In Teaching There are no Guarantees

There is movement afoot to tie teacher's evaluations to the test scores of their students. Already in place in Los Angeles and DC, many districts have plans to determine teacher effectiveness based on how well their students did on standardized tests.

It's easy to put that system into place and fire teachers who are ineffective, but not so easy to find teachers who will raise test scores. One place, the Urban Teacher Center (UTC), claims that it will train teachers who will be able to guarantee test score improvements. Through a rigorous screening and training program, UTC is a four year program starting with a first year "residency" similar to a medical residency in addition to taking courses. Based on their performance in this first year, residents may or may not continue. Using this mathematical formula:

Score = (mo. of progress with small group) + 3* (course work GPA)

UTC determines whether you have the potential to be an effective teacher and have an impact on test scores in the future. So far, no other teacher preparation program has been able to guarantee that teachers will raise scores.

There is a good reason why. It is impossible to predict the future. Students change from year to year, neighborhood and school conditions change, teachers' lives change. All of these things have an impact on how "effective" a teacher might be with his or her students. Still, UTC claims their teachers will be able to raise test scores in spite of what is happening around them.

Products come with guarantees. If they break, you can get them fixed. Teachers are not interchangeable. If UTC teachers do not meet the expectations that are set for them, a school or a district can't get their money back, or get a replacement.  Teachers are people. They are unpredictable. We need to stop trying to ensure predictable outcomes, and live with the uncertainty a little bit. That is one of the beauties of teaching and learning.

Photo credit: Chicago 2016 photos