The Nation’s schools celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Day on May 7. In most every state, we send “thank you” emails, cards, flowers, and other gifts. The usual. I suppose it is a good thing, and in my organizations we will do the same. It is basic common decency to thank those who give great service to our Nation, and especially to our kids.
How about an unique approach to “appreciating” teachers. A few come to mind:
1. Start with Pay. Once we align our state and local budgets with what we say we value, then teachers, and all educators for that matter, will earn much, much more. In Illinois for example, the charter schools my colleagues and I lead, we are forced to operate at greater than $5,000 LESS per child than other comparable public schools.
2. Provide relevant coaching and support systems. Once we fully hone every school leaders’ craft with strong instructional acumen, then we can get about the work of great coaching for teachers. Until then, many teachers must endure the same old rhetoric coming from so-called leaders’ mouths.
3. Follow that with real personalized training for teachers. If we can differentiate teaching for children in very personalized ways, we can do so for teachers.
4. Finally, it’s time to get teachers back to the table in the work of planning, innovating, and propelling our Nation’s schools forward. Note: I didn’t write, getting teacher unions back to the table. Teachers and teacher unions are not the same.
I suppose that May 7 and everyday is a good day to show teachers that we appreciate them.
Have a great week!
JW
While we are highlighting improved and expanded uses of technology in schools, I should mention TeacherMatch.
Using psychometrics, predictive analytics and robust methodology TeacherMatch has designed an Educator’s Professional Inventory (EPI) that helps schools and districts find and develop the most effective teachers.
Founded by two educators who know the challenges of effective hiring, Ron Huberman and Don Fraynd, TeacherMatch is more than a hiring tool. It delves deeply into a candidate’s approach to classroom learning, determination, and cognitive skills…improving the fit between teacher and school.
By helping to pinpoint the most qualified teachers in a fair and objective way TeacherMatch is improving teaching quality, which directly correlates to improved student achievement. Some of their research can be found at http://www.teachermatch.org
Even though this NY Times piece by Sylvia Ann Hewlett was done based on research on women breaking “glass ceilings” in corporations, it is instructive for those who serve as leaders and mentors in education. Link is:
Leaders-are you a Mentor or a Sponsor?
Great new video on Socratic Labs in NYC. See link below. This “accelerator” for education technology seems to be on the right side of thinking. Also watch Chicago. New Schools Chicago is going deep into the ed-tech world to help that city and our profession get more good work done through improved and expanded uses of technology in classrooms and schools.
Can we get this right? There are some worrisome examples of commercialism run amuck. And, there are far too many examples of educators trying to use technology without taking advantage new opportunities to change the less effective ways we deliver the work for kids.
This video, and the work of New Schools Chicago give me hope. See what you think. Link is:
JW
Quick video on the worth of a diploma and college and career preparation through high school. Link is:
Not much new here, but it is in a concise format (under 2 minutes) to use with school counselors, parents, high schoolers, others.
THX to Jeb Bush’s Foundation for providing this.
JW
