The response the recent NY Times column that highlighted Reach as been amazing and overwhelming (column at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/business/04frame.html?ex=1194843600&en=dd018b4ac0579984&ei=5070). I have received emails from educators from all over the country: academics, school leaders, teachers and aspiring teachers; asking for information, advice, and inspiration. Over the next few days, I will post some thoughts, responses, and updates on this blog. Also, the conversation continues at the columnist's, Denise Caruso, blog:
For me, the experience leading up to the publication of the article was somewhat surreal... It consisted of many hours of discussion about why we started Reach, why new teachers need a better deal, and why this problem is urgent. Understandably, only a tiny fraction of what we shared ended up in print.
Below are some of the things that I said that did not make it into print:
SUSTAINING TEACHERS: Our goal is to sustain teachers for a lifetime of service to youth, families and communities. Just “retaining” teachers is not sufficient.
Those of us who come into teaching want to make a difference – and we chose public education as the place we hope to make it happen.
The first years can be so hard, isolating, and disheartening
We have got to sustain teachers and keep them connected to that vision of the teacher and leader they want to be
DIVERSITY: When a school faculty reflects the diversity of the community they serve, students do better, parents are more involved, and the teachers become part of something bigger. We have got to aggressively recruit and sustain a more diverse teaching corps.
CONNECTION: A sense of isolation permeates the teaching profession. We are building teams of teachers to support and challenge each other. We are connecting teachers with full time, trained and experienced teacher/coaches who are their partners, day to day, in their classroom and at their schools. Our teachers are not in this alone.
PARTNERSHIP: Reach is a partnership with schools and we only work with teachers who work in one of our partner schools. We work closely with and support the Principals. It doesn’t make sense to build a great program and then place teachers into a dysfunctional environment and hope that they will survive. Sustaining teachers is a whole group effort.
