Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Office of Teacher Effectiveness director

From the PG, the district has named Sam Franklin to head the Gates initiative on teacher effectiveness.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09329/1016269-298.stm

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that someone with no experience in the classroom- read, not an educator-is made the Director of the Office of Teacher Effectiveness!! Although one may be exceedingly bright, now, if one designs a school while still in graduate school, without it proving its effectiveness (since the SciTech school just opened a mere nine weeks ago), one gets rewarded with a top paying job!!!

Anonymous said...

There is clearly a bias toward lack of experience- from the top position down.

notaneducator said...

I am not an educator, but when did needing more than a principal become the norm.

deegazette said...

Sorry, every time I hear "Sam Franklin" I think of "Al Franken"

Sorry, ban me if you must. It is not the first ban for me.

There is no humor in PPS education.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure why anyone finds this interesting or noteworthy. Clearly, Roosevelt is not currently, nor ever was, an educator. He is surrounded by people who might call themselves educators but truly have no use for teachers (save for Linda Lane). He and his administration have demonstrated repeatedly that teachers are merely production line workers who can easily be dismissed and/or replaced.
So why is bringing yet another non-educator in so surprising?
It must be nice to be a public servant and yet have carte blanche the way this man does.

Unknown said...

After reading the responses herein, I find the attitudes truly bewildering. Perhaps it is because people have not met Sam Franklin and/or not read the proposal, initiative, or Widget Effect. It is a well known fact that good teachers and bad are grouped the same and there are little rewards for standing out in a positive manner. This initiative is designed to reward those that produce results and help those that are not currently. Only if an educator cannot or will not perform will they be released. I applied to work under Mr. Franklin, and was rejected. Yet knowing all this, as a father and grandfather, I know what they are trying to do will help the children. After all that is what education is about. In order for it to work, the OTE will need the help of administrators, educators, teachers, and students. If a student is weak in one subject, they receive help. So too should educators that need assistance. The reason the school system needs more than a principal is because they are busy running the school, and thus cannot stand back and see statistically how individuals are working over the long haul. This position works with the results of teachers, as can be developed statistically, much like an SAT, and will serve as a guide, not carte blanche. My suggestion is the read The Widget Effect, and their initiative, before judging. Somehow Bill and Melinda Gates saw fit to award the project $40,000,000. In this economy that leap of faith is not taken lightly. I have been an educator, and I stand behind the initiative. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Mike Barlow.

Unknown said...

My apology for the grammar errors... It was lunch time. :)

Caitlin Stuart said...

Actually, I know Sam. He taught for 4 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, has a masters degree from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon, and wrote the plan for the new Science and Technology Academy in Pittsburgh while he was a student at Heinz. The school opened this year under his direction. I wouldn't say he has no experience.

Anonymous said...

He is a nice young man with some teaching experience, who was in a CMU class that helped plan the science school.