Out of the Doghouse

In August, I wrote about the loss of accreditation for the Central Washington University education program---and the potential impact to Washington schools.

Well, it looks as if CWU is out of the doghouse for now. They are "accredited with conditions," inlcuding improving diversity education and collecting more assessment data. Although the program still has yet to receive its full accreditation, they look to be well on their way. This will help many schools in the state looking to hire teachers in the next several years.

A Certifiably Crazy Idea

A recent opinion piece written by Richard Slettvet, an Edmonds SPED teacher, on Washington state's Pro-Cert Program brings several issues to light.

Professional Certification (ProCert) is a relatively new program that requires teachers who hold initial Washington State Residency Certificates to return to education school for one to two years of additional coursework in such archetypal ed-school activities as reflecting on "their intentional decision-making skills," collegial collaboration, portfolio development and writing professional growth plans.

ProCert does not, it is important to note, include any courses in the pedagogies of reading, math, science, social studies or writing.

Such navel-gazing in lieu of academic rigor is neither new to teacher certification, nor restricted to Washington state. In City Journal, author Heather Mac Donald concluded that the "immutable" dogma of ed schools was "Anything But Knowledge." (Many educators have horror stories of teacher ed that, like sausage-making, are best kept from public view.)

As Sletvett points out, there is no research-based reason to support this program, it is redundant, and serves only to generate funding for universities (and oh, how I love the sausage-making reference).

Ed schools already wield far too much control over Washington's system of public education, with virtual veto power on who even gets to become a teacher, and often limiting entry into the profession to those who demonstrate a politically correct mindset or who are deemed amenable to indoctrination.

Teachers, principals and other administrators all must obtain ed-school consent to qualify for their jobs. Such inbreeding stifles creativity, promotes groupthink and suppresses dissent, and leads to such disasters as the WASL and a set of state learning standards that was graded with an "F" by an independent foundation.

I missed out on having to go through the Pro-Cert process, having moved here prior to the implementation of the requirement. I have watched countless excellent and experienced teachers suffer through this very costly process. Although many of them mentioned that the reflective process could be valuable, I haven't heard anyone remark that moving through the Pro-Cert program made a real difference where it would be most important: the daily work with their students. Perhaps this is one requirement which needs to be set aside.

Teacher Education at CWU

I know that many of the teachers I work with share my sentiments about their preparation to enter this field: it was inadequate. In defense of teacher ed programs, however, I recognize the impossibility to train every teacher for every possible classroom situation. Meanwhile, in many states, a higher ed board sets the number of hours and the course sequence required. Universities have their hands tied if they're limited by these.

The Wenatchee World is reporting that Central Washington University has failed to meet the accreditation standards for two of its educator preparation programs. The reasons are not made clear until the end of the article, where the deficiencies are listed as failing "to meet elements of the accountability standards -- particularly areas relating to maintaining an assessment system for the program and using data for program improvement."

The university plans to appeal this decision. Considering that CWU makes 400 new certificated teachers available to schools each year, the ability for them to continue their programs is vital to districts throughout the state of Washington. Let's hope they get their act together soon.

Who Says the Union Can’t Host a Healthy Debate?

Last month WE Magazine, the official newspaper of the WEA, published a letter from Dwayne Brecto of Grandview chiding the association for their support of the National Board Certification. This month there are 4 responses, 1 in agreement and 3 arguing the other side. I’ll give credit where credit is due—the WEA could have very easily turfed Brecto’s letter and kept to the party line, but they didn’t, and that’s a pleasent level of openness.

I’m very publicly on record as being anti-NBPTS, because I’ve never heard a completely convincing argument for the merits of the Certification, and it seems odd for the association to be pushing so hard and using our dues monies to promote a program that benefits so few teachers in Washington. One comment from the magazine sticks out to me:

Between the sate grant opportunities and professional growth grants provided by my district, I paid nothing but sweat, tears and time away from my family to gain my national board certificate.

The NBPTS says that the process takes between 200 and 400 hours; the cost involved is better than $2000. You might get the money piece covered, but some of us don’t want to have to spend that much more time away from our families working on the job.

That, then, is the inequity of the National Board—if you have young children, if you have family commitments, if you’re already committed to your school on the most visceral level, then you’re not going to have the time without taking away from other areas. I’d rather the WEA take the money that they’re spending on National Board certification and push it into something more worthwhile, like finding some sort of real direction for Take the Lead.

I hope that the conversation continues.

increased stipend equals increased National Board enrollment

As I've noted elsewhere, $5,000 certainly sweetens the prospect of enduring an extra 200-400 hours of work in the National Board certification program. Turns out there are a lot of other Washington teachers (blog title!) like me:

Teachers pay $2,500 to go through the certification process, a yearlong evaluation that measures their teaching skills against national standards.

In Washington, $1,250 scholarships are available. By the May 15 scholarship deadline, more than 1,200 teachers had applied — up from 500 who apply in a typical year, state officials said.

Last Saturday I attended the orientation for PLU's Professional Development program, which helps teachers work through the process, and am starting to assemble documentation of my work as a professional in a learning community.

They'd better count blogging.