Blog Post #14

In looking at Mr. Klein's article, Teaching Can Be a Profession, I found myself agreeing with most of his claims, rather than arguing against them. Mr. Klein was asked, "If you could wave a wand and change one thing, what would it be?" He said to professionalize teaching. He would suggests that professionalizing teaching can be accomplished by addressing:

1. Picking from the Best
2. Removing Seniority Distraction
3. Making Radical Changes

In regards to picking from the best, Klein offers that it can be accomplished in three ways. The first thing he would do is provide better training for the teachers. Second, he suggests that we have a new approach for recruiting teachers. Instead of giving anyone the option of the profession, colleges choose from the top third of the graduates. Lastly, we must change how we reward the teachers. Oftentimes, distinctions are made about teachers based on seniority, but really "teachers vary enormously in performance." 

In Mr. Klein's next approach to professionalizing teaching, he addresses removing seniority distraction. He points out that "job security and seniority dictate the way our schools operate." Oftentimes, new and inexperienced teachers are sent to low-income schools to teach the poor kids. While experienced teachers are set up in middle-class communities. So whenever it comes down to lay-offs, the the most recently hired are the first to go, rather than the ineffective teachers. Klein then points out that professionalizing teaching is the guiding hallmark and everything must be realigned to this core principle. Lastly, Klein pulls from a strategy Albert Shanker has to offer. "He recommended doing several things to create a profession including attracting our best students." Shanker also called for giving a "national teacher examination" that examines "mastery of pedagogy and content knowledge." He also called for a internship of one to three years to examine prospective teachers. 

The last approach to professionalizing teaching Mr. Klein takes is making radical changes. He continued to follow Shanker's proposition. He proposed that teachers "establish their own boards to police the profession." Teachers would also be subjected to "merit-based career ladders and would be promoted on specialty exams." He lastly adds, "teachers would abandon their support for mandatory assignment of kids to neighborhood schools in favor of "the greatest possible choice among public schools."'

I find myself agreeing with Klein and Shanker's propositions, more than I find myself disagreeing. In regards to picking from the best, we do need to choose more carefully. Students don't deserve to sit in a classroom of an ineffective teacher.  Students don't get a choice in their teacher, oftentimes. We can prevent this with training and picking from the best out of the top. If we don't start now, how are we supposed to also stop the problems of seniority? Which is another topic I believe Klein addressed well. 

Seniority is a major problem in school systems. Teachers often believe because they have been there the longest, they have a guaranteed job so it doesn't matter the performance they give to their students. We need to change this thinking. Not every new teacher is lost in what they're teaching, so why are they the first ones out of a job? Oftentimes, they try harder than teachers who have been teaching longer than they have. New teachers want to catch up with the ones more experienced, although some aren't as effective even though they are experienced. With Klein's solutions from picking from the best, I feel it can help eliminate the seniority problem. Each step plays on each other and one step can't be accomplished to professionalizing teaching without the other. 

As for radical changes, there is so much potential in what Shanker suggested. Though there could be potential problems, there is potential for problems in everything. No solution is perfect because education and teaching is constantly evolving. But for now, I believe it's a good place to start. 

In the end, changes need to be made. Education is the stepping stone for a students' life. It starts with professionalizing teaching. Without proper teaching and education, how are students' supposed to make it? Let's change now, starting with Klein and Shanker's ideas, because we can only build on the solutions proposed. Change is necessary in education, whether it is radical or simple.