Professional issues update 4 2009
(Term 4 2009)
Welcome to the professional issues update
Each term we bring you information about current professional issues, learning and research.
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The initial teacher education issue
Despite a growing pool of evidence that fast-track teacher training programmes do NOT work, these have been adopted in the US, the UK and now Australia. Governments claim that fast-tracking helps attract “top graduates” into the teaching profession. The links below cover a range of commentaries on fast-track programmes, from propaganda to critique. Given the looming threat of $50M cuts to education spending here in NZ we need to be informed about these cost-cutting approaches to teacher training…
Propaganda #1
If you are interested in becoming a teacher you may be able to qualify in six months rather than a year under new fast-track proposals. The proposals also aim to help support the best teachers to become school leaders more quickly.
New fast-track teacher training
Propaganda #2
Kansas is dealing with the teacher shortage by providing alternative certification programs for people with college degrees who want to become teachers.
Kansas Transition to Teaching-Program
The business partnership model…
IBM is sponsoring its staff to retrain (on company time) in order to become maths and science teachers – they see this as a critical contribution to a “looming teacher shortage” in the States, and a need for maths and science graduates in the near future.
IBM audio - Transition to teaching
Teach for Australia? Oh no, I don’t think so…
The Teach for America program which sends top graduates who are not trained in teaching into poorer schools is about to start in Australia. Some educators in the US, such as David Berliner, are asking why.
“The news that Australia is following the United States in introducing a program which puts untrained teachers in the classroom came as a real shock to us here. Simply put, you are being conned. Teach for America (TFA), the model for your national program, is not effective
in helping students in poverty learn more, though it is very effective at raising large amounts of money.”
The view from America: what on earth are you thinking?
Actually, oh yes, here we go…
Victoria will be the first state to adopt an international scheme that places top non-teaching university graduates into disadvantaged schools, Education Minister Julia Gillard announced yesterday. High-achieving recruits from any field of study must commit to two years' teaching in a government school after six weeks of training. They will emerge with an accredited teaching qualification and get a salary of about $45,000.
Ask what you can teach your country
Teach for America: Elite corps or costing older teachers jobs? This headline really says it all…
Cash-strapped administrations save money by replacing experienced teachers with barely trained beginners.
Ask what you can teach your country
But wait, there’s more…
A 2005 study found that Teach for America recruits negatively affect student achievement relative to certified teachers. While their performance improves over time – as they become certified – most TFA recruits leave teaching before this occurs.
Does Teacher Preparation Matter?
What can you do? Complete the NZTC survey on initial teacher education!
You have until the end of October to let Teachers Council know what you think about initial teacher education. You can choose to complete the whole survey or, if time is at a premium, simply choose sections C and D, about the practicum.
You can download the forms from the Teachers Council website:
http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/education/ite-approval-review.stm
weblinks we like…
here’s another free dip from Set …
Effective bicultural leadership: A way to restore harmony at school and avoid suspension using restorative justice and the hui whakatika as a response to wrong-doing at school. http://www.nzcer.org.nz/pdfs/free-article/berryman-bateman.pdf
Education Gazette PD listings online http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/Notices/ProfessionalDevelopment.aspx
Ako panuku – for Maori secondary teachers… http://www.akopanuku.tki.org.nz/
Beginning Teachers’ handbook
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