Notebook Blogger to present Teacher Leadership Institute for Urban Schools
by Samuel Reed III on Aug 02 2011 Posted in Latest news
A summer institute for urban teacher leaders is being hosted this week at
Swarthmore College.
Teacher Leadership for Urban Schools will provide teachers who have been instructors for 3-11 years with an opportunity to:
- Explore the next stage of their career path;
- Experiment with various forms of educational leadership (e.g. conducting action research, mentoring, sharing and collaborating with others within and outside the school and District, moving into administrative positions, and becoming an "entrepreneur").
On Thursday, August 4th, I will participate in the panel "Entrepreneurship in Education."
Are you a teacher who takes risks, tries innovative ideas, and looks to make a big impact in students learning outcomes? If so, you're the type of teacher we would like to feature in an upcoming blog about educators as social entrepreneurs?
You can follow my blog to learn more.
Comments (10)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 13:31.
What is this? since when education became a business? I will open my own business of schooling then.
Submitted by Rich Migliore (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 13:49.
Yes, that was a major issue at the save Our Schools Conference and March -- the corporate attack on our public schools to turn them into bastions of profiteering through educational entrepreneurship.
Everything wrong with Philadelphia's schools is a result of the "entrepreneurship" that is destroying our schools.
Our schools need to be governed and led "in the best interests of our children and school community." They can not be allowed to be run for the best interests of those who wish to profit off of our school children!
The riduculous test taking curriculum and the turning of our schools into "test taking factories" is a direct result of the private entrepreneurs that portend to know how to raise test scores. They don't.
Submitted by Samuel Reed III on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 14:12.
I am not advocating outside carpet baggers leading the way . I want to explore how teachers can practice our own brand of social entrepreneurship and reimagine schools that do serve the best interest of children.
Submitted by Rich Migliore (not verified) on Mon, 08/08/2011 - 20:40.
Hi Sam: I didn't mean to jump on you about the entrepreneurship in education stuff. Actually, I read the Report of The New Commission on the skills of the American Workforce. They advocated for schools as LLC's with the teachers being the stockholders. (In PA LLC's have "members.")
However, that was a commission the Gates foundation supported. The Gates foundation has been under criticsm for subsidizing the privatization of schooling. But then again, I do not really know his motives.
The question is how do you create a governance structure for any organization that will guarantee the guiding principle will be the best interests of the students and the school community?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 20:42.
They know how to cheat and the politicians support their antics--Yes, for the money they all get from ripping off public school money for profit.
Submitted by Samuel Reed III on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 14:08.
I understand there are some tensions between business philosophies and educational philosophies.
The "Entrepreneurship in Education" panel convened at the Teacher Leadership for Urban School explored the reframing of the "bottom line"- not based on profit motives, but based on impact of student engagement.-
The other panelists Christina Rose Dubb ,Volunteer and Excutive Director of the Spells Writing Lab , and Michelle Loucas founder of the The Philadelphia Free School, presented multiple ways of viewing entrepreneurship in education.
I plan to do a series of posts that explore the intersection of teacher innovation, and school reform.
Feel free to share your views on the theme of teachers as entrepreneurs.
Submitted by MS. MATTIE DAVIS (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 14:09.
I applaud you, Mr. Reid, for moving forward during this time of uncertainty.
Submitted by Rich Migliore (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 16:56.
I understand that. The proper balance of public vs. private must be struck. And the apropriate use of private service providers and private organizations is a major issue of education.There are many issues that need to become part of an open and honest public debate. I just have this passion for reminding us that it is supposed to be about the best interests of students and our communities.
As I have said over and over again -- the issues of school governance will never go away. They will only become more urgent. I do not really think that is the focus of Swarthmore College anyway. I think there are a whole lot of good people who are very concerned about the direction education is taking.
And I believe democracy is the purification process for the ills that plague our schools. Everybody needs to have a voice, and everybody needs to be listened to.
While I was slow to really understand it, there are large private interests readying themselves to take over public schools. There are serious issues vital to the teaching profession itself. Everyone must be aware of what is going on.
Most teachers went into the "profession" to serve the students and their school community. It wasn't about getting rich. Teachers only demanded a fair standard of living and a fair sense of security. That is why the "high honor" of the teaching profession must be guarded well.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 20:47.
Everything you stated is correct, of course, and we need to fight this privatization movement or we and the kids are all dead. Unions and security will be things of the past and the kids will learn nothing except possibly how to pass in the testing mania environment.
Submitted by Timothy Boyle on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 16:30.
a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.
That definition (from dictionary.com) repels me. I could care less how hard you work to separate people from their money. But when changed to...
a person who organizes and operates a classroom or classrooms, taking on greater than normal pedagogical risks in order to do so... it sounds much better. So if we start there, what are greater than normal pedagogical risks?
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