In the News
“While nearly everyone agrees that teachers are important to society, teachers in this country don’t get much respect,” writes John Ewing, MƒA President, in his new opinion piece published in the Huffington Post. But what can we do about it? In his post, Dr. Ewing shows how many education organizations and initiatives miss the mark in raising the prestige of teachers. He offers another solution:
“Find teachers who don’t need fixing. Select them carefully, not shallow criteria like test scores, but by meaningful criteria like content knowledge, craft (pedagogy), and understanding of students. Find teachers who are experts, but who are also eager to improve, not because somebody tells them to, but because it’s in their professional character. These are “Master Teachers” who deserve the name.”
Ewing details the MƒA Master Teacher model program, which creates a supportive community of outstanding STEM educators who participate in teacher-designed professional growth experiences, and highlights its impact:
“Here is the most important part: The teachers are in control. They make their own choices about their own professional growth – which workshops they attend, whether they want to focus on craft or content, or how they bring this back to their schools.” […]
“The good news is that programs like these already exist for more than 2,000 math and science teachers in New York City, the rest of New York State, and several other cities across the nation. They are thriving. They work. Master Teachers in NYC are less than half as likely to leave the profession as other similar teachers. Teachers are enthusiastic and engaged. They change the culture of their schools. They inspire their students. And they feel respected!”
Read more about how we must make these programs part of our education infrastructure across the nation in “Respect, Trust, and Master Teachers.”