Readers of this blog are familiar with the continuing debate about two new “graduate schools of education,” created by charter schools to train charter school teachers. I put quote marks around the term for “graduate schools of education” inasmuch as I don’t see how anything can be called a graduate school that has no scholars, no curriculum, and no disputation.
Carol Burris received a copy of the training manual for the Match school from an anonymous student. In this post for Valerie Strauss’ Answer Sheet, Burris analyzes the program and the pedagogy. She seeks to answer the question: What are charter teachers taught in their custom graduate school?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am cross posting this from the blog about the math professors critique of Kahn Academy’s teaching and learning methods/content. I believe it is just as relevant on this blog.
To me the most important aspect of the two math teachers critique of Kahn’s work is the difference between content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PDK). It’s the reason not all English speakers can teach language arts/English classes. That’s why sometimes the native speaking Spanish teacher struggles with teaching Spanish as a second language, as they haven’t gone through the process of learning Spanish as a second language and don’t know all the “sticky points” in the teaching and learning of Spanish. I had not heard the term used exactly like they have but it is a good term-pedagogical content knowledge.
PDK can also serve to inform us why administrators, especially in post elementary schools where many times teachers and students have specific content/subject classes, struggle with being able to adequately guide struggling teachers. And it points to the need to have subject area mentors to guide new teachers.
PDK also serves to inform us why just having an undergraduate degree does not usually prepare one for teaching if they haven’t taken corresponding educational methods, assessment, etc. . . classes. It points to why the “trainers” (I don’t know that I can call them teachers) and students (recruits?) of the Match and Relay “graduate” schools rely so heavily on the “drill sergeant” method and routines of total domination supposed class room management.
It is not enough just to have content knowledge to become a “master” teacher (nor administrator for that matter, won’t get into that critique now).
Dang, every time I CC clean my computer I need to remember to re-change some of the various sites I participate in to get the right name out there.
I am new to this blog and throughout numerous postings I have not noticed much posted about North Carolina. What is happening here is not much different than many of the other states where Republicans have taken control and public education is made enemy #1. Unions are illegal in NC. Perhaps that is one reason politicians found it so easy to vote away teacher tenure. Last year 5 days were added to the calendar without any financial compensation. Now two governors with distinctly different visions are up for election. If the Republicans have there way, NC will be on a fast track for adding charter schools and defunding public education.
http://www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/story/11351168/
I write about states and districts in response to what I read. Some of what I write is based on news stories sent by readers.
But I have NOT neglected North Carolina. I counted five posts entirely about North Carolina. Use the search feature to find them.
This is one of the best: .https://dianeravitch.net/2012/06/17/four-step-demolition-polka-in-north-carolina/