教師防火牆
by 邱鴻安
 邱鴻安專欄
September 02, 2009 11:39 AM | 1693 觀看次數 | 10 10 評論 | 52 52 評論推薦: | 電郵給朋友 | 打印 | 文章連結

【邱鴻安】加州教育界正在上演一場角力戰,歐巴馬和史瓦辛格希望進行「教師改革」,要求公校教師接受關於他們工作表現的評估,但是全國教師協會和擁有30多萬會員的加州教師協會都反對,認為教師不應受評估。這場角力戰勝負難料,結果將對數以百萬計的加州學生造成重大影響。

事情起於歐巴馬政府推行的「力爭上游」(Race to the top)教育改革計畫。這項改革的目標是提高公校的表現,總撥款額達到430億元,但學校須競爭才能得到撥款,計畫規定,學校必須提出改革措施,如能符合規定,才能夠得到撥款。計畫還規定,學校須蒐集教師表現的資料,再加上學生的測驗成績,用以評定教師的表現;教師的優劣知道了,學校就可獎勵表現好的教師,給他們額外的薪金。

「力爭上游」的撥款規定使加州陷入混亂,因為加州現有法律規定,公校教師無須接受評估,學校也不能用學生的測驗成績去評定教師的表現。聯邦教育部長唐侃已明白表示,如果加州不取消這些規定,就得不到撥款。 為了爭取撥款,史瓦辛格已下令州議會召開特別會期,要求州議員在今年10月5日限期前修改州法,以便加州可以申請撥款。不過,由民主黨控制的州議會無意修改現法,因為在民主黨背後的教師工會極力反對修法。

強大的加州教師工會,數十年來在政治角力上從未失敗過,但這次卻處於下風,因為輿論一致認為,加州不能放棄可能高達數十億元的撥款。教師工會當然不能說不要撥款,但如要撥款,卻必須先修法。

輿論認為,加州教師以現有法規作為防火牆 (firewall),藉此置身於被評估之外。筆者認為,現在顯然已到了加州教師放棄防火牆的時候,教師工會應趁著爭取撥款的機會,順勢接受修法,讓教師接受評估,以利改革,使努力工作的教師得到獎勵,也使表現欠佳的教師負上責任。

全國目前正興起一項「教師改革」的運動,以華府的學區為例,亞裔的李洋姬(Michelle Rhee)自兩年前上任教育局長以來,就以教師改革作為公校改革的重點。她把公校教師分為「有表現的教師」 (effective teachers)和沒表現的教師(ineffective teachers),她的主要工作就是掃除沒表現的教師,並代之以有表現的教師。在上任後的一年半內,她廢除了教師的終身教席制,開除了270名教師和36名校長。不過,李洋姬的改革─像加州現在要推行的改革一樣,也引起了教師工會的反抗;如果她的改革最終得以成功,也就表示了她擊退工會的勢力。

其實,一般人都可了解,工會拒絕讓教師接受評估,那是沒有道理的。如果學校連不稱職的教師也無權解雇,那還說什麼提高教學品質和改善學生的成績?

史丹福大學所做的一項研究發現,兩名同等能力的八年級學生,如果分別由優秀和平庸的教師所教,到了他們升上11年級時,那名由優秀教師所教的學生,測驗成績超過11年級生的平均,但那名由平庸教師所教的學生,測驗成績卻落後了一年半。這項研究證明,優秀教師對學生有利,平庸教師則否。這項研究也顯示,加州教師已到了非放棄防火牆不可的時候了。(世界日報,9.1.2009)

評論 (10)
« Sandroff 張貼於 Sunday, Sep 06 at 10:53 PM »
對!任何行業都會良莠不齊,教師當然不例外。如果他們不願接受評估,很大程度反映出他們固步自封,不求進步,害怕接受批評和意見。
« 真的 張貼於 Sunday, Sep 06 at 05:03 PM »
加州的教師應接受評比,我在Cupertino HIGH SCHOOL附近,我兒子也讀該校,老師有的很差,有的每日清晨利用學校的室內籃球場約十個人在打球,花費大型探照燈的電費。有的則在游泳池無救生員在場而游泳,真是無政府狀態,誰敢管老師?他們最大!
« 匿名 張貼於 Saturday, Sep 05 at 07:47 AM »
From an administrative point of view, to deal with a large group of employees via a collective agreement is far more cost-effective than to deal with them individually.

You are just sour grape about unions.

By the way, why is your nick orange, like that of jariel and SS? Priviledged?

« Obama_Is_God 張貼於 Saturday, Sep 05 at 12:09 AM »
We shouldn't live in a society that people must work hard to have a good life. Quality life does NOT have to involve working hard. We should not have to be be smart and be responsible all the time. Join union, live better.
« 匿名 張貼於 Friday, Sep 04 at 07:52 AM »
The constitution is the highest collective agreement between the company (i.e., the federal government) and the union members (i.e., the citizens). The tax that the citizens pay is the union due that the union members pay. To those who are against unions, you don't know that you are a member in a very large union.
« Koby B。 張貼於 Wednesday, Sep 02 at 04:35 PM »
Mr.邱,

1. 為什麼在部落格首頁, 你在KTSF電視台接受訪問的照片跌落了底部?

2. 那些訪問及和梁國書的對話(好像是分析歐巴馬的選情和辯論的政治評論, 大概有十多次吧)我都有看, 而且你當時所說的, 後來都應驗了。

« StraightShooter 張貼於 Wednesday, Sep 02 at 12:30 PM »
To 匿名11:07 AM below,

I didn't want to care for your ignorance, but since you've shown that you're nothing more than a political animal, all you see is partisanship. OK, let me entertain you a little bit.

First, there is no such thing as "friend" or "foe", Rep. or Dem. when it comes to public policy. For me, there is only right and wrong. A little piece of information, I have close relatives who are teachers in public schools.

Second, both Obama and Schwarzenegger are FOR this teacher evaluation program. You either don't know how to read or can't keep up with current events. I don't know whether it's your ignorance or stupidity, but it's no good anyway.

As of today, both Rep. and Dem. are for this program, especially it is inline with what Rep. have always argued: WE NEED TO HOLD OUR TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE.

Voucher System. Save our kids and future.

« 匿名 張貼於 Wednesday, Sep 02 at 11:07 AM »
Here's one of the you-know-who's.

Would you like to see your friend to oppose your enemy by defending your other enemy?

Or would you like to see your enemy defeat your friend and clobber your other enemy?

« StraightShooter 張貼於 Wednesday, Sep 02 at 10:44 AM »
Not only it's time to abandon the so-called "firewall", we've come to the point that it's absolutely necessary to dismantle teachers' union.

Implement the Voucher System. Problem solved. Our kids saved.

« 匿名 張貼於 Wednesday, Sep 02 at 10:31 AM »
We have here a pick-your-poison situation for you-know-who's. In the tug-o-war about evaluation of teachers between Obama and Schwartzenegger, the Democrat is pro but the Republican is con. The you-know-who's hate both Obama and teachers. But now they are in an unenviable situation of finding their enemy's enemy has to defend their other enemy to fight their enemy. Hahaha........
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