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Reflective Practitioners Need Not Apply
Part of what a master's degree asks you to do is reflect on your practice, something that one has little time to do when earning a bachelor's degree (not to mention that you are new to the field and not a practitioner yet). Oddly enough, I happened to be having a conversation recently with one of our teachers, AP American History teacher Cathy Cluck, who coincidentally just finished her master's degree last week. Cluck explained that she had felt a rich sense of having deepened her knowledge of her field. Becoming a student again, she said, gave her an opportunity to really listen and question content, rather than just be focused on delivering it to her students. And an important added benefit Cluck saw? Her students saw her, as an acting practitioner, going back to learn more about her field and her craft. She was modeling life-long learning. We prattle on about life-long learning to our students all the time. But how often do we show them that we are life-long learners? How can a Secretary of Education simultaneously encourage students to be all they can be, yet discourage teachers from getting (and school districts from hiring and paying teachers with) master's degrees? We speak out of two sides of our mouth when we hope to have highly qualified teachers in our schools, yet simultaneously communicate to educators that stopping their education at a bachelor's degree for 30-year careers is enough. What the Secretary of Education is essentially saying to school leaders, teachers, and potential new recruits to the field is this -- 'We don't need teachers who want to keep learning at institutes of higher education. In fact, we in education don't even value those who attempt to do that, as it's of no value to their students (unless they teach math). For our nation's kids, teachers with a basic education are good enough -- no need for more. The "data" says it doesn't do any good, so we're just fine with adequate. Because after all, that little paper "credential" means nothing.' Sounds ludicrous, doesn't it? Would we say that to any high school student in our 21st century schools? Sure, having a master's degree doesn't IN AND OF itself make someone a better teacher. But it certainly doesn't make a worse teacher. And conversely, it can powerfully help teachers hone their craft, think more deeply about their subject matter, learn what it means to be a student again, and model lifelong learning for their own students. All benefits which seem extremely important in improving teacher quality our schools. And how do we accomplish the task of luring highly competent new teachers into our field if the counter message we send them is -- go ahead and enter this field, but we don't expect you to progress academically or gain an advanced degree, because, new teacher, we just aren't interested in that for you? Who would enter a field with that sort of attitude? Instead if we want to improve teaching, model for our students, and invite intellectually gifted teachers into our schools -- we need to encourage and invite them to deepen their own experiences with learning. We need to invite them into a field where advanced learning is valued, and where there's place for advancement (other than becoming an administrator). We need to show them that our teachers are EXPECTED to be lifelong learners. In 1996, the brilliant and widely respected, but sadly still largely unimplemented, study on improving teacher quality "What Matters Most: A Competent Teacher for Every Child" (from the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future) had as one of its recommendations that colleges "institute extended, graduate-level teacher preparation programs that provide yearlong internships in a professional development school, "and went on to urge that "throughout their careers, teachers should have ongoing opportunities to update their skills." Why? Because it matters that our educators are well-educated. It matters to our children. If you care about this issue, let Secretary Duncan know. Check out the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future's website, the Center for Teaching Quality or the work of Linda Darling-Hammond to learn more. Or just ask a teacher with a master's degree. They'll tell you. Carolyn Foote's blog can be found at Not So Distant Future. — Carolyn Foote |
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