beamish, nauseating, defensive

On Teacher Quality and the Question of Education

Long term teachers are the most effective in that they are experienced and established. I have no doubt that long term teachers are better at what they do—they’ve spent years learning how to do it, and many have mastered the craft. Unfortunately, we don’t have as many as we need to. If there is any way to encourage veteran teachers to stay in high-needs areas, I’m all ears. Unfortunately, the situation now is that we have a teacher shortage, one that needs to be dealt with immediately.
I agree with Berry’s criticisms of TFA. I would even go so far as to say that TFA provides less adequate preparation than MTC does, setting unrealistic goals, promoting rampant idealism, and being slightly imperialistic in nature. Although TFA teachers are well educated (and presumably bright), their background in no way prepares them for teaching anywhere, let alone in high-needs areas. By the time they’ve finally figured out what they’re doing, they’ll be gone, off to law school or a doctorate program, their resume nicely fattened by the social work they’ve done. One could argue that these “young adult” teachers are calculating mercenaries, spending two years as martyrs in order to eventually reap status and prestige. It’s a sort of finishing school for rich kids, I’ve heard local teachers at my school argue, and I find myself hard pressed to disagree.
All that aside, I believe that TFA and MTC are extremely beneficial, and Berry is selling them short. Yes, student scores are low. They already were. What Berry forgets is that these teachers are here because nobody else was available. They’re responding to a critical need, they’re solving the crisis of a teacher shortage. They’re—we’re—teaching the kids that no one else will. And, considering what we have to deal with, we’re doing our best, with all the cards stacked against us.
Whatever Berry may say about young two-year teachers, we’re better than nothing, which, as far as I can see, is the only immediate alternative. We’re here and we’re trying hard. We make mistakes, and we’re misguided, but we have energy, and the desire to affect change, to right social injustice, one child at a time. If nothing else, I think our presence in these schools is unintentionally educational. Our students, many of whom have never left the Delta, are exposed to people from a different culture. They’re exposed to a different way of speaking, a different world view. This experience gives students a glimpse of the world outside the Delta, reminds them that there is an outside world. This is something many other teachers can’t do. Our students are being educated, if only by watching us and observing us every day. This cultural enrichment is something that might open their minds, encourage them to consider the world in a different way. In this respect, for this purpose, we may be more qualified than anyone else.
There’s one more thing to consider, although it certainly shouldn’t take priority over the education of the students. Our students aren’t the only ones being educated. These bright young minds may not stay in teaching, but many of us will go on to be influential, leaders in whatever field we choose. Many of us have been sheltered, but now we are being educated, and our experience of teaching here will influence the choices we make, the values and priorities we have, and the way we decide to run the world. Ultimately, this might have the most influence, if fifteen years down the road, on public education, and on the kids of the kids who have taught us so much.