TIPS FROM Teaching to a New Nation: Are Teachers Ready for the Modern Classroom?

Sept. 19-20, 2008, Chicago

Teaching to a New Nation: Are Teachers Ready for the Modern Classroom? was held at Chicago Public Radio Sept. 19-20, 2008.

Themeeting focused on improving journalists' coverage of teachers' work in the classroom and the public policy that can affect it. More specifically the meeting examined the changing demographics of students in America's schools and the special skills and training teachers need to adapt their teaching to students of divergent backgrounds.

Panel topics included: how to accurately measure the effectiveness of teachers, defining quality instruction for special education students, data-driven instruction, teaching students from diverse populations, exploring the teacher narrative and innovative reform efforts in teacher prep.

About 33 reporters from media organizations from around the country attended the meeting including:The Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, The Baltimore Sun, The Indianapolis Star, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Antonio Express, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune and more.

Participantshad an opportunity to visit two Chicago Public Schools Harvard School of Excellence and Westcott Elementary School.Reporters heard from school leaders and teachers first-hand about innovative plans that were implemented to improve teacher quality, student achievement, and staff compensation.

Harvard is known as a CPS Performance School, which allows the Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL) to supervise the day-to-day management of the school under a five-year partnership. Michael Whitmore, director of the AUSL Teacher Residency Program, discussed alternative teacher prep programs on the first day of the meeting. Westcott Elementary, a TAP school, is one of 10 campuses participating in the CPS pilot performance pay program. Teacher Veronica Griffin discussed data-driven instruction at the seminar.

A highlight of the regional meeting included a panel discussionon the modern complexities of teaching increasingly diverse students, panelists spoke of the need for improved training.

• Sherrie Gahn, principal of Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, said that her students’ needs go far beyond academics and education schools must give aspiring teachers broader exposure to the realities of poverty.
• UCLA professor Patricia Gandara noted the current state of education essentially invites teachers to burn out given the vast array of needs that immigrant students, for instance, bring to the classroom.
• Even highly selective programs like Teach For America must do more, said University of Wisconsin professor Gloria Ladson-Billings. Alternative teacher prep programs produce those who may be more open-minded to tough assignments, but they’re not necessarily better prepared, she said.

Exploring the Teacher Narrative: Combining Insightful Reporting with Artful Writing

Boston Globe reporter Tracy Jan and New Orleans Times- Picayune reporterSarah Carr,shared their experiences writing narratives in a session moderated by EWA Public Editor Linda Perlstein. Jan wrote a series of articles about troubled English High School, a once-prestigious school on the verge of a state-mandated closure for poor academics. Carr covered a charter school’s efforts to serve students in special education. They gave participants some tips about writing narratives.

• Type up notes as soon as you finish writing them. Consider writing notes as scenes to better recall details.
• Give stories as much context as possible.
• Monitor the online presentation from headlines and photo captions to comments on message boards.
• Be fair to your subjects especially students and parents who are unaccustomed to being in the public eye. Explain the implications of having their stories told in print.

To view the brochure of this meeting, click here . To view the final agenda, click here .

Special Features

Read this story about principal Andre Cowling in his quest to turn around Harvard Elementary School in Chicago, which reporters toured during the conference. Cowling fired all but two of the school's staff and hired his own team last year.

• Patricia Gandara, co-director of UCLA's Civil Rights Project, speaks on the the challengeseducating English language learners and immigrant students and important it is they succeed to the country's future.
• Gloria Ladson-Billings is a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an author of severalpublications and an expert on the education of low-income and minority students. Hear her speak here.
• Sherrie Gahn, principal of Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, discusses the measures she and teachers take to help students from troubled backgrounds to ensure their academic success.
• Author Donna Foote, whose most recent book "Relentless Pursuit" chronicled the professional lives of four Teach for America teachers at Locke High School in L.A., moderates this panel focused on the education of teachers.
• Dallas Morning News reporter Gary Jacobson and Adamson High School teacher Marcia Niemann discuss thepaper's series, which chronicled the struggles of immigrant students to adjust to American high school.