newteacher

"Deregulating" Teacher Certification?

From the Indiana Dept of Education Strategic Plan dated Feb 25, 2009:

"Improve instructional quality and enhance school governance and leadership...

• Reform and deregulate existing licensing standards to encourage the appropriate use of subject matter experts in the classroom and in administrative positions."

Questions abound as to what the proposal to "deregulate" teacher certification might mean for education in Indiana.  Quoted numerous times in the campaign as being against accreditation for teacaher training programs, new Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Bennett seems out to transfer this power to the districts.  Given current financial constraints one wonders what type of system the districts would be able to adopt (or if they even want this power/responsibility).  More troubling is the inclusion of the "subject matter experts" in the second half of the statement.  One can only assume here that this means cutting out Schools of Education and letting business schools train administrators, history departments train social studies teachers, etc..., ignoring the research base on what we know about effective teaching practices. 

I'm hoping there are some comments out there as this is surely an attack on teacher education (yet again) and a significant step backward for the State of Indiana.  There will be more to come...

The Future of Teacher Education

Patricia H. Hinchey & Karen Cadiero-Kaplan: The Future of Teacher Education and Teaching: Another Piece of the Privatization Puzzle
Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Volume 3, Number 2 (October 2005)
ISSN 1740-2743

Abstract

Recent concerted efforts of government and business to privatize public education are well-documented, but less attention has been paid to what these trends are likely to mean for the future of teaching and teacher education. Based on a review of two reports offering recommendations for reshaping teacher education, of a variety of relevant financial data, of efforts to implement scripted materials in classrooms, and of overt hostility toward the NEA, the authors argue that efforts to undermine teaching as a highly-skilled profession with union support are already well underway. Much evidence suggests that current "reform" strategies are intentionally driving well-educated professionals from the classroom and that once a teaching shortage has been exacerbated, teaching will be virtually fully deskilled. At this point, "teaching" will be provided by alternate "delivery mechanisms" that make teachers virtually obsolete. These developments are desirable to business and government first, because privatization of education will not produce maximum profits until labor costs are reduced, and second, because professional teachers largely oppose the lie that standards and accountability as they are being implemented will benefit poor children. Stakeholders—most especially the education community—need to understand, publicly name, and then oppose current threats to the teaching profession which play a role in the privatization efforts that threaten not only public education but democracy itself.

READ MORE: http://firgoa.usc.es/drupal/node/24312

Why do we do school?

This is a story from 1999 but still a relevant and important discussion on the goals of public education.  Lot's of big names in educational thinking represented....check it out.

Education on NPR

All Things Considered, September 7, 1999 · A new poll on education by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government shows that there's no consensus among Americans on the underlying purpose of education. This isn't unusual. The debate has been around since public schools first started. NPR's Pam Fessler reports on what the debate is all about.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1058265

 

Learning to Teach

Learning to Teach: Sharing the Wisdom of Practice by Désirée Pointer Mace and Ann Lieberman "looks [for] new ways for student teachers to share their learning with teacher education professionals." They suggest that new technologies might be a way in which to share the wisdom of the field with preservice teachers. We've begun conversations (and some practice) about video case studies, portfolios, and even things like this blog on teaching as part of out teacher education program. I'm interested to see what people think about these new directions....

Lessons from Birmingham

A little different type of post this time around but I recently had the opportunity to go down to Birmingham, Alabama to attend a workshop on the Civil Rights Movement and how it might fit in Social Studies Education courses [sponsored by the Center for Civic Education].  Folks from around the country were there for lectures, discussions, and a tour of the Civil Rights Museum.  Perhaps the most amazing part however was meeting and attending the sermon of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a key player in the Movement.  A recent article just announced his retirement from the pulpit but based on the fiery words we heard in Birmingham, I don't think he's done.

This was such an amazing chance to see and touch the history that is so important to the present day.  Throughout the weekend but particularly in Rev. Shuttlesworth sermon, was the challenge that "the work is not done."  No, indeed.  The struggle for basic equity in our American society continues and, so sadly, plays out so clearly in our public schools.  The bitter truth is that schools are more segregated now than they were in the 50s (it's not enforced through laws but forces even more hard to track).  A wonderful book is the Failures of Integration by Sheryl Cashin [NPR interview here]; its wonderful because although she tells the sad tale of how efforts have failed, she also provides some examples of communities that have progressively acted against these trends.

I learned alot of things during this weekend related to how to teach this history but, perhaps more importantly, ... that this struggle is much more than mere history.

Preparing new teachers

I was wondering what folks might say about their academic preparation for entering teaching. This is part of my job--preparing teachers--and i wonder what Newteachers might say about their experiences in differing Schools of Education. And, yeah, you can be honest!