My Urban Studies class was recently given the assignment of coming up with solutions to several problems the New York City Public Schools system currently faces. Obviously, there is no huge vat of money lying around anywhere, so we also had to factor in how we planned to pay for it. I figured posting it might get me some additionally idea(r)s. So without further ado................................
Part One-Teacher Shortage.
Because of the problems many students and teachers in the NYC system face in terms of violence and other issues, there is currently a gigantic teacher shortage in city schools. While this includes every subject area, the biggest gap is in science and math educators. Teachers who might teach in the city are more drawn to the safer suburbs which pay significantly more than the average 1st year teacher in the NYC system (around $43,000 a year with an extra $3000 for math and science teachers.) What to do?
We propose that the last year of teachers' education in the CUNY and SUNY system (with the hopes that private colleges like NYU and Columbia follow our lead) should be a mandatory, year-long student teaching program. This hands-on experience will provide more vitally efficient education to future teachers than testing them on what law 241-19 is (the IEP education act) In addition to providing sorely needed teachers, this will also assuage some of the newer teachers worries about working in the school system and may defer them from moving to suburban school districts. The funding will not be huge because the student teachers will not get paid and those who moderate them only need to be present in class at certain times.
It's a start
Stay tuned for part two-lack of resources
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