To improve education in the United States, the core objectives in federal education legislation address the improvement of teacher education and quality, for example, Higher Education Opportunity Act (Cohen-vogel, 2005). Teacher preparation program is one of the policy instruments to deliver the goals. Unlike traditional preparation program and alternative teacher preparation programs, Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) is an innovative preparation program improving teacher quality in which a mentor will be assigned to work with the novice teacher for a year. UTRs are distinctive than other programs mainly in three aspects as follows: recruitment, preparation, and ongoing induction. First established in 2002, UTRs have gained its popularity and grown to 13 network programs by 2013 with $143 million federal fund support (Boston Teacher Residency Project Narrative, 2010).
While there is growing attention to UTRs, very few evaluation of this program that can provide substantial evidence to see whether UTRs can improve student achievement has been conducted. The article, “Does an urban Teacher Residency Increase Student Achievement? Early Evidence From Boston”, provides the first independent evaluation to assess the impact of one of UTRs programs on student academic performance. Policymakers and practitioners can evaluate possible policy options for the financing of the program and guide their decision-making process based on these evaluation results. To ensure the findings accurately reflect the real program impact, it is also essential to review the validity and credibility of the evaluation results. In this paper, I will present a review of an impact evaluation for Boston Teacher Residency (BTR), one of the longest-running UTRs programs...
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...tification and a master’s degree as what teachers in traditional preparation programs do. Furthermore, BTR offers the new teacher ongoing coach and network seminars to assist them with finding a teaching position after candidates graduate (Papay, West, Fullerton, & Kane, 2012).
In sum, the distinctive aspects and structures of BTR program contribute to possible program effect factors. Therefore, the relevant outcomes for BTR program include recruiting more teachers in hard-to-staff subjects, better teaching preparation and training, higher retention rate. From stakeholder perspectives, these three expected effects of the program perfectly reflect the key components of the mission of BTR program: “recruit, prepare, and sustain excellent teachers” (Solomon, 2009). The expected program effects can be also illustrated using Program Impact Theories as shown in Chart 1.
Past attempts at solutions were Teachers for America, Experimental Certification of Ethnic Colleagues for Elementary Schools, provisional certification, and emergency certification. Teachers for America is a very easy, "six week crash course in teacher survival skills taught primarily by teachers from their troubled placement sites."(Roth, 220) These teachers are said to bring "enthusiasm and intellect" to the classroom. In inner city and urban school systems, where most of the student body is poor and in the greatest need of good teachers, the TFA teachers are installed. While TFA is a good idea and puts teachers in classrooms, some say that the children who are being used as guinea pigs for this experimental teacher training are suffering. However, after receiving praise from some major cities, its training program was approved in 1995 and it "received $2 million from AmeriCorps, President Clinton’s national service initiative."(Mosle, 3) Experimental Certification of Ethnic Colleagues for Elementary Schools (E3) was an effort to "increase the representation of males and people of color on teaching staffs of elementary schools,"(Shade, 261) in response to teacher shortages. This solution was implemented for three years and was very successful. Provisional certification is given to a person who has been certified in another state and has passed the Praxis II, "but who needs one or two courses Maryland requires for teachers.
166-173). Linda Darling-Hammond (2000) discusses how teacher education has changed and how it has affected our education system (p. 166). The author also notes how even the most intelligent people found it hard to prosper in the field without the right skills and preparation (Darling-Hammond, 2000, p. 166-173). In the article, she presents how post baccalaureate programs are carefully structured, versus alternative routes which can be no more than backup employment options. Darling-Hammond (2000) also addresses how it becomes difficult for aspiring teachers to learn both subject matter and pedagogy (p.
Detroit was once a booming auto-town. In 1909, Detroit was the first city to have paved roads, much to the obliging auto-industry. During the prohibition, Detroit also supplied 75% of America’s illegal liquor, inviting wealthy mobsters and drinkers into the already thriving city. By 1950, Detroit’s population had grown to almost 2 million and had the highest average income per capita than any other city in the United States (Mackinac City for Public policy, 2012). In 1944, the U.S Census indicated that the unemployment rate for Detroit was only 1.5%. Today, Detroit’s population is a nudge above 850,000 with the average income per capita being only $14,861, and $25,193 per household (U.S Bureau of Statistics, 2013). How can a child hope to attain the education he/she needs in a city like this? Through its teachers. Detroit Public Schools desperately needs to find a way to attract teachers of high standard and quality. The answer isn’t a higher salary cap...
Besharov, Douglas. "Teachers Performance: A Review ." Journal of Policy Analyis and Management (2006): 1-41.
The Conceptual Framework created for the SUNY Cortland teacher candidates is important for many reasons. It was important for the campus to create a “College-wide shared vision for teacher education” (CF 3) as they prepared for their NCATE accreditation. The college wanted to make sure that the framework formed a true representation of their program goals, identity, and beliefs. This conceptual framework is important for the individual candidate because it is used to guide, and provide “a sound foundation for assessment”(CF 7). As stated on page 11 of the framework, “SUNY Cortland is dedicated to developing candidates’ knowledge, integrity, professional standards and commitment to their future students and school community”. This is very important as every piece of the statement can go hand-in-hand with the NAEYC Standards. The Conceptual Framework is also important for candidates as it sets to build three key components in each individual. These components are personal responsibility, social justice, and global understanding. What is also unique about the Conceptual Framework is that it is seen as a “living document”, meaning that it has the ability to be changed whenever change is needed, and whenever we uncover new discoveries of early childhood development. My intention in writing this paper is to gain a better understanding of what is expected from me as a candidate in a SUNY Cortland education program. I hope that I will be able to take the information that I learn from the Conceptual Framework and use it in my future teaching.
On average, minorities attend schools that have less-experienced, lower-paid teachers who are less likely to be certified, poor graduation records, and high poverty rates. Many studies suggest that racial diversity is the key to...
For decades now, there have been educational problems in the inner city schools in the United States. The schools inability to teach some students relates to the poor conditions in the public schools. Some of the conditions are the lack of funds that give students with the proper supplies, inexperienced teachers, inadequate resources, low testing scores and the crime-infested neighborhoods. These conditions have been an issue for centuries, but there is nothing being done about it. Yet, state and local governments focus on other priorities, including schools with better academics. It is fair to say that some schools need more attention than other does. However, when schools have no academic problems then the attention should be focused elsewhere, particularly in the inner city schools.
Education is an integral part of society, school helps children learn social norms as well as teach them how to be successful adults. The school systems in United States, however are failing their students. In the world as a whole, the United States is quickly falling behind other countries in important math and reading scores. The United States ranked thirtieth in math on a global scale and twentieth in literacy. This is even more true in more urban, lower socio-economic areas in the United States. These schools have lower test scores and high dropout rates. In Trenton Central High School West, there was an 83% proficiency in literacy and only 49% of the students were proficient in math. Many of these students come from minority backgrounds and are often from low income families. There are many issues surrounding these urban schools. There is a severe lack of proper funding in these districts, and much of the money they do receive is sanctioned for non-crucial things. Schools also need a certain level of individualization with their students, and in many urban classes, this simply does not happen. While there are many factors affecting the low performance of urban schools, the lack of proper funding and distribution of funds, the cultural divide between teachers and students in urban districts, along with the lack of individualization in urban classrooms are crucial reasons to explain the poor performance in these districts. Through a process of teacher lead budget committees and further teacher education, urban schools can be transformed and be better equipped to prepare their students for the global stage.
Milken, L. (1999). A Matter of Quality: A Strategy for Assuring the High Caliber of America’s Teachers. Presented at the 1999 National Education Conference President’s Presentation. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Family Foundation.
Nearly all fellows are hired to teach in 'high need' schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach specifically in a high need school? What challenges do you expect raising student achievement in your classroom and what experiences have prepared you for overcoming these challenges? Knowing these challenges, what steps will you take to prepare for your first year of teaching in a high need school, and why?
Teaching Degree.org. N.p., a.k.a. a.k.a. a.k.a. a.k.a Web.
Jupp, B., & Education, T. (2009). What states can do to improve teacher effectiveness. K-12
Around the nation, hundreds of schools are facing the common major issue of teacher shortages. The alarmingly low amount of teachers in the U.S. creates the debate of whether or not students are receiving a quality education. “‘It’s a crisis’ says Bill McDiarmed, dean of the University of North Carolina School of Education. ‘I don’t know who will be teaching kids in the future’” (DeNisco 1). Oklahoma has a plethora of teacher shortage areas, which could be part of the reason why Oklahoma is ranked 48th in National Education (Robson 1). Shortage areas in the sooner state range a large variety of subjects for the 2015-16 school year alone, including, but not limited to: art, elementary education, foreign language, math, music, physical education/health, science, social studies, and special education (Clement 125). Why do educators participate in early termination? How does the lack of teachers affect education quality? What is Oklahoma doing to recruit and replace empty positions? If Oklahoma does not fix its teacher shortage soon, education in the sooner state will continue to spiral downward into failure. This analysis of Oklahoma teacher shortages will evaluate the reasons teachers quit, the effect of their absence, and the various ways their positions are attempted to be filled.
The state’s new evaluation system was in response to administrators who produced, “superficial and capricious teacher evaluation systems that often don't even directly address the quality of instruction, much less measure students' learning” (Toch, 2008). Too often, the “good-ol-boy” attitude would insure mediocre educators would remain employed. Realizing this was often more the rule then the exception, the governor created educational mandates to focus, “on supporting and training effective teachers to drive student achievement” (Marzano Center, 2013). Initially, they expected the school districts and the teachers would have issues and experience growing pains, but in the end the goal was, “to improve teacher performance, year by year, with a corresponding rise in student achievement” (Marzano Center, 2013).
The concept of excellence in education is one that, on the surface, seems to be unquestionable. After all, who would not accede that students within our schools should, in fact, excel? Certainly teachers, parents, and administrators can agree on excellence as an aim to shoot for. The interpretation of the term "excellence" is, however, less obvious. How do we regard excellence?