If teachers grade students on a daily basis, then isn't it only fair for students to grade their teachers? Many students have already taken advantage of this newfound power with the Web site www.ratemyteachers.com. The Web site allows students to rank their teachers on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being awful and 5 outstanding. The categories include: easiness, helpfulness and clarity. In addition, the Website also gives students the chance to leave a comment and express how they truly feel about the teacher.
Wouldn't it be grand if the power students feel when participating in the Web site's ranking process were put to good use? President Barack Obama has proposed a type of grading system in order to ensure educators are actually making the grade. The new teacher evaluation will not be based solely on test scores and seniority, but also on leadership positions, such as coaching or advising a club, evidence of student growth, and performance in the classroom.
However, this proposal has its flaws. For example, who will be doing the grading and evaluating? In my many years of schooling, I have witnessed on a daily basis certain teachers coming to school and not doing a thing. I have been in classes where it seems as though a select few of the top-notch students and the teacher have actually exchanged roles. However, when someone from the district visits to observe the class, the instructor actually stands at the chalkboard and teaches. So, the educator skewed the evaluation, pretending to be an outstanding teacher. If students could have an active part in grading their teachers, then the state might actually be aware of what type of people they are employing in their school systems. This sounds remarkable in theory; however, this system will take a long time to perfect. Not all hope is lost. There is still a possibility that in the future students will be grading their teachers. Students should be able to grade teachers, but only if these grades have limited...