John E. Stone, George K. Cunningham and Donald B. Crawford, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, October 2001
A pair of studies recently crossed our desks that address the quality and preparation of schoolteachers in Oklahoma. This one (see below for a review of the other), prepared on behalf of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, contains an essay by John E. Stone on whether the state's current efforts to improve teacher quality are "paying off." (Answer: No, they're faddish, unproven and out of sync with what parents and policymakers want.) It also contains an essay by George K. Cunningham and Donald B. Crawford that explores whether "national standards" will improve Oklahoma's teacher quality. (Answer: No. "Under the guise of vaguely stated pedagogical reforms, NCTAF, NCATE, NBPTS, and INTASC are promoting the adoption of an approach to teaching that is at odds with the educational aims of the public. In effect, new teachers are being taught beliefs, methods and attitudes which will undermine Oklahoma's efforts to improve student achievement.") You can obtain this study from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Inc., 100 W. Wilshire, Suite C-3, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. E-mail [email protected]. Phone (405) 843-9212. Or surf to http://www.ocpathink.org/Pages/PolicyPaper01-7.html.
