Bay of Pigs

I've spent the past few weeks casually digging into and learning about some ed reform efforts.  Maybe it's all the extra time afforded by summer days?  Or writing on this blog?  Or even working on National Board Certification?  Also the extra media attention around Teach for America in Minnesota?  Not sure...

In a spirited conversation with alumni and the executive director of TFA in the Twin Cities she mentioned this article: Is ed reform heading for its own Bay of Pigs?.  She found it fascinating and concerning.  This only made me love her and her leadership more.  The concern is merited.

It seems like I'm trapped between two different schools of thinking in education: reformers and traditionalists.  People who want major change and those who see that change as dangerous.  Union haters and union lovers.  What I know and experience, though, is that both groups are passionate, skilled, and student-centered.  Both have their weaknesses and strengths.  It does feel like both groups are falling into this trap of "groupthink" described by the writer, Kathleen Porter-Magee:

• a feeling of moral superiority among group members;
• collective rationalization, where members discount warnings or fail to rethink assumptions;
• overly negative and stereotypical views of the group's “enemies”
• and censorship of dissenting opinion—either via self-censorship or direct pressure put on those who disagree.

 I'm just hoping that despite connections to both worlds that I continue to surround myself with people who are not scared to dissent.  There is good middle-ground in most pieces of education.  People from all the "camps" need to come together, like Porter-Magee insinuates, and poke holes in each other's ideas until something sticks.  One issue at a time.  Not fearing each other or feeling superior.    

    

Policy Roundtable Discussion

This afternoon I'm attending a policy roundtable discussion with Educators for Excellence.  Our discussion topic is focused on new teacher mentoring.  It's interesting to me that Minnesota does not have any state provision for new teacher mentoring but 22 other states do have state-funded induction programs. 


I'm excited to learn more about how an induction program would work in Minnesota.  I especially loved this quote from the Teacher Support Partnership:

"Finally, induction systems are not about evaluation. Activities that involve assessment of performance, either self-assessment by the educator or collaboratively with a peer observer, are used for formative purposes. Formal evaluation requirements that lead to summative decisions remain the responsibility of the school administrator. Induction systems are focused on the growth, development, and sustained learning of educators." Minnesota Educator Induction Guidelines

The video above is a link to a PBS story that highlights what Chicago is doing to mentor their teachers and prevent burnout.