The
explicit purpose of the NYSTCE tests is to help identify for certification those
candidates who have demonstrated the appropriate level of knowledge and skills
that are important for performing the responsibilities of an educator in New
York State public schools. As
noted in the two
previous blogposts,
the NYSTCE tests, include the ALST, EAS, CST, and edTPA.
Categorically, the ALST, EAS, CST, and edTPA are examples
of trailing indicators of
success.
As such, they are
the tools for demonstrating the appropriate level of
knowledge and skills that are important for performing the responsibilities of
an educator. While assessing how well teacher candidates can demonstrate
and perform skills required for successful completion of the ALST,
EAS, CST, and edTPA exams,
by extension these exams evaluate teacher preparation programs as well. Therefore, teacher preparation programs must monitor
and adjust their leading indicators of success.
While
planning this series, this writer intended to present one NYSTCE exam each
month, identifying the primary purpose and framework of that exam. However, it is becoming clear that revision
to a program’s cultural mindset may be more essential than curriculum mapping
and alignment of learning outcomes to diverse standards. Therefore, this month the emphasis will focus
on the need for teacher preparation programs to monitor and adjust their
programs but also to raise expectations for promoting critical thinking,
professionalism, and self-efficacy.
Initial
NYSTCE results indicate the need to strengthen teacher candidates’ academic and
quantitative literacy skills (Thompson, Case,
Alvarado-Santos, 2014). To address this need, Buffalo (2014) advocated
for the development and utilization of text sets. Examples of
how to develop text sets were provides in the two
previous blogposts.
Crucially,
to prepare successful teacher candidates, teacher preparation programs must
provide structured writing opportunities.
McDonald
and Romano (2014) encourage providing teacher candidates with extensive
practice in the application of descriptive writing. This style of writing is anecdotal by nature. Descriptive
writing provides a snapshot view of the classroom. Through descriptive writing, teacher
candidates do not make judgments or provide justification. The provided information is specific and
relevant to instruction. Clear, correct,
and coherent descriptive writing optimizes the teacher candidates’ opportunity for
subsequent analytical writing related
to instructional planning, practice, and the learning environment. Optimal utilization of descriptive and
analytical writing skills leads to reflective
writing pertaining to the assessment of student learning and professional
growth.
The
leading indicators for effective teacher
preparation cannot be content alone. Teacher preparation programs certainly need to
exhibit balanced
support between
development of the teacher candidate’s pedagogy, promotion of active
inquiry, and engagement
of faculty across the disciplines. They
must also raise expectations for promoting critical thinking, professionalism,
and self-efficacy. Monitoring and
adjusting these leading indicators of success requires a clear mission, action-based
vision, and defined autonomy.
Too
often those given the authority to lead experience failure because of the
misguided belief that all followers need to feel included. Consensus is not everyone
thinking the same but everyone recognizing the need to pursue a common goal. Too often leaders wait for the former rather
than guiding the group to the latter.
As
described by Marzano
and Waters (2009), "defined
autonomy" optimizes innovation while maximizing the achievement toward
specific goals. By contrast, “accomnocastigation”
(Anderson, 2015) is a policy of lower expectations or
ignoring learning outcomes in deference to the student's belief that his or her
unrealized lack of self-management and social awareness skills justifies the
student's exhibition of inappropriate class interactions and a lack of
professionalism and/or preparedness for class assignments.
Leaders that promote a culture embracing a policy of accomnocastigation allow
lower expectations and diminished skills to become the norm. Therefore, accomnocastigation is the enemy of
reform efforts and any desire to promote sustained success.
Teacher
preparation programs need to encourage defined autonomy for courses willing to provide
formative assessment processes and emotional
skill development for its teacher candidates.
By their nature, such approaches mitigate accomnocastigation. Through advocacy of a clear mission, action-based
vision, and defined autonomy, teacher
preparation programs will embrace innovations promoting higher expectations for
its teacher candidates and their subsequent exhibition of essential teaching competencies.
A clear mission, action-based vision, and defined autonomy are an
effective leader's ultimate responsibility. A little structure is very liberating, thereby
providing a solution to the paradox
of choice explicated by Schwartz (2004). Defined autonomy, promoted by an effective
leader's clear vision, is the solution to the paralysis by analysis that too
often results in failure.
Anderson, C.J. (February 20, 2015) Preparing for success with NYSTCE tests: Ending
accomnocastigation
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