Generation Y Teachers

"Gen Y Teachers Seek Feedback, Opportunities for Growth"
by Liana Heitin
Education Week
Posted online on April 21, 2011
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2011/04/20/gen_y_report.html?tkn=WMLFW2gpVVzBtc99pkqfWCLfL3Xhd%2BnQGDqJ&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

This article is based on a study done in 2007 about Generation Y (born between 1977 and 1995) public school teachers and what they are looking for in their careers in teaching.  It confirms what I had seen in the private sector with employees I worked with and managed.  Gen Y people like frequent assessment and coaching, the opportunity to work with others, to learn from "the masters", being paid based on performance and to not be micro-managed.  What was new to me was the revelation that Gen Y'ers do NOT like standardized tests for a variety of different reasons, though I think they come down to one point: the tests are an unfair assessment of their learning.

Gen Y teachers also said they would stay in their profession for a long time, but as I have seen in the private sector (and the author mentions it also) if the above stated requirements are not met Gen Y'ers will not hesitate to bolt and go elsewhere.  My concern is the school environment will have to drastically change for these new teachers to thrive and survive.  With creativity being stifled, more emphasis on tests and pay not really based on performance, the education environment could become extremely frustrating for them.

When I was managing Gen Y'ers they were my favorite people to work with because they were extremely open to constructive criticism, shared easily with me about their successes and struggles, did not need a lot of hand-holding and tended to be extremely creative in getting the job done.  Schools, restrictive unions and districts and administration need to read this study so they can realize that they have great opportunities with these young teachers, but if they do not let up on the Gen Y'ers' the schools will lose them.

Tests are Boring

“Obama Says Too Much Testing Makes Education Boring” by Stacy Anderson
NPR, March 28, 2011 Accessed: March 28, 2011

Topic: Standardized testing is not the way to go.

Summary: Obama is pushing for a rewrite of federal education laws. He is critical of No Child Left Behind and of the overuse of standardized testing.

Intended audience: General Public

Key Points:

• Too much testing makes education boring for kids.
• “Schools should be judged on criteria other than student test performance, including attendance rate”
• Obama administration would like to change standards from No Child Left Behind to a new standard saying that by 2020 all students graduating from high school should be ready for college or a career.

Relevance: Teaching to the test is a hot topic as is No Child Left Behind. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. What does “ready for college or a career” even mean? I’ve also posted a video from during Obama’s campaign for president that shows his opinion then is in-tune with his opinion now on the issue of standardized testing.

Rethinking Advanced Placement

“Rethinking Advanced Placement" by Christopher Drew
New York Times January 7, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/education/edlife/09ap-t.html?_r=1

Topic: The College Board is changing the format and curriculum for AP tests

Summary: The College Board, owner of the AP exams, is revamping the format for AP tests in the future. Since 1956, when AP testing began, the advances in science, technology, and number of major historical events have added an enormous amount of information to the required curriculum for AP classes. Current tests can draw from any information covered in the class- making it nearly impossible for teachers not to teach to the test. Average scores have been dropping due to the amount of material that must be memorized by students in preparation for the tests. This article focuses primarily on the AP Biology, as it is the first test that will be revamped. The new test will increase open ended answer questions, cut the number of multiple choice questions in half, and add questions that require math calculations. The hope is that the new test and subsequent new curriculum will teach students to think like scientists and build problem solving skills and critical thinking as opposed to simply requiring the memorization of vast amounts of information that may or may not be covered on the test.

Intended audience: General Public

Key Points:

• The AP exam and courses have become overwhelming, forcing teachers to “teach to the test” and requiring students to memorize large amounts of information
• Average test scores are dropping
• Many colleges are no longer giving to credit for scores of 3 or higher, because the students do not demonstrate the type of critical thinking and problem solving required to succeed in higher level courses
• The new tests (starting with biology) will feature fewer multiple choice questions and additional free-response questions
• The change may be difficult for many schools/teachers to make. Lab improvements may be costly

Relevance: This article covers many topics we have already looked at in class; teaching to the test, memorization, freedom to design curriculum, budget concerns, and outside pressures and requirements guiding the way curriculum is set up.