September 21, 2007
A 'West Point for Teachers'
John Edwards wants to create a different kind of cadet corps.
As part of his plan to reform elementary and secondary education, which he is announcing today, the former senator proposed creating a National Teacher University — or, as he called it, a “West Point for teachers.”
The university he envisions would recruit 1,000 of the nation’s top college students each year and train them to teach. Tuition would be waived for the graduates who went on to work in schools with shortages of qualified teachers or in subject areas where there aren’t enough teachers.
Mr. Edwards said he would want the new institution to help improve the nation’s education schools by developing and sharing model curriculum and practices and to promote shared certification and licensing requirements across states.
“While there are some successful education schools, many future teachers graduate without the skills and knowledge they need,” Mr. Edwards, a Democrat, said in announcing his plan.
He cited a study by Arthur Levine, a former president of Teachers College at Columbia University, that found that a majority of education-school graduates believed they were inadequately prepared.
Among the other education proposals he unveiled today, Mr. Edwards advocated training more principals to work in poor school districts, giving more students access to Advanced Placement courses, and establishing more high schools on college campuses where students can earn a high-school diploma and an associate degree in five years.
Sara Hebel | Posted on Friday September 21, 2007 | PermalinkComments
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Edwards’s idea for moving a significant amount of your tax money away from other potential uses — e.g., improving health care or solving the problems of FDR’s social-security Ponzi scheme — depends, of course, on swallowing the argument that education schools produce the best teachers. Does anyone with an advanced topical or professional degree believe that? Does John Edwards? A far-better (and cost-effective) approach to improving teaching would be to lead the charge encouraging states to cut through their red tape so that motivated mid- and late-career experts could make the transition to public-school teaching with minimal trouble, through an intensive summer course, say. I’m sure the senator’s supporters in the teachers unions would welcome adding tens of thousands of mature, independent-minded professionals to public-school faculties. Oh, wait, maybe that’s what I’ve got wrong!
— S. Britchky Sep 23, 10:15 PM #
While Arthur Levine’s findings are important and troubling (and signal issues we in schools of education need to be aware of and change), I doubt any professional teacher would argue that “an intensive summer course” would be enough preparation. If anything, many students want more preparation — although in other forms besides formal coursework — an avenue I think we can explore.
Teachers need training and education to be better teachers, to know more about learning, and to remain in a difficult profession. And being an expert in a career area does not automatically prepare someone to be a good teacher.
— Dana Wilber Sep 24, 10:00 AM #
Rase teachers pay the quality will follow.
— Dr. Bill Sep 24, 12:03 PM #
Sen. Edwards’ idea is interesting, and it sounds reminiscent of an idea that is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill: the U.S. Public Service Academy, which would be the civilian counterpart to West Point and the military academies. Unlike Sen. Edwards’ plan, the Public Service Academy is not simply a campaign brainstorm. It has a grassroots movement behind it, and it appeals broadly across the political spectrum. Check it out: http://www.uspublicserviceacademy.org
— Chris Myers Asch Sep 25, 06:12 PM #
Considering that the nation currently has a shortage of 44,000 teachers, graduating 1,000 a year would require 44 years. It’s a spit in the ocean, and it’s another good reason why John Edwards will never be president: the hubris of a little boy who still thinks he’s the smartest, cutest kid on the playground. He thinks his charm will suffice, and that no one’s going to do the math.
— marci Sep 25, 06:26 PM #