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JANUARY 2005

Matilda Raffa Cuomo

From ‘Infantilization’ to ‘Professionalization’

By CSA President Jill Levy

Ensconced in a conference room not too long ago with members of the Teaching Commission and their invited guests, I was immediately aware of the prospective power of the participants, not only as individuals, but also of the group as a whole. The group had the potential, as stated in its mission, “to raise student performance by transforming the way in which America’s public school teachers are recruited, rewarded, and retained.”

Teaching At Risk: A Call to Action, published by the commission makes four major recommendations:

• Redesign how teachers are paid and rewarded for excellence through competitive base pay, performance, and compensation for serving in high need areas.

• Revamp teacher education programs to make teacher quality a top priority by raising standards and encouraging teaching as a career across all fields of study.

• Overhaul licensing and certification requirements to include a common national standard for subject area tests with commensurate state testing of prospective teachers.

• Give principals authority to lead and be the ultimate decision makers at schools, provide teachers the professional support they need and involve them in instructional decision-making.

As I listened to Lou Gerstner, former CEO of IBM and Chairman of the Teaching Commission and Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation, present their opening remarks, I was struck by several things.

First, the sincere and compelling argument that if we do not address the issue of recruitment and retention of exemplary teachers in this new global economy, we are doomed to become an educational and economic third world nation.

Second, they expressed compelling passion for the commission’s recommendation to significantly improve both teacher compensation and accountability. Third, I was struck by the continuous use of the word “profession” in reference to teaching.

Finally, during their statements and responses from several participants including State Assembly Education Chairman Steve Sanders, State Education Department Commissioner Rick Mills, and NYC Chancellor Joel Klein, I increasingly became aware that matters other than compensation and accountability need addressing. The culture of our “industry,” its abysmal record of micro-management, and its penchant for infantilizing its employees top the list.

According to NYS law, neither teaching nor educational administration are among the 45 listed professions.

Just a cursory investigation leads me to believe it’s because legislators and superintendents refuse to surrender control.

Then, there are the common and inaccurate beliefs that those who cannot perform—teach, that anyone who attended school can run a school and people who successfully lead corporations know how to successfully manage an education system.

Through experience and research, we know we must compensate teachers and administrators commensurate with other professions to attract high performers. Provide them with the tools to manage students, instruction, and resources. Offer a career ladder to teachers that include classroom instruction with opportunities to impart their skills to others. Provide educators with continued opportunities to grow professionally at their own rate. Offer administrators opportunities to broaden their careers and take on new and exciting challenges. Compensate those who take risks and most importantly, hold them accountable for their decisions—not the decisions of others. Each one of these steps helps provide a better work environment and thus will encourage retention of teachers and supervisors.

However, if the school system continues to micro-manage its schools, and create hostile environments, no amount of pay nor job opportunities will stabilize the system. Without the right to lead, make decisions, acquire adequate and stable resources, have the necessary personnel to share decision-making and implement those decisions, a Principal cannot realistically be held accountable. Change our culture of “infantilization” into one of “professionalization” and we have a chance to build a stable system of professionals. Higher standards are sure to follow.

For me, it is clear that we must begin the discussion on professionalization. That includes having input into creating professional standards, licensing, certification, quality review, suspensions and removals of license to practice, and the ability to design and implement mandatory programs for our own professional development. The commission has certainly started a dialogue with far-reaching possibilities. We must all agree to down the path towards a state-wide transformation for our chosen “profession.”#

Jill Levy is President of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators.

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