The Partnership
for 21st Learning site is very informative. It shows that 21st
century skills mean more than simply using technology. 21st century
learning encompass communication and social skills that students will need
when they enter the workforce. As an educator I found the tools and resources
tab especially helpful (http://www.p21.org/tools-and-resources/educators#SkillsMaps).
By clicking on a content area, educators can find suggested learning activites
and outcomes which infuse 21st century skills. I plan on utilizing
this tab as I plan this school year.
In order for 21st
century learning to take place, teachers must continue education themselves.
According to the p21.org site “States should support administrators and
teachers with ongoing professional development” (http://www.p21.org/state-initiatives/overview-of-state-work).
Unfortunately, some states are
not supporting the initiative.
There are
leadership 19 states who have applied to lead the way in 21st
century skill readiness. North Carolina is among these states. Recently, North
Carolina’s governor, Pat McCrory signed the education budget for the 2013-14
school year. In this budget, teachers who seek higher education will no longer
receive a 10% salary bump. This is evidence that although North Carolina
applied to be a leadership state, government leaders are not not supporting the
initiative.
We all know what happens when initiatives are not supported or
funded. They fail. How can we expect
teachers to implement 21st century skills without receiving advanced
degrees? Why would teachers pay 16,000 to 20, 000 on an advanced degree if
there is no salary bump? North Carolina is discouraging professional
development—the very thing teachers need to excel in 21st century
teaching.
I am sorry to hear about the change in funding with your state. With budget cuts happening often, I envision professional development transitioning to a different format. I imagine teachers with ideas working together to find ways to bring their ideas into action. This is a form of professional development that we often utilize already. However, I think that this method may become more common for professional development as resources become sparser.
ReplyDeleteAshley
Jessie,
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad to hear that North Carolina is not supporting the fact that teachers HAVE to continue their education and spend thousands of dollars to do that. It is so sad that we are so under appreciated. We are expected to prepare our students for the 21st century, yet as we are preparing ourselves for that century and preparing to prepare them (that is a lot of preparing!), we are not given the resources to do this. I agree that teachers need more support to in turn offer that support to our students. Hopefully this fact is realized soon, because when we suffer, so do our students.
Jessie,
ReplyDeleteAll professionals, i.e. doctors, lawyers, tech professionals and so on should and are expected to keep up on the latest advances in their areas of expertise. We are teaching the young people who will hopefully be our future doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who will make up our professional (and service) workforce. Who more than teachers need masters programs to keep abreast of the latest trends in education and in their specific subject areas? It really is a simple matter of economic sense. Teachers do not make high salaries to begin with and with the cost of everything going up, how can teachers afford to pay for advance degrees themselves? I am very lucky because my school district still reimburses teachers for about 80% of their tuition expenses 100% for state schools. However, many districts in New Jersey no longer reimburse. I also get a small jump in salary, but with a salary increase cap and health insurance contributions we're not actually getting an increase or keeping up with the cost of living.
I will be honest, a big reason for me going back for my masters degree was for the slight increase in pay to help me with my retirement formula. Now four courses into the Walden program, I'm realizing how much this program is educating me, but even more inspiring and motivating me. However, if I had to pay for all of it myself, I don't think I could afford it.
Jane,
DeleteThanks for your comments. I am not able to afford the loan repayment for my master's without the pay jump. The new budget changes in my state are making a huge impact on my family. My husband and I are even considering selling our house to make up for the cost of graduate school. We are also considering finding a new state. Like you, I also see the benefits in obtaining higher degrees in the teaching profession, so quitting school is not an option for me. Overall, it is really sad news and the P21 site is making me nauseous. P21 is not a priority in NC if we are discouraging our teachers to further their education!
On the bright side. I am happy there are still some states which pay for some of the expenses in earning advanced degrees. After all, continued professional development is part of P21's mission. I am shocked NC is permitted to be a "leader state" for P21. As everyone can see being 46th in the country for teacher pay does not scream we value education. In fact, part of our budget is also going to a voucher system which will give families grants to pay for private schooling. Needless to say, public schools in NC are in trouble.
Do you think your state will continue to support teachers in earning higher degrees?
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Delete(Second attempt at posting the reply to Jessie--wasn't sure if it was in the right place before!)
DeleteIf you are willing to move far, check out New Jersey. In my current district, we get a salary bump (the percentages vary, but increase with your experience) for every 15 credits of graduate work we complete, including pre-Masters Degree. I will, for example, be at "BA+15" after completing five courses of my Walden program, and then will earn another raise with "BA+30" and another with the MS itself. Additionally, I get tuition reimbursement as a tenured staff member.
Not all districts are the same, but I have worked in several of them and can tell you the situation was at least similar. I think we have it very good in New Jersey, even despite the current governor's four-year war against the NJEA and resulting pension and benefits changes.
The state is beautiful too! Nothing like the stereotypes that often float around about it. :-)
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ReplyDeleteJessie, I was curious: is North Carolina a right-to-work state or do you have a teachers' union? Also, do you get any kind of tuition reimbursement at all?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I am so sorry this is the situation you are dealing with in North Carolina. I agree: it does not at all sound as though the state is "supportive" of 21st Century initiatives.