Eduflack: Recent Comments

Comment on "Teacher Preparation: Who Needs It?"

2010-03-13T16:36:04Z

When you're in the corner and have no money to move out from that, you would require to receive the credit loans. Because that will help you for sure. I get secured loan every single year and feel good just because of that.

Comment on "Teacher Preparation: Who Needs It?"

2010-03-13T01:18:43Z

In my opinion teachers training is essential, as not everyone learn in same way and at same pace.

Comment on "Teacher Preparation: Who Needs It?"

2010-03-12T21:16:02Z

Interesting stuff. I quibble with one recommendation "Offer incentives to schools that act as clinical settings for teacher candidates." Schools (and districts) already get benefit from getting an early heads up on quality candidates who are already up to speed on district practices. And, there is the possibility of benefiting from working with the clinical professors.

Comment on "Teacher Preparation: Who Needs It?"

2010-03-12T05:40:51Z

I would suggest a very different approach to teacher preparation: rather than turn even more talented individuals away from teaching by making certification more lengthy and costly than it already is (and in many states, it is incredibly burdensome), we should minimize barriers to entry into the profession, empower local hiring administrators to choose the best-qualified applicant for each available position, and then hold administrators accountable for the student outcomes that result from their hiring decisions.

Exhaustive teacher certification and professional development requirements have created windfalls for education schools and online degree mills, but they have done little to ensure teacher quality as measured by student performance (rather than by an arbitrary legal definition such as NCLB's "highly qualified" requirement). The primary effect of these requirements has been not to strengthen the teacher corps, but to weaken it by discouraging many talented individuals and career changers who were not education majors to calculate that the costs and opportunity costs of taking one or two years out of one's career, paying tens of thousands of dollars to a college of education, and working for free while checking the boxes of the state's certification requirements is too high a price to pay to become a teacher - especially for individuals who are older and have families to feed and bills to pay.

Also, one more thing: there is no evidence linking teacher training in pedagogy to student outcomes. Instead, a teacher's general academic ability and depth of content-area knowledge are the best predictors of how well she will be able to teach. It's a shame that we drive away so many of our most academically-talented and driven young people from public school teaching by making it so costly to become a certified teacher.

Comment on Taking the Pole Position on Race

2010-03-12T02:19:05Z

I don't see legal issues being a problem with RttT. Remember, as part of a state's application, they needed letters of support from the teachers' unions. Those states without the support (in those states with strong unions) simply aren't going to make the cut.

Comment on How Do I Rank?

2010-03-11T12:38:36Z

nice article I would like to share your blog with my friends !

Thanks
David Samson

Comment on The Future of Teacher Ed?

2010-03-11T06:31:27Z

A career in teaching requires not just proper training, but also loads of commitments since this is one of the vital role teacher’s plays in charting the academic progress of their students. And this has to start from preschool teachers as they are the ones who lay the early foundations on which a child builds his or her academic career. Programs such as Early Childhood Education degree offered by Independence University are aimed at providing comprehensive training to those looking to enter the preschool teaching profession.

Comment on Taking the Pole Position on Race

2010-03-09T23:12:59Z

Good point on D.C.

But since the Central Falls overreach, don't you think reformers are taking a closer look at the legal issues? (in fact, is it possible that they are now only taking their first comprhensive look at the law?)

Duncan doesn't want RttT efforts to be stillborn due the litigation, and the angry editorializating is relevant in two ways. Firstly, that hotheadedness is more likely to create a political climate that invites risks resulting in litigation. Secondly, when Tennessee seeks to fire someone using policies funded by RttT, that proposal could be entered in court in evidence.

Arguing good faith, or the validity of multiple measures would be much harder after making such an overwrought pitch.

Comment on Arts Education and Quantification

2010-03-09T15:17:28Z

art must have a central role in training and education, eprchè is really important in the soul of an individual

Comment on Race Prognostications

2010-03-09T08:23:49Z

very nice work ... keep it up