Views from across the Atlantic: US teachers union expresses dissent over Obama's educational policy

President Obama, a brilliant thinker and a diplomatic leader whose leadership promises 'change' for the US, disappoints the Teachers Union (AFT) and raises serious issues related to the meaning of educational reform. Dialogue is needed to rethink education out of an 'era of accountability' and toward responsiveness and responsibility. I believe Mr Obama is open to this dialogue, but US teachers must be prepared to share their voices - which highlights the importance of advocacy in the teaching profession. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092403197.html?referrer=facebook

Reflecting on the initial hopes for educational policy, particularly with regard to the early education, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010901526.html I hope that inappropriate accountability measures are not 'pushed down' into the early years. This is a difficult issue. There is a need to have well-resourced provision for early childhood education. This can be accomplished by revisioning education as pre-k - 12 rather than k-12. However, given the serious concern over the accountability driven model used for k-12 systems, US teachers and families are cautious to embrace this idea as 'more of the same' or worse. What is at risk is an encroachment upon sensitive caregiving and early educational practices - with testing, rating, and a lack of respect for who young people 'are' rather than who they will 'become.'