A new report from McKinsey indicates that class size and increased spending doesn't matter as much in a child's education as the quality of the teachers. Funny enough, I came across something similar in a report produced back in the early 1990s for authorities in London so I'm not quite sure how this is news, but whatever.
To my mind this is blatantly obvious, but how do you assess a "quality teacher"? I used to think that parents could always tell the good teachers from bad, but now I'm not so sure.
Last year my 5-year-old son had a teacher who we (my wife & I) thought was simply incredible. He learned so, so much and not just the three R's. Yet, I also know that some (possibly most) of the parents of my son's classmates didn't like this teacher. I can't explain it. {I wish she could take my sixteen-year-old for a year as I'm sure she'd have her functioning like a well-oiled academic machine and strolling through the Leaving Cert without worry.}
I suspect that the other parents didn't like the fact that this teacher didn't bubble over about their precious darlings and certainly didn't encourage parents to talk to her. She imposed order on the little monsters and then proceeded to open their heads and pour in more learning than my two daughters will acquire in their 12 combined years of secondary education. In fact, if my son could have had this woman for one more year he would probably have been ready to sit his Leaving Cert 11 months before he makes his First Holy Communion.
Unfortunately the modern parent wants their child to be "understood" and "loved" in school. They'd probably rate this woman as 'poor' despite the fact she is easily the best primary school teacher any of my children has had. The only answer to this question is that I, and I alone, should be allowed to rate the teachers my children have. There'll be no sentimentality and no marks for cuddles. We're competing in a global marketplace and there's no room for touchy-feely.
