To the Point
Evaluating Teachers Publicly
Evaluations of teachers based on student test scores have been made public in New York and Los Angeles. Will that make public schools better or worse?
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenEvaluations of teachers based on student test scores have been made public in New York and Los Angeles. Will that make public schools better or worse? Will teachers be shamed, fired or leave the profession for the wrong reasons? Also, President Obama speaks to UAW convention as Michigan voters head to the polls, and how women shape the way we use language.
Banner image: Teacher Shawn Abernathy (R) teaches math concepts at Harlem Success Academy, a public elementary charter school March 30, 2009 in New York City. Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesObama Speaks to UAW as Michigan Voters Head to the Polls
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are battling it out in today's Michigan primary , and both have denounced President Obama's bailout of General Motors and Chrysler. Meanwhile, the President himself made a speech in Washington today, to a convention of the United Auto Workers Union.
Read the story8 minShould Teacher Evaluations Be Public Information?
Two years ago, teacher evaluations were made public after the Los Angeles Times filed a Freedom of Information request. Last year in New York, education officials asked reporters to do the same thing. They did and, after a legal battle, teacher rankings have been made public there too. The teacher rankings -- based on student test scores…
Read the story38 minWhen It Comes to Language, Young Women Lead the Way
The use of slang by women, especially teenage girls, was long thought to be a function of insecurity, immaturity or even stupidity. New research has linguists thinking it's really very sophisticated. Lesley Wolk is Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Long Island University .
Read the story5 min
