Tom Friedman Signals New Education Rhetoric and the Same Old Crap

I have been dismissing Tom Friedman for a long time, but occasionally I do find something of interest in his column that someone else said.  His latest column follows that pattern, in that it is based largely on quotes from Tony Wagner, a Harvard prof who has made a career of trying to do in education what Tom Friedman has done in politics, i. e., represent an abstract middle-brow version of progressivism that wraps neo-liberal social engineering plans in gauzy, good-smelling paper.  When you look closely, however, you will still find a turd inside.

Friedman begins by citing with the reason for all education, the economy, and by pointing out that there are no more high paying middle skilled jobs.  What he doesn’t tell us is that those jobs were shipped abroad by the guys he goes skiing with in Sun Valley, exported to labor markets that made them middle- skills slave-wage jobs.  See China, India, Bangladesh, etc.  

Then Friedman says with apparent sincerity that “now there is only the high-wage high-skilled job.”  Really?  How about the growing number of high-skilled low-wage jobs that have been created by an oversupply of college degrees and a by further atomization of unions?   See Bill Gates, Eli Broad, the Koch Boys, etc. 

As the story goes, Tom called Tony to get some advice on how to make everyone ready for the handful of high-wage high-skilled jobs created each year.  Tony apparently said forget it, man, we need schools that can turn out thinkers, rather than test takers. 

"So we need folks who can think outside the bubble, don’t you know.  What’s going now in schools is killing imagination and motivation, so we’re screwed, dude, until we get rid of the high stakes tests that are driving what is taught, which amounts to a bunch of facts that can be turned into a standardized measurement tool.  And that idea about everyone college ready?  So forget that, too—we need people who can add value to whatever they do in life. 

So Tony, man, this is great—how do we get there?  So I am putting you in my column, by the way. 

So, cool.  Here’s how.  So to get people who can spend their live creating new apps, I mean, adding value to what they do, we motivated risk takers who know how to play, with passion—you know what I mean?

So I think so.

And that is where, in Tom's column, Tony apparently stopped winging it and started reading from the script prepared for him by the Gates Foundation.  Because of its translucent packaging, I am going to do some unwrapping from inside the brackets:

 “Teachers,” he [Tony reading the Gates script] said, “need to coach students to performance excellence [drill, baby, drill], and principals must be instructional leaders [meaningless babble] who create the culture of collaboration required to innovate [school leaders must take their marching orders from the Business Roundtable]. But what gets tested is what gets taught, and so we need ‘Accountability 2.0.’ [a third generation of the same stuff that hasn’t any better than the earlier Windows versions]. All students should have digital portfolios to show evidence of mastery of skills like critical thinking and communication [think bandwidth, technology sales, and rubrics, rubric, rubrics], which they build up right through K-12 and postsecondary [the total surveillance school testing to college testing pipeline-the TSSTCTP]. Selective use of high-quality tests, like the College and Work Readiness Assessment, is important [How else are we going to know how much and where people are going to add their value??—by the way, the company that makes CWRA also makes the College Learning Assessment (CLA), which is how we will know how much students learn in college]. Finally, teachers should be judged on evidence of improvement in students’ work through the year — instead of a score on a bubble test in May [the value-added judge will be more than one test—it will be many tests throughout the year.  See Common Core]. We need lab schools [charter schools] where students earn [by more exit exams] a high school diploma [the dead end type] by completing a series of skill-based ‘merit badges’ in things like entrepreneurship [students can keep their badges in their footlockers when they go off to get a job fighting (high risk-low pay) in the next war to protect American business interests]. And schools of education [Lemovian training camps] where all new teachers have ‘residencies’ with master teachers [student teaching on steroids] and performance standards [testing targets]— not content standards [not Dewey or Vygotsky]— must become the new normal throughout the system.” [See Relay or Match]

Tom: [So] Who is doing it right?

“Finland is one of the most innovative economies in the world,” he said, “and it is the only country where students leave high school ‘innovation-ready.’  They learn concepts and creativity more than facts, and have a choice of many electives — all with a shorter school day, little homework, and almost no testing. In the U.S., 500 K-12 schools affiliated with Hewlett Foundation’s Deeper Learning Initiative [aka Harder Test Initiative]and a consortium of 100 school districts called EdLeader21 are developing new approaches to teaching 21st-century skills. 

[Deeper learning is a new edu-buzz word.  This is from the Hewlett site, announcing the new and improved testing plan:

After doing months of research and interviewing more than 100 theorists, thinkers and investors in education philanthropy, the Hewlett Education Program is set to channel money into strategies that develop students’ preparation for working in a global economy.
The key aspects of the deeper learning module include four efforts to:# Promote policies or strategies that create incentives for schools to focus on deeper learning, concentrating initially on improving the assessments used to measure students’ academic growth;

# Build educational systems capacity and teaching practices both online and in the classroom to reach large numbers of students using deeper learning principles;

# Support proof points including model K-12 schools and community colleges, and fund research that promotes deeper learning as an attainable and necessary goal for all students; and

# Develop new, innovative models to increase access for all students and to improve deeper learning.

Getting the picture???]

My turn:  As far as I can see in this example or in EdLeaders21, which is a consulting outfit run by some very nice people who are universally unqualified to give teaching and learning advice, there is nothing that resembles the kind of systemic, deep, reflective national conversation and commitment that went into the kind of changes that occurred in Finland.  This is simply Wagner putting a nice bow on his smelly package.  That kind of “deep learning” that Finland engaged in would take a federal education initiative from a federal department that was not a candy store for corporate foundations and the Business Roundtable. 

That’s what Tony Wagner knows but is afraid to tell Tom Friedman, who knows it, too, but who is too much of self-serving whore to do anything with that knowledge.  Meanwhile, we give you Tom, Tony, and Turds.

U. S. Education Reformers' Cartoon Version of Finland's Teacher Education System

Friedman's "Teaching for America" (as in Teach for America) in the Times on Nov. 20 highlights the schizophrenia of the corporate ed reformers' approach to having their cake, eating their cake, and not paying their cake all at the same time.  As the media mouthpiece for Gates, Broad, Walmart, and Arne Duncan, Friedman encapsulates in his little op-ed an approach to reform based on syrupy rhetoric, arrogance, ignorance, and deception.

If Friedman knows anything about Finland's education system or their teacher education process, it doesn't show.  The closest he comes to advocating an American model based on what the Finns have done can be found in his advocacy for recruiting the best and the brightest into teaching.  And that's where similarity with the Finns ends.  The Finns do not take their best and brightest, indoctrinate them for 5 weeks, and dump them into the most challenging classrooms to learn to teach on poor people's children (see Teach for America).

Instead, the Finns put an "intensive investment in teacher education--all teachers receive 2 to 3 years of high-quality graduate-level preparation completely at state expense--plus a major overhaul of the curriculum and assessment system designed to ensure access to a 'thinking curriculum' for all students" (Darling-Hammond, The Flat World and Education, 2010, p. 167).

Nor do the Finns place teachers in little corporate charters run by CEOs, who may be humane and generous or tyrannical and sadistic without anyone knowing.  Nor do the Finns base hiring, salary increases, and firing on state test scores, nor do they demonize the teachers' union to which 95% of Finnish teachers belong.  And guess what: "there are no external standardized tests used to rank students or schools in Finland" (, p. 169). Nor have there been for almost 30 years!

Here is clip from a piece written for Adviser Perspectives by Charlie Curnow, sent to me by one of my students, which points out some other facts that Friedman should know before his next commissioned piece from Bill Gates:

In Finland, the country that ranked first in the world in math, reading and science on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams, and which Guggenheim holds up as a model for a successful education system, teacher training programs recruit from the top 10 percent of high school graduates each year. Moreover, places for new teaching trainees are strictly limited by the government to match school demand, making competition for seats fierce. In the U.S., by contrast, only 23 percent of new teachers come from the top third of their class, including just 14 percent of new teachers in high-poverty schools,
according to another McKinsey report released in September. The number of places in U.S. undergraduate education programs is left up entirely to the universities. In stark contrast to the Finns, who filter their recruits up front, U.S. schools tend to wait until the hiring stage to filter out new teaching recruits, leading to an uneven and frequently flooded labor market.

Teacher qualification standards are also often higher in top-performing countries than in the U.S. All new Finnish teachers, for example, must hold a master's degree in education or in the subject they wish to teach, and must also pass two rounds of exams for literacy, numeracy, problem solving and communications skills before entering training. After all of that, there's still a third round of tests conducted after they graduate college by the individual schools at which they apply to work. Compare that to the U.S. system, where just 52 percent of traditional public school teachers and 36 percent of charter school instructors hold a master's degree or higher, according to the National Center for
Education Statistics. Many charter schools don't even require their instructors to pass state licensing exams, a minimum qualification for starting teachers at traditional public schools.

This marked difference between the teaching qualification standards of U.S. charter schools and traditional public schools may help explain much of the performance gap between them. Furthermore, this gap illustrates one reason why a unionized teaching profession actually makes sense. While trade unions in any industry can indeed flatten wages for workers with disparate performance levels, they also help enforce uniform qualification and training standards. Ninety-five percent of Finland's teachers belong to labor unions, and those teachers tend to enjoy many of the same rights and privileges (including "tenure") that unionized teachers in the U.S. do. Furthermore, the suggestion that union contracts shield teachers from any negative consequences is absurd — "rubber rooms" and other aberrations aside, even long-time teachers in the U.S. are subject to regular observation and performance reviews by administrators, and can, in fact, be fired after due process hearings.

But what about merit pay? Surely the top school systems must place heavy emphasis on material incentives to reward their best instructors and punish the laggards? Not necessarily, says the McKinsey report. Separate independent studies of schools in Denver, Texas and North Carolina all found no substantial gains in student performance after the institution of merit pay systems.

The more important incentives for teachers, according to McKinsey, are non-financial: high expectations, a shared sense of purpose, and a collective belief in their ability to make a difference in the educations of the students they serve. Also essential are regular check-ups to bring specific methodological weaknesses to light and the constant sharing of specific best practices, spread through their demonstration in actual classrooms.

Finland's system once again sets a good example in this regard. Instead of breeding a culture of cutthroat competition, Finland encourages its teachers to work together, and it gives instructors one free afternoon per week to plan lessons jointly, observe each other's classes, and help one another improve. . . .

Gates, Duncan, Friedman: Connecting the Dopes

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters (I would call it "Invisible Strings")

As the corporate education deform ship tacks following the grounding of the Oligarchs in DC, it is clear already that their new lay line is bound to take the Billionaire Boys Club into shallow waters once more.  The new strategy is based on using the current economic Depression to leverage the continued crushing of the teaching profession by paying all-powerful school CEOs a bundle and by further cutting teacher pay, while basing the remainder on test scores. Gates has some experience with this kind of management, even before the Bankster Revolution. From 2005:

Microsoft's compensation moves have created a haves-vs.-have-nots culture. Newbies work for comfortable but not overly generous wages, while veterans have a lucrative treasure chest of stock options. Now a new pay scheme, scheduled to go into effect this fall, threatens to make the gulf even wider. If they meet incentive goals, the 120 or so vice-presidents will receive an eye-popping $1 million in salary a year, and general managers, the next level down, will get $350,000 to $550,000, according to a high-ranking source. But the rest of the staff is paid at market rates.

The pay disparity is exacerbated by Microsoft's rating system. The company uses a bell curve to rate employees in each group, so the number of top performers is balanced by the same number of underachievers. But Microsoft has a long history of hiring top-notch computer science grads and high-quality talent from the industry. Under the rating system, if a group works hard together to release a product, someone in the group has to get a low score for every high score a manager dishes out. "It creates competition in the ranks, when people really want community," says a former Microsoft vice-president. 

Still, Microsoft workers have a sweet deal when compared to public school teachers.  This from 2006:

On top of the very competitive salaries and perks, the health care and benefits package, which is 100% free for all full time employees, easily adds $20K to an average mid-level professional's salary at Microsoft. Still need more convincing that this is a company you should pursue for long-term employment? Check out these additional perks:

Investment Benefits - Savings Plus 401(k) Plan -Defer up to 50% of pretax salary dollars. Company matches 50 cents on every dollar to a maximum of 6% of employee contribution.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan - 1% to 15% of after-tax salary to buy Microsoft stock at a 10% discount.
Group Legal Plan - Provides assistance with routine legal services such as real estate, adoption, divorce, bankruptcy, and wills.
Employee Assistance Program - Confidential counseling services for employees and family members.
Prime Program - Discount savings on products and services, including automotive services, computers and electronics, home and garden, restaurants, and travel.
Tuition Assistance Program - Reimbursement of tuition fees and textbooks for work-related courses.


Quoted directly from the Microsoft Employee website: "At Microsoft, people are the source of our energy. Creative people from all types of backgrounds, bringing passion and new ideas, meeting challenges, and realizing their potential. Our benefits plan and resources are designed to keep our most important assets - our employees - healthy, happy, and moving ahead at optimal speed. Microsoft benefits are generous and personalized; to give our employees the coverage they need to keep them healthy and happy."

Now, let's take a closer look at two of the most common occupations at Microsoft -

Software Design Engineer

Software design engineers work in a supportive network, sharing a passion for pushing the limits of technology in order to enable customers. The work completed by SDE's at Microsoft influence the lives of millions. Some duties include coding and designing new software, and constant team collaboration to create and build products. Annual Salary: $107,300 USD plus full benefis.

Administrative Assistant

An administrative assistant is involved in a wide array of tasks and projects including event planning, customer liaison, and website updating. This position provides an opportunity to take action, use strong problem-solving skills to bring about change, and make a positive impact. Annual Salary: $47,000 US plus full benefits

Prerequisites: Some office experience, complimented by an ability to use email and Office suite of products. Possess strong time management and team building skills. Knowledge of basic website management skills is considered a strong asset.

Polish up your resume, press your best interview garb and check out the Microsoft website. Currently, there are more than 300 openings posted nationwide and you can conveniently apply online.

Now this past week the real Secretary of Education, Bill Gates, sent out his flunky secretary, Arne Duncan, to talk about getting more "bang for the buck" as a way to push for further teacher bashing and the further basing of teacher pay and job security on test scores.  Meanwhile, the puppetmaster, himself, was in Louisville spouting the same message to state school officials:

School systems will have to find the money for merit pay from within existing budgets, Gates said. He suggested shifting money set aside for rewarding teachers on the basis of seniority or from those who attain advanced degrees. To study and develop effective ways to award merit pay, the Gates foundation is investing $290 million over seven years in the Tampa, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; and Pittsburgh school districts, as well as a charter-school consortium in Los Angeles. . . .

. . . .Schools may also save money by increasing class size, Gates said. U.S. student-teacher ratios dropped to 15-to-1 today from 26-to-1 in 1960, without improving student results, according to the foundation. Schools would save more than $10,000 per classroom by increasing class size by four pupils. They could use the money to pay the best teachers more, according to the foundation. . . . 

Now what we know about teacher pay now before these proposed "reforms" is that teacher pay is woefully inadequate already, and one of the small tangible rewards that teachers have counted on in the past is the step increase built into salary schedules across the nation.  As an example, below is a salary schedule for 2010-2011 from St. Louis, MO.  

First off, 14 percent of the beginner's $37.5K salary goes into a state retirement plan, whose eventual payouts are being slashed each year.  So the real beginning salary before other deductions is 32,250.  And Missouri teachers, like teachers in a number of other states, do not pay Social Security, which means, of course, that they will not collect it, either.  From a piece earlier this year in the Post-Dispatch:

Unveiled at last week's work session, the draft aims to reduce pensions for teachers hired after June 30, 2013, by roughly 15 to 20 percent, Yoakum said.

For example, after 30 years of service, current teachers draw 75 percent of their compensation, which includes salary and board-paid health insurance, as a pension. Under the proposal, new teachers would draw 60 percent of salary and insurance after 30 years. That would drop the pension for a $60,000-a-year teacher to $36,000 annually, down from $45,000.

Note, too, that after 10 years of teaching in some of those challenging schools in America, a St. Louis teacher makes the same as a starting administrative assistant at Microsoft in 2007.

DEGREE	STEP	ANNUAL
BA	A	37,500.00
	B	38,500.00
	C	39,000.00
	D	39,400.00
	E	40,153.00
	F	42,040.00
	G	43,467.00
	H	44,771.00
	I	46,115.00
	J	47,360.00
	K	50,358.00
	L	55,570.00

Bill Gates and Arne Duncan want to get rid of these meager step increases by eliminating them entirely.  They want teacher raises (in St. Louis or Syracuse or anywhere else) to be based on student standardized test scores.  And they want to increase class size at the same time.  

Of course, the Oligarchs' ultimate solution is to turn both St. Louis and Syaracuse and every other urban system into segregated corporate welfare charter school systems, where charter CEOs can be paid hundreds of thousand per year like Canada, Moskowitz, and New Orleans corporate welfare queen, Kathy Reidlander, all the while doing away entirely with salary schedules and due process protections in hiring and firing.  

 

In North Carolina, where the charter cap just came off after a sweep by Republicans at the state level, one newly elected pol is already crowing about all the money that will saved when the state goes charter:

"Charter schools just make sense," explained Senator Elect Goolsby.  "They operate on 70 cents out of every dollar that go to the government run public schools and they give parents choice and education freedom.  They do everything great and they do it at 70 cents on the dollar."

What part of that 30 cents on the dollar that does not come from eliminating school libraries, art, music, drama, sports, etc. comes from cuts in teacher pay (as documented by an AFT nationwide study in 2007 that found that "the average charter school teacher salary was $41,106--nearly $10,000 less than that for traditional public school teachers." 

 

Now at the other prominent orifice of this corporate reform monster plops the chief middle brow scholar of all things corporate, Tom Friedman.  And while Mr. Friedman may be able to paint a convincing canvas of a Lexus under an olive tree, Gates has provided him now with an even more difficult picture to render: one that shows how these crushing realities and punishing planned funding "reforms" can be put alongside the ethereal rhetoric of building a teaching profession equal to that of Finland. The op-ed title, itself, "Teaching for America," mirrors the thought disorder that Friedman exhibits in this smelly gush of mental diarrhea:

Duncan’s view is that challenging teachers to rise to new levels — by using student achievement data in calculating salaries, by increasing competition through innovation and charters — is not anti-teacher. It’s taking the profession much more seriously and elevating it to where it should be. There are 3.2 million active teachers in America today. In the next decade, half (the baby boomers) will retire. How we recruit, train, support, evaluate and compensate their successors “is going to shape public education for the next 30 years,” said Duncan. We have to get this right.

To label such bullshit as fanciful would be flattering.  What it is, in fact, is an insult to the capacity, even, of any of the unfortunate psychologically-sterilized borderline illiterates that the segregated corporate charter is likely to turn out with a teacher corps built on ignorance, rather than knowledge and skill and professional competence.  Do these fools think anyone is believing this stuff besides the corporate media's editorial boards?