The Cobb County Association of Educators is an advocacy organization for education professionals. We are a division of the Georgia Association of Educators and the National Education Association and are committed to great public schools for all children!
District helped charter group get $50K grant
District helped charter group get $50K grant: MARIETTA – Although the Cobb school district has never sought any of the $400 million from the federal Race to the Top program for its own use, district staff did help a potential charter school la...
School board sets Teach For America vote
School board sets Teach For America vote: MARIETTA — The Cobb County school board is set to vote on whether the district will partner with Teach For America on Thursday night. Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa is recommending that the d...
Why Cobb Schools Don't Need Teach for America
In the past I have used this blog mainly for posting articles and information I thought you would find interesting or though provoking. I now find myself wanting to express a viewpoint on a subject and hope you will find the information and opinion useful and thought provoking.
At the last Cobb School Board meeting, it was proposed that CCSD sign a contract with Teach for America that guarantees jobs for 50 Teach for America candidates. I am strongly opposed to this for a variety of reasons.
1. Cobb has a large pool of highly qualified, certified, experienced teachers. We do not have trouble hiring teachers! There are plenty of teachers around the area that would snap up a job ANYWHERE in Cobb.
2. The budget projects having to leave teacher slots unfilled. This means that we will need less teachers, not more. Simple math, if you need less teachers, you don't agree to hire 50 non-teachers to fill non-existent slots.
3. I don't think Teach for America works and definitely is not what the South Cobb area schools need. The majority of the research shows that TFA doesn't work. It is a good idea that got great press but didn't end up doing what it set out to do. Experienced teachers have been through a hundred or more education "fads" and this is just another one that will cost the district and not pay off.
4. The most personal reason of all. I am a certified special education teacher that CHOOSES to teach at a Title 1 school in South Cobb. I drive across the county to get to my school because I WANT to be there. I know the students come with a different set of problems, I know sometimes learning isn't their first priority, and I accept this, and in fact, I relish it! I became a teacher to work with students like this because I believed that EVERY child can learn, that teachers can make an impact, and that the quality of your education shouldn't depend on your race, gender, socioeconomic status, or any other outside factors. When I decided to become a teacher (later in life), I went back to college and obtained a Master's degree in Education. I didn't just decide I wanted to be a lawyer but I would teach for two years to pad my resume. Teach for America is a slap in the face to every certified teacher who got an education degree, choose to dedicate themselves to teaching and then choose to teach at a lower socioeconomic school. I have seen the power of an educated teacher on an under performing school and it is a powerful thing.
I don't believe a TFA candidate (not teacher) will fix what is wrong. The achievement gap is so much more than what a teacher can fix. Looking for easy solutions for a complicated problem is NOT the answer. We need to take a hard look at what really causes the achievement gap and begin to address those problems. We do NOT need to waste precious resources (money, time, energy) on a quick fix solution that is just another educational panacea. We do NOT need to further demoralize our teachers. We do NOT need to spend money on this when we could spend it on smaller class sizes, better professional development, students, or any of a million other things that might actually impact the achievement gap! Please email the Cobb School Board members and tell them Teach for America is not for Cobb!
Here are some links regarding Teach for America and why it isn't the answer for Cobb
http://www.care2.com/causes/teach-for-america-doing-more-harm-than-good.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/teach-for-america-research-questioned/2011/12/12/gIQANb40rO_blog.html
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/02/11/the-best-posts-articles-raising-concerns-about-teach-for-america/
At the last Cobb School Board meeting, it was proposed that CCSD sign a contract with Teach for America that guarantees jobs for 50 Teach for America candidates. I am strongly opposed to this for a variety of reasons.
1. Cobb has a large pool of highly qualified, certified, experienced teachers. We do not have trouble hiring teachers! There are plenty of teachers around the area that would snap up a job ANYWHERE in Cobb.
2. The budget projects having to leave teacher slots unfilled. This means that we will need less teachers, not more. Simple math, if you need less teachers, you don't agree to hire 50 non-teachers to fill non-existent slots.
3. I don't think Teach for America works and definitely is not what the South Cobb area schools need. The majority of the research shows that TFA doesn't work. It is a good idea that got great press but didn't end up doing what it set out to do. Experienced teachers have been through a hundred or more education "fads" and this is just another one that will cost the district and not pay off.
4. The most personal reason of all. I am a certified special education teacher that CHOOSES to teach at a Title 1 school in South Cobb. I drive across the county to get to my school because I WANT to be there. I know the students come with a different set of problems, I know sometimes learning isn't their first priority, and I accept this, and in fact, I relish it! I became a teacher to work with students like this because I believed that EVERY child can learn, that teachers can make an impact, and that the quality of your education shouldn't depend on your race, gender, socioeconomic status, or any other outside factors. When I decided to become a teacher (later in life), I went back to college and obtained a Master's degree in Education. I didn't just decide I wanted to be a lawyer but I would teach for two years to pad my resume. Teach for America is a slap in the face to every certified teacher who got an education degree, choose to dedicate themselves to teaching and then choose to teach at a lower socioeconomic school. I have seen the power of an educated teacher on an under performing school and it is a powerful thing.
I don't believe a TFA candidate (not teacher) will fix what is wrong. The achievement gap is so much more than what a teacher can fix. Looking for easy solutions for a complicated problem is NOT the answer. We need to take a hard look at what really causes the achievement gap and begin to address those problems. We do NOT need to waste precious resources (money, time, energy) on a quick fix solution that is just another educational panacea. We do NOT need to further demoralize our teachers. We do NOT need to spend money on this when we could spend it on smaller class sizes, better professional development, students, or any of a million other things that might actually impact the achievement gap! Please email the Cobb School Board members and tell them Teach for America is not for Cobb!
Here are some links regarding Teach for America and why it isn't the answer for Cobb
http://www.care2.com/causes/teach-for-america-doing-more-harm-than-good.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/teach-for-america-research-questioned/2011/12/12/gIQANb40rO_blog.html
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/02/11/the-best-posts-articles-raising-concerns-about-teach-for-america/
Possible steps to offset CCSD deficit outlined
Possible steps to offset CCSD deficit outlined: MARIETTA — With the Cobb County School District looking at a $62.4 million deficit for FY2013, it might lay off 350 employees, adding more furlough days and increasing class sizes. During Wednesda...
Super’s proposal to add teachers draws skepticism; Teach For America plan questioned with $62.4M deficit, cuts projected
Super’s proposal to add teachers draws skepticism; Teach For America plan questioned with $62.4M deficit, cuts projected: MARIETTA – The proposal by Cobb Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa for his board members to approve a partnership with Teach For America was greeted with skepticism Wednesday morning, espe...
School Improvement Survey
2012 School Improvement Survey
The Cobb County School District is asking for your participation in the 2012 School Improvement Survey. Please take a moment to give us your anonymous responses regarding your perceptions about your student's school. Take the Survey at http://www.cobbk12.org/SISurvey/
The Cobb County School District is asking for your participation in the 2012 School Improvement Survey. Please take a moment to give us your anonymous responses regarding your perceptions about your student's school. Take the Survey at http://www.cobbk12.org/SISurvey/
Time running out for Cobb Schools maps
Time running out for Cobb Schools maps: MARIETTA — Families affected by the proposed redistricting in south Cobb County over the next two school years have less than two months to make their concerns made public. The Cobb County School ...
Nashua school officials support Facebook faculty ‘fan page’ - NashuaTelegraph.com
Nashua school officials support Facebook faculty ‘fan page’ - NashuaTelegraph.com
I like this idea, maybe I'll recommend it to the District...
I like this idea, maybe I'll recommend it to the District...
School board will pick chair, vice chair Wed.
School board will pick chair, vice chair Wed.: MARIETTA —The Cobb County School Board will elect its chair and vice chair Wednesday, doing so at a called meeting for just the second year in a row. On Nov. 9, the board approved the January meet...
After swift start, school board reformers stalled
After swift start, school board reformers stalled: MARIETTA — A year ago at this time, a spirit of revolution was in the air around the Cobb school board. Three avowed “reform” candidates — Scott Sweeney, Kathleen Angelucci and Tim Stultz — had jus...
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