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Social Capital vs. Human Capital

1/19/2012

5 Comments

 

Tonight I attended a new group called the Teacher Leader PLC sponsored by the Department of Education and the Philadelphia Education Fund. Led by super-teacher Gamal Sherif this group brings together educators from all of Philadelphia to discuss what it is like the be a "teacher leader." The first meeting was tonight and it was great, so I thought I would write about the article we read in preparation for it. Enjoy!

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A successful team is a group of many hands but of one mind.  - Bill Bethel

The top-tier sports teams in the world are based not only on the best individuals but also on the best group dynamics. If a lead basketball player makes all the shot attempts him or herself without care to others on the team, there is a much smaller chance of scoring consistently. In sports, a key strategy is motion and unpredictability. 

The same can be said for educators: the best teachers do not segregate themselves - instead, they foster collaboration and teamwork in order to achieve their goals. If each teacher planned in isolation their skill would likely stagnate. Unlike in sports, however, the negative outcome would not be loss of income - it would be loss of education for our future citizens. 

In the article, The Missing Link in School Reform (Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2011, p. 30-35), Carrie Leana refers to this divide in relation to human capital vs. social capital. Under a human capital model, she argues, individual teachers individually affect student learning - if they have high-quality skills, their students will gain knowledge. Under a social capital model, however, teachers work in teams and - if they lack insight in a certain area - they learn from others who have experience and knowledge in those areas. 

This collaborative style of teaching has already shown positive results. In a study on New York City schools, "students showed higher gains in math achievement when their teachers reported frequent conversations with their peers that centered on math, and when there was a feeling of trust or closeness among teachers" (p. 33). In fact, it was also found that "low-ability teachers can perform as well as teachers of average ability if they have strong social capital" (p. 34). 

The narrowed focus on individual teachers adding value to groups of students is seemingly incorrect. Instead, policymakers should be advocating for better collaboration of teachers within schools and districts. I have already advocated for that by supporting programs like Critical Friends and Lesson Study. In fact, as mentioned earlier, the only reason I read this article is due to my joining a group sponsored by the Philadelphia Education Fund to discuss collaboration in order to foster positive leadership among teachers.

If the United States is serious about ensuring the next generation has the knowledge and skill for the future we need to emphasize collaboration and trust among those of us working with them.
5 Comments
Dan
1/21/2012 11:50:43 am

This is a brilliant flash of the obvious. I endorse it wholeheartedly.

Reply
steve carroll link
1/22/2012 05:04:26 pm

Helluja,
some reflective dialogue on the place of social capital withn education. If there is ONE area that the impact of various forms of social capital should be further researched and investiagated it should be within education !

Reply
Gamal Sherif link
1/27/2012 11:42:47 pm

Thanks, Mr. Cohen.
Teachers who want to catch the next meeting can sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dDJkcmFuTmZudm5kMEJaNmUzNzVsTEE6MA#gid=0

Gamal

Reply
Carrie Leana
1/28/2012 03:04:17 am

I find the comments on this blog very interesting. As the author of the article, "The Missing Link in School Reform", I would appreciate hearing more from teachers on our ideas regarding human and social capital. What does social capital look like in your school? Where have you seen it work? How have you seen it thwarted or destroyed?
Thanks very much for your interest.
Best regards,
Carrie Leana

Reply
Lonny Moses
1/29/2012 07:49:06 am

It seems so obvious doesn't it? After all, at Galil, we never plan anything for children in isolation. We're constantly getting feedback and support from people all around us. Perhaps someday that can become a reality for public schools as well.

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    I am a math teacher in the New York Department of Education. I infuse technology and real-world problems into my curriculum in order to prepare my students for the future. I would love for people across the country to recognize we teachers can't do it alone. If you don't believe me, come visit my classroom!

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