Linda Darling-Hammond on the NCTQ Report
Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University is one of the nation’s leading experts on teacher preparation. This is her commentary on the report released by the National Council on Teacher Quality, which attempts to rate the quality of the nation’s colleges of education by reviewing their catalogues and course syllabi.
What Can We Learn about Teacher Education Quality
from the NCTQ Report on Teacher Prep?
Linda Darling-Hammond
This week, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) issued a report titled: NCTQ Teacher Prep Review. Billed as a consumer’s guide, the report rates programs on a list of criteria ranging from selection and content preparation to coursework and student teaching aimed at the development of teaching skills. While the report appropriately focuses on these aspects of teacher education, it does not, unfortunately, accurately reflect the work of teacher education programs in California or nationally.
NCTQ’s methodology is a paper review of published course requirements and course syllabi against a check list
What Can We Learn about Teacher Education Quality
from the NCTQ Report on Teacher Prep?
Linda Darling-Hammond
This week, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) issued a report titled: NCTQ Teacher Prep Review. Billed as a consumer’s guide, the report rates programs on a list of criteria ranging from selection and content preparation to coursework and student teaching aimed at the development of teaching skills. While the report appropriately focuses on these aspects of teacher education, it does not, unfortunately, accurately reflect the work of teacher education programs in California or nationally.
NCTQ’s methodology is a paper review of published course requirements and course syllabi against a check list
That NCTQ Report on Teacher Education: F
The just-released NCTQ report on teacher education gives an F to the nation’s colleges of education. It was published in association with U.S. News & World Report.
But the report itself deserves an F.
To begin with, there are professional associations that rate the nation’s education schools, based on site visits and clear criteria.
NCTQ is not a professional association. It did not make site visits. It made its harsh judgments by reviewing course syllabi and catalogs. The criteria that it rated as most important was the institution’s fidelity to the
But the report itself deserves an F.
To begin with, there are professional associations that rate the nation’s education schools, based on site visits and clear criteria.
NCTQ is not a professional association. It did not make site visits. It made its harsh judgments by reviewing course syllabi and catalogs. The criteria that it rated as most important was the institution’s fidelity to the
Hillsborough County: A Culture of Fear
Many years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that students have First Amendment rights.
In 1969, in a decision called Tinker V. Des Moines Community School District, the High Court voted 7-2 that the school could not prevent students from wearing black armbands to protest the war in Vietnam.
Hillsborough County, Florida, never heard of that decision. At the high school graduation ceremonies, theprincipal of a high school cut off the salutatorian mid-speech and withheld his diploma. This was not a response to anything he said, but apparently retaliation against him for posting a YouTube video criticizing the condition of the boys’ bathrooms. Even the local media noticed.
Teachers responded by saying that they too had experienced the same top-down, heavy-handed approach. “All across the country, teachers are afraid to speak up. No where is that more true than in Hillsborough county, the
In 1969, in a decision called Tinker V. Des Moines Community School District, the High Court voted 7-2 that the school could not prevent students from wearing black armbands to protest the war in Vietnam.
Hillsborough County, Florida, never heard of that decision. At the high school graduation ceremonies, theprincipal of a high school cut off the salutatorian mid-speech and withheld his diploma. This was not a response to anything he said, but apparently retaliation against him for posting a YouTube video criticizing the condition of the boys’ bathrooms. Even the local media noticed.
Teachers responded by saying that they too had experienced the same top-down, heavy-handed approach. “All across the country, teachers are afraid to speak up. No where is that more true than in Hillsborough county, the
How Pennsylvania Betrayed Its Schools
This commentary was written by a retired superintendent of schools.
Pennsylvania’s Tragic Betrayal of its Public Schools
By Joseph Batory, Former Superintendent of Schools, Upper Darby School District, Drexel Hill, PA
With regard to the inadequate funding of Philadelphia Public Schools, the city’s politicians have been and continue to lacking in political courage and moral fiber. Far too many of them are much too self-serving and most of them do not even understand what the fiscal insanity that continues to cripple the schools and the children of their city.
Likewise, the recent array of superintendents has each been far too meek and without the commitment to confront the system’s financial deficiencies.
But the worst villain of all has been the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the early 1990’s, Pennsylvania government consciously destroyed its Equalized Subsidy for Basic Education (ESBE) formula. That method of
Pennsylvania’s Tragic Betrayal of its Public Schools
By Joseph Batory, Former Superintendent of Schools, Upper Darby School District, Drexel Hill, PA
With regard to the inadequate funding of Philadelphia Public Schools, the city’s politicians have been and continue to lacking in political courage and moral fiber. Far too many of them are much too self-serving and most of them do not even understand what the fiscal insanity that continues to cripple the schools and the children of their city.
Likewise, the recent array of superintendents has each been far too meek and without the commitment to confront the system’s financial deficiencies.
But the worst villain of all has been the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the early 1990’s, Pennsylvania government consciously destroyed its Equalized Subsidy for Basic Education (ESBE) formula. That method of
Michael Weston: Teacher Evaluation Will Not Change the BIG Problem
Michal Weston, a teacher in Hillsborough County, Florida (at least for now), is running for the local school board. Regular readers know that he was recently fired by his principal for speaking out too much. Since Hillsborough County was one of the few that received a big Gates grant, it is heretical to question the idea that teacher evaluation is the very biggest problem in the world and that the right model will make all students proficient and college bound. Weston displays his heretical views here:
He writes:
Don’t get me wrong – teaching can and should be practiced and improved. My point is that teachers are not the
He writes:
Don’t get me wrong – teaching can and should be practiced and improved. My point is that teachers are not the
What Is the Role of Profit in School Reform?
Ken Previti, a retired teacher, has been watching the evolution of school “reform,” and he wonders when the public will catch on to the schemes and fear-mongering. What is it all about? Sell-sell-sell.
Just doing what business does. Monetizing the children.
Just doing what business does. Monetizing the children.
NY Commissioner King Will Speak at Gulen Charter Graduation
New York State Commissioner of Education will speak at the graduation ceremonies of a charter school in Syracuse affiliated with the Gulen network. King himself came out of the charter sector, so his favoritism towards charters is not surprising.
The Gulen network is the largest charter chain in the nation. It is allied with a reclusive Turkish imam who lives in
The Gulen network is the largest charter chain in the nation. It is allied with a reclusive Turkish imam who lives in
Major Rally in Harrisburg, Pa., on June 25
A new groups called GPS (Great Public Schools) Pittsburgh plans a major rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg to demand adequate funding for public education across the Keystone State. The state funds low-performing cyber charters and expands the number of privately managed schools that perform no better than public schools. Meanwhile the lights are going out in public schools across the state, especially in urban districts. Will Pennsylvanians unite to save public education. Come to Harrisburg on June 25 for the beginning of the movement to stop privatization in the Keystone State.
Diane in the Evening 6-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jan Resseger on Absurdity of Ohio VAM by dianerav This just in from an advocate for children who live in poverty: This week the Cleveland Plain Dealer has a new series, “Grading the Teachers.” It is basically an endorsement of the new Ohio Value Added Measures (VAM) program by which teachers will be rated. Scores are being made available on-line. Ohio’s VAM formula, according to the news account, does not consider the socioeconomic information about the children. Here are the articles thus far in the series: ·... more »
