We have all heard the polls—while most people think their local/neighborhood school is great, they have a poor opinion of other schools across their states and the nation. Recently, a group of past and present state Teachers of the Year took part in a three-day intensive discussion about the public perception of the teaching profession Read more about Teachers of the Year Discuss Public Perception of Teachers[…]
The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) recently released their revised standards for online teaching to ensure that students engaged in online learning have access to quality education. The new standards differentiate between two sets of indicators: the first are what the online teacher should know and understand; the second what they should be Read more about iNACOL Revises National Standards for Quality Online Teaching[…]
This month, twenty-five education advocacy organizations released a “statement of principles” addressed to Sens. Harkin and Enzi and Reps. Kline and Miller. The statement focused on the role of teacher quality in the reauthorization of ESEA and urged the congressmen to “make every effort possible to spur states and school districts to advance new policies Read more about Education Advocates Release “Statement of Principles” on ESEA Reauthorization[…]
Education writer Andrew Rotherham speculated in Time this week about the current data analysis “trend” that is sweeping the education reform movement. He reflects on Michael Lewis’ 2003 book Moneyball, which “traces the rise of new methods that the Oakland A’s used to identify undervalued baseball players so the team could win more games with Read more about ‘Moneyballing’ Education[…]
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently released a “First Look” report on the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study (BTLS), which collected data from teachers who entered the profession in 2007 or 2008 in three waves (two more waves of collection are expected). This report looks at the first wave of data collection. The study Read more about Beginning Teacher Attrition and Mobility: A Longitudinal Study[…]
The continuing discussion on teacher evaluations has led many to ask how to go about evaluating teachers in non-tested subjects. Some states have chosen to instead rely heavily on classroom observations; however, a new strategy has evolved that would include a “student learning objectives” (SLO) component. SLOs are “carefully planned goals for what a student Read more about Teacher Evaluations for Non-Tested Subjects: SLOs[…]
A recent report released by Public Impact proposes a strategy for getting an excellent teacher into every classroom, which would “close most of our stubborn achievement gaps in just five years.” An “excellent teacher” is described as one who produces well over today’s typical year of learning growth, and the authors emphasize that it is Read more about Seizing Opportunity at the Top[…]
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) released his draft proposal for the reauthorization of ESEA on October 11. To date, the proposal has been met with mixed reactions across the country. Civil rights groups assert that the proposal to scrap Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a giant step backwards when it comes to accountability for poor and Read more about Harkin Releases Proposal for ESEA Reauthorization[…]
A new study by Morgaen Donaldson and Susan Moore Johnson studying the real attrition rates of TFA teachers was published in the most recent issue of Phi Delta Kappan. We all know the debates surrounding the TFA program, with the most contentious issue being the motivation and longevity of TFA corps members in some of Read more about The Truth About TFA Attrition[…]
It is projected that over the next decade, one million teachers will retire from the profession. This estimate forms the basis of the current Department of Education policy objectives to transform the teaching profession by reforming teacher evaluation systems, identifying and rewarding effective teachers while removing the ineffective, and recruiting a “new brand” of teacher. Read more about What We Lose When Teachers Retire[…]
At a conference sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education on October 4, advocates for robust new-teacher support systems gathered to change the current discourse “from evaluation to induction.” Richard Ingersoll, professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, spoke about an analysis he released last year of the National Center Read more about Teacher Induction Gets Renewed Attention[…]
Jack Schneider, postdoctoral fellow for innovation in the liberal arts at Carleton College, recently blogged for Education Week’s “Teaching Now” blog on the “mania” for educational technology. He touches on the apparent consensus that the solution to the nation’s education problem is new technologies: smartboards in every classroom, iPads for each student, and collaborative projects Read more about Education Technology: After the Investment[…]
Pearson Education is launching a 16-part series of webinars to help educators as they transition to the CCSS. The webinars will be led by experts in literacy, mathematics, professional development, assessment, and English Language Learners. The sessions are free and are intended to provide teachers will tools, strategies, and resources they need to adapt their Read more about Unlocking the Common Core: Free Webinar Series on CCSS[…]
Atul Gawande, a surgeon-writer who has gained recognition in the education world through his appearance in Robert Ruth’s recent piece about using checklists for reading instruction, recently wrote a an article for the New Yorker that offers insights into the teaching (and medical) profession. Gawande describes an experience with a young tennis coach, who, after Read more about Doctor’s Orders: Fund Teacher-Coaching Programs[…]
The Center for Education Reform (CER) recently launched their new, interactive website, which they hope will become the central hub for all things related to education reform. The CER, founded in 1993 to help bridge the gap between education policy and practice, says that it re-designed their site in order to “serve [the public’s] daily Read more about The Center for Education Reform Launches New Hub[…]
Last month, the Obama Administration released its plan for “recruiting, preparing, and retaining great teaching talent.” In his forward to the plan by Secretary Duncan writes: “Some of our existing teacher preparation programs are not up to the job. They operate partially blindfolded, without access to data that tells them how effective their graduates are Read more about Obama Administration Releases Plan for Teacher Education Reform and Improvement[…]