Report: Want Better Schools? Put a Higher Value on Teachers
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Governors in cash strapped states and so-called education reformers who scapegoat teachers for schools’ failures are doing the exact opposite of what needs to be done to make our schools better, according to a new report.
In countries with successful public education systems, teaching is held in much higher esteem as a profession than in the United States. Becoming a teacher in these countries is difficult, and candidates are recruited from the top of their college and university classes, the report says. These countries also provide more resources for teacher training and they give teachers more responsibility for professional development and leading reform.
Study: Teachers Working So Hard That Merit Pay Doesn’t Work
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A new study released today knocks down one of the falsehoods spread by the anti-public school crowd. The study found that offering teachers annual bonuses of up to $15,000 had no effect on student test scores. The reason: Teachers already were working so hard that the extra money was not an incentive.
Pay reform, merit pay or differentiated pay is one of the hot ideas in education reform and is backed by the White House, federal and state governments and foundations. But Matthew Springer, the Vanderbilt University professor who led the study, told the Washington Post:
Pay reform is often thought to be a magic bullet. That doesn’t appear to be the case here. We need to develop more thoughtful and comprehensive ways of thinking about compensation. But at the same time, we’re not even sure whether incentive pay is an effective strategy for improving the system itself.
‘Superman’ Documentary Ignores Good Public Schools
The new documentary, “Waiting for Superman,” powerfully portrays the pain of children and parents struggling in an education system that isn’t meeting their needs. But it doesn’t tell the real story about public schools, and it doesn’t offer real solutions.
The stories depicted in the documentary show that the opportunity for a great education should be a right, not come by chance or choice, according to the AFT. By focusing on a few bad schools, the film overlooks the millions of good public school teachers who are on the front lines every day and working hard to meet the needs of children in public schools. Despite his good intentions, director Davis Guggenheim has made a movie that is selective and incomplete, says AFT President Randi Weingarten.
In an interview with Lloyd Grove on The Daily Beast, Weingarten says:
There are lots of incredibly good public schools around this country, and there are incredibly great teachers and there are more and more really interested, solution-driven contracts. And I think the fact that none of that is represented in the film is a problem with the film.
AFT Leader Outlines Vision to Build Better Public Education System
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Saying America’s teachers would “lead and propose, not wait and oppose,” AFT President Randi Weingarten outlined a vision to “build a system of public education as it ought to be.”
She said real changes could be made by focusing on good teaching, creating a curriculum that provides opportunity for students to learn and sharing responsibility and accountability with parents and administrators.
Weingarten spoke yesterday at AFT’s biennial convention in Seattle, which runs through Sunday. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will address the convention tomorrow.
Teacher Survey: Children Coming to School Hungry
Despite programs intended to ensure children have enough to eat in and out of school, teachers across the nation report they are witnessing a growing number of hungry students—which affects their ability to concentrate and learn, according to a new survey.
More than 60 percent of the teachers responding to the survey, Hunger in America’s Classrooms, say most or many of the students at their schools rely on school meals for their primary source of nutrition. But that often is not enough, and teachers are dipping into their wallets to fill the gaps. Elementary teachers reported spending an average of $27 a month to buy snacks and other food items for their students and for middle school teachers, the average is $38.
