What is performance and how do you measure it?

President Obama has added his voice to those of a long list of politicians calling for increased performance in schools. They want to pay teachers for performance, but do they really know what it is?

Is it teaching students to be able to recite all the prepositions in the English language in alphabetical order? To get 100 percent of the spelling words? To correctly prove geometric theorems? To know the names of all the presidents in historical order?

I was required to do all these in school but I couldn't do any of them to school standards today at age 70. Gosh, just when was Millard Fillmore president? And I'm not even sure if it was Fillmore or Filmore.

What I did get from many teachers was a love of learning and expectations for my continued learning. I remember little of the trigonometry and solid geometry that Mr. Rush taught, but I do remember his saying often, "When you go to Case..." meaning Case Institute of Technology. At least six of us did. I remember little of the chemistry that Mr. Raymond taught, but his demonstrations and assistance made the subject interesting. I hated memorizing speeches from Shakespeare, but Miss Palmer did instill a lifelong interest in reading Shakespeare.

Would these teachers have succeeded with me if my family hadn't also had expectations of me as well as providing examples? I was expected to do well in school. I was shown by example that reading was important. We didn't have many books but we subscribed to two daily newspapers and some weekly or monthly magazines.

What about kids who don't have those expectations? Can schools successfully make up for it in large classes? Maybe, maybe not.

A popular icon of successful teaching is Jaime Escalante of "Stand and Deliver" fame. Even he admits that the movie was a stretch, but the truth is that he did inspire many to go on beyond what many expected.

See "Jaime Escalante", The Futures Channel and "Stand and Deliver Revisited: The untold story behind the rise -- and shameful fall -- of Jaime Escalante, America's master math teacher", Reason, July 2002

His achievement took far longer than the movie depicted, and he had more obstacles than just the testing bureaucracy. One obstacle was the favorite whipping boy of the so-called conservatives: teachers unions. Escalante's union did not like him having classes of more than 50. But he also had obstacles from administrators. His first principal was very supportive but later administrators were not, including those who valued sports more than academics. In fact, whenever the school administration became hostile, the program declined.

Another example of bucking a hostile administration is Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes" and "Teacher Man". As I remember the latter book, he was more interested in telling stories and getting students to tell stories than following the syllabus. He was constantly called on the carpet for not teaching according the rules. However, how many of his students remember the administrators and how many remember him? He mentions how often he meets former students in his book tours in

http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/01/frank-mccourt-teacher-man-2/

A good summary of his teaching was written in Publishers Weekly

McCourt throws down the gauntlet on education, asserting that teaching is more than achieving high test scores. It's about educating, about forming intellects, about getting people to think....should be mandatory reading for every teacher in America. And it wouldn't hurt some politicians to read it, too.

See http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1680

We all have gimmicks for "improving" education: charter schools, pay for performance, longer school hours, bigger schools, smaller schools, and on and on. My own gimmick is to pay teachers like insurance agents. The teachers should get a cut of the income taxes that former students pay.

In the end, the best things we can do is to honor our teachers rather than blame them and to provide the resources they need rather than than cutting budgets.

Finally, if you can read this, thank a teacher.

P.S. I also posted this to whitehouse.gov

More on "You can't sell cake without frosting"

I sent "You can't sell cake without frosting" to Russ Stewart with a copy to Councilors Greg Gilbert and Don Ness, the latter mayor-elect. Councilor Stewart responded with:

Melvyn,

Nice analogy. I like frosting on my cake. I also like the arts.

My question to you is what would you cut? I'm not trying to be snotty, but rather to get ideas from people. There's no limit to the good that can be done with money. But there is a limit to the money.

Thanks in advance for your ideas,

Russ

I took up his challenge and responded with:

Hi, Russ,

Thanks for your fast and reasoned response.

As to what to cut, it is very, very hard to find something that is not really essential to having a great city. Maybe the amount of paper used by the city? Given the heavy use of electronic communication, there could be significant savings in paper and postage.

For example, extend Comfort Systems EasyPay to online statements and letting customers pay online. We don’t like automatic transfers, preferring to know how much we owe before we pay.

An aside, don’t have studies for naming. I was in a focus group for “Comfort Systems”. Few of us really liked the name but were browbeat into selecting something among the choices. Thanks for the $50 cash:)

Maybe examine how many city-paid cell phones there are and how much private use is made of them. Do all users of cell phones have to be constantly available. I know that people who have to change schedules at the drop of a hat need to contacted, but would a private radio network be sufficient? If cell phones are issued, would pay-as-you-go be more cost-effective? Maybe not issue cell phones at all because so many people have them anyway. Did the city ever pay for line telephones for people who needed to be reached at home?

Encourage telecommuting for employees who need not show at office or counter.

Here’s a biggie: reduce heat and air-conditioning. It may already have been done, but set thermostats at 68 or less for heating or 77 or more for air-conditioning

Have city employees take the bus instead of using cars. Some will need more flexibility, but many will be going to and from destinations on bus lines. This also has the benefit of increasing bus ridership which could increase service which could increase ridership which...

Now, my “snotty” answer. The best thing to cut is the Taxpayers League and its ilk. Seriously, anti-tax people have created a climate for minimalist government turning Minnesota in Ed Raymond’s Missisota. [Ed Raymond is a columnist for Duluth's Reader Weekly and Fargo-Moorhead's High Plains Reader.]

A kinder answer but just as difficult to implement is reverse the system of taxation. The Federal government taxes too much and the local governments tax too little. Duluth should not have had to get Federal funding for the Ninth Street Bridge. That is a local project which should have been paid with local dollars. I think local governments are going to be strapped to make their places good places to live as long as they have to beg states and the Federal government for so much of their funds. These entities are stealing our frosting! No, they’re stealing our bread and making us beg for it back.

I hope there is something in this ramble that you can use practically.

- Mel

My portal to my writings and photos is
http://mdmagree.googlepages.com

Russ Stewart responded with:

Mel,

Thanks for taking my request seriously. These are some good ideas! I will pass them on to the administration for consideration, including Mayor Elect Ness, who I am CCing on this email. My time remaining on the council is limited, but I'm hopeful that some of your suggestions
can be implemented by the new council and administration.

Russ Stewart

PS I have to admit that I have turned into a bit of an anti-tax kind of guy. I've seen too many abuses to remain sympathetic even though some taxes go to do some good things. I certainly agree that the Feds are the most egregious offenders.

Oh, the advantages in living in a small city. You can engage in a dialog with politicians without getting boiler plate responses.