Month: September 2023

Categories
Teacher Education

Week of Sept. 25 in Teacher Ed News

GLOBAL
The Guardian.
1) Australian students shun education degrees as fears grow over ‘unprecedented’ teacher shortage: University application first preferences dropped almost 20% this year, compared with 2023   The data, provided to Guardian Australia from the Universities Admissions Centre, showed education degrees received just 1,935 first preferences this year, a 19.24% decline compared with 2023 and the lowest rate since at least 2016, when public records became available. Overall, education was ranked seventh out of 11 major areas of study.
2) France’s schools are in crisis – and it has nothing to do with pupils’ dress   To plug staffing gaps, the government launched a scheme in 2022 to recruit “contract” teachers (as opposed to the standard tenure system, under which they count as fonctionnaires or civil servants). They were given four days’ training, despite often having no previous teaching experience. Predictably many quit within six months, owing to lack of adequate training or supervision.

The Hindu. It’s a long wait for students to get graduation certificates from Teacher Education University: Delay jeopardising opportunities of students wanting to study abroad or take up jobs    “The degree certificates must bear the signature of the Governor-Chancellor. And the Governor signs around 600 certificates a day. We expect that within the next few weeks everything will be set right. If it is urgent then we ask the students to come immediately and issue the certificates. By second or third week of October, we will give all the certificates,” the official said. 

UNESCO.
1) Halfway to 2030, how far are we from achieving SDG 4?   Sub-Saharan Africa has made the greatest improvement since 2015, but the region still has the lowest percentage of trained teachers across all levels of education.  If countries were on track with their targets, there would be more than 1.7 million trained teachers teaching children in primary school today.
2) Postwar recovery of the Tigray education system: challenges and support needed   Before the war, Tigray [Ethiopia] had: about 40,000 classrooms across almost 2,500 schools; two teacher training colleges; 30,000 different electronic devices, including computers, printers, plasma TVs, and heavy-duty photocopying machines; and 300,000 pieces of laboratory equipment and teaching aids. Unfortunately, much of this has been destroyed or looted, leaving the difficult task of rehabilitation, maintenance, and reconstruction. 

UNITED STATES
AACTE. Take a Seat at the Table: The Role of EPPS in Teacher Apprenticeship Programs   Educator preparation programs (EPPs) have an opportunity to strengthen existing district partnerships and lead the way in co-designing teacher Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). [Oct 11, 2023 02:00 PM E.T.]

AACTE/ACSR. Fall 2023 Virtual State Leaders Institute   This year, the half-day, virtual workshop features presentations on major policy issues impacting educator preparation and a new track on association leadership.  [November 1, 12:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. E.T.]

AERA. Call for Applications: Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop   This workshop is designed to build the talent pool of undergraduate students who plan to pursue doctorate degrees in education research or in disciplines and fields that examine education and learning from early childhood to workforce participation. [Wednesday, April 10 – Saturday, April 13, 2024, during the AERA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia]

Chalkbeat.
1) Newark teacher pathway program brings community support to aspiring educators   …observers say programs like those at Gateway U could help aspiring educators who face financial struggles or other barriers land certified teaching roles… Gateway U’s teacher program includes two pathways: one for students who have college degrees and one for school staff who need academic support to earn bachelor’s degrees. In order to become a teacher in the Garden State, future educators must earn a bachelor’s degree, complete a teacher preparation program, pass certification exams, and complete student-teaching requirements.
2) Philip’s Academy Charter receives award for teacher diversity. Here’s how the Newark school did it.    Ashley Daniels knew she liked kids and had enjoyed working as a camp counselor. But, before applying for a job at Philip’s Academy Charter School, she had never worked in education… One step the school is taking to diversify its faculty is investing in young, less-experienced teachers like Daniels. Since being hired in 2018, she has worked as a student aide, teacher associate, and now as a full-time teacher while she earns a master’s in education. 

Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE). Teacher Education Conference  [Oct. 8-10 San Marcos, TX]

EdWeek. What’s Keeping People From Becoming Teachers? An Eye-Popping To-Do List, for One   Do prospective teachers eye those job responsibilities and say, “no thanks, I’ll find another line of work?” Ninety percent of educators surveyed by the Ed Week Research Center say yes… The survey of 1,301 principals, teachers, and district leaders was conducted in June and July.

Fox News. Indiana gun law allowing teachers to carry firearms stirs up debate among experts   At least seven school corporations in Indiana are in the process of setting up secret “armed response teams” that train staff on the use of deadly force and allow teachers access to firearms locked up in biometric safes.

Hechinger Report.
1) Educators must be on the frontline of social activism: Teacher training should emphasize the power of civic engagement   Teaching is inherently activist. Colleges, schools of education and alternative teacher preparation programs prepare people to engage in activism through teaching and learning. This is not what some politicians would call “indoctrination”; instead, these efforts embrace the potential for educators to be true change agents and justice warriors.
2) Teachers struggle to teach the Holocaust without running afoul of new ‘divisive concepts’ rules: In New Hampshire, laws restricting K-12 instruction on ‘divisive concepts’ yet requiring students be taught about the Holocaust are colliding in the classroom   Educators who run afoul of this provision can face sanctions, including loss of their teaching licenses. 
3) Why it matters that Americans are comparatively bad at math: Employers, experts raise new alarms about competitiveness and national security   Ten years after graduating, math majors out-earn graduates in other fields by about 17 percent… That premium would be even higher if it wasn’t for the fact that 16 percent of math majors become teachers.

InsideHigherEd. A Tenure Critic May Cut Faculty—by Ending Their Programs: Dickinson State University in North Dakota could lose its undergraduate degree offerings in English, math, music and other areas.    …cutting undergraduate degrees in English, math, political science, communication, music, theater, chemistry, environmental science and computer technology management, including the teaching tracks for those subjects, such as math education.

National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP). Fall Institute. Deep Dive: Sharpening Our Advocacy Skills to Promote Community College Teacher Education [FREE. The discussion board will open on Monday, October 16th and the live session will take place on Friday, October 20th at 1 pm MST.]

One Million Teachers of Color Campaign (1MToC)  Mobilizing Toward a Diverse Educator Workforce [WEBINAR: Oct 18, 2023 01:00 PM in E.T.]

Scientific American. Two Thirds of American Kids Can’t Read Fluently: Phonics may be a popular way to teach reading, but it fails too many children   Research offers sound ideas for alternative methods of teaching reading—methods we must explore for the health of our children, our nation and our scientific integrity. Phonics should not have monopolistic power. Even if phonics were effective, it would be important to study alternatives, since they might be faster, cheaper or otherwise more appealing. But given the rates of failure that have plagued phonics for generations, alternatives are not only desirable. They are vital. 

The 74. Montana is Struggling to Retain New Teachers; Experts Cite Waning Ed Graduates   More than half of newly licensed teachers in Montana leave the state or the profession within the first three years on the job and 86% of education graduates decide to leave the state or don’t pursue teaching… One reason the Learning Policy Institute cited was financial. Montana is dead last in starting teacher salaries, which average $36,480.

U.S. Dept. of Education. UPDATED PSLF HELP TOOL  For the first time since the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program began, borrowers can now sign & submit their PSLF form entirely digitally & track its status throughout the process.

Wall Street Journal. Suicide Ignites Debate Over Protecting Teachers   Just five years ago South Korean teachers were more likely than their counterparts in many other wealthy countries to say their profession was valued in society, said Aaron Pallas, professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University… A group of college students training to become teachers blamed the government for structural issues and called the suicide a case of “social manslaughter.”

Washington Post. [Academic rate] Home schooling today is less religious and more diverse, poll finds   In the 1980s and 1990s, activists who viewed home schooling as a form of religious liberty persuaded officials in many states to eliminate or minimize testing of their children’s academic progress and to do away with basic qualifications for parents who wished to be home educators. Today, there may be more openness to oversight.

NEW YORK STATE
New York State Education Department.
1) NYSED Announces Rochester Music Teacher Named 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year Congratulations to Zachary Arenz, a music teacher at Flower City School Number 54 in Rochester… He holds several music [SUNY Fredonia] and arts certificates, as well as a certificate in therapeutic crisis intervention for schools
2) Office of Higher Education September Newsletter
A. Board of Regents September Items: Computer Science Certification, Supplementary Certificate and Supplementary Bilingual Education Extension, School Counselor Certification, Science of Reading
B. Virtual Implementation of Teaching and Learning (Vital) Educator Program: VITAL educators will participate in professional development modules and additional train-the-trainer activities to facilitate their ability to train others on virtual instructional design, curriculum, and practice.

NEW YORK CITY
ABC7NY. NYC educational program offers apprenticeship, work experience for high school students   Hundreds of students are in this unique career-training program. Parents are on board as the kids move straight from high school into jobs in computers making $60,000 to $100,000 a year and this is also expanding to programs in teaching, nursing, and radiology.

Chalkbeat. How to shrink class sizes in NYC? A working group shares its recommendations   The city will also need enough teachers to staff newly opened classes. Education Department officials have estimated that the city’s teaching force, currently at around 76,000, will need to grow by 9,000 by the time the law takes full effect. Suggestions for boosting teacher hiring include easing the process for paraprofessionals and teacher aides to earn their teacher license… 

Gothamist. An NYC student’s yearslong struggle to get proper instruction for dyslexia   … most public school teachers throughout the city, were not trained in how to teach students with dyslexia…

Teachers College.
1) Countering Hate-Fueled Violence, TC’s Amra Sabic-El-Rayess Embarks on New Initiative to Share Unifying Stories: With a new innovation grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the TC professor builds out her comprehensive vision for resilience    Her latest project will create a digital library of unifying stories of resilience told by and for educators that can be integrated into curricula as a resource in violence and hate prevention. 
2) It’s Time To Teach The Truth: A Report on American Attitudes Towards K-12 Education   Please join us at Teachers College on October 5 at 6 PM as the Black Education Research Center (BERC) releases findings from a new national poll capturing Americans’ outlooks on teaching and learning in K-12 public schools in the current political moment. [Oct. 6. 6:00-7:30 PM. Milbank Chapel, 525 W. 120th Street New York, New York 10027]

Categories
Teacher Education

Week of Sept. 18 in Teacher Ed News

GLOBAL
Monash University. Study reveals: High teacher satisfaction with Initial Teacher Education programs in Australia   A Monash University study into the future of teaching has found almost three-quarters of Australian teachers’ surveyed report high levels of satisfaction with their Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program… Seventy-three per cent of the surveyed Australian teachers deemed their ITE program as positive with 23 per cent rating it as excellent and 50 per cent as good. Twenty-two per cent rated it as satisfactory and just 5 per cent poor.

NYTimes. The One Million Tibetan Children in China’s Boarding Schools   Dormitories, playgrounds and teachers’ offices were heavily surveilled. I saw security cameras installed in classrooms, no doubt to make sure teachers — many of whom were young Chinese undergraduates with little to no background in Tibetan language and culture — only used C.C.P.-approved textbooks.

Radio New Zealand (RNZ). Who teaches our teachers?   A new report by the think tank The New Zealand Initiative says the current university model of teacher education has major flaws. These include an insufficient focus on the science of learning; too little practical classroom experience for trainee teachers; inconsistent mentoring of trainees and poor preparation of primary teachers to teach across the curriculum, especially in mathematics and science.

UN News. UNESCO: 250 million children now out of school   One year ago, 141 countries committed at the UN Transforming Education Summit to accelerate progress towards SDG 4. Four out of five countries aimed to advance teacher training and professional development, seven out of 10 committed to increasing or improving their investment in education, and one in four committed to increase financial support and school meal provision.

UNITED STATES
AACTE. AACTE Invites You to ‘Lunch with Lynn’   For the first session, AACTE’s Dean in Residence, Leslie T. Fenwick, will join Lynn to discuss the editorial “75 Years of Transforming Teacher Education,” which they coauthored earlier this year for the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE). [Wednesday, September 27, 1:00. pm E.T.]

Boston College. Teacher Preparation at New Graduate Schools of Education   Since 2005, eleven new graduate schools of education (nGSEs) have emerged. nGSEs are state-authorized to grant master’s degrees and endorse teachers for initial certification but are not connected to universities. This study takes an in-depth look at how candidates learn to teach at nGSEs and how these new organizations have challenged the field of teacher preparation.

Dr. Laurie Santos. Teaching Happiness with Dr. Laurie Santos  A free happiness curriculum from Yale University. Now for any high school teacher, anywhere. Free. Adaptable. Evidence-based.

EdWeek.
1) Reading Instruction and AI: New Strategies for the Big Education Challenges of Our Time   Seventy-seven percent of educators say they are either poorly prepared or not prepared at all to teach students how to be successful in an AI-powered world, according to a recent EdWeek Research Center survey. [FREE WEBINAR: Oct 12, 2023 02:00 PM EST]
2) Recruiting More Bilingual Teachers: The Challenges and Solutions   A new report from The Century Foundation examines the common challenges that make it hard to build a pipeline of bilingual educators, as well as potential policy solutions…  three major challenges stood in the way of helping more multilingual individuals become certified teachers… Financial hurdles; Logistical complications; Linguistic barriers
3) Students Need Better/More Data-Science Skills. Here Are 5 Ways Schools Can Help   Many teachers—sometimes even those who focus on math—are uncomfortable teaching data-science concepts because they don’t have the background for it and weren’t properly prepared in college… Colleges of education and other teacher-preparation programs also need to better prepare future educators to teach data-science skills, experts say.
4) There’s Still No Consensus on Accountability for Teacher Prep   But the field is once again split between two approaches to accreditation: CAEP requires multiple measures of data to prove programs’ selectivity and effectiveness. AAQEP doesn’t set specific benchmarks in its standards and favors a more inquiry-based approach. The differing philosophies echo back to those of the two groups that birthed CAEP. (AAQEP’s president formerly served as the president of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, one of the groups that merged to create CAEP.)

Forbes. Are Teacher Shortages Turning Around? The Surprising Answer Is Yes   …without much fanfare, a report by the U.S. Department of Education uncovered that the number of people enrolled in teacher preparation programs actually rose 6% from 2019 to 2021. Teacher preparation enrollment is up in 37 states and the District of Columbia since 2019. 

InsideHigherEd. A Tenure Critic May Cut Faculty—by Ending Their Program: Dickinson State University in North Dakota could lose its undergraduate degree offerings in English, math, music and other areas.  Easton provided enrollment numbers for the other programs up for elimination: 21 undergraduates majoring in English/English education, 17 in music/music education, 15 in math/math education, nine in chemistry/chemistry education…

Learning Policy Institute (LPI).
1) From Shortages to Solutions: Unpacking Texas’s Teacher Workforce Challenges and Opportunities   Texas teachers have left the field at a rate that is 25 percent greater than the national average… Join the Charles Butt Foundation and the Learning Policy Institute for a webinar focused on finding solutions to strengthen the Texas teacher pipeline.  [FREE WEBINAR Oct 5, 2023 04:00 PM EST]
2) Underpaid and Undersupplied: The Hidden Costs of Teaching in America   Purchasing basic classroom supplies is another hidden cost of a career in teaching—a profession that, nationally, pays only 76% of the average salary earned by similarly educated professionals. Most of these teachers are also loaded down with student loan debt. 

National Center for Teaching Residencies (NCTR). Requests for Proposals National Symposium for Educator Preparation, Policy, & Leadership April 17-19, 2024 at the Westin, Michigan Avenue, Chicago.  [Due Monday, October 16, 2023 at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET]

National Education Policy Center. NEPC Review: Teacher PREP Review: Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction (National Council on Teacher Quality NCTQ)   …evaluates 693 out of the 1,146 elementary teacher preparation programs in the US. It claims to identify how well candidates are prepared to teach elementary reading… this report again relies on flawed research methodology grounded in selective use of evidence to promote NCTQ’s narrow education reform agenda. Policymakers as well as the media are strongly cautioned to view this report as narrowly constructed reform advocacy rather than a valid or scientific analysis of the quality of reading content in elementary teacher preparation

NEA Today. Historic Pay Increases Lead to Happier Teachers, Fewer Vacancies: In Baker City, Oregon, the starting salary for teachers increased by $21,000 this year.   The district had not one unfilled vacancy nor one emergency-certified educator. Indeed, while districts across the nation continue to struggle with an educator shortage, Baker City seems to have solved the problem… tens of thousands of Florida students will be attempting to learn from a rotating cast of non-certified subs.

NYTimes. 8 Ways to Teach and Learn About Hip-Hop

The74. As Test Scores Crater, Debate Over Whether There’s a ‘Science’ To Math Recovery: ‘Science of math’ advocates say more explicit, orderly instruction is needed while critics see cherry-picked data and outdated, failed techniques.   Nick Wasserman, associate professor of mathematics education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, said there has been much back and forth around the teaching of mathematics through the decades, as evidenced by the math wars of the 1990s… research has shown students learn better when they are asked to reason and think mathematically — a core tenet of inquiry-oriented approaches…

University of Rhode Island. URI College of Education awarded $300,000 grant to diversify state’s teacher workforce   The University of Rhode Island ‘s Feinstein College of Education has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to enhance its programs targeting students of color planning to become teachers, and develop a teacher-preparation program at Highlander Charter School that includes admissions testing assistance and promotes continuing education credits… The Urban Residency Initiative Pathways to Education program will run for two years through June 2025.

U.S. News & World Report. 2023-2024 Best Education Schools  Teachers College, Columbia University #1 in Best Education Schools (tie). University of Michigan–Ann Arbor #1 in Best Education Schools (tie)…

US Prep. Texas Residency Webinar Series   Explore our webinar series showcasing teacher residencies from across the Lone Star State. Discover the transformative impact residencies are having on candidates, schools, and PK-12 students alike.

NEW YORK STATE
Fox News. New York state university to cut teaching, computer science majors due to low enrollment, budget woes: SUNY Potsdam President Suzanne Smith said in a campus address on Tuesday the school must ‘realign’ with ‘market   The majors poised to be removed were College Teaching, Computer Science Education, Geographic Information Science (GIS), and Speech Communication.

Times Union. SUNY Potsdam president announces cuts to keep college afloat: “There are no bailouts” coming from the state, Suzanne Smith said Tuesday as she explains the dire financial problems at the four-year college.   SUNY Potsdam will focus on its biggest programs, which include musical education, mathematics and elementary education.

NEW YORK CITY
Chalkbeat. In ‘State of our Schools’ speech, NYC schools chief emphasizes literacy and career readiness efforts   Banks signaled that he’s interested in changes beyond elementary school literacy… early childhood centers are also moving to a uniform curriculum. More curriculum changes could be on the horizon across a range of subjects and grade levels… “Teachers need more support,” Banks told reporters after the speech. “They need a little bit more of a script of what we’re expecting from them.”

EdWeek. Behind the Podcast That’s Trying to Entice More People of Color Into Teaching   The New York City public schools has nearly doubled its percentage of male educators of color over the past eight years… One of the most recent efforts is a podcast titled “Education in Color” hosted by Saad Kabir, who taught in New York City public schools and is now a senior recruitment and communications manager with NYC Men Teach. The podcast is now in its second 10-episode season. Since its debut in May, it has attracted a following of 250 to 500 regular listeners…

NYC Independent Budget Office (NYC IBO). Recent Trends in Teacher Retention & Hiring in New York City Public Schools   When IBO disaggregated by teacher license, we found that special education teachers share the same turnover patterns as their general education peers. This was true in the years leading up to the pandemic, and remained true in the years since the pandemic began… as many other professions available to college graduates increasingly incorporate days of remote work, teaching—with its focus on in-person, face-to-face interactions five days a week—is often ranked lower in career choices of today’s youth… Over the last 10-15 years, interest in choosing teaching as a career has appreciably waned: nationally, 20 to 30 percent fewer young people are choosing to become teachers.

NYPost. Schools chancellor says NYC not affected by teacher shortage — as more migrants continue to enroll   “We don’t have major shortages of teachers. We have had long-standing shortages in some critical areas like math and special education, bilingual education.” … He noted recent initiatives would allow some of the DOE’s teachers who have primary licenses in one subject to shift to their secondary license in bilingual teaching that could help instruct young migrants.

Teachers College. Reimagine Resilience Workshop: Prevent Hate In Our Schools  6 CTLEs or 0.6 CEUs FREE [At TC or virtually: Oct 3rd, 2023 4p-7p EST]

Categories
Teacher Education

Week of Sept. 11 in Teacher Ed News

GLOBAL
Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE). ATEE WINTER CONFERENCE Teacher Professional Development in Times of Global and Glocal Transformations: International Perspectives and Challenges [26-28 October, 2023 University of Minho, Braga, Portugal]

International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET). Future proofing education systems: learning from the legacy of the Covid-19 Network with teachers /teacher educators worldwide: benchmarking knowledge & experiences about post-covid innovations in teaching & learning [Teacher Voice Webinar: Wednesday, 15 November, 18:00 GMT/UK time]

New York Times. In Ukraine, Mathematics Offers Strength in Numbers: Mathematicians gathered in Kyiv and Warsaw to inaugurate a new center and “open, or reopen, Ukrainian science for the world.”   The program is named in memory of Yulia Zdanovska, a talented mathematician and computer scientist, and a teacher with Teach for Ukraine, who was killed in March 2022 at the age of 21 during Russian shelling in her home city of Kharkiv. 

Teachers College Advancing Literacy. International Workshop Series: Explore Ways Your Writing Conferences Can Foster Student Agency (Virtual & FREE)   Join us for a series of free, 1 hour virtual workshops, offered by the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and designed to support educators in international schools, including schools teaching IB programmes. [FREE 14-21 Sep, 2023 – K-8]

UNITED STATES
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
1) 2024 Annual Meeting Ascending New Heights: Propelling the Profession Into the Future. Early Bird Registration Now Open. [Feb. 16-18 Aurora/Denver, CO]
2) K-State College of Education, Hutchinson Community College Develop Teacher Pathway Program for Area  Kansas State University’s College of Education and Hutchinson Community College have begun a partnership that paves a seamless pathway for area students to earn a bachelor’s degree in education online while remaining in their home communities. This pathway program begins in high school, where students chart their journeys to becoming teachers and take dual credit courses through Hutchinson Community College. 

CNN. Doubling up on classrooms, using online teachers and turning to support staff: How schools are dealing with the ongoing teacher shortage  As states lower the certification standards to become a teacher, education experts worry these tactics could delay students’ recovery from pandemic learning loss. … More states are now “fast-tracking” the teacher certification process. At least 23 states have lowered certification standards for new teachers to get them into classrooms more quickly…

EdWeek.
1) A Majority of New Teachers Aren’t Prepared to Teach With Technology. What’s the Fix?   Many university professors haven’t been classroom teachers for years, Conan Simpson said. While they may try to keep up their skills, they haven’t had firsthand experience with using the latest tech in the classroom. Teacher-preparation programs could get at that problem by hiring technology coaches, the same way school districts do, she suggested. What’s more, many preparation programs used to offer at least one technology course but jettisoned it in favor of integrating tech into every class…
2) How Many Teachers Work in Their Hometown? Here’s the Latest Data   This summer, 10 states joined a new compact promising that they would automatically grant teaching licenses to teachers moving into their state if they have a bachelor’s degree, had completed a state-approved teacher-licensure program in another state, and have a full teaching license…
3) Teachers Work 50-Plus Hours a Week—And Other Findings From a New Survey on Teacher Pay   Past research has found that when comparing weekly wages, teachers earn an average of about 24 percent less than other college-educated workers.
4) Teachers, You Don’t Need to Choose Sides in the Reading Wars   Instead of choosing sides, teachers can: Choose explicit phonics instruction AND content-rich curriculum: Too often, the reading wars are framed as a debate between whether and how to teach phonics. But this framing is inaccurate and misleading. A rich instructional program aligned to the “science of reading” includes both code-breaking and meaning-making. It includes knowledge-building and strategy instruction… 
5) What Teachers Need to Know About AI, But Don’t: Students must be critical AI users. 3 steps for teachers to prepare   2. Preservice teacher training needs a revamp. Some researchers and educators I talked to said schools of education are not exactly known for being ahead of the curve on preparing prospective teachers to integrate emerging technologies into instruction.

Hechinger Report.
1) Our students need up-to-date approaches to math education for a quickly changing world: Data science and statistical reasoning must be part of what all students learn  …statistical reasoning and data fluency are becoming indispensable in the 21st century, regardless of profession. Digital technologies are changing everything from fitness training to personal investing. But many students are missing out on this essential learning because so many teachers feel ill-equipped to teach these topics, simply run out of time or bow to the perceived preferences of colleges.
2) The ‘science of reading’ swept reforms into classrooms nationwide. What about math?: Supporters say teaching practices supported by quantitative research could help students, but they are still coming into focus   Math is “a creative, artistic, playful, reasoning-rich activity. And it’s very different than algorithms,” said Nick Wasserman, a professor of math education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Supporters argue mastering math facts unlocks creative problem-solving by freeing up working memory — and that inquiry, creativity and collaboration are still all crucial to student success.

InsideHigherEd. Despite National Pushback, West Virginia Will Cut Faculty, Programs   During WVU’s official appeal process, the university withdrew some proposed faculty cuts and program eliminations, such as the suggestions to nix the master’s degrees in creative writing, acting and special education… The university is eliminating all its foreign language degrees… and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)…

NYTimes. No One Wants to Be a Teacher Anymore. Can You Blame Them? [Opinion by J. Grose]   So what can be done to help get more teachers into the profession and keep them there? Cutting the costs of a teaching degree is one lever to pull… Teacher pay is an obvious concern, but it is really state dependent… But perhaps just as important is that as a society we need to give teachers more respect…  

Wall Street Journal. Historically Black Colleges Land $124 Million Donation to Boost Enrollment, Graduation Rates: Donation from Blue Meridian Partners will support recruitment, technology, student advising   “I have an asset that’s performing well, but is underinvested,” said Jim Shelton, president and chief investment and impact officer at Blue Meridian, noting that HBCUs already educate a significant share of Black doctors, teachers and lawyers. “If I put in more resources, what could happen?”

Washington Post.
1) Holding kids back can’t explain Mississippi’s education ‘miracle’   In Mississippi, literacy coaches have been painstakingly selected, trained and monitored by the state and dispatched to perform one job: supporting teachers as they learn, and learn to teach, the science of reading. Teacher preparation programs have evolved to encompass these methods. The curricular materials recommended by the state match up, too. 
2) KIPP charter grads finish college at higher rates than their peers   Feinberg and Levin invented KIPP during a late-night brainstorming session in October 1993 at the apartment they shared in Houston. They were elementary school teachers recruited by the Teach For America program.

NEW YORK STATE
NYS Dept. of Labor.
1) 2023 Job Seeker Survey Results  If specific skill training were available (on your schedule and affordable/at no-cost), in what type(s) of training would you be interested? 1. Digital Skills… 19. Teaching… 24. Home Health Aide
2) 2023 Business Workforce Survey Results  Which positions are most difficult to fill? Business’ ranked responses: All Industries/Statewide (2023) 1. Teacher

NYS Education Department (NYSED) Board of Regents. September meetings
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Higher Education Committee
1) Proposed Amendment … Relating to the Requirements for Certification as a School Counselor through Individual Evaluation
2) Proposed Amendment … relating to Regents Accreditation
3) Proposed Amendment … Relating to the Computer Science Tenure Area

CONSENT AGENDA (all motions passed)
A. Higher Education Committee
1) Proposed Amendment … Relating to the Deadline to Apply and Qualify for the Provisional School Counselor Certificate   The proposed amendment would provide appropriate flexibility for qualified candidates who completed a registered program leading to Provisional School Counselor certification, as well as candidates who may still be matriculating in this type of program but will complete it by February 2, 2024.
2) Proposed Amendment … Relating to Extending a Flexibility for Incidental Teaching   Through incidental teaching, certified teachers can teach a subject not covered by their certificate when no certified or qualified teachers are available after extensive and documented recruitment… The Department now proposes to extend the flexibility for incidental teaching again through the 2023-2024 school year. This proposal enables school districts to address their continuing teacher shortages by providing them with flexibility in making teaching assignments.
3) Proposed Amendment … Relating to the Employment of Substitute Teachers   Given the successful implementation of this flexibility for seven school years, the Department is proposing to remove the end date for this provision that has been in effect since July 27, 2016… Thus, substitute teachers who do not hold a valid teaching certificate and are not working towards certification, but who hold a high school diploma or its equivalent, may be employed by a school district or BOCES beyond the 40-day limit during a school year

B. Higher Education/P-12 Education Joint Meeting Committee
Proposed Amendment…Relating to Flexibilities for the Supplementary Certificate and Supplementary Bilingual Education Extension Requirements in Response to the Influx of Recently Arrived and Asylum-Seeking Students   the Department proposes to amend the Supplementary certificate requirements to provide flexibility for certified teachers who apply for the Supplementary English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) certificate, and for teachers who hold a valid Initial, Professional, or Permanent ESOL certificate and apply for a Supplementary certificate in another area, who apply for such extension between September 12, 2023, and August 31, 2024. This flexibility will allow candidates to complete either the examination requirement or the enrollment and education requirements, instead of both sets of requirements…This flexibility will allow candidates to pass the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA), if available, in lieu of matriculating in a registered program leading to a Bilingual Education extension and completing coursework. Additionally, the proposed amendment permits candidates to renew the Supplementary Bilingual Education extension one time for a period of three years from effective date of the renewal if they obtain their first extension through this flexibility and meet the currently existing requirements for the extension as described above.
If adopted as an emergency rule at the September 2023 Regents meeting, the emergency rule will become effective September 12, 2023… Because the emergency action will expire before the January 2024 Regents meeting, it is anticipated that an additional emergency action will be presented for adoption at the November 2023 meeting. If adopted at the January 2024 meeting, the proposed amendment will become effective as a permanent rule on January 24, 2024.

C. Professional Practice Committee
Proposed Addition … and repeal… Relating to the Licensure of Applied Behavior Analysts and Certification of Applied Behavior Analyst Assistants  The proposed amendment implements the provisions of Chapters 818 and 641, and makes additional amendments to LBA and CBAA provisions to align such provisions more closely with national standards If adopted as an emergency rule at the September 2023 meeting, the emergency rule will become effective September 12, 2023… Because the emergency action will expire before the December 2023 Regents meeting, it is anticipated that an additional emergency action will be presented at the October 2023 meeting. If adopted at the December meeting, the proposed revised rule will become effective as a permanent rule on December 27, 2023.

NYSED News. State Education Department Announces Rochester Music Teacher Named 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year   The Board of Regents today named Zachary Arenz, a music teacher at Flower City School Number 54 in Rochester, as the 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year… He holds several music and arts certificates, as well as a certificate in therapeutic crisis intervention for schools.

NEW YORK CITY
Chalkbeat. Eric Adams vowed all NYC students would get dyslexia screening. So far 1,500 have.  Education department officials said they were paying close attention to schools that are part of the city’s sweeping new literacy curriculum mandate — starting with nearly half of all elementary campuses this year. They will have access to educators who are trained to deliver the screening and provide more individual help to address students’ reading challenges, said Carolyne Quintana, the Education Department’s deputy chancellor of teaching and learning

NY Amsterdam News. URBAN AGENDA: A Conversation with NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks   As far as resources go, perhaps our most important resources are our 5,100-plus teachers with bilingual or English as a New Language certifications – who, as of last week, are now able to teach under that certification without losing tenure they’ve gained under another teaching license. This will ensure we are maximizing the number of teachers who are best positioned to support our newest students.

NYDailyNews. Faced with migrant surge, NYC schools cutting red tape to increase the number of bilingual teachers   The city is scrapping a bureaucratic hurdle to get qualified teachers in front of thousands of migrant children, as public schools face a shortage of bilingual educators on the first day of classes. Teachers with more than one certificate — which can include expertise in bilingual or English as a new language programs — are often dissuaded from switching subjects, due to strict tenure rules that require them to start over accruing seniority. But the immediate changes announced Thursday will give tenured teachers in other subjects, who also have the skill set to teach the newcomer students English, automatic tenure — freeing up another 500 to 600 educators to pivot without impacting their careers.

Teachers College.
1) Meet Our Latest Faculty Granted Tenure and Full Professorships   Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Professor of English Education, has dedicated her research to the exploration of racial literacy within teacher education. She collaborates with K-12 and higher education institutions to elevate racial literacy awareness and cultivate more equitable learning environments for Black and Latinae students
2) Meet TC’s Newest Faculty Members: Set to cultivate courageous inquiry through research and scholarship at TC, several new faculty members join the College’s robust academic community this fall   Tamara Handy, Assistant Professor Disability Studies in Education,.. Her research focuses on the intersections of race and disability among children and youth, and their current and future teachers in relation to special education and inclusive education systems in public schools. Handy has extensive experience working with organizations like UNICEF and GIZ in the development sector, contributing to teacher education and professional development projects in Sri Lanka… Daniela Romero-Amaya (Ph.D. ’21, M.A. ’15), a graduate of the Social Studies Education and International Education Development programs. Her research interests include social studies education, human rights and social justice approaches to teaching and learning, among other topics. She’s completed teacher education initiatives across the world, including in her home nation of Colombia, the topic of much of her research.

Categories
Teacher Education

Week of Sept. 4 in Teacher Ed News

GLOBAL
AACTE. Cross-Cultural Collaboration: How EPPs Can Foster Relationships with International Partners  [Webinar: Wednesday, September 20 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. E.T.]

Financial Express (India). Nurturing Educators for a Transformed Tomorrow: Reflections on Teacher Education and Empowerment   The 2023-24 budget finally focuses on revitalizing teacher education, particularly District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs).

International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET). Teacher Voice Webinars: For 2023 we will be hosting the second Teacher Voice Webinars focusing on Future proofing education: learning from COVID-19 [Wednesday, 15 Nov. 11 am GMT AND Thursday 16 Nov. 3 am GMT]

UNITED STATES
AACTE. In the States: A Virginia High School Uses Online Teaching Program Due to Shortage   …local news media outlets reported that more than 600 students at Chancellor High School in Spotsylvania County, Virginia are taking math and English courses using the online platform, Edgenuity, as the district grapples with vacant teaching positions… Currently, all of the Chancellor’s Algebra II courses are being taught using the online platform with substitute supervision. 

Chalkbeat. More early childhood workers are attending colleges and university, report says   The Illinois Early Childhood Access Consortium for eEquity’s first annual report, released on Wednesday, found that since 2020 about 500 additional students who already work in early childhood education have enrolled in bachelor’s degree and applied associate programs, an increase of about 18%.

EdSource. Nearly 100 parents in LA County are on the verge of becoming teachers through a new collaborative program   The program is a new collaboration between the Los Angeles County Office of Education, UCLA, West LA College, Teachstone, Waldorf University and several local nonprofit organizations and school districts. Students can decide to complete their coursework at a campus of their choosing, depending on their individual needs.

EdWeek. U.S. Teachers Lag Behind Global Peers in Teaching About Sustainability. Here’s Why   Another major barrier for teachers is a lack of training or expertise on these topics. While some districts and teacher-preparation programs have focused on climate change instruction, most do not. 

Hechinger Report.
1) In an era of teacher shortages, we must embrace and develop new ways to unleash educator talent: Innovators are providing inspiration that could energize the teaching profession and transform our nation’s public schools   Fortunately, some innovators are providing inspiration. In addition to the rise of “grow your own” teacher preparation programs, organizations like Arizona State University and Public Impact are creating new pathways and more collaborative, team-based staffing models, including paid residencies; the Alder Graduate School of Education is partnering with school systems to upskill diverse teacher candidates through a year-long residency model. 
2) Teachers conquering their math anxiety: Early childhood educators can build a strong math foundation for students when they build their own confidence   It isn’t a coincidence that a lot of early elementary teachers lack confidence in their own math abilities, said McCray of Erikson. Sometimes, their lack of confidence is why they go into early ed in the first place. When college students go to their advisors and tell them they want to be a teacher, but aren’t good at math, McCray said they are often encouraged to teach the early grades.

InsideHigherEd. WVU Faculty Overwhelmingly Votes No Confidence in Gee, Calls for Freeze in Cuts   Wednesday’s votes came despite WVU’s walking back several of the preliminary recommendations after national outcry and an official academic unit appeals process. For example, WVU officials rescinded an earlier proposal to ditch the university’s master’s degrees in creative writing, acting and special education.

NJ.com. ‘It isn’t pretty at all.’ N.J. school districts scramble to fill vacancies.  In June, the Legislature passed the 2023-24 state budget, which includes $20 million for addressing the school staffing shortage. … $1 million to develop local partnerships for paraprofessional training, $800,000 for a teacher apprenticeship program, and $500,000 to expand a program to train teachers to be leaders.

USA Today. American classrooms need more educators. Can virtual teachers step in to bridge the gap?   …there is, at a minimum, one teacher in the room… These adults are often paraprofessionals or aides or teachers-in-training who don’t have the requisite training to lead a physics class. Students with virtual teachers often say they like the classes but would prefer the instruction to be in-person… Some critics describe the trend as, to borrow Columbia University education Professor Samuel Abrams’ words, indicative “of a country that’s lost its way.”

WCAX. Vermont expanded child care subsidies now in effect   “…programs have the resources that they need to step up to hire staff with the qualifications and training that are needed to provide high-quality care, and that it begins to strengthen and grow the system, so that more and more families are able to have their needs met,” said McLaughlin.

NEW YORK STATE
CNY Central. CNY school districts grapple with teacher shortages as new school year begins   According to data from the New York State Teachers Union, enrollment in teacher education programs has declined by 53% since 2009… Capsello applauded the state for waiving what she deemed unnecessary edTPA requirements to become certified as a teacher in New York. Still, she said that there are still major hurdles, including master’s degree requirements and wage problems.

NYTimes. 8 Ways to Bring Birds and Birding Into Your Classroom   The New York Times is running a citizen science birding project with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology… The Investigating Evidence teacher’s guide helps teachers walk students through the scientific process, and it includes an example of a student research project and resources for students to create their own investigator’s journal. 

Yonkers Times. Assemblyman Sayegh’s Grow Your Own Education Legislation Signed into Law   Assemblyman Nader Sayegh’s Legislation to encourage young people to become teachers has been signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. The Legislation (A.68A) directs the commissioner of education to issue guidance to school districts for developing programs to attract underrepresented candidates into the teaching profession.

NEW YORK CITY
Associated Press (AP). An influx of migrant children tests the preparedness of NYC schools   The huge public schools system has around 3,400 teachers licensed to teach English as a second language and more than 1,700 certified bilingual teachers fluent in Spanish, the language spoken by the majority of migrant families, according to Education Chancellor David C. Banks. 

Chalkbeat.
1) 5 things we’re watching this school year in NYC  *Asylum seekers continue arriving  And once they arrive, many won’t attend schools with bilingual teachers. A report last year from the Independent Budget Office found that under half of the schools that enrolled asylum seekers last year had a certified bilingual teacher on staff, reflecting a long-running shortage. Banks has said new efforts are in the works to step up recruitment of bilingual teachers.
2) Here’s what NYC’s teacher workforce looks like as a new school year begins   Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that New York state is investing $30 million in a teacher residency program that subsidizes the cost of master’s degrees and certification requirements for new teachers… Education Department officials pointed to some homegrown efforts to expand the new teacher pipeline, including a program that allows paraprofessionals to get their teaching license, and vocational classes to help high school students prepare to become teachers. But Weisberg said a big part of the pipeline problem is that “particularly in New York state, it’s really expensive to become a teacher.” A “big chunk” of would-be teachers can’t afford to get their credentials, he added.

EdWeek. Teachers College to ‘Dissolve’ Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Project   …the “science of reading” movement has picked up steam over the past few years. In general, that movement endorses a systematic, explicit approach to teaching students letters and sounds… Calkins’ Units of Study for Teaching Reading have long taken a different approach. The workshop-style curriculum prioritizes student choice and independent learning. Teachers demonstrate the skills and habits that good readers have, and then students practice them on their own in books of their choice, with teachers acting as guides. 

NYPost. NYC rushes to enroll migrant students ahead of first day of school on Sept. 7    DOE Chancellor David Banks said last week that the program had allocated $110 million to the school’s “immediate requirements,” and said 3,400 English as a New Language licensed teachers and more than 1,700 teachers who are fluent in Spanish were on hand for the school year.

Teachers College.
1) Reimagine Resilience Workshop Registration  earn 6 hours free CEUs or CTLEs from Teachers College, Columbia University. This training is free to all U.S. educators and educational staff through December 2023. Attend at TC or virtually.
2) Talking Racial Justice in Education, Solidarity and Radical Ideas with TC’s Bettina Love: Ahead of Love’s upcoming book on the horrors of school reform and how we can do better, we sat down with the William F. Russell Professor and racial justice scholar    The best answer I have is to organize. Parents and teachers and students and folks who believe in justice, believe that teaching Black history is teaching American history, we have to be organized
3) These TC Health Grads Aim to Ignite Change Beyond the Classroom   Meet Rollin Lau (M.S. ’23, Intellectual Disability/Autism) Lau works to serve students with disabilities as both an educator and a mentor. He is motivated by his time in the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program and his diverse experiences teaching in NYC schools. “Applying to the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows program has encouraged me to be a well-rounded resource to my students,” he explains. 
4) What You Need to Know About the Book Bans Sweeping the U.S.: As school leaders pull more books off library shelves and curriculum lists amid a fraught culture war, we explore the impact, legal landscape and history of book censorship in schools.   “We have to think about [the current bans] as part of a longer pattern of fights over what is in curriculum and what is kept out of it,” explains TC’s Ansley Erickson, Associate Professor of History and Education Policy, who regularly prepares local teachers on how to integrate Harlem history into social studies curriculum.  “The United States’ history, since its inception, is full of uses of curriculum to shape politics, the economy and the culture,” says Erickson.

Categories
Teacher Education

Week of Aug. 28 in Teacher Ed News

GLOBAL
New York Times. Why Did a Drug Gang Kill 43 Students? Text Messages Hold Clues.   Why did Guerreros Unidos execute a group of 43 students who were training to be teachers and had nothing to do with organized crime?… What’s clear is that the horror started on Sept. 26, 2014, when dozens of students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College traveled to Iguala, in the state of Guerrero. They commandeered several buses to go to a march in Mexico City, a tradition the authorities had tolerated in the past… So, when dozens of young men swept into the city of Iguala on passenger buses — not unlike the ones the cartel used to smuggle drugs into the United States — the traffickers mistook their convoy for an intrusion by enemies and gave the order to attack

UNITED STATES
AACTE. A New Opportunity for Candidates to Observe Classrooms with ATLAS   AACTE has already provided webinar resources (Part 1 and Part 2) on how to use ATLAS as a tool and framework for using video resources in teacher preparation, and is now excited to offer you this tool at a reduced cost for those who register for a new subscription before the end of the year. 

Chronicle of Higher Education. Transitions: New Chancellor Named for the California State U. System; Stanford U. President to Step Down   André Green, a professor of leadership and teacher education and associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of South Alabama, has been named dean of the College of Education at East Carolina University.

Education Week.
1) 6 Challenges for Early Educators as Preschool Growth Halts   “We found unprecedented teacher shortages as well as waivers to education and specialized training requirements resulting in fewer qualified teachers in preschool classrooms,” NIEER researchers concluded.
2) Public Schools Rely on Underpaid Female Labor. It’s Not Sustainable   Becoming a teacher became an option for women around the mid-19th century. But for years afterward, female teachers would often have to resign if they got married or became pregnant. It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century, in fact, that those conditions changed. “The career opened up so women could actually make a lifetime commitment to teaching,” said Susan Moore Johnson, a professor of education at Harvard University… “Teaching was traditionally a career that women might be drawn to if they really wanted to prioritize family, but it’s no longer the best option,” said Williamson, the Southern California English teacher. 
3) What Teacher-Preparation Enrollment Looks Like, in Charts   The data reveals a significant national decline in enrollment that now seems to be leveling out. Still, the number of education students in the United States declined by about a quarter of a million between 2008 and 2020.

InsideHigherEd. WVU Proposes No Language Degrees, Just Chinese and Spanish Courses   …now proposing to offer courses in Chinese and Spanish—while still jettisoning the department’s teaching of Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Russian… The department’s current foreign language majors are French, Spanish, Chinese studies, German studies and Russian studies, and it offers master’s degrees in linguistics and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NJACTE). CFP: 6th Annual Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Convening (Proposal Deadline: September 10, 2023)

Wall Street Journal. Welcome Back to School. Your Teacher Is 2,000 Miles Away: Some parents remain skeptical of piped-in teachers, while schools say they don’t have a choice   The virtual teachers typically must have state-issued teaching credentials. Many are former full-time teachers looking for more flexible hours or retirees who still want to work a bit. Some companies, such as Austin-based Proximity Learning, are tapping U.S.-certified teachers from countries like Mexico, South Africa and the Philippines. 

Washington Post.
1) After uproar, WVU to keep some foreign language classes, but not all   There would be no more bachelor’s degrees at WVU in those languages or in Chinese or Spanish, and there would be no more master’s degrees in linguistics or in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL)… Many faculty at WVU remain distressed. Tuesday’s announcement provided little comfort to those who have devoted their careers to teaching foreign language and literature.
2) Biden administration cancels loans for former Ashford U. students, with plans to recoup costs   Under its previous ownership, Ashford’s recruiters told students they would be able to work as teachers, social workers, nurses and drug and alcohol counselors, but the school never got accreditation for those professions, according to California’s lawsuit.
3) In a crisis, schools are 100,000 mental health staff short   In a moment that seems to plead for creativity, educators are finding new ways to bring support into schools. Some universities are expanding counseling programs, hoping to produce more graduates. 

NEW YORK STATE
Univ of Buffalo. Tackling the teacher shortage requires a multifaceted approach, UB expert says   Addressing teacher shortages effectively requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes teacher quality, diversity, and retention. Research indicates that teacher residency programs, such as the one we have in our Graduate School of Education, can achieve these goals; thus, we have recently transitioned all of our teacher certification programs to culminate in residency… says Julie Gorlewski, PhD, professor and senior associate dean of academic affairs and teacher education

NEW YORK CITY
Gothamist. NYC school year set to begin with thousands of new migrant students   There are more than 3,400 teachers in the city’s public schools certified to teach English as a new language. At least 1,700 other teachers are fluent in Spanish, Banks said. Those numbers are not a significant increase compared to figures reported by Gothamist in December, when educators said the school system was scrambling to meet migrant students’ basic needs. At that time, teachers described relying on bilingual students or translation apps to communicate with migrant kids.

Teachers College. Advancing Literacy Through Teachers College Programs, Research and Partnerships   To support this objective, the work of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) and its staff will transition to an Advancing Literacy unit within TC’s Continuing Professional Studies (CPS) division for the 2023-2024 year, a return to its original professional development roots. The entity TCRWP, founded in 1981, will be dissolved as part of this shift. TC is working to align the work of TC staff with the needs of school districts and changes in reading curriculum locally and nationwide… For many years, TCRWP’s founding director Lucy Calkins led efforts to support teachers as they develop students as readers and writers. Dr. Calkins has stepped down as Director of the Reading and Writing Project. She is Robinson Professor in Children’s Literature at Teachers College, a tenured faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, on sabbatical during the 2023-2024 academic year.