Sunday, August 2, 2009

"Professional development" employees

I'm coming to the conclusion that "professional development" officials give the inference that classroom teachers don't know much, because that makes their teacher training job so needed. They say it so often that they actually come to believe it, but it really is for their own job security. They don't really want the teachers to be good, because then they wouldn't have a job, since they wouldn't be needed. That may be why they always push a constructivist philosophy, because it doesn't work. When this is the official policy and teachers try to implement it (since it doesn't work) the teacher is made to look bad, thus guaranteeing the further need for more "professional development!" That is why they are so eager to agree with board members and conservative legislators when they bring complaints about teachers. Between the lines they're saying, "Increase funding for professional development, my job, and my status."