From the ArcaMax Publishing, Women Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/women/s-630021-806340
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- Vision, sense of purpose and the ability to
inspire are qualities of great teachers and great leaders, U.S. first
lady Michelle Obama says.
"As (President Barack Obama) has frequently said, in a 21st century
global economy where jobs can be shipped to any place with an Internet
connection, and children here in America will be competing with
children around the world for the same jobs, a good education is no
longer just one road to opportunity -- it is the only road," Obama
wrote in a commentary posted Thursday on U.S. News and World Report's
Web site.
Reports indicate, however, that as many as a third of America's 3.2
million teachers could retire during the next four years, Obama said.
The Education Department has projected schools will hire as many as 1
million new teachers.
"Today, we need a new generation of leaders to take their place in our
nation's schools," she said. "We need passionate, talented, committed
men and women to step up and devote themselves to preparing our
students to succeed in this new century."
But teachers are only part of the equation, she said. Parents must
ensure homework gets done and limit television and video gaming.
Colleges and universities must redouble their efforts to prepare
teachers for the classroom. The federal government must support
efforts to recruit and retain teachers, and to reward high-performing
teachers.
Along those lines, the president has invested $3 billion to turn
around struggling schools and proposed a nationwide teacher
recruitment program, she said.
When thinking of qualities that make an outstanding teacher --
patience, vision, purpose, creativity, inspiration -- "we realize:
these are also the qualities of a great leader," she said.