Month: November 2019

GLOBAL
CNN Africa Voices. Kenya’s ‘World’s Best Teacher’ gives away 80% of his monthly income to help the poor   A graduate of education science from Egerton University, Tabichi gives out 80% of his income to his school and community projects. 

Education International.
1) #CRC30 “Ending corporal punishment in schools – a pathway to protecting the right to education”   In Uganda…In our training programmes, we discuss how positive discipline should be relevant and proportional, and focus on correcting behaviour but not humiliating the student. We explain that the disciplinary action should be designed to help the child learn from their mistakes.
2) Statement | The Convention on the Rights of the Child at 30: Celebrating Progress, Facing Challenges   We work to ensure teachers have the necessary employment and working conditions, initial training, and continuous professional learning and development to help all children reach their full potential.

eNCA. South Africa must up its game and produce more teachers   A longer-term view needs to look into investing resources in initial teacher education through funding of student teachers.

UNITED STATES
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Reminder: Vote in the AACTE Board Election Underway Through Nov. 29

Education Commission of the States. On Teacher Shortages: No Shortage of Data or Teachers Available to Help   Like in the medical field, a teaching profession driven by accomplished, board certified teachers has the power to win the respect of the public and attract and retain top talent.

Forbes. Burdensome Student Loan Debt Is Contributing To The Country’s Teacher Shortage Crisis   Government can play an important role in clearing the obstacles for prospective teachers by addressing college affordability. Among the most effective supports are service scholarship and loan forgiveness programs that underwrite preparation in return for service in a high-need location or field. 

Learning Policy Institute. Social and Emotional Learning, Cultural Competence, and Equity in Teacher Preparation Nov. 14 Webinar now online

MarketWatch. Solving America’s financial-literacy crisis starts with teachers, not laws   …  it’s no surprise that studies like this one at the University of Wisconsin show the majority of teachers lack the confidence to teach the subject, even though most endorse financial education.

New York Times. He Wanted to Be a Pro Basketball Player. He Became a Teacher Instead.   Jeff Duncan-Andrade, an associate professor at San Francisco State University, is driving a public conversation challenging traditional assumptions about how to reform schools.

Strada/Gallup. Changing the Value Equation in Higher Education  Strada, in partnership with Gallup, asked more than 340,000 individuals about their education pathways…. Consumers saw greater career and cost value with majors that are traditionally associated with careers, such as health care and education.

Teaching Tolerance. When Trivia Isn’t Trivial  One teacher explains how she turned “Thanksgiving Trivia” into an opportunity to share under-taught history with her colleagues as well as her students, regardless of the time of year. 

Washington Post.
1) Does the bill just passed by the Ohio House allow students to be wrong in science class without penalty if they cite religious reasons?   …including a requirement that the school’s classroom teachers be licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the Revised Code, except that a community school may engage noncertificated persons to teach up to twelve hours per week.
2) Fighting the misinformation pandemic: Here’s help teaching students to distinguish real news from what’s fake
3) The indispensable Ken Burns has a new initiative: A one-stop online resource for teachers   The site will continue to evolve over the next couple of years as we add content from more films, as well as features and functionality that will resonate with social studies, English teachers, science teachers and others.
4) Today’s kids might be digital natives — but a new study shows they aren’t close to being computer literate   State licensure policies need to require such preparation as a component of principal preparation, and or develop a credential for teachers’ leadership of ed tech.

 

NEW YORK STATE
Newsday.
1) Education summit looks at how to draw new generation into teaching   “New York regularly produces a surplus of elementary level teachers, yet not enough teachers in areas such as science, math and special education,” read the 2017 state school boards report that looked at the issue statewide. DiBrango said enrollment in the state’s teacher prep programs had declined 53% since 2009 — a “startling figure.”
2) SCHOOLS AS A SELLING POINT: Discussing quality can become a proxy for talking about a community’s racial makeup.  Amy Stuart Wells, a professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, was lead author of the 2014 report…“And when we actually went in and looked inside the schools, there didn’t seem to be a huge difference at all in the curriculum and the quality of the teachers. So, they [real estate agents] do play an important role in steering people away from certain districts that are becoming more racially, ethnically diverse and less white, in particular.”

 

NEW YORK CITY
ABC7NY. Brooklyn teacher wins Milken Educator Award, only winner in New York state   “I feel like teaching found me, … I originally wanted to be a doctor, and then I joined Teach for America. And it was through that that I fell so in love with my kids. Because I was teaching in the neighborhood that I came from.”

Chalkbeat. NYC boosts salaries for 1,500 non-union pre-K teachers in community-run programs   …city leaders announced a $57 million agreement to boost pay for teachers in publicly funded but privately run preschool programs that aren’t unionized. That would raise salaries by October 2021 to about $69,000 for certified teachers with master’s degrees — the same amount first-year teachers in public schools earn. 

NYDailyNews.
1) Leave no teacher behind: Help all pre-k teachers get their credentials   … approximately 50% of the thousands of teachers the city depends on to teach pre-K in childcare centers are not certified teachers, but are instead on study plans to become certified, rendering them ineligible for the substantial salary increase. The city and state expect these pre-K “study plan” teachers, as they are commonly referred to in the field, to become certified in three years, or move on.
2) Non-unionized city preschool teachers get major pay bump   Salaries for certified, non-unionized teachers with a bachelor’s degree will leap from about $48,000 this year to almost $62,000 in 2021, officials said. For teachers with master’s degrees, the rate will rise from $54,000 to $69,000.

NYPost. Record number of NYC high school grads are heading to college   The graduates are heading to two-or four-year colleges, vocational programs and public service programs like Teach for America, according to the DOE.

Wall Street Journal.
1) Education Guru Chris Whittle Tries a Comeback With New School in Brooklyn   Samuel Abrams, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, cautions that seeking profit from tuition doesn’t fit with an educational mission, or putting as much money as possible into instruction. “There is a lot of opacity” in the business operations … You have to trust, in the case of a complex service, that the provider is going to do what was promised.”
2) Teachers Lament Loss of Grammar. Some Students Say It Ain’t a Problem.

GLOBAL
Centre for Innovation in Teacher Education and Development (CITED). Pedagogy, politics and teacher education: an international conference [13-15 May, Kings College London]

NCEE. Video: Finnish Teacher Training School

Stanford Social Innovation Review. What US Schools Can Learn From Finland’s Approach to Education    As Columbia University’s Samuel Abrams has noted, Finland’s scores have surpassed those of other Nordic countries despite similar levels of child welfare, social support, and homogeneity. Improvements within the last few decades are products of sound policy and practices…Finland attributes its success in education to getting the right people to become teachers, developing them into effective instructors, and putting systems and supports in place to ensure that all children benefit from excellent instruction. 

Teachers College. Translating Comparative Education   A TC conference on Latin American education policies translates success & challenges across cultural lines   “I think a lot of countries in Latin America say teachers are at the center of education, but when you look at the policies, that is not necessarily true,” said Louzano, who studies teacher training in Chile. 

UNITED STATES
AACTE.
1) A Community College Pathway into Teacher Education Increases Diversity in Teacher Candidates   Chemeketa Community College initiated a teacher education pathway model in 2015 that is successfully adding diverse teachers to the region’s education workforce. 
2) How Will Impeachment Proceedings Affect the Congressional Agenda?   “I’m increasingly worried that President Trump will want to shut down the government again because of impeachment,” Schumer said…On Thursday, the House Committee on Education and Labor adopted their Higher Education Act rewrite, HR 4674, with a partisan vote. Committee Chair Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) has indicated that he would like to see the bill, the College Affordability Act, on the House floor for a vote before the end of the year.  
3) Why Trauma-Informed Instruction is Vital to Success in the 21st Century Classroom   Emotional stress stems from a variety of external factors including depression, divorce, social media anxiety, lost friendships, bullying or simply feeling out of touch with others. It is imperative, now more than ever, that our teachers are prepared to notice when students are experiencing these types of trauma. 

AACTE/Stanford SCALE. National TPA Conference Call for Proposals Deadline Extended to Nov. 11  [March 26-28, Austin, TX]

Chronicle. How Ed Schools Became a Bastion of Bad Ideas

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University and The Atlantic Host Civic Education Conference  “Civic education is providing kids with a deep knowledge and history about how the government works, it means critical analytical skills, it means learning democratic values, it means experiential opportunities and it means living in a civic society which means a diverse society,” said Michael Rebell, professor of law and educational practice at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Learning Policy Institute. Social and Emotional Learning, Cultural Competence, and Equity in Teacher Preparation [Webinar 3pm, Nov. 14]

NEAToday. Contempt Citation and Possible Subpoenas – It’s Getting Scary for Betsy DeVos   However, with the introduction of the College Affordability Act this month, House Democrats are aiming to restore investment in public institutions, fix Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and make for-profit colleges responsible to their students.

The74. Teacher Residency and Federal Dollars: One Approach to Solving the Rural Teacher Shortage   The grant will establish a teacher residency program there where attendees teach three days a week alongside a senior teacher for an entire school year. One day a week they’ll take courses taught by California State University, Bakersfield instructors.

U.S. Dept. of State.  Congratulations to The Top Participant Institutions Of 2018   The English Language Programs would like to thank the top participant institutions of  2018-2019. Congratulations to the top Fellow producing institution, Teachers College, Columbia University, for preparing the largest number of English Language Fellows selected for 2018-2019 cycle and advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives and educational exchange.

U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 4674: College Affordability Act   Sec. 2006. Accountability for programs that prepare teachers, principals, or other school leaders…  [The committees assigned to this bill sent it to the House or Senate as a whole for consideration on October 31, 2019.-  

Washington Post. Funding for minority-serving colleges caught in the crossfire of Senate dispute   Alexander’s bill has been lauded by the business community but has faced a chilly reception from Senate Democrats who insist on a comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the primary federal law that governs the sector. Alexander’s refusal to move on the stand-alone funding bill has dismayed some of his Democratic colleagues, who accuse him of using minority-serving schools as a pawn.

NEW YORK STATE
Board of Regents November Meetings.
State Education Department Appointments.

• Board of Regents Appoints Shannon Tahoe as Acting Commissioner of Education
• John D’Agati, recently retired Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education, will serve as Senior Deputy Commissioner for Education Policy. 
• Elisa Alvarez will serve as the Associate Commissioner for the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages.

Educator Diversity Report: Briefing On Draft Report

InsideHigherEd. Surprise for Grand Canyon’s Nonprofit Conversion   Grand Canyon Education said Wednesday that the OPM division now works with 20 other colleges, providing support for online programs that enroll 3,100 students [incl. teacher preparation programs]

Learning Policy Institute. Webinar: Integrating Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning: Lessons for Educators and School Leaders

LOHUD. Replacing Judith Johnson: Legislators lay out timetable to replace the late Regent   The Board of Regents seat vacated by the late Judith Johnson is not likely to be filled until spring because state legislators need time to screen candidates and settle on a replacement.

NYTimes. ‘Blue’s Clues’ Returns, and Silence Is Still the Star. Now in their 50s, the pair met at Nickelodeon in their early 20s when Santomero was using her master’s degree in child developmental psychology [TC MA ‘96] in the research department…  

Pearson/Vue. NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)   …seeking candidates who meet the qualifications to participate in a field test of items that may appear on future NYSTCE test forms. Field test participants will receive incentives upon verification of participation.

Professional Standards and Practice Board for Teaching.  July meeting minutes

NEW YORK CITY
Chalkbeat.
1) NYC has the most diverse teaching force in the state. But it still doesn’t match the student body.   There were “limited” efforts to entice young people into the teaching profession and too few programs that support students, such as ones that help candidates earn a stipend while they study for their certification — one of the noted barriers to getting into the field — according education department staffers. 
2) NYC Head Start teachers approve contract that will raise salaries for some by $15,500  Under the agreement, certified teachers with master’s degrees will see their pay increase by more than $15,500. By Oct. 2021, they will earn $68,652, which is in line with starting salaries for public school teachers.
3) This NYC English teacher helped start a high school newspaper. Soon, digital natives were discovering the joys of print.   Q: What was your biggest misconception that you initially brought to teaching? A: Based on what I was taught in my graduate studies, I was always told not to go into a school thinking you can change the world. I was told instead to keep my head down, do what I was told, and focus on getting tenure. I was told that I wouldn’t be able to propagate, foster or precipitate significant change, but that if I can make a difference in one student’s life, I would be successful.

Columbia College Today. For This History Teacher, There’s No Time Like the Present   There was a time when Sari Beth Rosenberg ’97, TC’02 had to dig deep into her well of storytelling skills to create enough dramatic tension to hold the attention of her New York City public high school history students… Rosenberg has been part of a small team of teachers hired by the city’s Department of Education to remake the U.S. and global history curriculum. 

Teachers College. Teacher Opportunity Corps II accepting applications [promotional video].

GLOBAL
DEVEX. For-profit schools increase inequality. Here's why.   Bridge International Academies is one example that sparks controversy. In Kenya it’s been reported, for example, that the chain has failed to meet curriculum, teacher certification, and other educational and safety standards [which Bridge denies]… And these schools disproportionately exclude girls and the poorest children, while often paying poverty wages to under-qualified teachers.

Education International. Statement: EI calls on World Bank to change tack in education   It should advocate for teachers to be professionally trained and highly qualified, actively supported and well-resourced.... In summary, as the decision-makers of the International Finance Institutions come together this week, Education International has two simple, clear messages – stop promoting education privatisation and stop undermining teacher professionalism, teachers and their unions. 

OECD. Providing Quality Early Childhood Education and Care: Results from the Starting Strong Survey 2018   [p. 102 ff. Workforce composition and pre-service training]

Washington Post. The degrees of separation between the genders in college keep growing   There are also shortages of teachers in Iceland, another job for which few men apply; at the University of Iceland, 91 percent of teaching students are women… When the rock band that competed for Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 included two male preschool teachers, there was a brief increase in men who went into teaching.



UNITED STATES
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
1) Celebrating TC’s Innovative Residency Program   Teachers College, Columbia University has won a third round of federal funding for TR@TC, its 18-month teaching residency program.
2) Congressional Agenda Includes Education Funding and Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act  

Clarksville Now. TDOE’s “Grow Your Own” partnership brings more teachers to Clarksville-Montgomery County   The Tennessee Department of Education has approved its first “Grow Your Own” partnership in an effort to support districts in recruiting and preparing future teachers. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Austin Peay State University and Lipscomb University are part of the program’s inauguration.

Education Week. Curriculum Reviewer EdReports Will Start Evaluating Phonics Programs   Hanford's reports kicked off a wave of interest in the specifics of early literacy programs, and struck a chord with teachers who felt that their teacher-education programs had fallen short in preparing them to teach reading. 

NEPC. How Charter-School Billionaires Corrupt School Leadership   Broad’s efforts to transform school governance and management include conducting a training center for school leaders; advocating for school governance models that emphasize business methodologies rather than democratic engagement; circumnavigating traditional teacher preparation programs by funding Teach for America…

New America. Paving the Way for Latinx Teachers: Recruitment and Preparation to Promote Educator Diversity   This report adds a significant perspective to the current wave of efforts aimed at diversifying the teacher workforce… focused solely on pathways into teaching for Latinx individuals—explores how Latinx teachers typically enter the profession and the barriers they face along the way. 

U. S. House of Representatives, Labor and Education Committee.  Committee Advances Comprehensive Legislation to Lower the Cost of College: College Affordability Act heads to House Floor with unanimous Democratic supportTitle by Title:The bill reauthorizes and expands the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant program, which strengthens coordination between school districts, state agencies, and teacher preparation programs… Further, the bill allows teachers to count teacher loan payments toward the teacher loan forgiveness program at the same time as PSLF, reducing the number of monthly payments needed towards PSLF. This change allows teacher borrowers to get their loans forgiven through PSLF faster.    [Congressional record at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4674/actions?r=13&s=1]

Washington Post.
1) Maryland Teacher of the Year calls job ‘the intersection of my passion and my purpose’   Beilstein earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Loyola University Maryland and two master’s degrees, one in teaching and the other in organizational psychology, from Walden University. She is a national board-certified teacher in early-childhood education.
2) There’s no substitute for what the regular teacher brings to the classroom   “Many subs are totally unprepared to be in classrooms… They receive little or no training, and many have no teaching experience. The school administration rarely observes them or checks to see if help is needed. People believe anyone can teach and thus we have inexperienced people doing nothing but babysitting.”


NEW YORK STATE
EdTrust New York. Within Our Reach: An agenda for ensuring all New York students are prepared for college, careers, and active citizenship   In addition, to increase the use of Computer Science for math or science credit, the state should continue to consider teacher certification pathways that expand the pipeline to mid-career professionals while ensuring strong preparation and support 

New York State Education Department.
1) NYSED is accepting public comments on proposed regulatory amendments to make additions to the list of subject areas for the limited extension and statement of continued eligibility for certain teachers of student with disabilities.  Data, views or arguments may be submitted to: Petra Maxwell, Education Department, Office of Higher Education, 89 Washington Avenue, Room 975 EBA, Albany, NY 12234, (518) 474-2238, email:[email protected]
2) Office of Higher Education October Newsletter
Regional Educational Laboratory Workshop Series On Culturally Responsive Teaching
New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) Test Development Activities
Revised Science Content Specialty Tests (CSTs)
Recruiting Educators for Test Development Committees.
Candidates who submit their edTPA after December 5, 2019 will receive their score after January 1, 2020 when the new passing scores apply.


NEW YORK CITY
New York Daily News. HOMETOWN HERO: Taking a city program and turning it into a lifeline for generations to come   Ahmed, who earned her doctorate in teaching policy at Columbia, centralized the program centers, expanded early childhood curriculum, developed assessment for toddlers to track growth and progress, created professional training for social workers and teachers, and created a team dynamic among staff.

New York Post. ‘Fame’ high school gets well-liked pianist to replace ousted principal. Yeou-Jey Vasconcelos, 38, [TC MA 2006] was appointed Thursday to lead Fiorello H. Laguardia High School Of Music & Art and Performing Arts, the NYC institution that inspired the 1980 movie “Fame” and a TV series that ran for six seasons on NBC.

Teachers College.
1) Extending its REACH in Neighborhood Schools: TC receives a $2.5 million federal grant   “A major part of REACH’s focus has been to build capacity,” says Streim. For example, last year, 34 teachers and school administrators participated in regular professional development workshops, onside coaching planning retreats and summer institutes sponsored by TC, while more than 600 students in grades pre-K through 12 participated in expanded learning opportunities in science, engineering, robotics, math, chess, photography, filmmaking, dance, choir and debate offered by TC students and community-based agencies.
2) Providing Support for Sex Education in New York City Public Schools [apply by Dec. 1 for 2020 sessions]

United Federation of Teachers. Teacher Assistant Scholars ‘changing culture’ at Bronx school   For PERC, Tutelian trains students to be Teacher Assistant Scholars in her algebra classes. Each assistant leads a small group, is observed monthly and is graded. “I teach them how to be teachers and then I do some content to make them feel confident with it,” she says. By year’s end, she says, “They don’t need me. If I’m at a PD, my class still runs. You would think I’m there.”