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Part of the Alternative Structure is the People


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In order to provide the best system of education, you need the best educators.  This is something that the Saskatchewan Party failed to understand in its insistence that teachers in Saskatchewan do not deserve a substantial wage increase because there is not a shortage of workers.  It seems to me that their basic market economy supply and demand thinking is not very progressive.  Should an Education degree guarantee you a job?  The Equity School in the United States does not think so and they underline this by offering high wages to teachers.

The Equity Project, is premised on the theory that excellent teachers — and not revolutionary technology, talented principals or small class size — are the critical ingredient for success. Experts hope it could offer a window into some of the most pressing and elusive questions in education: Is a collection of superb teachers enough to make a great school? Are six-figure salaries the way to get them? 

To a certain extent this makes sense.   Although many teachers claim that they do not do the job for money, one has to wonder if competitive wages would be enough to lure skilled people away from other high paying industries.
A new documentary titled The Finland Phenomenon: Inside the World's Most Surprising School System, suggests that Finland improved its education system by building respect. 

     Every teacher got a masters degree, and every teacher got the very same high 
     quality level of preparation.  So what has happened since is that teaching has 
     become the most highly esteemed profession. Not the highest paid, but the most 
     highly esteemed. Only one out of every 10 people who apply to become teachers 
     will ultimately make it to the classroom (Salon).

This is a model I would love to see embraced in Canada.  We have developed a culture that secures teaching jobs not for the best teachers, but for those who are the most patient.  Speaking about schools in the United States, Harvard Professor Tony Wagner, the narrator of the new documentary says,"I've been in some of this country's best schools in some of the wealthiest districts, and even some private schools, and I've seen stunningly mediocre teaching there with teachers teaching to the test".  Wagner's personal experience supports the idea at the beginning of the page.  In order for systems to work, we need the best teachers.  The best teachers are not simply the ones willing to do the job.  The best teachers are the ones who are knowledgeable and skilled at their craft.  

Wagner continues to laud the importance of collaboration among teachers (who no doubt will do the same for their students),”The second point is that they've defined professionalism as working more collaboratively. They give their teachers time in the school day and in the school week to work with each other, to continuously improve their curriculum and their lessons."   Having recently moved from a school that offered time during the day for preparation and collaboration to one that offers none, I can attest to the difference it makes.   Trying to prepare five lessons a day without any time to do it can lead to mediocre lessons.  Preparing three lessons a day with two blocks a day to plan and collaborate inevitably yields more thoughtful leadership.
In his interview on Salon, Wagner hits on a number of excellent points.  The main idea however is that in order to improve education, we need to have the best teachers in the classroom.  Is getting the best teachers a question of money or respect?  I imagine the answer is both.

New York Times articles about the Equity School
Salon Interview with Professor Tony Wagner

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