Reform is in the air...

It seems like all around, there are school systems talking about reform, trying to boost retention rates, graduation rates, and improve "failing" schools. Here is an exerpt from an interesting article, it highlights the approach that the newly appointed Secretary of Education, Arnie Duncan has taken:

CHICAGO—For years, the Julia Ward Howe School in Chicago's Austin neighborhood was beset by discipline and academic problems. At one point, only 20 percent of the students at the K-8 public school were meeting state academic standards. In 2008, Arne Duncan, then leader of Chicago Public Schools, was so fed up he approved what usually is seen as a nuclear option: To save the school, he fired the entire staff and put a nonprofit group in charge. New principals and teachers were brought in to set the school on the right path. "Sometimes it takes a fresh start," says Don Feinstein, executive director of the Academy for Urban School Leadership, the nonprofit group that took over Howe in September and now runs a total of eight "turnaround" schools along with six teacher-training academies in the city.

Interesting huh? Read the rest here.

What do you think? Leave your comments.

Bermuda's Educators Council- Is Big Brother Watching?

Today we had on Mr A. Richardson, and Mrs. T. Richardson (no relation) members of the Bermuda Educators Council. There were many questions and comments emailed to us in preparation to this show. Here are some:

- Are teachers involved in these decisions? If not, we need to be. It seems, the reason for the demise of the Education System according to the last report done, is in fact that the department keeps making decisions for us instead of letting us get on with it. Teachers, I think, feel, like they are on a merry go round, head spinning, trying to make sense of all the top down decisions, workshop after workshop of the latest craze. When can we just teach?

- I need to get the forms.

- Will there be an annual certification fee and how much professional development is required at each level to remain certified annually?


Many of our members were a little bit concerned as to the nature of this council. The two representatives that we had on the show cleared up a lot of these misconceptions. They explained it all, in essence as an attempt to provide the best in teaching to our young scholars. It makes sense! This will help to sort out those who may not need to be in the classroom, and ensures, not only that qualified educators are in position to help, but ensures that they keep their "tools" sharpened with professional development.

This and other initiatives makes the Talking Teacher think that this is a rather interesting time to be a teacher. There are so many new developments on the horizon, what will the future hold? Only time will tell. One thing that we can be sure of though, is that the Bermuda Educator's Council is trying to do their part to make sure teachers say on top. Want to see their site and find out more information about them? click here.