Charades.

I need to prepare for the Praxis II--Social Studies coming up on Saturday. One of those things that goes into being "highly qualified". I went to a workshop the other day with one of the few professors of education that seems to have some clue about how things should work. In the Praxis workshop, however, he basically taught us how to BS our way through the exam. Granted, the multiple choice portion is designed to guage content knowledge, but the pedagogy section is set up such that if one knows the language that ETS desires can be easily handled.

A better example is National Board Certification. I've been watching a few of our teachers who are aiming to gain their NBC. It's just that they are performing for the camera. The portfolios and video taped classes are all made up. The teachers don't really teach that way. But if they can fool enough people on video and paper then they will receive recognition--amd more importantly a 12% pay increase.

It just seems like these patterns continue to emerge the longer I witness the bohemoth public system. We use smoke and mirrors in the testing process, we pretend to be good teachers for the camera, we learn the right language to use to impress and maybe even to move up to--dare I say? dare, dare--ADMINISTRATION.

I'd love to have a significant pay increase. But I don't think I would want too many more of my tax dollars to go to fund the status quo. More money has been issued over the past decade with what results? I don't remember the situation being so dire when the class of '96 came through. But now with the class of '06 on the verge, we are facing tangible economic concerns abroad and at home.