Good news.
Patrick Nagle and I have agreed to partner up to re-focus and build RateMyTeachers.com. Patrick is well known for buying RateMyProfessors.com, improving it, and selling it to Viacom/MTVu. He is also the creator of Swooks (originally Switch Textbooks), a used textbook swap and sell service.
Stay tuned, for good things to come.
Do not believe the excuses put forward by the teacher unions — demanding that internet censors protect teachers from cyber-bullying? RateMyTeachers is at the forefront of protecting teachers online by promoting the best and the most effective among them. Since our inception, RateMyTeachers has instituted rating rules to protect teachers from bullying. Any rating that crosses these rules is removed without question. A moderating force of over 5,000 individuals is constantly on the look-out for any ratings that do not meet these standards. Every rating is reviewed before it is posted live on the website.
See for yourself: http://www.ratemyteachers.com/info.php?type=RateRules
A tyrant demanding absolute control is the first to censor whatever threatens its power. Teacher unions recognize the threat websites like RateMyTeachers pose to their monopoly and use “cyber-bullying” as an excuse to enact censorship. The fact is, not all teachers are created equal and RateMyTeachers is making this plainly obvious to anyone with an interest in the education system (parents, students, administrators, taxpayers). Despite any rhetoric to the contrary, teacher unions by their very nature view every teacher as a cog in a great education machine.
Teacher contracts are negotiated so that every teacher, good or bad, is treated the same. Teachers who opt out of paying union dues are punished even though they are required by law to accept the union negotiated contracts. Tenure tracks ensure that horrible teachers will waste students’ time and taxpayers’ money; and in some cases, a bad teacher can seriously harm the education and mental development of a child. Pointing out to the public which teachers are creating an environment for learning (as most teachers are successfully doing) and which teachers are failing in that mission (a small minority), leads people to question a system that restricts choices.
The point issue, which the press always ignores, is that any pressure to allow school or teacher choice threatens the teacher union’s power. For a tyrant, choice is to be avoided at all costs — and censorship is always on the table when losing power is at stake.
The United Kingdom stands at cross-roads. By allowing its citizens to access websites and servers outside of the country’s borders, the UK has unwittingly granted incredible new freedoms to its citizenry, the implications of which were not foreseen. This freedom threatens many of the institutions that prop up the State apparatus; hence rumblings of this kind are not at all surprising. The choice at hand is between protecting citizens’ rights to access information freely and looking to China for inspiration in controlling people and the information they may consume. Sadly, considering the recent rhetoric ringing through the highest levels of the UK government, I would not be shocked to see the UK look east for inspiration.
Tonight, I was interviewed on the Life Online with Bob Parsons (of Godaddy.com) XM Radio business talk show. It was an interesting interview, centered around RateMyTeachers; but I got to talk about a lot of things I do not usually delve into and I really enjoyed it.
Listen to the interview here.
A beautifully biased piece of reporting from the British education website, teachers.tv. I enjoyed this one very much. By the way, we searched high and low for the negative comments the editors highlighted in this report, and all but a couple of them were never found. We’re not calling the reporters liars, but…..
I recently moved to New York City, as I have partnered RateMyTeachers with a teen media company called Bolt.com. Bolt is selling targeted advertising for us at significantly higher rates than we were capable of on our own. So far, so good. I have also partnered with Bolt on a new venture called classface.com. If you have heard of TheFaceBook.com for college students, classface is essentially the same thing, except for high school students (using RateMyTeachers and Bolts significant membership to promote it). TheFaceBook attracts well over a million daily users and billions of page views each month. We are hoping to attract a similar audience. We’ll see.
Update (11/28/05): No longer working with Bolt.com. Classface has been renamed StudyBreakers.com.
Today I was interviewed on CNN’s “In the Money” regarding RateMyTeachers.com. I was behind Wolf Blitzer in the makeup line. All I could muster was a weak “Hello” with a faint nod of the head. He looked really focused on getting to the news desk and I suppose I didn’t want to disturb him. He had a good, positive, disposition about him, though. All-in-all, an interesting experience, even though it felt like a radio interview (all I had was a ear piece to listen to the questions – I had no idea with whom I was speaking). Here is a recent USA Today article, as well. Overall, the press exposure has been great.
Video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vXVPPgHox80
I was recently interviewed for this NPR piece discussing RateMyTeachers.com. This was my third appearance on All Things Considered. It is amazing how much has happened since I first was interviewed by NPR regarding RateMyFace.com in December of 2000.
“Jennifer Wing of member station KPLU in Seattle, Wash., reports on a Web site for school children across the country — RateMyTeachers.com — that allows them to “grade” their teachers.”
Alex Cohen reports on school children using the Internet to grade their teachers by creating a virtual “report card” on the Web site RateMyTeachers.com.
* Journalnow.com, NC – December 26, 2003
* Fayetteville Online, NC (By Jessica Banov) – December 25, 2003
* The Herald Mail – Hagerstown, MD – December 21, 2003
* The Evening Tribune – Hornell, NY – December 17, 2003
* Kidspeak! – December 14, 2003
* WMTW ABC Channel 8, ME – October 8, 2003
* Maimi Herald, FL – November 30, 2003
* USA WEEKEND – November 28-30, 2003
* The Mercury News – San Jose, CA – November 28, 2003
* San Mateo County Times, CA – November 25, 2003
* Oakland Tribune, CA – November 25, 2003
* Dallas Morning News, TX – November 19, 2003
* WLTX-TV Columbia, SC – November 18, 2003
* Reno Gazette Journal, NV – November 16, 2003
* The Tampa Tribune, FL – November 13, 2003
* The Las Vegas Sun, NV – November 10, 2003
* Edmonton Journal, AB – November 8, 2003
* San Diego Union Tribune, CA – November 8, 2003
* Wellesley Townsman, MA – November 6, 2003
* Chippewa Falls, WI – November 6, 2003
* Kansas State Collegian, KS – November 5, 2003
* WFSB-3, Eyewitness News, CT – November 4, 2003
* WTVR-6 CBS Richmond, VA – November 4, 2003
* Newsday, NY – November 4, 2003
* The Collegiate Times, VA – November 4, 2003
* WAVY-NBC Norfolk, VA – November 4, 2003
* WGOW 102.3 FM – The Morning Press, Chattanooga, TN – November 3, 2003
* The Daily Press, VA – November 3, 2003
* The Washtington Times, DC – November 3, 2003
* Times Herald-Record – November 2, 2003
* The Greenville News, SC – November 2, 2003
* tjTODAY Alexandria, VA – November 1, 2003
* Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, WI – October 31, 2003
* 1500AM WGHT, North Jersey’s Talking w/Lee & Teresa – October 31, 2003
* Fox News Radio Live with Alan Colmes – October 30, 2003
* Team Clark Howard’s Consumer Action Center Radio Show – October 30, 2003
* RadioU Columbus – The R!OT with Nikki & Obadiah, OH – October 29, 2003
* Cumberland Times News, MD – October 28, 2003
* 630 WMAL – Chris Core Show, Washington, DC – October 28, 2003
* Journal Times, WI – October 28, 2003
* FoxNews.com – October 28, 2003
* Asheville Citizen Times, NC – October 26, 2003
* Syracuse Post Standard, NY – October 26, 2003
* Beaufort Gazette, SC – October 25, 2003
* Phoenixville News, PA – October 25, 2003
* Raleigh News Observer, NC – October 24, 2003
* News 3, WI – October 22, 2003
* WAFF-TV – Huntsville, AL – October 22, 2003
* St. Petersburg Times, FL – October 22, 2003
* The News & Observer, NC – October 22, 2003
* Milwaukee Freeman Newspapers, WI – October 20, 2003
* Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA – October 20, 2003
* Times Record News, TX – October 18, 2003
* San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA – October 17, 2003
* Ventura County Star, CA – October 16, 2003
* Cecil Whig, MD – October 16, 2003
* Mail Tribune, Medford, OR – October 16, 2003
* Mail Tribune, OR – October 15, 2003
* KVAL 13 News, OR – October 14, 2003
* Corvallis Gazette-Times, OR – October 14, 2003
* WHNT News Channel 19, AL – October 14, 2003
* Democrat Herald, OR – October 14, 2003
* Salem Statesman Journal, OR – October 14, 2003
* Register-Guard, OR – October 13, 2003
* The Sun News, SC – October 13, 2003
* NBC4 Washington, DC – October 13, 2003
* WBIR-TV Knoxville, TN – October 13, 2003
* Wisconsin State Journal, WI – October 12, 2003
* Herald Tribune, FL – October 12, 2003
* Net Family News – October 10, 2003
* Student Press Law Center, Arlington, VA – October 10, 2003
* UPI/Washington Times, DC – October 10, 2003
* Capitol News Service, MD – October 10, 2003
* Concord Monitor, NH – October 10, 2003
* Florida Times-Union – October 9, 2003
* KOCO-TV Channel 5, OK – October 9, 2003
* The Monument, ME – October 9, 2003
* The Journal News, NY – October 8, 2003
* Virginia Gazette, VA – October 8, 2003
* Portland Press Herald, ME – October 7, 2003
* Concord Monitor, NH – October 6, 2003
* WJLA-TV News 8, DC – October 6, 2003
* Ventura County Star, CA – October 6, 2003
* Washington Post, DC – October 6, 2003
* Gannett Suburban New York Newspapers, NY – October 5, 2003
* The Daily Camera, CO – October 5, 2003
* The Journal News, NY – October 5, 2003
* Bangor Daily News, ME – October 3, 2003
* Frederick County Gazette, MD – October 2, 2003
* CBS 3 Philadelphia, PA – September 30, 2003
* KUTV-TV Channel 2, UT – September 29, 2003
* BBC News World Edition, UK – September 29, 2003
* Peoria Journal Star, IL – September 29, 2003
* Deseret Morning News, UT – September 29, 2003
* Inland Southern California, CA – September 29, 2003
* The Press-Enterprise, CA – September 28, 2003
* WTIC AM – Newstalk 1080, Hartford, CT – September 26, 2003
* School Wise Press – September 24, 2003
* Maryland Gazette Newspapers, MD – September 23, 2003
* Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, IA – September 23, 2003
* The News Journal, DE – September 21, 2003
* Baltimore Sun, MD – September 21, 2003
* St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO – September 21, 2003
* Napa Valley Register, CA – September 21, 2003
* Florida Today, FL – September 20, 2003
* Gaylord Herald Times, MI – September 19, 2003
* The Bagpipe – Highland Park High School, TX – September 19, 2003
* Baltimore Sun, MD – September 17, 2003
* Education Week – September 17, 2003
* Michael Smerconish ow, 1210AM Philadelphia, PA September 17, 2003
* Pasadena Star News, CA – September 15, 2003
* Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA – September 15, 2003
* WTNH News 8, CT – September 15, 2003
* Dallas Morning News, TX – September 15, 2003
* Philadelphia Inquirer, PA – September 14, 2003
* King5.com, WA – September 13, 2003
* Naples Daily News, FL – September 13, 2003
* WBAL 1090AM Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2003
* East Valley Tribune, AZ – September 11, 2003
* Federal News Mirror, WA – September 11, 2003
* Wrangler News, CA – September 10, 2003
* TechTV – Tech Live – September 8, 2003
* Coloradoan, Fort Collins, CO – September 6, 2003
* King County Journal, WA – September 5, 2003
* USA TODAY – September 4, 2003
* Tuscaloosa News, AL – September 4, 2003
* HeraldTribune, AL – September 4, 2003
* Fox 11 News Tucson, AZ – September 3, 2003
* The Dallas Morning News, TX – September 2, 2003
* Pioneer Press, MN – September 1, 2003
* Tri City News, BC – August 30, 2003
* Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA – August 30, 2003
* FYI London, ON – August 27, 2003
* KSDK ST. Louis, MO – August 25, 2003
* Jerry Moore’s School Talk – August 24, 2003
* The Standard – August 23, 2003
* WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg – August 22, 2003
* WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg [VIDEO] – August 22, 2003
* The Saratogian – August 22, 2003
* Albany Times Union, NY (Rick Karlin) – August 18, 2003
* Penn Live – August 16, 2003
* Duluth News Tribune – July 30, 2003
* Portland Tribune – July 29, 2003
* The State – July 14,2003
* Jonesboro Sun – July 10, 2003
* Amarillo Globe News – July 6, 2003
* Tampa Tribune – June 29, 2003
* KMOV TV- June 27, 2003
* Quad-Cities Online – June 22, 2003
* The Patriot Ledger – June 21,2003
* WOKR TV Rochester – June 18, 2003
* New Haven Register – June 15, 2003
* Education Week – June 11, 2003
* Bristol Press – June 11, 2003
* United Federation of Teachers – June 6, 2003
* Record Journal.com – May 28, 2003
* Bronx High School of Science – May 23, 2003
* Brookline Tab – May 21,2003
* Library Journal – May 21, 2003
* App.com – May 20, 2003
* NY Times (Lisa Guernsey) – May 8, 2003
* NY Times (Marcia Biederman) – May 8, 2003
* Newton South High School’s The Lions Roar – May 1, 2003
* Akron23.com News _April 30, 2003
* ABC NY – April 17, 2003
* Clemsford Independent – April 16, 2003
* Acton Institute – April 8, 2003
* Hollister Freelance News – April 4, 2003
* New York Post – March 31, 2003
* The Optimist – March 31, 2003
* QO Prowler – March 24, 2003
* Abbotsford Mission Times – March 11, 2003
* The Phillipian – March 9, 2003
* Tampa Tribune – February 28, 2003
* The Lamp – Frebruary 28, 2003
* Montreal Mirror, PQ – Frebruary 27, 2003
* Pasadena Citizen – February 20, 2003
* Orlando Sentinel – February 17, 2003
* CNN.com – February 17, 2003
* Lawrence Journal-World, KS – February 17, 2003
* Yorktown Indiana Revealer – February 12, 2003
* Niles High School, IL – February 2, 2003
* Newsleader.com – January 27, 2003
* Kansas City Star – January 24, 2003
* Augusta Chronicle – January 20, 2003
* MSNBC.com – January 19, 2003
* CyberPresse.ca – January 17, 2003
* NetNacs – January 17, 2003
RateMyTeachers launched today, bringing the funcationality of RateMyProfessors to middle and high school students – created by ordinary people with a vision for a better way of doing something. This past year, the concept of “accountability†in education entered the public consciousness. Many of the original founders had an interest in education (two of them are teachers) and asked who is accountable to whom? Are schools accountable to the federal government? We concluded that students have a right to discuss the quality of their education and that teachers must be accountable to their students. We decided that a site like RateMyTeachers.com would be an effective tool to elevate the student voice into the public discourse on quality education.
RateMyTeachers aims to help facilitate a positive change in the way parents, students, and teachers alike look at the education system and therefore to encourage structural changes with regards to school and teacher choice. Secondly, it is a place for students to have their opinions validated.
Lastly, RateMyTeachers is a useful resource to the teacher who is open and self-assured enough to face the opinions of their customers, i.e. students. Every teacher wants to be respected by his or her students, and every teacher entered this profession in order to help students develop as individuals. By studying their ratings, the teacher can often adjust their methods, helping create that environment of mutual respect, whereby their knowledge will translate more effectively to the mind of the student.
Launched RateMyProfessors.com today in partnership with John Swapceinski (who created teacherratings.com). This is the best site for college students to find and share info on their college professors before they sign up for next semester’s classes.
