The post that follows is a re-blog from Mercedes Schneider’s blog.  It documents yet another step in the corportization of U.S. Education–this one is directed at teacher preparation. Many education deans have signed up and joined a group called the Deans for Impact.  I am curious how many of the teacher education faculty at these schools are onboard.  As Schneider points out, these folks are enamored with using metrics, standardizing teaching, measuring the computer habits of potential teachers, and following graduates after graduation to find how much kids learned from them.  Oh, and of course they will use computerized, wearisome Common Core standardized tests such as PARCC.  Mike Klonsky’s SmallTalk blog has a great piece about the concern that a superintendent of one of the nation’s most affluent school districts has to say about PARCC.  It isn’t very pretty.

Teacher preparation needs to be in the hands of practicing teacher educators, not Deans and former hedge fund managers.  This is no different from our thinking about K-12 education.  Real teaching and learning is created by professional teachers working with colleagues to bring the best and most interesting experiences to their students.  Teacher preparation is no different.

I was very pleased to note that after visiting the Deans for Impact website that Georgia State University, where I am Emeritus Professor of Science Education, was NOT among the list of membership schools.  If I were a faculty member at any of the membership schools, I would be giving the dean a call.

Here is Mercedes Sneider’s blog post: Deans for Impact”: A Potential, “Teacher-prep Charter” Petri Dish?

Benjamin Riley has started a new organization called Deans for Impact. The goal is to streamline teacher preparation to produce ever-higher student test scores. Members agree to be “data driven” and to use “common metrics and assessments.” Why, Deans for Impact are even considering incorporating value-added into their measures of “teacher effectiveness.”

And, oh, yes, member deans agree to be “transparent and accountable.” A bumper sticker for corporate reform. How novel.

Wait– there’s more:

These deans are going to “identify a common understanding of what educators should know and be able to do by the time they finish their training.”

Teacher-prep Common Core?

Sounds like Deans for Impact is decidedly on its way to becoming standardized– the clarion call of all that touches K12 education according to corporate reform.

read more… “Deans for Impact”: A Potential, “Teacher-prep Charter” Petri Dish?.