Bennett to announce proposals to improve teacher quality
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett will announce recommended changes in teacher licensing to improve teacher quality and increase flexibility for administrators. The changes will be presented to the Indiana Professional Standards Board at their meeting at 1:00 pm Wednesday.
WHO: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett
WHAT: Recommended changes to the Professional Standards Board to improve teacher quality
WHEN: Wednesday, July 29 at 11:30 am
WHERE: Superintendent’s Office, Room 228, Statehouse
What would you like to see changed?
I would like administrators required to teach at least one class a day and the abuse of limited licenses for unlicensed teacher must stop. The original intent has been abused and it frequently is now used to get someone eligible to coach but in the meantime to pretend like they are working on certification in a shortage area. Special Education seems to be ripe for the picking here.
ReplyDeleteAt the secondary level, allow Science and Social Studies teachers to teach ONE class outside of their licensing areas (still within Science or Social Studies, though). So, a Social Studies teacher who is licensed to teach U.S. History, Government, and Geography would be allowed to teach ONE course a year outside of those -- so he/she could pick up a single World History class. That would allow for more flexibility at the building level when it comes to scheduling. You could reduce some class sizes and potentially offer more electives. Same thing for Science -- someone who is a licensed Science teacher but is NOT licensed specifically to teach Biology could still teach one Biology class a year.
ReplyDeleteDuring the internship year, make it MANDATORY for every new teacher to have a mentor in his/her area, even if it means going out of the building one day a week. I have seen too many new teachers with mentors who knew nothing about their area. I have seen awful relationships because the mentor was not able to be of assistance to the new teacher because the teacher was SPED and the mentor was a media specialist. My first principal, Eileen " Cruella DeVille" Champagne set me up for failure by assigning a guidance counselor who admitted to me she knew nothing about my area.
ReplyDeleteThe best qualified teachers in the world would have difficulty teaching in the atmosphere of abuse, intimidation, and neglect that has been created by Eugene White....so while I am for improving the qualifications, it will do no good unless there are supportive understanding administrators who allow teachers to do their jobs.
ReplyDeleteLove your description of Eileen, she is truly a master at setting you up for failure. I, too, had firsthand experience. Like several administrators she proved to have very little knowledge how to run a school.
ReplyDeleteWhen they have tried everything known to man to "fix" teachers, do you think they'll figure out that teachers are not the main problem?
ReplyDeleteIPS should encourage teachers to become National Board Certified. I never read anything about IPS promoting this avenue as a measure of improving teacher quality.
ReplyDeleteMany other states and individual districts actively encourage their teachers to become National Board Certified and reward them with setting up the teacher salary scale to include up to $5000 more in base pay. Initially, the teacher must pay to enter this program, but the teacher is reimbursed by the state or district upon successful completion.
Yes, the program is extremely rigorous; however, if a teacher can meet this rigorous criteria, he/she surely has reached a level of quality that is to be commended.
Great News....IPS administration has block this web site from IPS computers. Eugene White must really be paranoid and worried to have that done.
ReplyDeleteRe: National Board Certified Teachers
ReplyDeleteBoth of the below Bills died in the House back in 2003.
_______________________________________________
HB 1159 Teacher Certification Incentives
Author/Co-Authors: Porter
(Education)
Specifies a goal that by the year 2020 there will be at least one teacher who is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (national board) in every public school in Indiana. Establishes the teachers' national board certification incentive fund for purposes of: (1) funding stipends of $200 per day for two days for teachers preparing for national board certification; (2) reimbursing 75% of the national board certification fee; (3) funding stipends for national board certified teachers who serve as mentors to other teachers; (4) reimbursing school corporations for the cost of paying teachers who have attained national board certification as of July 1, 2003, or thereafter an annual salary supplement of $2,000 for the life of the certificate; and (5) reimbursing school corporations for the cost of persons who serve as substitute teachers for national board certification candidates. Requires a school corporation to allow a teacher pursuing national board certification at least five days of released time during the school year.
2/18/03 DP 10-0
2/24/03 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127
2/24/03 Representative Austin added as coauthor
2/24/03 Representative Austin added as coauthor
HB 1160 Teacher Certification Fees and Incentives
Author/Co-Authors: Porter
(Education)
Provides that the Department of Education shall each year pay the certification fees for up to 2,000 teachers who participate in the certification process offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Provides a national board certification incentive grant to school corporations of $5,000 for each teacher employed by a school corporation who holds a valid certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who is a classroom teacher.
Anonymous said...July 28, 2009 2:25 PMGreat News....IPS administration has block this web site from IPS computers. Eugene White must really be paranoid and worried to have that done.
ReplyDeleteoḳ Dṛ White did not have the blog blocked in a fit of paranoiạ. I never figured my fellow educators would jump to such a stupid conclusioṇ. Blogs are blocked because they have no place in the workplace or in the classroom. Get over yourself. I shudder to think you and I are equaIIy qualified to mold young minds. You should keep your mouth shut. You are the reason we get crapped on so much.
Re: July 28, 2009 4:10 PM
ReplyDeleteThanks. The IT Department blocks certain websites that might include 'adult' materials, etc. Blogs are included among blocked websites on all IPS servers.
Anon 4:10 P.M.
ReplyDeleteTake a chill pill. Instead of being someone qualified to mold young minds, you sound molded. Go get some or if you are a central office secondary education "click chick" go lick something....
People! ANYONE can access this board and I really believe this board is making teachers look worse than it's making administrators look. Seriously, go through this blog as if you were a concerned citizen, a parent, or teacher from another district. Despite many insightful, intelligent comments, what would likely stand out is the lack of professionalism. I would imagine most people are reading this and thinking, "no wonder IPS is such a cluster**** of incomptence."
ReplyDeleteRE: July 28, 2009 4:26 PM
ReplyDeleteLet's focus on the task at hand with this blogsite. The task is not to argue among ourselves, not to pit one teacher against another, and not to slam our fellow teachers.
Our task on this blog is to shine the light of truth into that dark closet of IPS secrets that ultimately holds the entire school corporation hostage. Keep focused on our task. Do not digress into petty personal disagreements among the teaching ranks.
United we stand; divided we fall.
You know if IPS is such a bad place get a job in another district! Oh wait many of the posters on this blog could not. Outside education many people diversify and change jobs all of the time. In education many teachers lean on the union and do not do anything to adapt and be able to look for other jobs!
ReplyDeleteRE: July 28, 2009 4:44 PM
ReplyDeleteI am the author of that comment. After several years as a member of IEA (the union), I decided I no longer wished to be associated with that particular group.
I'll do my job to the best of my ability and will not worry about petty grievances, will not concern myself with how many preps another teacher has, will not fret if my principal does not like me as a personal friend, will not spend my precious time talking about my fellow teachers, will not feel I'm entitled to a raise when my next door neighbors have lost their jobs, will not gripe about my health insurance premiums when others around me have no health insurance, and will not object when I'm held accountable for my students' progress in moving toward mastery of Indiana educational standards.
Teaching is a profession; not a blue collar assembly line job. We are professionals. Let's not forget that. Hold your head high, be proud of your profession. conduct yourself as a professional, dress like a professional, speak like a professional, and ultimately you will be treated as a professional.
5:42 -- I could not agree with you more!
ReplyDeleteJuly 28, 2009 5:42 PM Thank you for your return to reality. I sincerely hope you continue to keep your act and comments clean. I am most definitely not associated with the central office click and I did NOT deserve such a demeaning remark. I was simply trying to shed some light on how we look to those who try to hold the good ones down in effort to hold on to positions they do not deserve.
ReplyDeleteIndianapolis Public Schools is not the only school in this nation that is facing these problems. The whole country is in trouble with education. Why?
ReplyDeleteMy advice to people who want to go into education is DON'T do it. The public looks down on teachers and labels us worthless. It's hard to take it sometimes, when you know in your heart you are doing your best.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:10...besides being rude, ignorant and an obvious Ed. Center plant...I am able to access other blogs on my lunch or before or after school. This site as well as "porn" sites are blocked. I have no objection to the porn sites being blocked but I think this site being blocked shows the mindset of the Ed Center which your disprectful response just reinforces.
ReplyDeleteRe: comment from 7:09 PM
ReplyDeletePlease remember that we can't access home email from school either. It's not unusual for businesses to block certain websites. Whether we like it or not, what we access via our Internet workplace server is not our decision. When I'm home, I can access whatever I please because I'm paying for that service; whereas, when I'm at work, my Internet access is paid for by my business whether it's a private sector job or a public sector job. I call my shots at home; my business calls my shots at work. No, I'm not a central office 'plant'. I'm a teacher in IPS. I can blog to my heart's content from the privacy of my home computer. So can you and the rest of us.
7:09 p.m. said: "I think this site being blocked shows the mindset of the Ed Center which your disprectful response just reinforces."
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the reasons we get jacked by the media. Bl0ogs are "blocked by IPS' IT Department As an Ed Center employee, all Blogs are bhlocked, xstupid fool.
anon 10:00pm ...with language usage like "stupid fool" you are definitely an Ed Center lackey Obviously you did not read the earlier posts as other blogs are not blocked. Shame!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBlogs are wonderful educational tools, you can really get kids to write if you let them blog, and blogspot blogs are free, I know several teachers who have created blogs to keep parents informed about class activities. Also if you are the owner of a blog it is much easier to edit your posts, correct spelling, punctuation, etc. As a poster you don't seem to have this option.
ReplyDeleteHang tough people. I appreciate this blog and know that others "feel my pain." Of course we must show professionalism. I am proud to work at IPS because I know you people are here because you want to teach and you understand the trials and tribulations we face. I taught in other districts and saw WORSE stuff than what we get accused of NEVER hit the media. I learned what nepotism was in other districts. Seems that our district and our profession is the only one getting attacked and under a microscope at times. When I moved here from another city people told me to stay away from IPS. They were WRONG! We have problems but we are there for the kids (and the families to some degree). Those NOT in a classroom but calling the shots are clueless. We WILL survive. Keep the faith...keep the blog.
ReplyDeleteA look at the proposed changes by Tony Bennett:
ReplyDelete(copied from today's Indy Star)
» Teachers no longer would be required to take university courses as professional development to renew their licenses. Classes offered by school districts would count.
» Nonteachers could become teachers without going through a school of education by taking a curriculum offered by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.
» Teachers could add areas of specialty by taking a test rather than taking more courses.
» Any teacher could become a principal after passing a leadership test.
» Anyone with a master's degree in any subject could become a superintendent by passing a leadership test.
I'll do my job to the best of my ability and will not worry about petty grievances, will not concern myself with how many preps another teacher has, will not fret if my principal does not like me as a personal friend, will not spend my precious time talking about my fellow teachers, will not feel I'm entitled to a raise when my next door neighbors have lost their jobs, will not gripe about my health insurance premiums when others around me have no health insurance, and will not object when I'm held accountable for my students' progress in moving toward mastery of Indiana educational standards.
ReplyDeleteTeaching is a profession; not a blue collar assembly line job. We are professionals. Let's not forget that. Hold your head high, be proud of your profession. conduct yourself as a professional, dress like a professional, speak like a professional, and ultimately you will be treated as a professional.
Well said!
Oh, no way on teachers simply passing a "leadership" test. In fact they should do away with people with masters degrees only needing to take a few classes to become an administrator. A good part of our problem is lots of our principals were not correctly prepared for their jobs. Rethink that one Tony.
ReplyDelete