Teachers have always had to be certified. Had to renew periodically. Not anymore.

[madfloridian]

In Florida we had to re-certify every 5 years. We were given a certain number of hours or an equivalent number of in-service points. It was a lot of work to recertify. But if we did not, we could not teach.

This article about Detroit and its new hires of Teach for America recruits is what I call media with a slant. It is propaganda meant to make TFA teachers look elite...and everyday old-fashioned experienced trained teachers look bad in comparison to the elite.

They make statements about test studies without providing the sources. If a parent or other member of the public reads it, they will think how very lucky Detroit is to be hiring these new recruits.

It also never says that the district must pay TFA for the privilege of hiring these recruits.

DPS enlists teacher corps in classrooms

It also mentions the union will challenge these hirings.

More than 100 members of the national corps -- college graduates who teach in underserved schools for two years -- will be the main teachers in classrooms in 80 charter schools and at least 20 public schools in the city starting Sept. 7.

Their arrival has sparked excitement among educators who embrace the enthusiasm corps members bring. But their presence has reignited concerns from the teachers union, which is upset certified teachers still have layoff notices. The union will challenge the hiring of Teach for America members over qualified teachers waiting to return to work, said Keith Johnson, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.

Here is more:

The program had 40 members in DPS in the 2002-03 school year but pulled out when there was no guarantee of job placement for the participants. This time, Teach for America was wooed by a coalition of charter school operators, philanthropic groups and Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. Studies have shown that in many cases, Teach For America members are more effective than other teachers, including certified and veteran teachers, and have a positive impact on student achievement, according to the program's Detroit leader.

Studies have shown? They have shown that TFA members are more effective than even certified and veteran teachers?

Really?

I would like to read that study.

In fact it does not bother one administrator at all that they are not certified.

If the new principal, Gerlma A. S. Johnson has her way, four of the school's 18 teachers will be Teach for America members.

"They really wanted to be a force for change and a force for excellence in education, which is what we need at Earhart and at every school," Johnson said after interviewing the candidates.

Johnson isn't bothered that the applicants aren't certified teachers. (They'll study at University of Michigan to earn their certification.) Johnson said certified teachers aren't automatically better and those without certification aren't inherently inferior. "Before I was a certified teacher, I was a substitute teacher, and I was a doggone good one," she said.

In our state before all the "reforms", a teacher would not have been allowed to teach without a certificate. We worked our butts off getting certification and keeping it through the years.

Gee, if only I had known that a "teacher" who would be less trained than the many interns I trained through the years would be better than any certified teacher?? I guess I would have thrown up my arms and walked away.

[LisaM]

1. There's a lot of skullduggery going on in the DPS

It doesn't take much digging to find out how crooked it's been and still is.

This is really tragic.

[madfloridian]

2. Seems like private interests have much power there.

There is a group called Excellent Schools Detroit.

It has an interesting make-up.

"Releasing details of an ambitious plan to remake schools in the city of Detroit, a coalition of nonprofit organizations said Wednesday that it plans to push for mayoral control of Detroit Public Schools, set up an independent commission to grade every school in the city, including charters, and establish a goal of graduating 90% of kids from high school by 2020.

The group, calling itself Excellent Schools Detroit, announced last week that it planned to replace failing Detroit schools with 70 new ones and make a $200-million initial investment -- a plan unprecedented in scope anywhere in the country. The group has commitments from the Gates Foundation and other national groups willing to come to Detroit, said Carol Goss, CEO and president of the Skillman Foundation, a key leader in the effort."

...."As those schools close, they would be replaced by new schools paid for from $200 million in grants provided by four foundations, led by the Skillman Foundation. The education plan, "Taking Ownership: Our Pledge to Educate All of Detroit's Children," is to be released to the public today. It is full of strategies to boost student performance. These are among the key components:

• Turning over control of Detroit Public Schools to the mayor.

• Abolishing the elected school board.

• Generating public pressure on DPS and charter school operators to close failing schools or programs.

And then of course the Democratic Governor Granholm is on board....using pensions to force early retirement.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5867

"BAY CITY, Mich. - Teachers union officials in Bay City say that a proposal to cut off vision and dental benefits of long-term teachers who don't retire by Oct. 1 is unfair, according to The Bay City Times. Kevin Stapish of the Bay City Education Association told The Times that, "It is wrong to choose between early retirement and the benefits they've been promised and are looking forward to."

The proposal by Gov. Jennifer Granholm offers about 46,000 public employees — 39,000 of them teachers — a pension boost if they have worked at least 30 years and agree to retire by October, according to the report.

By replacing them with fewer employees, who would earn beginning wages, the Granholm administration estimated the state could save up to $450 million, The Times reported.

Those who do not retire by October would lose dental and vision benefits upon retirement and would begin contributing an additional 3 percent to their retirement fund, according to The Times. Newly hired teachers would have to pay a minimum of 20 percent toward their health care premiums."

[LisaM]

3. Granholm is in a bind

years of declining revenue, and a state legislature that won't let her do anything.

She's not anti-teacher.

The problem is that there are a lot of gullible people believing in these cure-alls by the shysters. And they also have had a corrupt City Council for years (they don't have to live in any particular district, so they all hole up on the nice part of town). But, this is just an extreme example of the charter school BS all over the place.

[madfloridian]

6. She may not be anti-teacher, but what if the teacher is not Medicare age??

If I had retired at 30 years, I would not have been able to get Medicare. Most teachers prefer to wait until they can. Our district for a while was providing retirement health insurance, but now it is so expensive now that no one can afford to retire and buy it.

She may not be anti-teacher, but she is not standing up for them.

[zenj8]

15. This is disgraceful.

Thank you, as always, MadF for the info. Sometimes it hurts to read it. Sometimes I boil with anger about what is happening to public school teachers. With all of these new, unqualified teachers from TFA, why aren't the parents enraged? They seem to be eager to bash qualified, certificated, experienced teachers, and embrace those barely trained. If parents are so worried about the quality of our current teachers, why are they not doubly worried about the newbies? Don't they realize that their children are being used in Arne's grand experiment and they could easily come out the losers? These new teachers may fail miserably and according to one poster that seems to already be happening. Parents usually want the best for their kids, not the youngest and least qualified.

[madfloridian]

4. When I had interns from various universities nearby, they could not teach alone

for several weeks. They would have to be in their senior year, and the internship was usually last semester.

There were restrictions and rules about when they could teach the class alone, and the teacher still had to be nearby in another area to be reached if needed.

Now graduates without that experience are going to be filling classrooms all around the country.

I had great interns, and I had some lousy ones. But there were programs in place to help them through the university. We had to meet with their supervisors frequently. They were observed and evaluated just as we teachers have always been.

I wish the TFA recruits good luck because I care about the kids. They are being sent in many cases to some of the most problematic schools. These schools are hard even for experienced teachers. I hate to think they are writing off the students in such areas by not giving them experienced teachers.

[Jefferson23]

11. A new low has been reached, but it appears it will not be the last mads.

I have a relative who's close friend was teaching in a TFA program capacity. Her experience was awful, she said she was not prepared
for the task she was given. Many of the children had learning issues, but no IEP's etc. She was grateful when it was over as
she believed she was placed in a no win situation for herself and the children.

On edit to add, maybe former TFA participants with experiences like the one I mention here will speak out to
the public, give interviews etc. It may be worth a try at least, to pool that information together.

[madfloridian]

5. We have become so jaded that few are upset about uncertified teachers

getting major praise and kudos all over the press.

That is worrisome.

[Brickbat]

7. This is horrid.

Sometimes I wish you weren't so good at compiling all this, MF.

(Not really, but. GAH.)

[TalkingDog]

8. Your post pretty much sums up how I feel about public school "art" teachers

They are certified to teach, yes. But they take an art history and 3 studio classes in grad school and that, somehow, qualifies them as proficient to teach art.

Me? I can teach college level students, private students - K through Sr. Citizen. I can teach at art schools, I can teach in museum programs, but you know where I can't teach? ....the public school system.

So with my 32 years of art-making experience and my 6 years of college level teaching (undergrad and graduate levels) and my 22 years of art school teaching, the certified "art" teachers are somehow superior teachers who are more qualified to teach......

[madfloridian]

9. Many private or charter schools already hire uncertified teachers.

That is the problem. I believe many public school districts are also now going to be able to hire uncertified teachers if they are from TFA, The New Teacher Project, and other such groups. It's about power and money having access to media and having the WH support such things.

[janx]

35. NO, MF, it's about change.

I know you don't like the fact that some charter schools hire non-union teachers, but they do, and some of them succeed very well. I get freshmen from charter schools who are very well prepared.

The fact that it isn't how you were hired does not negate the fact that sometimes this works.

[janx]

34. But of course!

They went through the ed program and joined a group that is taking their money and promising everything to them. Subject matter? What's THAT?

[madfloridian]

10. Think about it. Hiring uncertified teachers while laying off those who are.

[msanthrope]

12. Why aren't you supporting these union members?

"Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the Detroit Public Schools' chief academic and accountability auditor, said program participants in Detroit will be union members and are entitled to the same benefits and pay from the district. With the number of retirements in the district, spots are available for members whom she believes will be "a real shot to the system.""

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100820/SCHOOLS/8200387/1409/DPS-enlists-teacher-corps-in-classrooms#ixzz0xg6JfBv6


Are you suggesting that only teachers who have participated in 4-year education programs are eligible for union membership and jobs in DPS?

[MadHound]

14. I'm not supporting them because I know exactly how unprepared they are for the classroom

Their education and experience is lacking. For many, this is the first time spent in a classroom. They simply aren't qualified. Using them in our schools is not only expensive, but does a tremendous disservice to our children.

[theaocp]

13. The hell with this

I'm putting myself into debt to keep working toward my Masters in Reading (aka - keeping my certification) and just so I can look forward to uncertified TFAers taking my job in the future? Hell no. Good luck DPS. Based on my experience with NCLB tutoring agencies in DPS, somebody's getting PAID. Dollars to doughnuts TFA is skimming taxpayer money like rainwater off a roof.

[zenj8]

16. This is disgraceful.

Thank you, as always, MadF for the info. Sometimes it hurts to read it. Sometimes I boil with anger about what is happening to public school teachers. With all of these new, unqualified teachers from TFA, why aren't the parents enraged? They seem to be eager to bash qualified, certificated, experienced teachers, and embrace those barely trained. If parents are so worried about the quality of our current teachers, why are they not doubly worried about the newbies? Don't they realize that their children are being used in Arne's grand experiment and they could easily come out the losers? These new teachers may fail miserably and according to one poster that seems to already be happening. Parents usually want the best for their kids, not the youngest and least qualified.

[sulphurdunn]

17. I wonder how many TFA recruitrs

went to work this year at Phillips Andover and Exeter Academies? All reform movements supported by billionaires and their foundations are aimed at the redistribution of wealth up the income ladder by using the political class and mass media propoganda as agents of that transfer. If you think it has anything to do with improving educational opportunities for poor kids you've bought exactly what the rich are selling, but hell, we're used to doing that.

[Hannah Bell]

19. +100

[funflower]

23. Why would they recruit at a high school?

:shrug:

[sulphurdunn]

33. Who's they?

[JDPriestly]

18. I remember my semester of student teaching way back when.

I was supposed to teach (classes of as many as 60 junior high music students) and then go home and prepare for my classes.

I was so exhausted after a day of teaching that all I could do was go home and sleep. Seriously.

I realized that I was not suited for regular classroom teaching. I could handle the subject matter and the students. I later taught at the university level without a problem, but I did not have the stamina to teach in the public schools.

I was too introverted. Interacting all day with people of any kind, no matter how much I like them, no matter how much I like interacting with them, drains me. I felt like a squeezed lemon at the end of the day. Many of these young people will find out, as I did, that the work of teaching is just too difficult for them.

Mind you, it was not a matter of my intelligence or my lack of mastery of my subject matter, it was simply that teaching requires a certain personality and learned skills, skills that are learned through practic.

The TFAers should be assisting experienced teachers. They should not be responsible for the classrooms by themselves.

[madfloridian]

20. Nice post. Lot of good points.

It's really an insult to experienced teachers to say that a novice without certification can do a better job.

How did this happen?

[funflower]

21. The real question is what kind of teacher preparation improves student outcomes.

Until we know what works best for kids (conventional certification? "highly qualified" designations? compressed "boot camp" training? apprenticeship? advanced degrees? none of the above?), we can't make much of a case.

[madfloridian]

22. We CAN make a case against uncertified while we figure it out.

[funflower]

24. What case?

[madfloridian]

25. So you are defending using uncertified teachers?

If that be true, then nothing I say would convince you of anything.

[Catshrink]

27. Anyone with half a brain can teach

Don't you know that?

[madfloridian]

28. I truly love that sig pic.

It's just great.

[Catshrink]

31. Thanks!

[Joe Fields]

29. And many do...

:eyes:

[Catshrink]

30. ...

:rofl:

Nice try.

[Catshrink]

26. We know what works best for kids.

What makes the best physician? Is it board certification? State licensure? 6 week emergency training? Internships? Until we know what works best, we can't make much of a case.

Really. There are volumes of educational research that speak to effect of experience and training on teacher quality.

[LWolf]

32. .

I just found this, and really have no words at this point to express what I think, and no time to come up with them. I'm off to work.

:grr: