Training Teachers for the Global Stage

While American athletes may outperform those from countries such as Finland, South Korea, and Japan in the Beijing Olympics, students from these nations consistently rank near or at the top of international rankings such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). In the latest PISA results, our students ranked 15th in reading, 21st in science and an abysmal 25th in mathematics. So, how can we improve the achievement of students so they are at the top of their game in the classroom? One place to start is in the preparation of our teachers.

In Finland, teacher prep programs strongly emphasize collaborative learning. Teachers regularly plan and observe together. They also take leadership roles in curriculum development and researching and implementing promising practices. These ideas are embedded in teacher preparation programs and lead to a stronger, more cohesive teacher workforce.

Programs with similar emphases are emerging across the U.S. as well. In Indiana State University (ISU)’s Project PRE, faculty work with pre-service teachers to research and explore best practices. Future teachers are immersed in a clinical experience that emphasizes the strength of collaboration and learning communities. ISU’s pilot program, TOTAL (Teachers of Tomorrow Advancing Learning) Semester, gives future teachers an additional semester in the classroom with a master teacher prior to student teaching. The program allows future teachers to take on more responsibility, culminating in a teaching experience that prepares them for classroom challenges.

At the 2008 NCTAF Symposium, Ronni Mann, regional director at the New Teacher Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shared with attendees the value of a mentor-based model. At NTC, teacher candidates are engaged in a systematic, mentor-based teacher induction model that helps novices to survive their early years and emerge as confident, skilled professionals.

Initiatives like these will go a long way towards developing teachers who will be ready to teach, learn and prepare students to participate in a global-economy. Wouldn’t it be great to celebrate the United States’ strength on both the Olympic stage and in our nation’s classrooms? What’s being done to provide world-class educators for every child?

What innovative teacher preparation programs are underway in your state? How do you think we can improve teacher preparation programs to impact student learning and achievement? Is PISA a good measuring stick for student achievement?