New Partnership

KDSL has partnered with the Center for Educational Improvement.  For more information please visit http://www.edimprovement.org/about-us/.

Gates Foundation Focuses on Teacher Quality

”It really is about an effective teacher for every student every year of their school career,” said Vicki Phillips, director of the foundation’s K-12 education program. ”If we did that, we would make the kind of progress that we have all long dreamed about in this country.”

 

To read the entire article click here http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/19/us/AP-US-Gates-Foundation-Teacher-Quality.html?_r=1.

Schools Need Teachers Like Me. I Just Can Stay.

Schools Need Teachers Like Me. I Just Can’t Stay.

By Sarah Fine

Sunday, August 9, 2009

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080702046.html

Recently I read the article above and was quite perturbed after being a teacher and consultant for ten years. I am not from Teach for America or a Teaching Fellow Program and did not have a long line of educators in my family. I am not from an Ivy League background, did not enter the field feeling like I needed to “save the children”, or give back. Teaching is a calling and when I was called I accepted. This calling occurred in 1995 while working at a Lansing Public School with a group of first and second graders who struggled with mathematics.  When I was able to see their smiling faces due to learning addition and subtraction through an interactive game I rejoiced too.  My moment of obligation to work in education began before applying and being accepted into Michigan State University’s number one rated and highly competitive education program in 1996. Yes, some were shocked since I was pre-law and now added elementary education into my studies. Never did I defend my calling or purpose to them. I never felt (still today) the need to explain this to people. They can think what they want to think-they are going to anyway with or without my help.  One of my favorite quotes by T.D. Jakes says “Don’t allow other people to breathe their plans on you.”

Entering the field of education has been a door to many opportunities. I have been able to travel the world teaching and consulting, start my own business, work on a variety of projects, and gain a more global sense of education. All of this exposure and these experiences feed back into the work I do-whether in Washington, D.C. or Dubai.  Also, I have ventured out of the classroom and back into the classroom since I am an educator first. My work has been in the suburbs and urban areas, public and private industries, and with international and charter schools. So this is how I keep the flame burning instead of being burned out. Education is always changing and evolving. Educators must change and evolve as well. Policies change, presidents change, priorities change, students change, passions change.   

So why am I staying? There is much work to be done.

-Literacy rates worldwide are not where they should be

-Many teachers in developing countries are beginning education reform work and highly skilled educators are working as coaches and mentors

-A new teacher just started in the field and needs a top notch mentor

-I have two mentees in the field of education. One just started and one is about to finish his education administration degree

-Students need GREAT teachers

-Education is about more than the classroom

-Committed males in education are rare

-I am where I am today because of education and teachers

 

 Schools Needs Teachers Like Me. I Just Can Stay.

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Learning Leaders…. What book did you read, are you reading now, or are you going to read this year?

Currently, I am reading the book Be Bold: Create a Career with Impact.  This is a publication of Echoing Green. At my wife’s place of work at The Corps Network in Washington, D.C. they engage in reading and book discussions every other month.  When I heard the title Be Bold I knew I must look this book up just to find out what it was about.  So far it is about finding your and pursuing your passion. It got me to thinking do we do this as educators? That us engage in reading and book discussions. If so, how often? What do we read? Who do we share what we read with? How does what we read impact our  day to day work? Relationships?

So I ask Learning Leaders … What book did you read, are you reading now, or are you going to read this year?