CAT Tracks for March 2, 2011 OPEN SEASON ON 800-LB GORILLAS

I don't normally post "comments" to CAT Tracks like "real" bloggers, e.g. Valerie Strauss, Jay Mathews, et al.

Of course, one good reason for the dearth of commentary is that I don't normally receive any feedback from my readers in the mist.

Today proved to be an exception...as one loyal reader joined me in a salvo against Bill Gates, echoing my frustration.

The reader provides such eloquent and perceptive insight that I felt compelled to share...

A great teacher being able to transfer that greatness to someone else so they can be a great teacher is like Gates being able to transfer to someone else whatever he had in him that brought Microsoft into being. There are some things that are non-transferable. Competence yes, greatness no. Improvement yes, greatness no. I maybe had 2 "great" teachers in my whole educational experience, but I had many good ones who taught me plenty. And, granted, I had a few bad ones, but they didn't destroy my life. And I agree that small class size does not automatically translate to better learning--up to a point. And heaven knows I think all the "specialists" do not help. Put them in a classroom. Let's skip the test prep madness. I wonder if Bill knows about SIP days and how he would feel about taking at least 5 full days out of the year(that's not counting the other 5 they spend losing out because they know they are getting out early) so students can go home while teachers try to "improve" learning. That's like an oxymoron or something. Bill Gates is obviously a smart man. Why does he not look at the full picture?