Our nation’s education system strives through the hard work and dedication of its educators. Often great teachers, principles and supporting staff are drawn to the profession because they possess the desire to empower, inspire, nurture and watch young people grow - not only academically, but also emotionally. These people are there because they want to make an impact upon our society and the lives of whom the reach. Highly effective teachers are those who have taken learning to new heights by accelerating student learning, closing achievement gaps that persisted for decades, and promoting a mindset of change. Moreover, the presence of highly effective teachers in classrooms today continues to manifest as a result of the support from strong school leaders (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). Teacher Preparation In recent years, the cliché image of a teacher has come under attach. Research has shown that teachers often work in an isolated setting in which they are considered experts in their specific area; however they often lack the support and equipment needed to do their jobs effectively. As a result, to the inadequate working environment new teachers often leave the profession within the first five years. These conditions often exist because the educational system fails to prepare our teachers with the proper tools and experience needed to do their job well (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). Moreover teacher preparation programs are on the rise. Recommend by the Department of Education these programs seek to support educators individually and in teams by implementing training with technology, resources and learning experiences that improve, inspire, and empower educators to provide effective learning environments for all ... ... middle of paper ... ...innovation and change. Grants such as RESPECT and STEM Master Teachers Corps are two programs supported by our government that offer financial support in the transformation of the system. States and local districts utilizing these funds are able to recruit, train and retain teachers; school leaders and support staff the new vision of classroom learning. Works Cited Ehrenberg, R. G. (Winter 2012). American higher education in transition. Journal of Economic Perspectives , 26 (1), page 193-216. U.S. Department of Education . (2009, 11 06). Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program. Retrieved 11 19, 2013, from www.ed.gov: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/tqpartnership/index.html U.S. Department of Education. (2013). A blueprint for r.e.s.p.e.c.t.: Recognizing education success, professional excellence and collaborative teaching. Washington, D.C.: Department of Education.
And while each of the six elements are important perhaps none is as important as the first, “Teacher leaders convey conviction about a better world.” (Crowther, 2008) Perhaps the single greatest ill to plague educators today is the deficit thinking that strips them of hope for their students’ and their schools’ success. “My pupils live in ‘this’ district, and go to ‘this’ school so their ceiling for academic growth lies here.” “Well of course they are academically unacceptable, have you seen our socio-economic status?” While these quotes may not be attributed to anyone individual the sentiment that drives them are pervasive in our education system today, and in particularly the district to which we find ourselves employed. Deficit thinking that places external caps on student production, and teacher ingenuity, is the greatest barrier to achieving success. Crowther ends his discussion of element one by saying, “we have been struck by the clarity of the values aspects of these teacher’s lives, and also by their sense of confidence regarding the power of schools and the teaching profession to shape lives.” (Crowther, 2008, p. 13) For Crowther, the first step in creating a successful school is recruiting or nurturing teacher leaders to unfalteringly share the same vision. That vision must be that all students can succeed,
Fundamentally, the first question one should seek an answer is; what factors would need to be studied in order to answer the question of whether teacher turnover is too high or too low? Many people would quickly hypothesize that retirement is the major cause for teacher attrition. However, a close scrutiny of the situation on the ground has it that this is not true. According to the analysis done by the US department of education, 2000 to 2001, teachers give other reasons rather than retirement when leaving and the most common include job dissatisfaction and search for other positions in other professions. For those teachers who transfer schools, 65 percent move because of lack of planning time, 60 percent move because of wo...
Journal of Labor Economics, 28(1), 113–166. Kaplin, W., & Lee, B. (2014). The law of higher education. 5th ed. San Francisco, CA.
166-173). Linda Darling-Hammond (2000) discusses how teacher education has changed and how it has affected our education system (p. 166). The author also notes how even the most intelligent people found it hard to prosper in the field without the right skills and preparation (Darling-Hammond, 2000, p. 166-173). In the article, she presents how post baccalaureate programs are carefully structured, versus alternative routes which can be no more than backup employment options. Darling-Hammond (2000) also addresses how it becomes difficult for aspiring teachers to learn both subject matter and pedagogy (p.
To improve education in the United States, the core objectives in federal education legislation address the improvement of teacher education and quality, for example, Higher Education Opportunity Act (Cohen-vogel, 2005). Teacher preparation program is one of the policy instruments to deliver the goals. Unlike traditional preparation program and alternative teacher preparation programs, Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) is an innovative preparation program improving teacher quality in which a mentor will be assigned to work with the novice teacher for a year. UTRs are distinctive than other programs mainly in three aspects as follows: recruitment, preparation, and ongoing induction. First established in 2002, UTRs have gained its popularity and grown to 13 network programs by 2013 with $143 million federal fund support (Boston Teacher Residency Project Narrative, 2010).
Outstanding educators are caring. While most educators possess this quality, it is the notable teacher that is able to transcend his or her feelings into concrete and measurable ways that demonstrate an investment in the individual student. The outstanding educator asks and continues to ask; what can I do for this child? What does this child need? How will I deliver? What resources are available? The student’s progress and goals are constantly assessed and evaluated. Outstanding educators care about the whole child- academically and socially.
With my background as Supervisor of Curriculum and then as both principal and superintendent, I have a background of collaborating with teachers in developing and then implementing curriculum guides, curriculum maps, professional development plans and innovative programs. Establishing an instruction...
Milken, L. (1999). A Matter of Quality: A Strategy for Assuring the High Caliber of America’s Teachers. Presented at the 1999 National Education Conference President’s Presentation. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Family Foundation.
This proposal is designed to address the need for professional development of which can be utilized in assisting teachers within our institution mature and grow educationally for the purposes of becoming better instructors for the purposes of education our students academically and assisting them to succeed within their academic goals and objectives. The proposed plan of action of which can ultimately assist bot our facu...
The shifts in education today has changed dramatically. In the past, teachers created their lesson plans and mostly taught in isolation with little contact with other teachers. Today teachers are engaging in “job-embedded
The teaching has changed dramatically over the last few years. A new generation has entered teaching; a generation has different expectations than earlier generations. Many of these teachers look to teaching with enthusiasm that will enable them to assume new leadership roles without le...
A teacher today needs to have an ability to relate to and create partnerships not with their students, but also families, administrators and other professionals. This ensures that all persons involved with the education of the student are on the same page. All involved then work in harmony and help each other achieve the common goal of educating the student in the best possible way for the best possible result. (Wesley, 1998, p 80)
On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law (US Dept of Education). According to the Executive Summary of the US Department of Education’s website the purpose of this act was to stimulate the economy, create jobs, and provide funding for education. To encourage education reform at the state level, the competitive grant program, “Race to the Top,” was implemented. This allowed states to apply for grants, provided that certain education reform was taking place within states’ schools. One particular condition under this campaign has led to much debate within our education system, implementing a pay system based on a teacher’s academic performance and the methods used to determine this (US Dept of Education).
Toch, T. (n.d.). Membership. educational leadership :expecting excellence: fixing teacher evaluation. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Fixing-Teacher-Evaluation.aspx
With the proper guidance and support, teachers can achieve academic excellence in the classroom. They follow their principal’s vision and share their goals. Teachers also serve as leaders in their classroom. They share their vision and goals with their students promoting positive attitudes in the classroom. Just like it is important for principals to respect and understand what their teachers need, students also need the support, understanding, respect and empathy from their teachers. When teachers demonstrate commitment in the classroom and set high expectations they raise the level of learning in the classroom. Teachers that work with the students and their parents to understand and meet their needs will achieve positive academic outcomes. Students engage in learning with positive attitudes and strive for high achievements. Teachers work together with their leaders to improve their teaching