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DISMANTLING A BROKEN SYSTEM
circulate through the classroom and collect data, and how to introduce new material and make lessons stick. Bottom line: high-quality teaching all starts with high-quality teacher preparation.
How to Make Change
Generally, countries with strong education systems share the following traits (DarlingHammond & Lieberman, 2012). • A universal understanding of what good teaching looks like • A sophisticated and advanced teaching corps with near-universal advanceddegree holdings • Fully subsidized teacher preparatory programs that promote quality teaching and include extended paid teacher residencies • Competitive salaries for teachers, on par with those of other professionals with advanced degrees Along those lines, the following actions, explained in the following sections, explore how educators can make progress in classrooms and districts to address systemic inequities and racial injustices. These are not comprehensive or exhaustive, but they are starting points to create conversations and inspire action. • Improve teacher residency programs. • Ensure practice-based teacher preparation in authentic environments. • Diversify the teacher pipeline. • Incentivize becoming a teacher. • Have teachers learn more about the communities they serve. Improve Teacher Residency Programs
For far too many teachers, particularly those in under-resourced districts, schools provide new hires with insufficient on-ramping. Many teachers, myself included, pass a few tests, get a certification that allows them to teach while taking classes at night, and are thrown into a classroom. This system sets up teachers, schools, and most importantly, students and families for a lower-quality educational experience. The system doesn’t have to work this way—particularly considering that the U.S. Department of
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It is common to look to worldwide education leaders to plot a course for American education reform. But there’s a problem with this approach. America’s size, heterogeneity, state-controlled education, and history prevent it from being able to simply emulate another country’s education system. However, while the United States cannot magically transform its education system, there are specific best practices that districts and schools can adopt to make their education more equitable and just.
