No doubt, many children aren’t getting the general or special education teachers they deserve, especially in poor schools. There probably is a real teacher shortage. However, school reformers have been squawking about a teacher shortage for years. If policymakers cared, they would have put programs into place to address this shortage. They would have sought […]
Do Americans Hate Teachers, Or are they Duped by Teach for America?
With more than $75 million coming in from government at last count and another $220 million from the philanthropic community, we should be seeing more evidence of long-term student gains and far more alumni continuing their impassioned work in the classroom. Patricia Schaefer, NPQ, September 11, 2015 Do Americans understand that by contributing to a […]
Public Schools With a President Bernie Sanders
What would education be like with a President Bernie Sanders? Would he stand by public schools and public school career teachers? I think between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders would be better to fight against the troubling school reforms that have plagued public schools for years. Most of what can be gathered about […]
Aristotle in Kindergarten—What Do Children Miss?
When I read in The New York Times about Matthew Levey, a Columbia alum and former McKinsey consultant, who is setting up the International Charter School of New York, I was stunned! The school is starting out with 70 kindergartners and first graders and will eventually go up to fifth grade. Mr. Levey starting a […]
When All You’ve Got is Idealism: Teach for America v. Real Teachers
Once a teacher, suffering from battle fatigue, reaches the tipping point on the depression scale, and there are few if any administrators able, or willing, to provide them with support, it is especially discouraging to hear about the new crop of Teach for America recruits who are arriving in droves with idealism! To hear the […]
Another Teach For America Ra Ra Study to Slam Real Teacher Ed. Programs
Tennessee is all abuzz with another study to go after real degreed and credentialed teachers. I say “real” because the powerhouses have even tampered with certification. In many places a certified teacher doesn’t mean what it used to mean. Teach for America and other alternative training programs rule in this state. They are running away […]