Letters: One teacher study, many ways to read it
Re “Teacher quality tied to scores,” Jan. 9
Leave it to The Times to highlight one part of a three-year study to support its view that “value added” is
a good way to evaluate teachers. The study, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, found that classroom observations, student surveys, professional development and test scores used together gave a more reliable rating than any measure by itself.
To have The Times’ headline emphasize value-added is misleading. The study found that many factors were necessary to consider when evaluating teachers, which is exactly the stand taken by teachers groups. We teachers have a hard enough job; we don’t need to overcome The Times.
Beret K. Malmgren
Los Angeles
When is someone going to think of the quality of the home many of these students come from? The best teacher cannot — without drama — teach someone who is not encouraged by parents, is fed properly and has had a good night’s rest.
Mary Castano
West Covina
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