Blog Archive » Faculty

Many great comments continue to come in on my original blog in this series Who Will Teach? Students in Early Childhood Education offer these thoughts on the discussion:

Makai Kellogg writes:

"Yesterday after leaving my preschool to go to Trinity for class, I came across a bumper sticker that read "It's too bad that the people who know how to run the country are too busy teaching school." After reading President McGuire's blog, this message rang even more true in spite of the 'teacher bashing' that has been going on. I agree that good teachers need to be respected and not criticized because of bad teachers. As a former DCPS student, I have personally experienced problems such as unprepared, unmotivated teachers and facilities that were literally falling apart. At the same time I also had the opportunity to be taught by teachers who told me the truth and used their own resources to better convey meaning to their students. Blaming does not solve anything. Solutions addressing all facets of education, from meeting children's basic needs to properly training teachers, will better evoke change for the better. I am thankful that I have professors here at Trinity dedicated to preparing and producing high quality teachers so that one day the conversation will shift from the failures of our public schools to how our public schools have become the model for others." Full Article

Yesterday, I met with the School of Education Faculty to discuss the current situation with school reform, teacher education, and ways in which Trinity might take a more prominent role in contributing to new models for educational success in our city.   The faculty is eager to move ahead with genuine transformation of our work in education and counseling — and great ideas abound!  Secretary Duncan's call to action is resonating at Trinity, and this will have a very productive long-term impact on our effectiveness in educating school leaders, teachers, counselors and others.

Dr. Amy Brereton wrote a comment on my previous blog about Secretary Duncan's speech at Columbia, and what she has to say is so important that I'm bringing it forward for consideration here, see below….. And, what do YOU think?   Please join this discussion by clicking on the "comments" link below, or send me your thoughts in an email to president@trinitydc.edu Full Article

The faculty in Trinity's School of Education have responded collectively and individually to my previous blog on the state of teacher education and Secretary Duncan's remarks.   While they posted their response on the "comments" section of the last blog, I think what they have to say is so important that I'm reposting it here:

Dear President McGuire,

We in the School of Education whole-heartedly agree with your position regarding who will teach! Teacher bashing is entirely unproductive, as is the non-inclusive approach that Chancellor Michelle Rhee seems to be taking as she attempts to implement the worthy goal of improving the District of Columbia Public Schools. We also agree that to address the school problem without addressing the context in which many students live is not a realistic approach to school reform. Pretending that good teachers alone can solve the problems in DCPS won’t get the job done. Schools do not exist in a vacuum; historic, socio-economic, and political factors including the legacies of racism and disenfranchisement have contributed to their troubles. School reform should be a part of a comprehensive plan to address poverty, adult illiteracy, and all the related issues. Full Article

She would probably say, "Well, dear, that's very nice, but we must not let it all go to our heads…" or something similarly wry and humble.  Since Sister Joan Bland's death last month, tributes have poured in from all over.  This great Trinity Alumna, Sister of Notre Dame, Founder of Education for Parish Service touched so many lives with her wisdom, faith, good humor and keen intelligence. Full Article

Alumnae leadership is a Trinity hallmark across all generations of Trinity Women. At this week's Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society induction for Political Science majors, Paula Lettice, Class of 1971, continued the grand tradition of extending our "Old Girls' Network" to the latest generation of Trinity leaders. While we all know the famous Trinity alumna who sits in the Speaker's chair on Capitol Hill these days (Nancy Pelosi, Class of 1962), Paula Lettice is also a great example of the many Trinity leaders who work on the Hill to ensure that the "People's House" is run effectively. As the chief financial officer for the Architect of the Capitol, Paula has considerable responsibility for the operations of all major buildings under Congressional control, as well as the construction of the new visitors' center. In addition to her duties at the Capitol, Paula has also exercised her Trinity leadership skills on behalf of her alma mater, serving now as a Trinity Trustee. Full Article