Reports the Website "Schools Matter":
In recalibrating what information the Feds will require of ed schools, a graying and sallow Arne announced that his Gates and Broad handlers have come up with a scheme to reward and punish teacher preparation programs based on the scores from tests taken by students who will one day be taught by the ed school graduates.
HELP! Where are all the credible teacher educators? Where all of my colleagues? Do you really think that hiding behind your "research" agenda shields you from the reality of this new push to destroy the American public school system along with quality teaching and learning? WAKE UP! PAY ATTENTION! The corporate reform movement is coming for you and me now.
The NEA, NCATE, and as far as I can tell, our institutions of higher education that employ us now support "accountability" as defined by the Obama/Duncan Department of Education. As reported by Stephen Sawchuck, "Momentum appears to be gathering behind a U.S. Department of Education plan to hold teacher education programs accountable for the achievement of students taught by their graduates." If you need to, go back and read that statement again and again until it sinks into your thick skulls.
We are now going to be responsible for the test scores of children that end up being taught by our graduates. In other words, if my son fails and his teacher was your student, it's now your fault! And if you don't make the changes needed to help your students "teach" my son how to do well on his standardized tests you, your department, your school, and/or your college will be slapped and eventually shut down. When that happens please tell me about how important your "research" was.
I'm sorry was I too harsh? Did I offend you (my colleagues)? Did I dare pick on your research? Yes I did. Now get over it and start speaking, writing and screaming about how "No Child Left Behind" for teacher education is at best a bone-headed idea and at worst an absolute assault on our academic freedom and an unethical attempt to make us do what we know is absolutely wrong.
Remember NCLB? Yeah, some of you complained and some of you even managed to turn it into a productive line of research. And what was it that you complained about and what did all that research reveal? You complained that testing would not do anything to the achievement gap, that the curriculum will narrow, that the "least among us" would be hit hardest, and that linking student test scores to teachers and schools was problematic. Then after years of conducting research you found out that all of your complaints were substantiated. The achievement gap still exists, public school children now receive little to no instruction in the arts or the humanities, the children of poverty are bearing the brunt of this misguided ideological attack on public schools and value-added measures of teachers are extremely unreliable and the public reporting of these statistics causes harm to all involved with public education.
It is our turn to join with the children, parents, teachers and public schools. All across the country there is an "Opt Out" movement occurring. Parents are refusing to allow their children to take standardized tests (here, here, here), teachers are refusing to administer the tests, administrators are speaking out against the negative consequences associated with the tests, and some schools have actually stopped administering the tests.
What should we do? How should we respond? Who's willing to be the first teacher educator to say:
"No. I opt out too. I will not abandon everything I know about children, teaching learning and schools. I refuse to take part in a rigged political system designed to dismantle public education and thwart democracy."
Isn't it our turn to tune in and "opt out"?
Follow Timothy D. Slekar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/slekar
Thank you, Tim, for this (and other) important posts.
Sigh.
This is not about the systematic destruction of k-12 education, it is an attempt to destroy public education Pk-univesity. As such, the defense of public education--even teacher education-- is not the sole responsibility of teacher educators. As members of the CFA, we are actively engaged in voicing our opposition to NCLB, RTTT and, the new dubious policy on teacher education--Our future, our teachers.
Teacher educators through their unions have been active in the campaign against privatization and corporatization of education . Many of us, have written about the issue in books, articles and yes--have even situated our research in activist sites. Moreover, a number of us through our unions (Pk-university) have and will continue to challenge the punitive policies of an administration more interested in the standardization, privatization and corporatization of our schools and colleges. And, a number of us have engaged in street politics, working along side some of the most phenomenal educational rights activists. As a matter of fact, three CSU faculty members--were arrested with CTA teacher leaders at the state of emergency demonstration in Sacramento this last May. We are, after all, members of the same union--NEA and AFT.
Let's not engage in fingerprinting in a dialogue about who is doing what. There is enough for all of us to do--let's roll up our sleeves and get busy!
I am not finger pointing or trying to say that one group has done more than another. You're right, a small group of teacher educators across the country have engaged the testing culture. However, there is not a single effort by any of the traditional teacher education organizations or other professional organizations with a large membership consisting of teacher educators that has done anything other than write position statements. I am glad that AERA, ATE, and CUFA are "officially" against high stakes tests. However, at this time in history this is not enough. These and other organizations need to step up and push a more activist position with their members. Example: The social studies conference is in November. I went through the CUFA program (college faculty) last night. Other than my "alternative session" there is not a single paper, symposium, round table, or poster session that is focused on actually doing something about the high stakes testing culture. This is from Social Studies Professionals. We're the people that are supposed to be all about democracy and citizenship. Shouldn't we be on the front lines as role models. Isn't it our job to be "active citizens?" I'm sorry if you are already engaged in this type of work, however, the majority of our colleagues have (for whatever reasons) decided not to actively engage this unethical movement to dismantle public schools.