Marc Tucker recently wrote an article in Education Week (Oct 19) entitled Two Education Reform Agendas: One leads to success across the globe, the other to the US system. He compares the approach to education in the US to other countries, particularly the top ten. He points out that these countries focus on developing high quality teachers. Standards are high for entering schools of education (one in every six to ten are accepted). Some, Finland and Singapore included, moved teacher education to their top schools and provided pay that rivals high status professions. What struck me was Tucker’s belief, “We cannot fire our way to a world-class teaching force.” “In fact, draconian accountability schemes now join mass layoffs, low pay, poor training, and meager on-the-job support as reasons not to go into teaching.” I agree with him when he wonders why the US does not learn from others. He calls the US stubborn. It is hard to disagree.
One possible outcome of our reform movement is a system that fails to deliver what it intends. It could actually chase talented teachers into other fields because they have the talent to do so. This would leave some teachers in education that this movement originally targeted. In October’s Phi Delta Kappan, Burris and Welner conclude, “The existing evidence cannot be fairly read to support an educator evaluation system such as New York’s.” They continue, “There’s no reason to believe that such a system will validly identify and remove those who are unable or unwilling to improve.” Imagine a system that works against its very purpose. We have to make sure it doesn’t happen. We also have to make sure our talented educators stay resilient during these times. We will need them.
Well stated Paul! Staying resilient during these times are challenging.
ReplyDeleteA worthwhile reform effort is focus on increasing teacher effectiveness. As pointed out by a McKinsey Report on Closing the Talent Gap - is that there is little attention and focus on the recruitment of teacher candidates with strong academic backgrounds:”Most efforts focus on improving the effectiveness of teachers already in the classroom or on retaining the best performers and dismissing the least effective. Attracting more young people with stronger academic backgrounds to teaching has received comparatively little attention.” (http://mckinseyonsociety.com/closing-the-talent-gap/). A focus on teacher recruitment of the top third of college graduates can have a lasting impact on the classroom and be an alternative strategy toward reform.
ReplyDeleteReform means change. Change is difficult.
ReplyDeleteNot only is change difficult, it is not linear or predictable. “All along the way, interpreters alter the message. Indeed, students, families, practitioners, and administrators use their agency to navigate situations and interactions applying the regulative rules of their cultural communities, but also improvising or using their cultural toolkits in innovative ways.” (Systematic Change for RTI: Key Shifts for Practice, E. Kosleski & J. Huber)
School districts are complex. Reform (in general) could mean confusion over implementation and purpose. Explanations of reform can be delivered with a lack of clarity and preparation. Because reform could mean, “reorganizing business as usual” (Kosleski & Huber, 2010) that might deviate substantially from older notions or the existing culture and set of beliefs.
I do agree with Paul’s statement, “One possible outcome of our reform movement is a system that fails to deliver what it intends.” In reference to RTI, many schools seem confused on “exactly” what RTI means. Will different interpretations occur along the way? How are districts implementing this program? How will schools in each district interpret this implementation? One must not forget the difficulty in change: especially changing existing culture and beliefs. Of course, one must not forget the use of TIME.
Reform efforts require TIME. Who has it???
I agree with Monique’s statement regarding change. It is difficult. Alan Deutschman chronicles the change pattern in his 2007 book Change or Die: Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life. Part of the contention is that change is so difficult that some people would choose death over changing. The odds are nine to one that people would change. Deutschman tells the story of Vice-President Dick Cheney who was basically told to change his life habits or he would die. It took a few heart attacks and near death to finally change his habits. Deutschman’s stories tell us how difficult change is and how important our plans for change are. Monique is correct that we need time for change to occur. And as she put it, “Who has it???”
ReplyDeleteAlso, each person’s mental model (Senge) contributes to the difficulty of making change happen. One person can agree with a change just as easily as another can disagree. It depends on his/her “ideology.” Our ideology is hard to change because they are deep in our guts and have been developed over our lifetime (Deutschman, 2007). This is why Vice-President Cheney struggled to change.
What is an Effective Teacher?
ReplyDeleteI love that Lisa brought up the issue of effective teaching and recruiting. As Lisa states, “A worthwhile reform effort is: focus on increasing teacher effectiveness. As pointed out by a McKinsey Report on Closing the Talent Gap- there is little attention and focus on the recruitment of teacher candidates with strong academic backgrounds.” I agree, that we should be recruiting teacher candidates with strong academic backgrounds. However, one must consider the question: what qualifies a teacher as being EFFECTIVE?
I am guessing it would be safe to start with a person that is smart! Of course, knowing and understanding what you are teaching is critical, but how you will teach all that you know is complicated and challenging. I believe an EFFECTIVE teacher knows HOW. An effective teacher knows how to arouse interest, coupled with the “need to establish relevance of content” (Ramsden, 1992).
I believe… an effective teacher has true concerns, compassion and high levels of respect for students and their learning. An effective teacher recognizes the power of feedback to motivate more effort to learn. An effective teacher establishes clear goals, and at the same time fosters a sense of student control over learning.
An effective teacher “sees the relation between teaching and learning as problematic, uncertain and relative. Good teaching is open to change: it involves constantly trying to find out what the effects of instruction are on learning, and modifying the instruction in the light of the evidence collected” (Ramsden, 1992).
I believe an effective teacher is open to change.
Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in higher education.