Preparing ‘Freakin’ Good Teachers and Closing the Achievement Gap

A few days ago the NY Times published its 'Freakonomics' blog on how to close the achievement gap. As John Norton, my friend and co-founder of Teacher Leaders Network, noted, 'Hurry over there while the solutions are still fresh!' Indeed, the NYT assembled a panel of business moguls, economists, and policy wonks to write on the matter at hand — but nary a teacher could be found. In  a comment to the postings, Mr. K., asserted:

I’m one of those teachers trying to close the achievement gap…The thing that strikes me most is that none of these four seem to actually have any idea what it is like trying to teach a complete curriculum in an inner city school.

In truth, none of the four would have any idea about the daily realities of an inner city classroom. To get a more grounded sense of how to close the teaching and learning gap, read beyond the blog blather by downloading the March 2008 Educational Leadership article, penned by Teacher Leaders Network member Kathie Marshall. Ms. Marshall, who is a literacy coach from Los Angeles, writes brilliantly about how she uses “creative ways to engage students' interest and increase their learning” with strategies grounded in solid research and actually taught in our nation’s best teacher education programs.

Closing the achievement gap requires more than talented teachers who are paid more when they increase standardized test scores as the pundits suggest – it requires ensuring that those who are recruited are actually prepared to teach in high needs schools and are offered incentives and supports in order to remain in the classroom more than a year or two. One place to start is to ensure every teacher completes a rigorous teacher education program designed for urban teaching (e.g.,  in more “traditional” venues like UCLA’s Center X or Stanford STEP or more non-traditional ones like the Academy for Urban School Leadership in Chicago or the Boston Teacher Residency)  — and then ensure each graduate has access to coaches like Ms. Marshall.