You know I think many Korean parents think that heroes are lawyers, doctors, investment bankers, dentists, or basically those of any profession where there's a lot of money to be made — or one of those "사" professions excluding scholars("박사"). I think there is a real problem here and it leads to resentment from non-Koreans who think that Koreans just want to put themselves ahead and really not care that much about those in the larger community.

And, definitely, I'm strongly for accountability among teachers in our country's public schools, particularly high schools. I'm not sure by what measure, but I definitely think extremely strong teachers unions, such as in California are a deteriment to her students.

Overall though…she is in there fighting for something & that is what counts…ESL teachers hiding out in Korea, et al should take note.

The Teachers Union…what a bunch of self-serving corrupt A-holes…this is the primary reason I Home School my kids.

In my time teaching in secondary schools in the US, one of the biggest influence in low quality eduction has been — expectations. I've always gotten the feeling a high percentage of teachers — don't believe their average student can achieve much. Or, to put it more like you hear, they believe their average students can't — can't — can't…

The bars are set really low.

And this lends itself to letting students get away with little – and low and behold – students get away with as little as you'll let them.

And this is this set system now. When you try to buck it, like when only 20% of your students hand in their research paper on time and you lower their grade, you'll get pressure from administration and other teachers to cut the kids some slack – "it is 80% who aren't handing it in – are you going to fail all of them?"

I was very surprised the first time I saw the standardized tests they use to judge on the no child left behind mandate and such.

After having heard so much about it in teacher education and from teachers and watched how the schools put so much emphasis on it and fretting about it so much — when I saw the test, I thought, "Good grief!! This is what all the fuss is about???"

The English section was basic reading comprehension.

And if students are failing that – you see the results of setting the bars low year after year on so much.

The 2nd factor that is key to me is —- the parents….which extends to mean the community.

And it isn't just an inner city thing.

I live in an area where factory jobs are not hard to get usually – and families have been in them for generations often enough.

And kids get around 14 or 15 and start thinking about dropping out and getting a job making not much less than their mom or dad.

So in the community, you have a lot of parents without high school educations, even fewer with college ones, and kids who aren't motivated because education isn't really thought of much.