With a new school year underway, we are devoting a program to the grooming of future teachers. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said that most of the country's 1,450 teacher-training programs are doing a "mediocre job.” So, what do we know about the best way to educate candidates for the classroom? Do textbooks train a white, middle-class teacher how to bridge the “cultural divide” that may be waiting when they enter that classroom? How do we measure the effectiveness of teacher training? And how do we know that the best teachers reach the classroom? Is there a way to weed out those who aren’t really cut-out for the profession?
Brendan Foreman, former Chair of John Carroll University’s Department of Education
Tony Podojil, Executive Director for the Alliance of High Quality schools, and former Superintendent of West Geauga Schools, for 15 years.
Arthur McKee, National Council on Teacher Quality
Larry Abramson, National Public Radio Education Correspondent
