What Are Teachers Worth?

"Teachers, thank you so much for devoting your life to my child!"

According to Michael Moore, the controversial filmmaker/author, this is how society and parents should be thinking about teachers.
His quote in full is the following:

"The majority of dedicated teachers have chosen a profession that pays them less than what some students earn selling Ecstasy, and for that sacrifice we seek to punish them. I don't know about you, but I want the people who have the direct attention of my child more hours a day than I do treated with tender loving care. Those are my kids they're preparing for this world, so why on earth would I want to piss them off?

You would think society's attitude would be something like this:

"Teachers, thank you so much for devoting your life to my child. Is there
ANYTHING I can do to help you? Is there ANYTHING you need? I am here
for you. Why? Because you are helping my child--MY BABY--learn and
grow. Not only will you be largely responsible for her ability to make a
living, but your influence will greatly affect how she views the world, what
she knows about other people in this world, and how she will feel about
herself. I want her to believe she can attempt anything--that no doors are
closed and that no dreams are too distant. I am entrusting the most valuable
person in my life to you for seven hours a day. You, are thus, one of the most
important people in my life. Thank you."

Michael Moore, 2002

What Are Teachers Worth?

My Principles of Teaching

Personal Ideas on Teaching
My Basic Principles of Teaching

1. My best teachers are my students!

2. Listen closely to students--they are my best teachers. As in the principles of marketing, we must meet the needs and wants of our customers (students). Teach a course at their pace--not my pace.

3. Sometimes eliminate planned assignments or a test when they many be unnecessarily redundant or too much extra week. In other words, be flexible and open-minded during the course of a semester.

4. Respect the opinions and attitudes of students as long as they are intelligent, valid and presented in a responsible, respectful manner.

5. Give students the benefit of the doubt. But, don't be a sucker for phony stories and excuses.

6. Be tolerant of the personal needs and problems of students. Understand that they have busy schedules with classes, work and possibly family pressures.

7. Be aware that students have other lives outside the classroom--other classes, jobs, family and boyfriend issues, etc.--in addition to the normal illnesses and learning disabilities for some.

I do not agree with some of the traditional attitudes of some
teachers such as:

1. "Stuff their empty little heads with as many facts as I can whether they like it or not."

2. "Reassign the work until they get it right. (Meaning, I did not give a clear assignment in the first place.)

3. "Punish the students with extra work and pop quizes if they do not perform well in class."

4. "No students deserve above a C or B grade. They are not smart enough for a higher grade."