It’s an active Summer 2013. I am delayed in sharing educational updates, but at least wanted to highlight some very important reading. So here are three of the most relevant issues that I am tracking as we move into the next school year.
1. Teacher Prep Review 2013 Report
A colleague I appreciate and respect headed up this project. And, it harkens back to my earlier blog on the Marc Tucker/Linda Hamilton book, Surpassing Shanghai, which all of my parent-readers should have covered by now. We need to look at our teacher prep programs if we are serious about improving education. I know I went to a great school (#19 at the time), yet I still felt short-changed in a number of classes, and incidentally, they declined to participate in this evaluation, the merits of which can certainly be debated but at least it is a first step toward needed revamping of our teacher training.
As stated on the National Center for Teacher Quality website, “The first edition of the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review is an unprecedented evaluation of more than 1,100 colleges and universities that prepare elementary and secondary teachers. As a consumer tool, it allows aspiring teachers, parents and school districts to compare programs and determine which are doing the best — and worst — job of training new teachers.” And the Washington Post offered this review of the publication. This is clearly a must-see for anyone interested in educational improvement.
2. Forbes Article on the (De)value of Higher Ed
This article, “Don’t Buy The Hype, College Education Is Not An Investment” offers a realistic, albeit depressing, update on the bachelor’s degree… a perspective that I think we’ve all be contemplating. I know that when I came out of Harvard, my brain was really good at structuring arguments, modelling solutions, and analyzing data, but I didn’t have much real-world experience or practical training to put all of that to use. I often study things outside of the classroom, and wonder what I studied for all of those A grades I made.
Instead of the typical banner, this article states, “No one receives any payment or premium merely for having finished college. Employers do not reward workers just for having passed enough classes to earn a degree. They reward workers for their productivity. Going to college might increase a person’s productivity, but it’s neither necessary nor sufficient for that.” This learning is essential for adolescents AND employers who ask for GPA’s and degrees. A recent article on Google’s hiring practices confirms this thinking.
3. Any article on the Zimmerman case.
Most notably, those posted on CNN and a few others citing cases in FL and NY that raise questions about thejustice system<>/a, racial stereotyping, and what disadvantaged/minority youth really experience. It IS about education and human development. The next generation is certainly better equipped to think across color lines, but it remains our responsibility to foster this change.
