A lecture on charter schools in Ohio evolved into a discussion on the current state of education at an event hosted by Occupy OhioU earlier today.
Chris Haak, a MA student in Ohio University’s School of Film, spoke to a group of about 20 at the site of the demonstration, next to the top of Morton Hill. His lecture initially focused on charter schools, and he referenced his personal experience as a substitute teacher in Ohio.
He specifically focused on five Columbus charter schools run by two companies: EdVantages and Columbus Performance Academy.
“It’s not working for really anybody,” Haak said, referencing the schools. “A lot of educators will drop out in their first year because it’s terrible.”
Haak criticized schools' tendency to emphasize math and language arts while mostly ignoring other subjects. He also said the teachers are not given much flexibility to adapt to the needs of the class.
“When you’re teaching for these kinds of places, you end up teaching off a script,” he said.
The talk then expanded its focus to general topics relating to education today, including standardized testing, underpaid teachers and the practice of forcing teachers into challenging classrooms without any experience.
He added that the charter schools he worked in were comprised of “almost entirely” first-year teachers and had a turnover rate between 50 and 70 percent.
“When you’re a first-year teacher thrown into these tough classrooms, it makes it really difficult… and you see a lot of burnout,” Haak said.
bv111010@ohiou.edu
