Tag Archives: residency

Seattle Will Keep Teach for America Partnership

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At a packed public hearing two weeks ago, the Seattle School Board voted to continue the district’s partnership with Teach for America (TFA).  TFA, though a decades-old organization, is only in its first year working with Seattle schools.

Fifty community members signed up for a chance to speak to the board, but only 20 had the chance.  Nearly all of them expressed their opinions regarding the TFA-district contract.  Currently, there are only 6 TFA teachers in the area, but even this has raised serious concerns with the some in the community.  Union officials and activists, though admitting that these teachers are passionate about education, claim that they lack the necessary experience of veteran educators they are replacing.

The move to cancel the partnership was led by the two newest school board members, but fell short by one vote.  Members who voted to continue the partnership said they wanted more time to evaluate the program before making such a final decision.  Michael DeBell, the Board’s president, lamented the time that has been spent across the district on the debate about TFA, remarking, “We sure have devoted a lot of time to six teachers.”

The experience in Seattle is reflective of the larger debate across the country.  In a time when states and districts are trying to create valid and reliable measures of teacher effectiveness, both during their teacher training and in the classroom, programs that place teachers-in-training in the classroom are coming under intense scrutiny.

To read the full story, please visit http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2017810833_schoolboard22m.html

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NEA President Announces Three-Part Action Agenda

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The National Education Association’s (NEA) president, Dennis Van Roekel, recently announced a new action agenda for the nation’s largest teachers union.  The plan aims to further the union’s goals of transforming the teaching profession and accelerating student learning, and utilizes proven best practices from teachers across the country.

The three major strategies are:

1. Raising the Bar for Entry.  Teachers should have a full year residency under supervision of a Master Teacher, and pass a rigorous classroom-based performance assessment at the end of candidacy.

2. Teachers Ensuring Teacher Quality.  A tiered system of achievement should be developed, with different compensation and responsibilities according to experience.  There should also be 100 high-quality Peer Assistance and Peer Assistance and Review programs over the next two years.

3. Union Leadership to Transform the Profession.  Teachers must take on leadership roles in order to have a presence at the policy table.  Current policies reflect this notable absence in teacher leadership activities.

The net effect of these strategies is intended to increase the quality of teacher candidates before they enter the classroom, to ensure that teachers are continually learning and improving their practice, and to improve student learning by improving the profession.

In addition, Van Roekel pledged that the NEA’s training network will train 1,000 teachers for leadership roles across the country, train thousands more in educational leadership, and provide support and training for high-quality teachers to serve as master teachers in teacher prep programs.

To read the full story, please visit http://www.nea.org/home/49969.htm

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Teachers get a Voice in Evaluation System Design

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At Hope Street Group, educators work together to develop recommendations for policymakers that will be used to improve teacher evaluation systems. Hope Street has partnered with leaders at state Departments of Education across the country and connected them with teachers in their states to develop evaluation measures and determine feasible and fair accountability standards.

As the organization seeks to press forward in these collaboration efforts, it has announced a new opportunity for current classroom teachers and coaches–the Hope Street Group Teacher Fellowship Program. This 14-month Fellowship provides an opportunity for 10-12 outstanding classroom teachers from across the country to spend approximately 15 hours per month influencing the dialogue on local reforms and connecting with leading national policymakers. Fellows will receive a stipend for their time, along with training and supports to help them learn more about key issues and research, build their advocacy skills, and learn to speak effectively with the media.

If you are interested in becoming a Hope Street Group Teacher Fellow, or know someone who would be a good fit for this program, please visit their website, http://www.hopestreetgroup.org/docs/DOC-2776 for an overview of the program and application instructions. Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2011.  For further questions about this opportunity, contact Wendy Uptain at wendy@hopestreetgroup.org.

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