Strategic Management of Human Capital: Thinking a Bit Deeper

I am fascinated by the recent interest in and focus on the strategic management of human capital (SMHC)  — which Allan Odden and Jim Kelly have defined as “the acquisition, development, performance management and retention of top talent in the nation’s schools.” To be sure, it is one thing to identify talented educators; it is another to utilize them strategically. However, as I read the emerging research as well as rhetoric on the topic, several questions come to mind. Will the SMHC efforts of tomorrow take into account the lessons of failed efforts to professionalize teaching in the past? Can SMHC thinking get us beyond the false dichotomies of the current struggle of either deregulating teaching or professionalizing it? Consider the differences in the following two propositions:

Proposition 1A: School districts will abandon their efforts to recruit traditional college-prepared teachers who will teach for a career, and focus on finding talented, young, less expensive, candidates who enter with limited pre-service education, receive more on-the-job training, and are expected to stay in the classroom for just a few years.

Proposition 1B: School districts will be more strategic in recruiting and utilizing talented individuals as “master” and “assistant” teachers, but recognize that their high-needs schools demand that students are taught and supported by a well-prepared, stable faculty who know them and their families well.  Many high-needs schools will require as much or more attention to growing talent from within their communities (e.g., local teaching assistants groomed as teacher leaders) as opposed to just recruiting from afar (e.g., newly minted college graduates from prestigious universities).

Can we get beyond either/or and move on to and/both?

The Center for Teaching Quality is helping the Rose Community Foundation figure out their future SMHC approaches for Denver-area public schools. We look forward to learning a great deal and applying lessons to our on-going efforts to transform the profession that makes all others possible. Stay tuned for more propositions and more possibilities.

Comments

[Dr. Bettye Perkins,Todays Students, Tomorrow's Teachers]

Propostion 1B is on target. School Districts are aware of the fact that, as our schools are rapidly becoming more diverse, the need for caring and competent is essential. Research tells us that 56% of teachers make their decision to become teachers prior to college. Therefore, early training and preparation of teachers will result in highly competent and caring teachers. Students who are enrolled in effective and productive precollegiate teacher preparation programs will remain in the profession well beyond the dismal retention time period we are experiencing today. (33% after 3 years, 50% after 5 years).

[Dr. Bettye Perkins,Todays Students, Tomorrow's Teachers]

Propostion 1B is on target. School Districts are aware of the fact that, as our schools are rapidly becoming more diverse, the need for caring and competent is essential. Research tells us that 56% of teachers make their decision to become teachers prior to college. Therefore, early training and preparation of teachers will result in highly competent and caring teachers. Students who are enrolled in effective and productive precollegiate teacher preparation programs will remain in the profession well beyond the dismal retention time period we are experiencing today. (33% after 3 years, 50% after 5 years).

[Barnett Berry]

Yes. Bettye - but there are some who do not want teachers well prepared because they rather have them be less expensive and more compliant....and if they leave quickly then they will not organize -- i.e. as unions. BB

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Propostion 1B is on target. School Districts are aware of the fact that, as our schools are rapidly becoming more diverse, the need for caring and competent is essential. Research tells us that 56% of teachers make their decision to become teachers prior to college. Therefore, early training and preparation of teachers will result in highly competent and caring teachers. Students who are enrolled in effective and productive precollegiate teacher preparation programs will remain in the profession well beyond the dismal retention time period we are experiencing today. (33% after 3 years, 50% after 5 years).

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Yes. Bettye - but there are some who do not want teachers well prepared because they rather have them be less expensive and more compliant....

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