Evaluating Teacher Preparation: The problems with inputs — and outputs

Posted on February 25, 2016February 18, 2016 by coreeducation

In a recent article in RealClear Education, Ashley LiBetti Mitchel and Chad Aldeman explore the difficulty with evaluating teacher preparation. Excerpts of “Our Failed Investments in Teacher Preparation” appear below: Each year, new teachers collectively spend about $4.85 billion dollars and 302 million hours on their preparation work. But there is no evidence that any Read more about Evaluating Teacher Preparation: The problems with inputs — and outputs[…]

Learning About Learning: What Every New Teacher Needs to Know

Posted on February 23, 2016February 18, 2016 by coreeducation

A recently published report by the National Center for Teacher Quality (NCTQ) summarizes research-based strategies that new teachers need to help teach students how to learn effectively and then questions the extent to which teachers are learning these strategies in their preparation programs. Future teachers need to learn about learning so that what they teach Read more about Learning About Learning: What Every New Teacher Needs to Know[…]

When Top Students Drop: Why Even Good Schools Need to Grow

Posted on February 18, 2016March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Over a the past several months Real Clear Education has been spotlighting schools and teachers participating in the Opportunity Culture initiative, a movement launched in 2011 by education policy and consulting firm Public Impact. Opportunity Culture models are aimed at improving the quality of education by extending the reach of excellent teachers and their teams, encouraging teacher Read more about When Top Students Drop: Why Even Good Schools Need to Grow[…]

No Guarantees: A report on Teacher Preparation Programs and Effectiveness

Posted on February 16, 2016February 12, 2016 by coreeducation

Policymakers are still looking for the right way to identify effective teacher preparation programs and predict who will be an effective teacher. Nothing tried so far can guarantee effective teachers. In No Guarantees, Bellwether recommends an alternative approach that relies on the best available evidence for predicting future teacher effectiveness: initial teaching effectiveness. Instead of Read more about No Guarantees: A report on Teacher Preparation Programs and Effectiveness[…]

How Measurement Fails Doctors and Teachers

Posted on February 10, 2016February 5, 2016 by coreeducation

In a recent opinion piece in the New York Times, Robert Wachter focuses on the effects of metrics and measurement on the health care and education professions. While arguing that we, of course, need to hold professionals accountable, he cautions against unanticipated consequences. Following is an excerpt from this piece: Measurement cannot go away, but Read more about How Measurement Fails Doctors and Teachers[…]

Professional Development Transformed

Posted on February 9, 2016February 9, 2016 by coreeducation

In a recent post in Education Week, Marc Tucker examines the teacher professional development systems in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, British Columbia, and Shanghai. Professional development looks very different in all these places than it typically does in the United States. It is the main driver of school improvement. Far from something that takes the Read more about Professional Development Transformed[…]

Help for Drowning Teachers

Posted on January 27, 2016September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

This past fall, Roxanna Elden, author of the book See Me After Class, began offering teachers a lifeline. Aware that many teachers leave their jobs mid-year, she began offering what she called a Disillusionment Power Pack: an email subscription service that would send teachers constant notes of encouragement and reflection for one month. As an Read more about Help for Drowning Teachers[…]

We Are #TEACH STRONG

Posted on January 11, 2016January 11, 2016 by coreeducation

To create the excellent and equitable education that America’s students deserve, teachers must work to prepare students for a competitive, globalized market. As a result, we are asking more from our teachers than ever before. Yet we continue to provide them with preparation, training, and pay that aren’t designed to meet these changing demands. TeachStrong Read more about We Are #TEACH STRONG[…]

NCES Releases Statistics in Brief on Public School Teacher Autonomy in the Classroom

Posted on December 18, 2015December 11, 2015 by coreeducation

The National Council of Education Statistics (NCES) has released Public School Teacher Autonomy in the Classroom Across School Years 2003–04, 2007–08, and 2011–12. This report traces the feelings of public school educators when it comes to their own autonomy in the classroom. According to the report brief, larger percentages of teachers perceived low autonomy in 2007-08 Read more about NCES Releases Statistics in Brief on Public School Teacher Autonomy in the Classroom[…]

What ESSA Means for Teacher Effectiveness

Posted on December 15, 2015December 11, 2015 by coreeducation

As this blog reported, the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act was signed into law on December 10, 2015. The new law, deemed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is good for the next four years. SY2016-17 is a transition year, and the law will be in full effect in SY2017-18. We have previously provided Read more about What ESSA Means for Teacher Effectiveness[…]

New Research from NCEE on Teacher Retention

Posted on November 18, 2015November 18, 2015 by coreeducation

Teaching residency programs are a model of teacher preparation in which prospective teachers complete graduate-level coursework alongside a year-long fieldwork experience in the district in which the prospective teacher will be hired. The fieldwork experience allows the prospective teacher to practice the craft of teaching and take on increased teaching responsibility under the guidance of Read more about New Research from NCEE on Teacher Retention[…]

Best and Worst States for Teachers for 2015

Posted on November 9, 2015November 7, 2015 by coreeducation

A recent comparison of data about states, conducted by Wallet Hub, ranked states based on a number of factors. The factors compare data on two category subsets that include: Job Opportunities and Competition and Academic and Work Environment. This study looks at subset factors that examine: Average Starting Salary for Teachers (adjusted for cost of Read more about Best and Worst States for Teachers for 2015[…]

School Characteristics that Keep Teachers in the Field

Posted on October 26, 2015October 25, 2015 by coreeducation

A study conducted by the National Center on Education Statistics finds that new teachers who have mentor support, participate in an induction program, and have a higher starting base pay are more likely to remain in the field. NCES undertook the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study (BTLS), which is a nationally representative longitudinal study Read more about School Characteristics that Keep Teachers in the Field[…]

States Wrestle With How to Get Good Teachers in All Schools

Posted on October 9, 2015October 22, 2015 by coreeducation

Last year, with much fanfare, the Obama administration declared that it would tackle the tricky issue of equitable teacher distribution, calling on states to revise their plans for making sure that high-poverty schools get their fair share of qualified educators. Now most states have answered the call, rewriting plans that initially stemmed from requirements in Read more about States Wrestle With How to Get Good Teachers in All Schools[…]

Opportunity Culture Initiative Update

Posted on September 24, 2015March 30, 2017 by coreeducation

In 2016-17, the Opportunity Culture initiative included more than 110 schools, 1250 teachers, and 34,000 students in 17 sites across 7 states. According to the Public Impact website, Opportunity Culture schools are defined by the following characteristics: Teachers lead the way. Each Opportunity Culture school creates a team of teachers and administrators who decide what Read more about Opportunity Culture Initiative Update[…]

How the Recession Helps Student Math Scores

Posted on September 18, 2015September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

When teachers enter the profession during a recession, they’re more effective at boosting student test scores in math, a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds. Recession-era teachers didn’t have as much of an effect on student reading scores. The study considers data for 33,000 fourth and fifth grade teachers in Read more about How the Recession Helps Student Math Scores[…]