Columnists

No, I’m not running for anything, but that all-American atmosphere of anything-fried-on-a-stick along with baby-kissing, hand-shaking politicians got me thinking about what I would say to the candidates if I could have a few minutes of their time away from the crowds.So like any good educator, I did my homework. I heard candidates’ speeches and listened to reactions. I went to the candidates’ websites in search of detailed position statements and noticed that only one or two even mention education, albeit in the context of a politically vague phrase like “improve opportunity” — or if they are giving away free college tuition, always a winner with young voters.

Aubrey Bach, PayScale’s Senior Editorial Manager, sat down to talk about their most recent reports informing the position of teaching and the return on investment (ROI) college students receive from their university experience. Bach also talks about upcoming studies and she discusses the results of the most and least meaningful jobs in the U.S survey recently released by PayScale. 

Teach For America (TFA) has faced criticism in recent years. Brewer and Greene recommend collaboration with TFA for school districts.

Dr. Cheryl Sattler has 20 years’ experience in federal education policy and practice, specializing in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Sattler penned Let’s Talk Title I: Everything You Need to Know and Do as an Administrator to assist school-based leadership navigate Title I.Dr. Sattler and Dr. John H. Lockwood founded ETHICA, providing educational consulting services specializing in federal programs and evaluation.

C omedy Central comedians Key and Peele recently did a sketch that has gone viral, especially among my educator colleagues. It’s a parody of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that begs the question, “What if we treated teachers like star athletes?”In the video, “TeachingCenter” comes on the air with the kind of intense graphics fans see on SportsCenter. But instead of coverage of LeBron’s latest performance or the Mets’ winning streak, the action focuses on “star teachers.” The opening segment tells us about star English teacher Ruby Ruhf, who’s taking her talents “back to New York City” for an $80 million contract, with $40 million in bonuses based on students’ test scores . (Ouch, that last part hits a nerve. But that’s an article for another day.)While SAT and ACT outcomes scroll across the bottom of the screen like they are college football final scores, fast forward to the next segment, the “Teacher Draft.”The highly-coveted first pick is Mike Yoast, a Calculus teacher out of Tulsa Teachers College. “Just like that, you’re a millionaire,” quips Teaching Center anchor Perry Schmidt (a.k.a. Jordan Peele).You can watch the video here on Comedy Central’s website.I’m both a sports fan and a comedy fan, and this video is really funny. I’d rate it as comic genius, in fact.What’s sad, though, is that it’s funny because it’s so far from reality.But I’m not here to complain about low pay, long hours and lack of respect, all facts of life for many in the teaching profession.I’m here to take “Teaching Center” a step further.What if teachers were not only drafted and paid millions, but what if they were truly idolized like athletes? What if students wore jerseys with star teachers’ names on them and had giant posters of their teaching idols on their bedroom walls?What if students stood in long lines before class just to get a teacher’s autograph?What if fantasy sports fans held drafts for their favorite teachers and watched with interest to see what their picks did every week?What if the person most responsible for teaching you to read, arguably the single most important skill of your life, was treated with the same reverence as your favorite forward who sinks a 3-point shot at the buzzer?That in itself could redefine the term “game changer.” And when you think about it, if we worship athletes for their physical abilities, why shouldn’t teachers be revered for their knowledge and for “performing” as the true heroes that many are? Don’t teachers deserve more credit for the long-term impact they have on the lives of others?Maybe elevating the status of teachers to hero-worship levels is not an unreasonable premise.The reality, though, is that as valuable as they are, good teachers are likely to shun the spotlight. Unlike the star athlete who thrives on individual glory, the star teacher revels in his or her students’ success. Only when the student “wins” does the teacher get to spike the ball or do a victory dance, figuratively speaking.Educators score their greatest achievements by empowering someone else. How many other professions can say that?Maybe the disconnect that’s at the core of “Teaching Center” is that even if society revered teachers for their profound contributions, these teachers probably wouldn’t take much of the credit. They wouldn’t call press conferences and star in car commercials. They’d continue to focus on “their kids” and tell the public what a great group of students they have.The reverence? Sure, we educators will take it. The credit? Star teachers I know would probably shine the spotlight on the students whose lives they help to improve forever, something immeasurable in terms of recognition or celebrity.And as for the $80 million? Well, let’s talk…The opinions expressed here are solely those of Donna Krache.

ASCD Faculty member Eric Carbaugh talks about Flipped Learning and provides an updated definition of what it is and is not. Carbaugh started his work in higher education as a teaching assistant for Carol Tomlinson at the University of Virginia. Currently, he serves as an assistant professor of middle, secondary, and math education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Emily Davis, ASCD Emerging Leader, is the New Teacher Center Program Director, Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley New Teacher Project. Davis is also the author of Making Mentoring Work. Davis stalks about her work and the topics currently driving education. Summary of Making Mentoring Work (published by Rowman and Littlefield): Making Mentoring Work is a practical guide for school leaders interested in beginning or enhancing their mentoring programs for new teachers. Readers can use the mentoring program rubric to pre-assess their program and then choose the chapters that correspond to areas of growth. Each chapter provides background research as well as practical steps and tools to make mentoring work in a school environment. At the end of each section, readers will find discussion guides that support program leaders in making the next steps; organizing conversations with stakeholders that will transform and streamline new teacher support programs; and increase new teacher retention and practice.

When the the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was passed, until 1979 when it was amended, (creating the U.S. Department of Education)

P ete Hall, ASCD Faculty member and author, talks about the role reflection plays in ones’ professional development and effectiveness in the classroom. Hall also reminisces about his path from educator to award winning administrator and the impact those experiences have had on his current efforts to support the field.Hall is the former principal of Shaw Middle School, a Title I school in Spokane (Washington) Public Schools. After a teaching career that spanned three states and included primary, intermediate, and middle school positions, Hall served as principal of Anderson Elementary School in Reno, Nevada.When he took over Anderson Elementary in 2002, it was one of the only schools in Nevada to have failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for four consecutive years. Two short years later, it was the only Title I school in the state of Nevada to earn a “high-achieving” designation.Hall teaches the capacity-building model of professional development. This emphasizes three things― identifying teachers’ strengths, maximizing their potential, and building their capacity―as a gateway to enhanced student achievement.Hall’s ASCD books, both co-authored with Alisa Simeral, are: Building Teachers’ Capacity for Success: A Collaborative Approach for Coaches and School Leaders (2008) and Teach, Reflect, Learn: Building Your Capacity for Success in the Classroom, released in April 2015.