas City and St. Louis schools need help and quickly. Quit the blame game and form a committed group of community leaders, parents and state policymakers to get to a sustainable solution.
• Re-emphasizing Local Control in the Administration of our Schools- Local school boards and superintendents need the flexibility to implement educational programs and systems that fit the needs of their communities.
• More Education Options for Students- Students should have the opportunity for a more individualized education. That means we need to expand options, such as public charter schools, for all public school students.
• Many Paths, Same Success- A four-year college degree is not the only path to a successful career. We need to assist trade schools and community colleges, as well as set up an alternative platform for the students that simply want to learn a life skill and go to work.

Overall, I like his plan, especially the last “many paths, same success” aspect of it. I have said for many years that we need to totally overall our system. But that is another blog entirely. The aspect I have the most problem with is “keep the best teachers” feature. Oh, my word!!! That topic gets me riled up faster than a red-eye flight from NY to London! I ain’t kidding! I get so sick and tired of idiots saying that teachers should get paid based on how well their students perform in the classroom. Ok, really? You really think that is the way to get more quality teachers in the classrooms? Do you really think that is going to spur on better teaching? Do you really think that is the fairest way to address our education problem? REALLY? Now, before you start shaking you head yes and saying “of course,” think real careful about what you are agreeing to…….Did you think it through? If you still think that paying teachers based on their students’ performance is a good idea, then I am here to BUST YOUR BUBBLE and to let you know that YOU ARE AN IDIOT. Yes, I said it: YOU ARE AN IDIOT. Period, point blank, end of story. You have NO IDEA what you are talking about.

But it’s ok, because I am going to tell you why your ignorance probably really isn’t your fault. Liberals and the biased media have been feeding y’all this crap for years now so you probably don’t know any better. Let’s just start off with the basics, you know, ease you into the reality that YOU ARE WRONG.

Your argument: Merit base pay keeps teachers “honest” and will make them work hard. Ok, while I agree this approach does have a place in the workforce, our school system is not one of them. What keeps a teacher from "cheating" especially if the pay is based only on how student perform in his/her classroom. Second, test scores have no bearing on the students. Whether they pass or it or fail it, a student has no ties to it except that it’s in their file. So, what do they care if they pass it or not? In fact, if merit pay went were approved, the students would have even more power than they already do in the classroom.  “How?” you ask, well that is simple: if they do not like a teacher they fail the test on purpose, duh! Are you crazy? If a teacher gives too much homework, makes tests too hard, etc. then all a student has to do is fail it on purpose to make that teacher look bad. And if you are thinking to yourself that kids wouldn’t do something like that, then you are some hippie who doesn’t live in reality! They would do it in heartbeat, believe me. So, if you are going to argue you this then you better make it worthwhile to the student to learn it. Period.

 Your argument: Merit based pay makes teaching fair for everyone, the good teachers get rewarded for good standardized scores.  Makes it fair, huh? Really? Idiot….how is it fair? Only the “core” subjects get tested at the elementary and middle/junior high levels. That is: Math, Communication Arts (English) and Science in certain grades. So, the rest of us don’t get raises? How do you base our pay? How about the Fine Arts teachers? Those who teach art, home-ec, band, choir, etc.? How is that fair for them? Do we start to test those subjects also? Or just cut them entirely? Here is a whooper, what about SPECIAL EDUCATION???!!! Those kids will NEVER be proficient and maybe not even basic on those tests! Give me a break!! You mean I am not a good teacher because my kids cannot read a test? Oh, wait, you didn’t know? Yeah, in the state of MO teachers are not allowed to read the Comm Arts portion of the MAP test to their students with learning disabilities. That means all school year teachers are required to abide by the Individual Education Plans that the state mandates each student must have if they qualify for special services, things such as modifying the test by making it shorter or taking the answer choices from 4 to 3, rewording the questions, and mostly reading it them. However, come standardized testing taking time teachers can only read the science (8^th grade) and math portions of the test! How is that fair? How does that even make sense? But moving on…..so how do you per pose making it fair for all teachers of all subjects with merit based pay? How exactly is that going to work? Loss for words? Yeah, I thought so.

Your argument: Merit based pay will remove the bad teachers. BAHAHAHAHA! This really does make me laugh out. Are you kidding? The biggest complaint I hear today is that teachers are not good at their job anymore. And there may be some value to this argument, however, bad teachers are in the system because they cannot get a job anywhere else and they know it. Your “good” teachers leave education because they get tired of all the bull crap that goes on public education.  Not only are the kids out of control with their blatant disrespect for adults and each other, but the parents are not much better. Everyone believes their child in an angel and a straight ‘A’ student. It is unbelievable! Students say how much they hate school, how Mr./Mrs. So & So gives too much homework or that “she/ he is tripping if they think  I’m going to that all that work,” or “I’m grown” and the list could go on and on and on.  And if a teacher does call a parent, the parent second guesses what the teacher tells them about their sweet, precious, little angel. They are shocked to learn that their child speaks that way, or doesn’t do their homework (uh, no books at home should have gave it away!!!), or that they can’t read or do simple math such as multiplication or division of 2 or 3 digit numbers, etc. So what about the parents? Where do they fit into this merit based pay, huh? Are they not a partner in their child’s education anymore? Or did I miss the memo where education was now 100% the teacher’s responsibility?  Give me a break and think this stuff through, will you?

Bottom line is this: merit pay is great in a business organization, but not in education. In business, what do you if you get 12 boxes of blueberries that are rotten or that are not quite ready to eat? Well, the rotten ones can be thrown away and the not quite ripe ones can be placed on a shelf to wait until they are ready to be eaten. In business you can chose not to buy from those sellers again or use that farm that you bought them from, correct? Well, guess what?! Teachers do not get that option. When kids come through the door that cannot read or write or spell their name or do multiplication facts, etc. they have no choice but let them inside their classrooms. Teachers have no choice but to let them take the same tests as those “blueberries” that are ready to be “put to market.” Teachers have no choice but to make the student, who is horrible in math, but great at drawing, take the test and fail even though they can paint like Leonardo. Do you get it yet? Do you understand that business does not function in education; especially not the way our system is ran today?

Do I have suggestions on how to fix our very broken and very outdated education system in the United States? Yes I do, but I have taken up too much time with this blog so I will address that issue in a later blog. Hopefully, it will be posted later this weekend.

Come on America! Let’s take back our Country! Let’s take back our future for our children!

Who’s with me?

Pet Peeves: The "Grasshopper"

I recieved an email from a good friend about a week ago and the following was contained in it. I fell in love with it immediately and just had to share! It is well written and so true. For all my ants out there: enjoy! For all you grasshoppers.....well, you probably won't get it anyways.....

Happy Reading!

THE NEW ANT and the Grasshopper, Two Versions:

The ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER  This one is a little different....  Two Different Versions ...  Two Different Morals    OL D VERSION The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. MORAL OF THE OLD STORY: Be responsible for yourself! MODERN VERSION The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.  CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.  How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?  Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not EasyBeing Green...' Occupy the Anthill stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the SEIUgroup singing, We shall overcome. Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray for thegrasshopper's sake,

while he damns the ants. 

President Obama condems the ant
and blames 
President Bush 43, President Bush 41, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the
Pope
for the grasshopper's
plight.. 

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid
exclaim in an interview with Larry
King that the ant has
gotten rich off the back of the
grasshopper,
and both call for an immediate tax hike on theant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts
the Economic Equity &
Anti-Grasshopper Act
retroactive to the beginning of
the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number
of green bugs and,
having  nothing left to  pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the GovernmentGreenCzar
and given  to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper
and his free-loading  friends finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is  in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house,
crumbles around them because thegrasshopper doesn't  maintain it.

The ant has  disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper  is found  dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken
over  by a gang of spiders  who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous  and peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses
bringing the rest
of the free world with it. 

MORAL OF THE STORY:


Be careful how you vote in 2012.

Pet Peeves: Idolatry

Ok, for those of you who are also my facebook friends (and since I techinally only have 4 followers, I am going to assume that most of you are my fb friends) you have read my statuses about my dislike of the St. Louis Cardinals. Yes, I said I disliked the Cardinals! Alright, alright, alright you need to either calm down or breathe again, ok? Please let me explain why before you kill yourself from the shock of those brief words written above.

On the face of it, I don’t really dislike the Cardinals for any sincere reason, such as being a Cubs or Braves fan. While I am not a particular fan of baseball, that is not really the rub either. Initially I disliked the Cardinals just for spite. Stephen refuses to like or watch the Arkansas Razorbacks, so I in turn began to dislike the Cardinals. However, that “surface hatred” per se has grown into true dislike of all things regarding professional sports. NFL, NBA, MLB, Tennis, etc., I am not discriminating. I don’t any of them! Or maybe that is not a fair statement. It might be best to say instead that I dislike what they have done to our society. Please let me explain further.

Do you realize how many people watch professional sports? According to http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/15/comment-of-the-day-how-many-people-really-watch-mlb-games   1.65 billion Americans watch the NFL and an estimated 1.01 billion watch the MLB. Wow, really??  Isn’t that just amazing? All those folks who gather to watch a man throw, catch or run somewhere on a field. All those people who pay big bucks to attend games and buy different memorabilia with their favorite team(s) displayed on them. While it is mostly men who tend to be diehard fans, women are also guilty of obsessing over professional sports teams also. There is no telling how many parents (dad & mom) who put off chores, rush home from family events, turn on the radio to listen to the games, etc. They are DEDICATED, hardcore, not going to miss a game type of fans. At this point you are probably asking “And your point is?” My point is how many of those same dedicated, hardcore, not going to miss a game fan also attends church or opens up their Bible on a daily, let alone weekly basis? Huh? How many???

According to http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/15/comment-of-the-day-how-many-people-really-watch-mlb-games  while 49% of Americans report attending church on Sunday mornings on a weekly basis half of them are lying. They estimate that really only 20% of American attend church on Sunday mornings on a weekly basis. 20% people!!! Am I the only one who is bothered by that number? If you look at http://www.gallup.com/poll/1786/More-Americans-Fans-Pro-Football-Than-Any-Other-Sport.aspx  31% of Americans claim to be a fan of professional hockey! Professional hockey, are you kidding me?! Both of these sources are based on 1999-2001 numbers so it wouldn’t surprise me to find that even fewer people are attending church and more are now fans of hockey. Pretty sad, isn’t it?

When you look up “idolatry” on dicationary.com it says the following: 1. the religious worship of idols; 2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. Does that sound familiar to you? I never thought of this type of thing as idolatry until my childhood preacher gave a sermon over the subject of idols one Sunday morning. I don’t remember the details, but what I do remember is that he pointed out how young people today (and that was 15 yrs ago) tend to put music artists, ball players, NASCAR drivers, or just famous people in general on a type of pedistool in which they are the ultimate role model in society. Kids hang posters of their favorite ball player or music star in their rooms, buy all the magazines with them on the cover, buy their cds (or download it to their i-Pod), wear their clothes, etc. I am sure you get the point. Do you have any idea how many Cardinals t-shirts I saw Wednesday, the first game of the world series? Unbelievable the dedication people have to this team! That is all they talk about. Who hit what, who pitched or didn’t pictch, what Tony LaRussa “shoulda, woulda, coulda” done and when the next game is. It is absolutely amazing, and yet very rarely is anything mentioned about God. You don’t hear about what the preacher spoke about on Sunday or didn’t say, what Sunday school was about, what your current Bible study is. Nope, those things are either “mum” or just not on our agenda at all.

Uh, oh? Did I ruffle some of your feathers? Well, good! I have ruffled plenty of my own to be honest with you. While I feel that many have put professional (and college, to be perfect honest) sports in the idolatry category, I truly believe it was unintentional. I am guilty of the same sin. While I was thinking about this blog, it hit home that I have done the same thing, just not with sports. My idol is currently TV shows in general or sleep. I turn on the tube instead of opening the Bible or just lay my head down on the pillow instead of teaching my 2 year old how to pray to her Father in Heaven. So, while I am scolding many of you for your over zealousness for sports, I am also scolding myself. I have also realized that if I am not careful I will create an idol for Hadley: Dora. After her birthday party I realized just how many things we bought for her that had Dora on it. So, I am going to have to cut back on that stuff and remedy myself as well.

I hope this blog has made you reexamine your life and love affair with your “idol.” We all have them, what is yours? It could be reading a book, looking at magazines, keeping up with your facebook or email, your job, or all kinds of things that you put before our God.  Exodus 20:14 states: And God spoke these words: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship  them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing hte children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of  those who love me and keep my commandments."  Keep in mind that dictionary.com lists "god" as the following: any person or thing to which excessive attention is given. Hmmmm.......given much attention to something besides God lately?

The next time to strike up a conversation about the Cardinals or something else, why don’t you ask yourself when was the last time to talk about Jesus to someone? Or wore something about Him? Or read something about Him? Or attended Church?

Please look at the picture below. When is the last time you saw or have you ever seen this many people crazy over the Lord? The point of this blog is that people "worship" professional sports more than they do God. We spend more time watching TV in general than we do in a pew or reading out Bibles.

However, for the record, good luck tonight Cards!

Pet Peeves: Class Warfare

Ok, first of all let me start by stating that I am a REPUBLICAN. Therefore, if you are a Democrat, you read the rest of this blog at your own risk. I would be highly surprised if you agreed with anything I am about to say. Reading beyond these first few lines would just make you mad or sick to your stomach. Undoubtedly, you would feel the need to make a comment about my views in which case I would have to delete them because to be perfectly honest, I don't want to hear it. Let's be real and just come to terms with the fact that we don't agree. And that's ok with me, but since this is my blog, I am going to write what I want to regardless of what you say or think. So please save yourself some time and exit this page if you have liberal leanings, because I guarantee that what is written here will not be something you will want to hear. However, if you are by chance an open minded Democrat that can read another’s opinion without making comments or without trying to force your viewpoint onto others then by all means, read on......

Now, onto business: Like a good little Conservative and American, I watch Fox & Friends in the mornings when I can. Mostly, I just listen to it as I get ready for work. But that is neither here nor there…..This week they have been talking quite a bit about the protestors down on Wall Street, the “99%” or some such thing. From what I understand this “99%” are supposed to represent the population of people who are not rich in this country. They are currently protesting on Wall Street because of all the rich folks who work down there, you know the “1%.” Anyway, back to Fox & Friends. One of the hosts, Gretchen Carlson asked some top notch Democrat chick this week if she thought President Obama’s talk of class warfare was spurring on this “99%” protest that was occurring. Of course, the chick being interviewed never really answered the question out right; she wasn’t going to admit that Obama’s talk of higher taxes might be a cause of the unrest in New York City.

This interview has been on my mind most of the week. It made me start thinking about Obama’s policy towards those he considers “rich,” you know, the folks who make more than $250,000 a year. The rich, huh? $250,000 is rich? Well, then that makes him and the rest of the law makers virtual millionaires doesn’t it? I mean we pay the President a cool $500,000, twice the amount he has labeled as rich in America. But wait, not only do we pay the Presidents salary (and the other lawmakers) we also pay ALL their bills, their rent, their gas, their food, their health insurance, and the list goes on, and on, and on. A regular energizer bunny!

Nothing burns my hide more than a hypocrite. Just say it like it is, mean what you say, don’t talk in circles or out of your booty. The double standard that flows out of most Democrats mouths just makes me want to puke. Here are all these Liberal politicians that talk about the rich needing to pay their fair share, people need to buy green, take better care of the environment, etc., etc. And here they sit in Washington or in a state capitol living off of OUR money, pocketing the pay checks that we write to them, riding around in limos, dining in the fanciest restaurants and they have the nerve to tell us we need to give a little more. Are you kidding???? How about they give up some of their pay check? How about they get a personal insurance policy? How about not getting a retirement check for life or secret service? Why do normal, everyday citizens who already give up so much have to continue to keep giving? At some point people have to realize that you just cannot get blood out of a turnip.

And it’s not just the Washington Democrats that get under my skin. It’s also those silly little hotty-totty Hollywood wackos that drive me insane! They are constantly talking about giving money to the sick and hungry all over the world; they urge us to make “green” decisions such as driving an electric car or getting solar panels for your house. I feel like screaming at my T.V. “Right, I have a load of cash lying around, let me jump right on that for you….oh, wait a minute, that’s not me, that you!” These idiots spout out this nonsense about caring for the Earth, making the world a better place by helping those in need, eat healthier, blah, blah, blah. And yet, they have 5 sports cars, and another 3 SUVs, not to mention the 3 or 4 mansions they own (which are not solar powered), a private chef and personal trainer. I mean are they all just that messed up in the head? Do they really think that we are a bunch of zombies who are just going to fall in line because they, the mighty and beautiful, have set forth unattainable goals? Where do they get off asking us to do anything when they still have more than any one person needs in life?! Get real Hollywood, and put your money where your mouth is, or rather first put your money where you want us to put ours. Then maybe we will “fall in line” until then, go lay in a tanning bed.

Basically, I can’t stand the Washington and Hollywood Liberals because they are such hypocrites. Now, I don’t mean to imply that Conservatives are perfect by any means; we have lots of flaws too. Many people don’t like Republicans because they believe that the party is only for the rich and spit on the poor. However, I see it as we believe that if you earn it, you should keep it. Period, end of story. Why should we have to pay more when we worked to get here? But that is whole other blog within itself so I better not get started on THAT at the moment. To be honest, Republicans might be for the rich, but at least they admit that. Hey, we work hard for our money and we think we should keep it. You won’t find us with any bleeding hearts anytime soon. As far as class warfare is concerned we stand firm on the fact this concept is ridiculous.

So all you Socialists, oops, I mean Democrats grow up and just admit how you really feel. While you might really want to help those in the lower classes, the real agenda in Washington is to keep the lower classes in “line.” If the poor continues to rely on D.C. for their money, the politicians keep the control in their own hands, all the while bleeding the middle class dry, making a larger poverty class to control. Oh, and they get their votes. Can’t forget about those votes, huh? But my question is what happens when the “triangle/pyramid” of society gets turned upside down and the point is on the bottom trying to balance and hold up the heavy, overburdened base in the air? Any person with common sense (which seems to be quite few these days) knows that the triangle/pyramid is going to fall on one side or the other. My prayer is that if falls to the Right and we can turn this once great nation back to what it once was. If not, then I guess we need to all invest in some Rosetta Stone software so we can speak Chinese well enough to understand the instructions we receive from our new “managers” when they arrive…….

Grap those life vests! 2012 is going to be a long one! ~Jen

Pet Peeves: Misspelling My Name

So, here this goes! :) A few months ago one of my closest friends began writing her very own blog. I looked forward to reading it and became disappointed if she didn't write a new one in a "timely" manner. Throughout the day I found myself thinking of random topics that I would like to write about myself. Things such as the way people drive, things people say, our government, and other random acts of idiocy that seems to torment me on a weekly, or even daily basis. This bring me to my first blog post topic, my pet peeves.

Today I encountered my #1 pet peeve: the spelling of my name. Yes, yes, I know you just took a look at my blog title to check my name out. Those of you who know me personally have already heard this "song & dance" many times before. For that I apologize! hehe OK, back to task here. So, I am sure you noticed that my first name is spelled with only "1" n, instead of the usual 2. My mom decided to do this after seeing it spelled like this while in the hospital after giving birth to me. It was either "Tara" or Jennifer." Obviously I was given the latter. My mom not only named me what was to become one of THE most common names for at least a decade, but she spelled it "wrong" to boot. Now, please don't misunderstand me, the fact that mom did all this does it annoy me, however, it is NOT the reason for my first blog. My ultimate pet peeve is that fact that people misspell it ALL THE TIME! And since it's one of my first pet peeves (that I can think of) and the most re-occurring one it seems only fitting for it to be my first post.

You would not believe how many people spell my name wrong and it super-duper annoying. It drives me up the wall! I have tried several times to just let it "roll off my back." But for some reason I just can't let it go. Before you accuse of me of being heartless or being too hard on folks, let me be clear and state that I don't blame those people who spell my name without me spelling it for them or who do not see it printed in black and white.....or whichever color it might happen to be.

You would not believe the number of times my "friends" on facebook have misspelled my name while commenting on a status update or on a wall post. Are you serious???? I mean it is right there! Right there on my profile, right there on my status! *GRR! It really makes me unhinged when co-workers do it or when it is on my paperwork. It just makes me want to scream! Today I gave a lady my check which plainly has my name printed on the top left. But (yep, you guessed it!) when I got the receipt my name was spelled with 2 ' n's. I just rolled my eyes and left. I have often contemplated saying, "Excuse me, do I look stupid? Did you spell "Jennifer" with 2 ns because you assumed I was an idiot and spelled my name wrong or are you just too lazy to take the time to look at it correctly? Or are YOU stupid?" However, I do not because it would be rude and not nice in the least, so I try to just bite my tongue and go about my business. But for the record it irks me to no end!

The moral of this story is to please, please, please pay attention to what you are writing. I know people make mistakes, me included (though very rarely....hehe). But a mistake is when something happens once or not very often, but from my experience people are just idiots or lazy.

Tootles! ~J