Submitted by Shih-Ming Laura Yeh, Aug 20, 2007 18:25

Dear NY Sun,

It is ironic, that some years ago, when I was still employed with the federal government and involved in collaborative efforts with state (and local) agencies, on education regarding new technologies for meeting environmental compliance, we were discussing performance-based contracting. You can discuss this and that, and you eventually run into a bit of hypocrisy, and that has to do with the people who make the decisions on performance-based pay, not meeting a minimum standard themselves. (Would it ever be impossible to enforce a set of standards, for comparing one contractor to the last, when the authorizing entity is setting a lazy example of performance?) Also, what is the time period for evaluating performance -- re: schools, the topic of this article, would it be one class graduating onto the next tier, for example K-6 to middle school or junior high, or junior high to senior high, or just one year of performance, for one subject?

In federal contracting, many branches of government services may utilize a single entity (company) , and while one service may rank that entity high, another may rank it low. But proper representation of qualifications is an objective, always. Proper advance budgeting is always an objective. A person (or contracted entity) who does a good job, is expected to have further work. A person (or contracted entity) who doesn't perform as well, is sent on. When the opposite occurs, the upset that ensues is never small.

Onwards of this, it is difficult to use a performance-based standard, where the existing baseline standard is lousy. There are many stories of school (teacher) heroes, but one never hears, usually, what could have happened, if no hero had appeared. The advent of wireless and cellular devices, has made it difficult to educate with the same tools, as previously. To use an earlier standard, is also to enforce a willingful ban on some of these new devices. Older methods of teaching, still apply -- an interested teacher, teaching a subject found interesting to teacher, to students that are able to be taught, and not with earphones on, cellphones ringing, and wireless messages waiting for them at the locker.

What hypocrites to enforce performance-based standards, when we can not keep a minimum of discipline in a school, and keep teaching the focus of being in school: a teacher sent on for not tolerating electronic devices -- well, can we say this about the Democrats -- they are too wireless-media happy. We need to have conservatism in the schools. Grade school is not college. Let's keep time-tested methods of hiring teachers as the default method, and not use federal(-ly)- based standards to hire teachers on a local basis. Wireless devices may have wiped all sense of geography and local history to some, as data is continually digitized; but there is no need to bring in external standards to a school system. It is worrisome, when ability with computers is ranked first of importance, over an innate ability to grasp and hold the attention of youth and young adults. There needs to be more participation from parents, and externally imposed standards, tend to alienate, while giving credit to the wrong source. All involved with the quality of school education: school administrative staff, teachers of old*, students, and parents, should vote mandatorily on these issues.

Sincerely,
S. LAURA YEH
South Orange, New Jersey

*with ranking of teaching experienced recognized

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.