Colleges of Education
School & District Management
Report Calls for Moratorium on Chicago School Closures
Researchers from the University of Illinois found that parents felt excluded from the process, are distrustful of the school system, and want a voice in closure decisions.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
How Will Market Forces Transform Teacher Preparation?
We need the process of becoming a teacher to be well-designed and structured, so credential candidates participate in solid courses focused on pedagogy and human development, as well as other aspects of teaching.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Teacher Education Leaders Speak Out: Tim Slekar: Educators Must Be Advocates For the Needs of Our Students
There might be individual institutions and faculty pushing back but there is a need to organize these institutions and faculty. And this will be the challenge--how to organize the teacher education profession.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Teacher Education Leader Francisco Rios: edTPA Leads Schools to Teach to the Test
The most frustrating aspect of these new faster, easier but not always cheaper approaches to teacher education is that they seem to be freed from many of the regulations that are now being required of traditional teacher education programs in colleges of education.
School & District Management
Study: Focus on 9th Graders Boosted Chicago's Graduation Rates
A set of Chicago reports offers evidence that a focus on 9th grade retention can increase graduation rates.
Teacher Preparation
Video
Building Future Teachers' Digital Skills
At Clemson University, aspiring teachers are working together to develop and review digital lessons. They're learning how to use social media to find classroom resources. And they're being encouraged to partner on projects that emphasize technology with students from other majors. Those strategies reflect a shift underway at some teacher colleges that are working to revamp their programs to improve the technology literacy of future educators—and address what many see as a major shortcoming in the profession. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/01/29/19el-teachers.h33.html Education Week Video
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Commentaries on Teacher Preparation
Commentary considers teacher education and the best ways to prepare new educators for the classroom
Teacher Preparation
Academic Gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago Overstated, Report Contends
The Broader, Bolder Approach to Education campaign will soon release a report charging that claims of success in those three districts attributed to policies such as charter schools and using test scores in teacher evaluations have been overstated.
Teacher Preparation
Collection
Teaching the Teachers
Education Week examines some of the opportunities and obstacles faced by teacher colleges as they work to upgrade their training.
Curriculum
Johns Hopkins Forges Ed. Industry Partnership
The goal is to develop the next generation of business leaders in education and improve the relationship between K-12 schools and the private sector.
Teacher Preparation
Teacher Training a Careful Balancing Act
The right mix of content instruction and pedagogy is seen as crucial in preparing prospective teachers.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Ed School Faculty Handbook: Students Deem Any Grade Below A- a Negative Appraisal...
I didn't really mean for yesterday's quick post on Cory Koedel's paper on grade inflation for education majors to become a multi-post arc. However, after this morning's post, I received a note from a colleague who teaches at one of the nation's top-ranked schools of education.
School & District Management
Think Tank Claims Middle-Class Schools Falling Short
Middle-class schools educate the most students, but have surprisingly low achievement results, according to Third Way, a think-tank advocating moderate policy ideas.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
What To Do About Lax Standards for Edu-Majors?
I blogged yesterday on Cory Koedel's eye-opening research regarding the inflated grades awarded to undergraduate education majors. In response, several colleagues from the world of teacher preparation have asked what I'd have them do. Not wanting to seem unhelpful, here are a couple suggestions to get things started. (That said, I trust those involved in teacher ed, if they put their minds to it, can readily come up with many more and better.)