1. Reform Efforts and the
Professional Educator –
Chapter 12
Ebert, E., & Culyer III, R. (2014). Reform efforts and the professional
educator. In School: An introduction to education. Belmont: Wadsworth.
2. Course Connections
• Course Description Connection: This course introduces the American
educational system and the teaching profession. Topics include
historical and philosophical foundations of education, contemporary
educational, structural . . .issues, and experiences in public school
classrooms. Upon completion, students should be able to relate
classroom observations to the roles of teachers and schools and the
process of teacher education.
• Course Goals Connection: To introduce students to the educational
trends and issues in contemporary public education.
• Student Learning Outcomes Connection: Explain and debate current
issues and trends in public education.
3. What We Already Know!
• “The more things change, the more things stay the same”
• Ask any teacher – if we wait around long enough, trends come back around – just
like fashions.
• While we know how children learn in general, we also know that children are
individuals and learn in their own unique ways. For instructional and curriculum
reforms, there is no “magic bullet”. Yet, as teachers, we are often subjected to
professional development in the latest and greatest reading program or math
system ever invented! Then, of course, we are expected to implement it within
the next year. . . No wonder teachers become cynics
4. Reform Efforts
• The authors make the case that education reform efforts have been
the result of poorly defined function of schools and education in our
society
• There are 4 major groups that influence various reform efforts
• Academicians
• Educational administrators
• Business leaders
• Politicians
5. Academicians and Higher Education
• Come at education from 2 perspectives
• The study of teaching and learning (pedagogy)
• Content knowledge
• Often dependent on money available for research
• The first is why many of you who already have 4 year degrees have to
take this course and a classroom management course as lateral entry
teachers!
6. Business
• Provides a tax base for schools in the area; schools in which there is a
strong tax base have more money and business support. This also
invites influence from those same businesses
• Involvement may come in the way of local advertising dollars (who
says schools can’t be bought?), grants, and scholarships.
• Businesses influence education through describing the types training
they want their future employees to have. In our community, the
businesses have been asking for better preparation for our students
in the “soft skills” that help employee success on the job.
7. Politics
• Education funds are generally the largest line item in a state’s budget
• Education expenses are large part of the federal government budget.
• How much do politicians actually know and understand about
education and the impact of their decisions on education?
8. Parents
• Most parents are concerned about schools only as long as their child
is a student
• Many parents are more concerned with their child’s experiences,
rather than what is best for all students
• Parent groups in schools (PTO, PTA, etc.) are generally glorified fund
raising groups
9. Reforms
• Reforms usually replace a previous initiative or program
• Curricular reform – example: Common Core replace NC Standard Course of
Study; please note that Common Core is not a curriculum, but influences
curriculum
• Instructional reform – whole language, phonics, comprehension based
reading programs
• Administrative and conceptual reform – inclusion and UDL
10. Interventions
• Interventions supplement normal activities such as
• remediation or enrichment or
• expanding or reducing responsibility or authority
• Curricular – character education; may be explicit or implicit
curriculum
• Instructional intervention – pullout programs
• Administrative and conceptual intervention – mentoring programs for
both teachers and for students
11. Evaluating Reform Efforts
• Look at Table 12.1 on p. 417 in your text for questions to ask when
evaluating a reform effort in your school or your school system
• The remainder of the chapter provides examples and additional
information to enhance the critical thinking process necessary to
effectively evaluate potential reform efforts.
• The authors encourage all teachers and prospective teachers to be
proactive, professional participants in any reform initiatives rather
than teachers to whom changes and reforms happen.
