For Teachers, More Experience Means More Effectiveness, Right?

Common wisdom and current pay scales suggest that the longer one teaches the more effective they become.  However, there is substantial research to suggest that the relationship between experience and effectiveness is not so linear. Here (The Impact of Teacher Experience) is a link to a recent publication from the Urban Institute. In short, teachers, on average, make substantial gains in their first five years of teaching.  After this point, however, gains are marginal, and there is some evidence to suggest that, on average, there can be points of decline. "This and other research shows that, on average, teachers with more than 20 years of experience are more effective than teachers with no experience, but are not much more effective than those with 5 years of experience" (Rice, 2010, p. 2).  The brief does acknowledge the heterogenity across subjects and grade-levels and the complexity of differential attrition rates and teaching positions (e.g., high vs. low poverty schools). Nonetheless, the findings are noteworthy--experience does not always correlate to increases in student achievement!

Price suggests front-loading experience and pay in the first few years, adding incentives for on-going professional development, redistributing experienced teachers. Beyond these general suggestions, how can we help teachers continually better their practice?  From a more controversial standpoint, how can we attract teachers who are more driven to improve their practice?  From (my favorite) a person-environment fit perspective, how do we shape the profession so that it promotes growth and attracts growth-oriented people? As a school psychologist, I cannot help to wonder the relationships between teacher experience and students' relationship with teachers, or social-emotional well-being.

Inevitably, there will be some marked decline in marginal improvement, but to see actual declines in effectiveness is unsettling and a call to action.  This is certainly an opportunity to move the profession forward, and let's not forget the ultimate benefactor-- Students!   

Coping with Loss

At my clinical internship, I am working to understand the trauma and healing that occurs for African American males in Oakland.  Much of their experience is very different from mine, and I work to circumvent those differences.  The students' struggles, and the therapeutic struggle are trying endeavors, and everyone is working for incremental gains in self-determination, healing, well-being.

Because these victories can be small, I was elated to stumble upon this NPR blog  (full disclosure: Tracy actually found the link).  The men from Oakland in the video below recently experienced the death of a friend/half brother.  Their expression of grief and coping is unique, real, and beautiful.  

Divine Opinions

I recently had a political discussion with a friend. She acknowledged that, despite her moderate views, she believes on most social issues, "there just is no other side to it".

I remembered this conversation when I read news based on the pentagon report that 70% of service men and women polled about the Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) policy were in favor of allowing openly gay members in the military. Other headlines read,

Pentagon Says It's Safe to Overturn Gay Ban (Fox)

and

Letting Openly Gay Troops Serve Won't Hurt Military (CNN)

Since when do the principles of democracy apply to civil rights issues? Why did we need 70% of service members to tell us, that, in their humble opinion, there would be no negative ramifications of the repeal?

Oliver Duggan deplored this paradox: Instead of celebrating the results of the poll, we should ensure the civil rights of a group are never again left to the opinion of the majority (think: any civil rights historical example).

This is what Gary Olsen was referring to in his 2007 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, on the 'Apotheosis' of opinion. That is, exalting a subject to a divine level.

Here he laments,

"Apparently, nowadays an opinion will trump a fact, a reasoned argument, an empirically verified observation -- even a treatise by an eminent scholar. An opinion is the great equalizer, and everyone has one. It silences all arguments, squelches all dialogue: That's your opinion. End of discussion."

Further,

"...others are training themselves not to become critical thinkers, not to search for evidence or support of an assertion, and not to hold themselves or others accountable for the assertions they make."

We are perpetuating these notions when we leave critical policy decisions up to opinion. I can picture it now - the anti-DADT politicians in Washington, fingers crossed, waiting for the results of the poll, and thinking,

"Gee, I really hope the service members don't think our ideas are too dangerous for the military".