School Restructuring

Technology and the Future of Work: “Crisis of U.S. Education”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

This short document summarizes Al Shanker's speech to the Stanford University conference. He focused on the need to restructure traditional school and look for different models of education. He compared schools to an assembly line factory, but argues that students should be conceived of as workers rather than as products. Shanker cites schools in Germany that have implemented different educational models and urges American school systems to do the same.

Address at Wake Forest University: “Revolution that is Overdue”

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:29:11 -0500

Al Shanker states that the last three years since the “Nation at Risk Report” was published have seen education reform legislation passed in many states. He notes that businesses threatened to leave states if education did not improve. Yet, Shanker believes that this reform has not been successful. He finds it ironic that businesses called similar measures 'over-regulation' when they applied to industry but legislators call it reform in education. Shanker notes that the public still has a negative view of public education and that vouchers and tuition tax credits are not a good solution. read more »

AFT Detroit Regional Conference Albert Shanker Address and Press Conference, 1985

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:31:03 -0400

During this lengthy press conference, Al Shanker focuses on professionalization of teaching. He states that the push for tuition tax credits and vouchers threatens the public education system, and he urges the field to look at itself critically and, much like the automobile industry, figure out how to restructure in order to survive. The teachers' unions need offer more than good contracts and higher salaries. Teachers want dignity and respect, and unions must be involved in bringing professional recognition to the field. Shanker notes the coming teacher shortage and comments that if teachers were treated with more professional respect, the retention rate would be higher, and better applicants could be recruited. He acknowledges that the public is right to mistrust the education system right now. In order to earn public trust and professional respect, teachers should submit to higher standards and pass a rigorous entry exam. He also sees a need for teachers to interact more with colleagues. He cites a program in Toledo where a group of outstanding teachers has been removed from the classroom for three years to work with new hires and to recommend tenure decisions. He further suggests that teachers should be involved in textbook selection. Shanker argues that teachers should be intimately involved in restructuring school and implementing education reform. Finally, Shanker urges teachers to do more than criticize the current state of affairs. He argues that developing a positive vision will help gain public support. A question and answer session followed Shanker's speech. Many questions asked for more details on the proposed teacher examination. Shanker expounded and described a three part exam that would test subject specialty, child psychology, and pedagogy and would include an internship. He does not believe that current teachers should be tested. Another audience member questioned how legislators can help professionalize teaching? Shanker responded that the whole point would be for legislators to be less involved. Other professions, he notes, do not have long laws mandating every last detail. If anything, he asserts, legislators should loosen restrictions and give teachers more responsibility. Shanker then responds to why the NEA does not support his call for a teacher examination, and in doing so, gives more details about his proposal. He argues for more resources to be given to early grades, and he argues for restructuring the typical school model.

Building and Construction Trades Department Convention

jhelpap — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:47:45 -0400

In this speech at the 66th annual Building and Construction Trades Department, Feldman addresses the relationship between the American Federation of Teachers and the Building and Construction Trades. Most of all, she addresses the issue of re-building America's schools; making sure that all schools are a safe and clean environment for all children to attend.

california english: “Improving Our Schools: Drastic Change or Fine Tuning? An Interview with Albert Shanker”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker answers Berkeley Education Professor Ken Lane's questions about education reform. Shanker believes that the recent focus on reform is good, but he thinks that not enough is being done to enact change. He states that recent efforts at reform change only slightly the way education has worked for years. Instead, Shanker calls for a drastic overhaul of the entire educational model. He says we need to engage students in ways other than reading and listening, noting that different students learn differently. read more »

Commonwealth Magazine: “What Schools Should—and Shouldn't—Learn From Markets”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

In this article from the Commonwealth Club of California's publication, Al Shanker discusses the need for schools to develop incentive systems that work to motivate both students and teachers. He sees lessons in corporate capitalism and in foreign education systems. He argues that gaining entrance into college should be more difficult and that employers should consider high school performance in hiring decisions. This would encourage students to work harder. read more »

Corporate Educational Endeavors: What will Ensure Education Reform a Teacher/Union Leader's Perspective

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker cites the corporate model as one that might help restructure and re-conceive public education. Profits and other incentives encourage corporations to change their practices to achieve the desired bottom line. With education, however, Shanker argues that innovation has been discouraged despite the failure to educate students. Further, Shanker argues that colleges should hold students to higher standards, and employers should consider high school performance in hiring so as to encourage high school students to work harder. He also argues that teachers should be given incentives too. read more »

Education Leadership: “On Restructuring Schools: A Conversation with Al Shanker”

jruss — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:21:18 -0500

Al Shanker answers questions about his vision of how schools need to change. He thinks that a new system of incentives must be developed to encourage educators to take charge of their own school reform efforts. Shanker believes that one aspect of restructuring involves different roles for teachers. He also sees a role for technology and speaks of creating a national lesson plan database. Shanker also discusses the role legislators have played in school reform.

Little Rock Economic Conference

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

In this brief speech, Al Shanker discusses with then President-Elect Bill Clinton and Vice President-Elect Al Gore some of the challenges facing American education. He states that standards have been lowered to the point that high school diplomas are virtually meaningless. He compares the U.S. to other countries that have higher standards and also treat other problems differently. He notes that many European countries have early childhood education programs, and he advocates for a national day care program in the U.S. read more »

Marjorie Kovler Lecture Series, University of Chicago

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker begins with his personal history and the changes in schools and the educational system he has witnessed. He also discusses the history of teachers' unions. He acknowledges the problems present in schools, and he says that teachers need three things: higher salaries, smaller classes, and more time during the day to grade work and to interact with colleagues. Shanker states, however, that teachers probably will not receive these because of the high cost and not enough personnel. Shanker then addresses what students need. read more »

Rochester Teacher Association Leadership Conference

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker applauds the Rochester Teacher Association for its efforts to collaborate with school administration to reform education. He tells the members that they are embarking on new territory and that there are no easy answers he or anyone else can provide them. He compares it to the campaign to unionize teachers in the 1960s. Shanker also addresses whether collaborating with administration is really the role of a union. He asserts it is because the interests of its members are still in mind, and only teachers have the expertise to begin to tackle this problem. read more »

School/College Collaboration: Teaching At-Risk Youth

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:53:14 -0500

Al Shanker describes the need for experimentation with the structure and organization of education. He cites a school in Germany that has drastically restructured the way it educates, grouping children with one team of teachers from fifth grade through age nineteen. Collaborative learning is the focus of classwork, and no substitute teachers are ever hired. Shanker further cites research that says that of all the ways to learn material, listening is the least effective, yet we ask students to sit and listen to the teacher all day long. read more »

Shavano Institute Conference: “Defining the Risks: Diagnoses and Cures”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker begins by commenting on government funding to education. He notes that there has been an increase in funding, but he questions whether this has really changed educational results. He says that incentives besides money need to be developed in order to retain good teachers. Next, he turns to the main topic of his talk: whether the nation is still at risk, referring to a 1983 government report “A Nation at Risk.” Shanker answers affirmatively that the nation is indeed still at risk, citing a recent report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). read more »

The Colorado Forum

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:39:57 -0500

This document summarizes Al Shanker's presentation to The Forum and the subsequent question and answer session. Shanker calls for a restructuring of the educational system. He questions the effectiveness of the current model whereby students are required to sit in a chair and listen for hours. He cites an experimental school in Germany that changes this model. In this German school, students are grouped and then eight teachers stay with the group from fifth grade through the age of nineteen. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively to come up with creative answers. read more »

The Quality of American Education

jhelpap — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:10:23 -0400

In this speech, Selden addresses the purpose of education and the quality of education in American schools.