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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