Teacher Evaluation

Instructor: “Futrell & Shanker Face Off”

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:22:13 -0500

NEA president Mary Futrell and Al Shanker discuss a wide variety of education topics including the need to focus on elementary schools to ensure that students learn basic skills and are not promoted without gaining literacy; the potential for a merger between NEA and AFT; teacher salaries and teacher recruitment; teacher evaluation and teacher standards; professionalization of teaching; and restructuring the educational system.

National Press Club Speech – Proposes the Creation of a National Examination for Beginning Teachers

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:40 -0500

Al Shanker advocates that a national teachers' examination be developed and implemented. He insists that current examinations are not rigorous enough, nor are they nationally administered. He acknowledges that the teacher shortage presents an obstacle to this plan, but insists it is necessary anyway. He believes that an independent group of educational experts, possibly appointed by some government officials, but not overseen by the government, would develop the test. read more »

The Macneil-Lehrer Report: Grading Teachers

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:27:17 -0500

Al Shanker is interviewed along with Paul Salmon, head of the American Association of School Administrators, and Virginia Koehler, from Parents United for Full Funding, a parent group in Washington, D.C. The topic is merit pay for teachers. Koehler is in favor of tying teacher evaluations to merit pay, and is pushing for a measure to enact this. Shanker discusses why he thinks merit pay won't work, arguing that what teachers really need to improve the quality of education is greater support. Salmon agrees with Shanker for the most part, but sees some benefits to merit pay.