If a hundred experts in a room have different opinions but swear up and down that they have the right answer, then who are we to believe? Such is seemingly the case with education and rarely is there an undeniable clear cut way to do things whether it be a history lesson, professional development, classroom management, you name it. Yet, there is an unending line of people telling you a million different ways to do them. One thing is for certain though, there is always room for improvement. The question is where and how to improve as educators.
In general, Tony Wagner believes that improved teacher education and continuing development is key for positive change in education and an important cog in the wheel in closing the achievement gap. Specifically with the first idea, he believes that credential programs need to be more practical and rigorous (referring to his definition of "rigor" of course). According to him, too many courses focus too much on theoretical ideas and not enough on actually giving teachers tools and strategies to better help students. To borrow his own driver's ed metaphor, memorizing all the parts of a car doesn't help the person learn or demonstrate that they can drive. As for the second idea, Wagner is a big opponent to tenure and states that measly professional development credits every few years are not nearly enough to ensure that teachers remain competent. As a result, he advocates that the bar be raised on standards for teachers and that professional development is made more meaningful, useful, and effective.
As someone who came into my credential program 4 years removed from even a college classroom setting, needless to say I was looking forward to learning tangible tools and strategies that I could implement. Unfortunately, and some of my colleagues would agree, I was left wanting in that department and rather thrust into my student teaching position with little to go off of. That is not to say that my program hasn't given me valuable information - it has certainly made me more aware of ELD strategies, differentiation, and more - but much of it has been a myriad of articles, reading, and theory and has given me little to show for practical ways of teaching my students. As Wagner states in the beginning of this chapter, a big reason why it's so hard for teachers to agree on what the best methods are is that everyone is virtually going off their own self-learned experiences within the classroom. As for how professional development plays out, I have yet to reach that milestone of my young career. However, as much as tenure and relaxed regulations on continuing education would benefit me as a teacher, I agree with Wagner's point of view that it does little to give incentive to teachers to become better at their profession.
If I were to input my own recipe of teacher education, I would suggest that theory and educational reflection remain within credential programs. They are important to understanding the system in which teachers operate in and allow for creativity and avenues of progress. However, I believe that much of this can be spread through professional development later in a career. For young teachers, it would benefit them greatly to have more practical strategies during or before reaching the inside of a classroom. Granted having a master teacher and parallel experience from the very beginning as my program does is very helpful, but I think more can be done. As for the concept of improving teachers within the classroom, I agree with Wagner that standards have to be raised. I think an important step in the right direction is his suggestion of a systematic review so that teachers are compelled to keep an ongoing portfolio as well as an investment in their own teaching.
In general, Tony Wagner believes that improved teacher education and continuing development is key for positive change in education and an important cog in the wheel in closing the achievement gap. Specifically with the first idea, he believes that credential programs need to be more practical and rigorous (referring to his definition of "rigor" of course). According to him, too many courses focus too much on theoretical ideas and not enough on actually giving teachers tools and strategies to better help students. To borrow his own driver's ed metaphor, memorizing all the parts of a car doesn't help the person learn or demonstrate that they can drive. As for the second idea, Wagner is a big opponent to tenure and states that measly professional development credits every few years are not nearly enough to ensure that teachers remain competent. As a result, he advocates that the bar be raised on standards for teachers and that professional development is made more meaningful, useful, and effective.
As someone who came into my credential program 4 years removed from even a college classroom setting, needless to say I was looking forward to learning tangible tools and strategies that I could implement. Unfortunately, and some of my colleagues would agree, I was left wanting in that department and rather thrust into my student teaching position with little to go off of. That is not to say that my program hasn't given me valuable information - it has certainly made me more aware of ELD strategies, differentiation, and more - but much of it has been a myriad of articles, reading, and theory and has given me little to show for practical ways of teaching my students. As Wagner states in the beginning of this chapter, a big reason why it's so hard for teachers to agree on what the best methods are is that everyone is virtually going off their own self-learned experiences within the classroom. As for how professional development plays out, I have yet to reach that milestone of my young career. However, as much as tenure and relaxed regulations on continuing education would benefit me as a teacher, I agree with Wagner's point of view that it does little to give incentive to teachers to become better at their profession.
If I were to input my own recipe of teacher education, I would suggest that theory and educational reflection remain within credential programs. They are important to understanding the system in which teachers operate in and allow for creativity and avenues of progress. However, I believe that much of this can be spread through professional development later in a career. For young teachers, it would benefit them greatly to have more practical strategies during or before reaching the inside of a classroom. Granted having a master teacher and parallel experience from the very beginning as my program does is very helpful, but I think more can be done. As for the concept of improving teachers within the classroom, I agree with Wagner that standards have to be raised. I think an important step in the right direction is his suggestion of a systematic review so that teachers are compelled to keep an ongoing portfolio as well as an investment in their own teaching.