Citizen/Multimedia
Title: “The Teacher Education Reform Song”
Summary: This songs speaks of the inadequacy of today’s teachers and of how ineffective education schools remain despite the failed efforts of numerous strategies and organizations.
Topic: Accreditation of all schools of education
Category: Citizen: expert/multimedia
What is it?A video posted on youtube.com
Publication Information:Youtube, January 30, 2008
Author:Mike Metzler, Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Education at Georgia State University
Location: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi4C_C-SoMw
Accessed: Mar. 11, 209
Support:
- “A Nation at Risk,” a 62-page report that caused former president Ronald Reagan to reform the education system.
- Holmes Group, created in the 1960′s by well-known teacher education schools with the goal of drastically reconstructing teacher education.
- National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF), a non-profit organization that advocates for better teaching practices by researching and publicizing their findings and ideas.
- Arthur Levine, current president of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, served as chair of the higher education program, as well as the Institute for Educational Management.
- Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education. In 2006, she announced a commission to create a new strategy for post-secondary education that will adhere to the needs of America’s population and the economic state it is in today.
- George W. Bush, former U.S. president. Passed No Child Left Behind Act, also known as “Nickel-B.”
- The PRAXIS Series, genera tests that some states employ as part of their certification and licensure for potential teachers.
- Specialty Professional Association (SPA), representative associations for the teaching profession.
- National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), most frequently applied accrediting agency.
To convey the desperation of the situation education schools find themselves in, Metzler calls out those who have attempted to reform education schools dating back to 1960′s up to the present. Although Metzler recognizes the best-of-intentions behind each method of reform, he address the flaws that lead to their demise. All of the organizations provide examples in the song of what has not worked for reforming education schools.
Audience and Agenda: This song is directed at the general public. Although the song writer is is the associate dean for the College of Education at Georgia State University and therefore has stock in the outcome of the issue he is addressing, his medium for expressing the issue suggests that he is acting of his own opinion rather than that of his position.
Usefulness: The song is not an annotated study that applies the scientific method to provide data to prove that education schools are in need of reform. The script does not use professional language or proper grammar. The video has basic editing, with no special effects. This video is meant to entertain and appeal to the public. The song is a parody on a Johnny Cash song, “I’ve Been Everywhere.” The main issue is that no organization or political figure can save education schools without the help and passion of the public. By writing a song and posting it on a popular website, youtube, Metzler thrusts the issue into the public with the hopes that everyone will understand the necessity for change.
Works Cited:
- http://education.gsu.edu/main/Metzler.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi4C_C-SoMw
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-04-22-nation-at-risk_N.htm
- http://www.springerlink.com/content/4jjy3gvc0xw5uq42/
- http://www.nctaf.org/faqs/index.htm
- http://www.woodrow.org/about/directory/president.php
- http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/09/09192005.html
- http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=48c05ee3d74f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&WT.ac=Praxis+Brochure+and+Front+Door
- http://www.naeyc.org/faculty/faq.asp#3
- http://www.ncate.org/institutions/process.asp
- Emails from Mike Metzler, song writer
