AFT

Education Issues Review/Notable Points on the American Teacher

The film is constructive and can help move the current debate in this country on teacher quality to a more productive place. There is no reason to dissect each part or phase; it has an important message that should be heard by everyone and presents an accurate portrayal of the challenges public school teachers face every day in the classroom as well as their personal lives. The movie should start conversations about the current state of teaching in this country. The film did emphasize the compensation side of teaching and could have expanded on many of the other challenges teachers and student face in the classroom. However that would be very difficult, if not impossible, to do in 75 minutes. It focuses on the real lives of teachers and you get a sense of the personal connection these teachers have with their students, their peers and schools, an issue that has been downplayed in recent debates on teaching. The film showcases teachers as people who want to make a difference, build relationships with their kids, role models for students, dedicated and caring, have high expectations for their students, have to be more than teachers (e.g., social worker, parent, counselor, friend- social, emotional and personal issues so I can get down to the work of teaching the academics) The film allows viewers to hear from parents and students about how important their teachers are in students lives. The film defines the problems as: o Poor teaching conditions (support, adequate time for preparation and grading, adequate resources, autonomy, etc.) o Low salaries o Lack of high quality candidates (and teachers of color) o Lack of respect as professionals International comparisons are highlighted to Singapore, Finland and S. Korea vs. the U.S. Characteristics of high- performing nations: o Competitive entry into teaching o Pay for teacher training o Professional working environment o Cultural respect o Career oriented Good statistics are presented: o Attrition 46% quit before 5 years o Turnover costs 7.34 billion annually o Teachers work 10-11 hour days in school and then 15 hours grading/prep for a total of at least 65 hour work weeks o 31% of teachers have a second jobif you add in coaching, advising and tutoring the number jumps to 62% o Burnout in urban areas 20% leave every year o Teachers spend about 3,000 per year on teaching supplies Experts featured in the film: Linda Darling Hammond, Charlotte Danielson, Brad Jupp, Eric Hanushek (although some of the quotes were taken out of context, but we would be the only ones who know) Overall, this movie portrays teachers as underappreciated, dedicated people who make sacrifices that should be recognized and rewarded. How can you not support the message?