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And while I’m
on my soapbox, allow me to throw in another good example of what progressive
ideas can do in partnership with smart, good government. This is extracted from
the New Democrats online, a website of the Democratic Leadership Council, now nearly
an old fossilized dinosaur. But in giving an award to Wendy Kopp, the young
woman who founded Teach for America*
as a public service enterprise, I want to share language that we should be
hearing more often in these wars for “hearts and minds”: “The Teach for America
model provides several important lessons for education reform, national service
initiatives, and civic enterprises generally. Part of Teach for
America's success is attributable to the willingness of some school districts
to waive the usual entry-level teacher certification retirements and instead
welcome new TFA teachers who have been through an intensive summer preparation
program (though participants typically work towards certification during their
two-year commitment to the host school). This is an approach that schools
should expand to attract other talented college graduates as well as older
career switchers. Teach for America has a secondary impact as well. About 60
percent of Teach for America participants have ultimately stayed in the
education field. Many are still teaching and TFA alums are active as social
entrepreneurs in their own right, leading organizations like KIPP Academies,
The Broad Foundation, and New Schools Venture Fund. Teach for America also
has important lessons for other national service initiatives. One is the importance
of giving young people a clear mission and a real challenge to engage them in service to the community. Another is the
huge payoff that a small investment of public and private dollars can produce.
Teach For America teachers earn the same salaries as other starting teachers in
their school districts and are eligible for a small amount of educational
assistance. Conservatives who think any form of compensation "taints"
the spirit of voluntarism should take a long look at the return-on-investment from Teach for America, and wise up. And finally, Kopp's
story shows that the best civic enterprises begin with a compelling idea, a
commitment to private-sector involvement in "public" work, and strong
and consistent leadership even in the face of entrenched opposition. As Al From said in New York: "Wendy
Kopp's success is a testament to the power of ideas grounded in the timeless American values of community, opportunity, and
responsibility." http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=131&subid=207&contentid=252260 *TFA was
defunded when Bush2 eliminated promised funds to AmeriCorps this year.
Scholarships promised to current teachers in 2-year contracts will not be
forthcoming. One of my daughters has just begun her assignment, teaching in a
NE Washington DC elementary school, while taking grad classes at night. |
