Download PDF - Education Update

DECEMBER 2006 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ spotlight on schoolsSusan Fuhrman Assumes Presidency of Teachers College, Columbia UniversityBy Emily Sherwood, Ph.D.Noting that “we’ve got to be the placewhich spawns ideas that animate education,”Susan H. Fuhrman, a nationallyrecognized expert on public accountabilityand teacher excellence in education, hasbeen appointed tenth president of TeachersCollege (TC) at Columbia University. Shesucceeds Arthur Levine, who served asTC’s president for 12 years.Dr. Fuhrman, who received her Ph.D.from TC in 1977 and most recently servedas Dean of Penn’s Graduate School ofEducation (GSE) where she is creditedwith strengthening its programs in urbanand international education, will doubtlessbring her strong sense of commitmentto inner city neighborhoods with her toNew York. Under Dr. Fuhrman’s guidance,Penn’s GSE created its own Pre-K-8 publicschool in West Philadelphia, the SadieTanner Mosell Alexander School, whilecrafting partnerships with three low-performingneighborhood schools. Indeed, among her mentorsshe names former Penn President JudithRodin, from whom, she adds, “I learned what itmeant to be a good neighbor.” Would she forgesimilar partnerships in New York City? “Well, it’ssomething that’s in my blood,” says Dr. Fuhrmanforthrightly, though specific strategies would taketime to plan.Susan Fuhrman has a packed agenda for excellenceat TC: closing the achievement gap, competingglobally, improving math, science andengineering instruction to fuel future productivity,and encouraging experimentation with newteaching models that are informed by rich dataare all on the front burner. And she is deeplyconcerned about how to inspire teacher excellence.Teacher salaries are too low, especiallythose in urban neighborhoods when comparedThe Kew-Forest School Ryan Brenizer / Teachers Collegeto their suburban counterparts. And retention is amajor problem: “Fifty percent of teachers leavein the first five years, not just for salary reasons.They have concerns about working conditions,being supported on the job, having good schoolleaders, having opportunities to learn…So it’snot just a question of salaries attracting peopleto the profession. We need to create conditionsthat keep them in and support them and mentorthem,” explains Dr. Fuhrman.To achieve the lofty goals she lays out, Dr.Fuhrman is mounting a “fundraising agenda.” Inorder for TC to be the “leader of ideas,” she’llbe looking at increasing research monies thatflow into TC, in part though creating financialincentives for people who write big grants andrun large-scale research programs. “We need todraw people from across the school to apply forthese grants; we need activities that bring peopletogether around grant opportunities,” adds Dr.Fuhrman. But one element not slated for increaseis the doctoral program. “The advising burdensare very large and the quality of doctoral educationsuffers when there are too many doctoral students,”she explains. Moreover, to provide meaningfulfinancial support for doctoral students willrequire a more streamlined program.On the other end of the spectrum, TC willprobably be looking to renew an aging faculty assome members head toward retirement. “We willcertainly be refreshing the faculty and hiring thevery best people we can,” she adds.As Dr. Fuhrman ends the interview—it’s 5 PMand she is on her way to yet another meeting—she talks ever so briefly about her own doctoralmentor at TC, former U.S. Secretary of Healthand Human Services, Donna E. Shalala, nowPresident of the University of Miami. “We wereengaged in issues of school finance and equityin distribution of funds. We worked with clientsin state legislatures, particularly in Connecticut,to develop remedies for court cases declaringschool systems unconstitutional,” explains Dr.Fuhrman. What she learned during her years as astudent is a lesson that she will pass on to futurestudents at TC: “We put our ideas to work, weworked with policymakers, and I came to respectthem enormously.” Indeed, the goal of turningresearch-driven ideas into pragmatic implementationto improve the education of America’s youthis clearly what Susan Fuhrman is all about.#GREAT GIFT IDEASSave$400!$399 99Jean Baptiste180AL StudentAlto SaxophoneStart off your young sax playerright with the Jean Baptiste180AL Alto Saxophone.Specifically designed with thecomfort of the youngplayer in mind.JJB180ALX List: $799.99• Save: $400!Save$200! ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ The Kew-Forest School $199 99Children’s Drum SetThe 1045 Junior Drum Set is a smaller-sized,complete kit for that little rocker in your life!G1045XXXX List: $399.00 • Save: $200!Manhattan160 W 48th Street(212) 719-2299Brooklyn2600 Flatbush Ave.(718) 951-3888White Plains178 Mamaroneck Ave.(914) 949-8448Edison1831 Rt. 27(732) 572-5595FAMOUS FOR DISCOUNTS SINCE 1924!www.samashmusic.comEd. Update BW HGI 3.65x9.75.indd1 111/21/06 9:32:38 AM