经济学人:教师招募 能者胜任

 　　Teacher recruitment

　　教师招募

　　Those who can

　　能者胜任

　　How to turn teaching into a job that attracts high-flyers

　　怎样使得教学变成了吸引成功人士的工作

　　IMAGINE a job where excellence¹ does nothing to improve your pay or chances of promotion², and failure carries little risk of being sacked. Your pay is low for your qualifications—but at least the holidays are long, and the pension is gold-plated.

　　想象一下，一个工作卓越人士无须做什么事情即可提高你的工资或晋升的机会，出现故障被解雇的风险很小。你的工资低于你的资历，但至少假期长，养老金是“镀金”般有保障的。

　　教师招募.jpg

　　Teaching ought to be a profession for hard-working altruists who want to improve children's life prospects³. But all too often school systems seem designed to attract mediocre⁴ timeservers. Many Mexican teachers have inherited their jobs; Brazilian ones earn less than other public servants, and retire much earlier. Each school-day a quarter of Indian teachers play truant⁵. In New York it is so hard to sack teachers that even those accused of theft or assault may be parked away from pupils, doing “administrative tasks” on full pay, sometimes for years.

　　教学应该是一个为想要改善儿童的生活前景勤劳的利他主义者的专业。但很多时候学校系统似乎旨在吸引平庸的趋炎附势之人。许多墨西哥教师继承了他们的工作;巴西那些教师收入低于其他公务人员，并提前退休了。每所学校一天四分之一的印度教师罢工。在纽约很难解雇教师，即使是那些被指控偷窃或侵犯远离学生的教师，有时多年全薪做“管理任务”。

　　You can find outstanding individuals in the worst school systems. But, as lazy and incompetent⁷ teachers get away with slacking, the committed ones often lose motivation. In America and Britain surveys find plummeting⁸ morale⁹. Jaded¹⁰ British teachers on online forums¹¹ remind each other that it is just a few months till the long summer break—and just a few years till retirement¹². No wonder so many children struggle to learn: no school can be better than those who work in it.

　　您可以在最恶劣的学校系统找到先进个人。但是，由于懒惰和无能的教师逃脱松弛，负责的教师往往失去动力。在美国和英国的调查发现士气一落千丈。在网上论坛疲倦不堪的的英国老师提醒对方，坚持到漫长的暑假仅仅只有短短数月，并且直到退休只有短短几年。难怪这么多孩子努力学习：没有学校可以比那些孩子在这工作得更好。

　　Yet it is possible to persuade the hardworking and ambitious to teach. Finland pays teachers modestly but manages them well; ten graduates apply for each training place. South Korea recruits teachers from the top 5% of school-leavers and promises them fat pay cheques. In both countries teachers are revered—and results are among the world's best.

　　然而，有可能说服勤奋和雄心勃勃的教导者。芬兰支付教师的薪酬不多，但他们善于管理; 10名毕业生申请每次实习的地方。韩国从高中毕业生中排名前5％里抽取学生进行教师招聘，并承诺他们充沛的工资。在这两个国家的教师受到崇敬——其结果是世界上最好的。

　　Even where the profession is in disrepute, high-flyers can be lured¹³ into the classroom. Teach for America, which sends star graduates from elite¹⁴ universities for two-year stints¹⁵ in rough schools, is being copied around the globe. Private employers snap up its alumni—but many stay in teaching. Teach First, Britain's version, has helped raise standards in London and is one of the country's most prestigious¹⁶ graduate employers. Such schemes are small, but show that when teaching is recast as tough and rewarding, the right sort clamour to join.

　　即使在专业是声名狼藉，成功人士可以被引诱成为教师。为美国而教，使得精英大学的星级毕业生两年都就职于水平较差的学校，这种情况在全球各地都在效仿出现。人雇主抢购校友，但很多都停留在教学。教育首先，英国方面，有助于提高在伦敦标准，伦敦是全国最负盛名的毕业生的雇主之一。这些计划虽小，但是显示当教育被改写为坚韧和奖励，学校将会进行正确排序。

　　Spreading the revolution to the entire profession will mean dumping the perks¹⁷ cherished by slackers and setting terms that appeal to the hardworking. That may well mean higher pay—but also less generous pensions and holidays. Why not encourage teachers to use the long vacation for catch-up classes for pupils who have fallen behind? Stiffer entry requirements would raise the job's status and attract better applicants¹⁸. Pay rises should reward excellence, not long service. Underperformers should be shown the door.

　　传播革命理念给整个行业将意味着被逃避工作之人和头脑清醒者所珍视并吸引勤劳者珍惜的额外津贴。这可能意味着更高的薪水——也不太丰厚的退休金和节假日。为什么不鼓励教师利用长假对已经落后的学生进行补课教育？更严厉的入学要求会提高工作的地位和吸引更好的申请人。加薪应奖励优秀者，而非长期的工作服务。表现不佳应该被扫地出门。

　　Standing⁶ in the way, almost everywhere, are the unions. Their willingness to back shirkers over strivers should not be underestimated: in Washington, DC, when the schools boss (a Teach for America alumna) offered teachers much higher pay in return for less job security, their union balked¹⁹.

　　路上，几乎无处不在是工会组织。他们卸责于奋斗者之上的意愿不容小觑：在华盛顿，当学校的老板（一个做教师，校友）提供教师高得多的薪酬以换取较少的工作保障，他们的工会犹豫不决。

　　Class action

　　集体诉讼

　　But against the unions is a growing coalition²⁰: the leaders in public administration and private enterprise who have been through Teach for America and its ilk. They know what it takes to succeed in difficult schools, and what it would take for success to become the norm. They know that what good teachers want most of all is good colleagues. As they become more numerous and influential²¹, they need to argue for a new deal for teachers. The good ones deserve it—and pupils do, too.

　　但对工会是一个不断增长的联盟：在公共管理和民营企业的领导者经历过为美国和其同类而教授。他们知道如何才能在困难的学校成功，怎样做才能成功成为常态。他们知道，好教师最希望的还是不错的同事。当他们变得越来越多，具有影响力，他们需要争取教师的新协议。好人应该得到它，学生们也同样如此。

　　1.turn into 变成；译成；成为

　　例句:Could 2010 turn into 1994 or 2004 for the markets?

　　2010年的市场会变成1994或2004年的市场吗？

　　2.at least 无论如何，反正

　　例句:Men have at least six extra hours.

　　男性则至少增加了6个小时。

　　3.design to 用于设计

　　例句:Need to print your design to go meet your client?

　　需要将你的设计打印出来去见客户吗？

　　4.accuse of 指责,控告

　　例句:For it will be not only men who will perish, but also the animals, whom no one can accuse of communism or anticommunism.

　　因为不驻人会被消灭，而且动物也会被消灭，没有人能指责它们是共产主义或反共产主义。

1 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

2 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 mediocre   

adj.平常的，普通的

参考例句：

• The student tried hard,but his work is mediocre. 该生学习刻苦，但学业平庸。
• Only lazybones and mediocre persons could hanker after the days of messing together.只有懒汉庸才才会留恋那大锅饭的年代。

5 truant   

n.懒惰鬼，旷课者；adj.偷懒的，旷课的，游荡的；v.偷懒，旷课

参考例句：

• I found the truant throwing stones in the river.我发现那个逃课的学生在往河里扔石子。
• Children who play truant from school are unimaginative.逃学的孩子们都缺乏想像力。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 incompetent   

adj.无能力的，不能胜任的

参考例句：

• He is utterly incompetent at his job.他完全不能胜任他的工作。
• He is incompetent at working with his hands.他动手能力不行。

8 plummeting   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Prices are rising, falling, going up, going down, shooting up, plummeting, etc. 物价在上涨、下跌、上升、下落、猛然上涨、骤然下跌等。 来自辞典例句
• The enemy plane went plummeting into the sea. 敌机直直掉进海里。 来自辞典例句

9 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

10 jaded   

adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的

参考例句：

• I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
• Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

12 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

13 lured   

吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车，但又设法逃掉了。
• Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下，继续奋力向前。

14 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

15 stints   

n.定额工作( stint的名词复数 )；定量；限额；慷慨地做某事

参考例句：

• He stints himself in [of] sleep. 他节制睡眠。 来自辞典例句
• She never stints herself of money to buy books for her children. 她从不吝惜掏钱让子女们买书。 来自互联网

16 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

17 perks   

额外津贴，附带福利，外快( perk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance. 公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
• Are there any perks that go with your job? 你的工作有什么津贴吗？

18 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

19 balked   

v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑

参考例句：

• He balked in his speech. 他忽然中断讲演。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They balked the robber's plan. 他们使强盗的计划受到挫败。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

21 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。