Thread: Have Any of You Been Watching Project Runway?

I also got "hooked" on the reruns. As I am typing it I am watching the two part finale on Bravo. I missed it the past two weeks. There are times when I really like reruns. :lol:




Later: Well, I personally wanted #2 to win, but what do I know about fashion?

Originally Posted by wag

Later: Well, I personally wanted #2 to win, but what do I know about fashion?

I think #2 made a good comeback. I intially thought she might wash out because she seemed a bit slow about picking up the hint to vary her style i.e. loose flowing clothing in colored prints.

One of the judges, Michael Kors, used a credible German accent to repeat what Uli oft said ... "I live in Flordia. I love the hot weather and the beaches ..."

I am ashamed to admit that yes I got hooked. Missed the finale though, damn it. I did check the web to see who won. I knew one of the guys would win.

I too would like to see a reality show on teaching. Too bad teaching is not nearly as glamourous as fashion. what i would like to see:

Business exectutives and professionals (engineers, lawyers, middle and upper level mangaement) construction workers and mechanics, teaching primary or Middle School for a semester or more. They would be tossed into a classroom with a curriculum guide, state standards and a mentor teacher to work with every so often. They would attend PD with the rest of the staff, and answer to everyone the teacher answers too. To top it all off they would have to live off starting teacher salary matching their education level.

Their performance would be critiqued by 3 experienced and well qualified teachers, and a principal(with a brain).

Since, after the first two days, everyone of them would be begging to quit, No one would be voted off. Those who screwed up would be sent to after work PD sessions they would not be paid for. That would be reality

Superintendants put back into the classroom for a month at any level except HS, and treated just like real teachers would be GREAT.

Real teachers faceing challenges like David mentioned would be great.

But what would the winner get? Hired at a terribly low salary? A car the teacher could not hope to pay the registration and taxes on?

Originally Posted by Mark

Too bad teaching is not nearly as glamourous as fashion. what i would like to see:

Business exectutives and professionals (engineers, lawyers, middle and upper level mangaement) construction workers and mechanics, teaching primary or Middle School for a semester or more. They would be tossed into a classroom with a curriculum guide, state standards and a mentor teacher to work with every so often. They would attend PD with the rest of the staff, and answer to everyone the teacher answers too. To top it all off they would have to live off starting teacher salary matching their education level.

Their performance would be critiqued by 3 experienced and well qualified teachers, and a principal(with a brain).

Actually that's a really good idea. The show could be called, "Who Wants to Be a Teacher?" Professional educators would have to be barred from participation.

This would be a nice way to show the public that teaching is more than glorified "baby sitting." I'd love to see some white collar fat cat banking executive sweat trying to get a kindergarten class to pick up their toys, get in line, and go to music class.

This could well put paid to the unfortunate saying, "Those who can do and those who can't, teach."

Unfortunately I can't see a banking exec giving up his or her salary and perks for the payscale of a first year teacher ...

Mores the pity ...

:cry:

Still - there's no reason this couldn't be done with other people. Minimum requirements would be a college degree and no criminal record.

We could have secretaries, handymen, landscapers, accountants, insurance salespeople, travel agents ...

In terms of realistic rewards ... what about an all paid scholarship to a graduate school of education, a modest condo, a mid-sized car, $50,000 in cash, and $10,000 in store credit with an educational supply vendor?

Originally Posted by Mark

Their performance would be critiqued by 3 experienced and well qualified teachers, and a principal(with a brain).

Ah ... do adminstrators HAVE brains? I thought their brains were surgically removed and replaced with standard operating procedural manuals and academic benchmarks as a prerequisite for the job. (GRIN)

As they move up the ladder of administration their brains are replaced with stories about how wonderful they were as a teacher/principal/whatever.

My dad has a philosophy:
If you want to make someone the greatest teacher in the world, promote them to administrator. They will be free to tell everyone exactly how great they were, and we should all do it like them.

I have a really dim view of upper admin right now.

As they move up the ladder of administration their brains are replaced with stories about how wonderful they were as a teacher/principal/whatever.

My dad has a philosophy:
If you want to make someone the greatest teacher in the world, promote them to administrator. They will be free to tell everyone exactly how great they were, and we should all do it like them.

I have a really dim view of upper admin right now.

Most administrators I've known also have very little personality.

I don't know whether the job just sucks the life out of them or whether people who have no personality simply gravitate to the job.



In places like Texas which have no tenure, the job is very stressful. Building administrators are stuck between the superintendent and school board, the students and parents, and the teachers. As bad as it can be for some teachers given NCLB, can you imagine what it's like for administrators? Their jobs are on the line each year. Never mind the fact that they might be a building administrator in a low income area with students who are primarily below grade level. Someone has to take the fall for the school's overall failure to improve and administrators are no exception.

That is why I think the restructuring process in school improvement needs to go in this direction:

Board gets punted out of office first. their politcs stop quality superintendants from doing their job.

If this does not work, all initiatives grind to a halt and the superintendant along with the entire upper admin gets toasted. Most of these folks are a drain on the system anyway.

While all of the above is going on, the principals are looked at real closely and if they seem to have a good head on their shoulders are given a five year contract after the super is given the boot. This way they can lead their buildings during the restructuring process.

While the above is going on with the principals, the teachers are given serious PD on curriculum formation and implementation. Focused PD is given to fill knowledge gaps. We all know there are teachers who should be in the classroom, just like there are administrators who do not belong there. These folks will be moved out, but only if they show no desire to improve.

In my mind the teacher, unless grossly neglegent, would be the last to go, and the principal would be second to last. These two have the most direct contact with the kids, and the real knowledge. teachers and principals would choose the new superintendant. their future would depend on yearly evaluations by teachers and principals.

of course this will never fly. The top will always protect itself.