Some people aspire to climb the corporate ladder, to retire by 35 with a bank account full of money from savvy investments and shrewd business deals, but others would find that type of life devoid of meaning.
Incentivizing education usually only leaves a bad taste in a teacher’s mouth as they don’t see success defined by a student’s performance on a single test. It’s not that educators are better people than CEOs, it’s just that they are driven by different things.
Somehow CEOs and corporate America believe they can run schools better than educators, but the truth is, they simply throw false analogies at people as they attempt to convince them about the merits of a business-like school.
Instead, education should more closely mirrors a family unit. The role of the teacher is more akin to a parent than a businessman as they work to coach, counsel, and instruct while being people who care, nurture, and show generosity.
The product for schools is unclear. There is a frenzy over different accountability factors including test scores and school performance, but most teachers don’t even begin to consider those two factors when looking at their “products”.
Students are not items to be put on a shelf and used in the most efficient manner. They are individuals with their own skills, hopes, and dreams. Finding teachers who can tap into those things and reach each students on an individual level demonstrates how far the education process is from a business. Education can’t be about churning out a product.
Teachers do not pick and choose the raw materials that walk into their classrooms. Each student brings their own set of problems and talents, yet each student is given an opportunity to overcome these challenges and become their own person.
At a state and national level, there must be people in charge that understand these factors or America will never see a jump in student advancement. Allowing people with no educational experience to write the legislation for education is dangerous and it is vital that people have experience in education before making sweeping regulations.
