[Host's Note: I keep worrying that this thread is drifting too far from
org learning; but everytime, I find more links that are relevant to
organizations generally... In this msg, we're talking about tenure, older
vs. younger workers, and who has the ability & enthusiasm. ...Rick]
Doug Sohn wrote:
I agree, however I believe one of the biggest problems is a tenure system
that has kept an entire generation of new teachers out of the ranks of the
public schools. In our area schools the average number of years taught is
15+ and in many schools 20+. It's not just a matter of the material being
"exciting" as much as a need for the instructor to be excited about their
job and what they are teaching. I think many of the teachers are bored
and do not generate the enthusiasm from the students that is needed to
lubricate the learning process.
---end of quote-----
I read it, but somehow I fail to see the connections, or assumptions upon
which B is a result of A.
How does 'tenure' a (a system of fair dismissal in the states in which it
exists) keep new teachers out of the profession? Does poor salary force
older employees to work longer in order to save more for retirement? ( I
have other questions that are of the same ilk, but do are not worth the
typing right now)
I'm not going to defend any employee, teacher or other, that are 'bored'
or do not 'generate enthusiasm', but I will defend the 15+ and 20+ year
teacher who has been around and knows that because of a fair dismissal
procedure s/he can take risks, can do unconvention 'things' in the
classroom, can depart from the 30 year curriculum and risk teaching
systems thinking or other non-conventional subjects in her classroom.
I have seen more often than not in the past five years that the veteran
employee is on the cutting edge, being enthusiastic and exciting right
next to some of those new, non-tenured employees that you'd like to see.
I really do not understand how years in a profession or just cause
dismissal translates into 'boring and unenthusiastic.
Joe DiVincenzo
NEANY@aol.com
--Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>