Over the Christmas break there was an interesting commentary at Education Week Online about 'Gen Y Teachers'. Written by Sabrina Laine,  director of the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, it discusses how "those 20-somethings who connect with their friends via online social-networking sites and live with the world at their fingertips, are inherently going to be incompatible with a stagnant education system that can be painfully isolating and uninspiring."  The commentary proceeds to discuss teacher retention issues and how the interests of the younger teachers often conflict with the "educational system" as it currently exists. To read the commentary click on ‘Gen Y' Teachers Want to Innovate; Education Leaders Lag Behind. Sabrina Laines concludes saying "Listening to what new teachers say they need and affording them freedom, resources, and true support will boost innovation and increase the quality of education."

Thanks for posting this, Art.  I was interested to read that 54% of the respondents in the survey Laine referenced mentioned the lack of support from administrators as a drawback to the profession.  It seems that the balance between the testing requirements that impact teaching methods and the effort to maintain creativity and more innovative strategies for teaching is again at the forefront of the dilemma.  Administrators and teachers alike struggle to find a middle ground that appeases both ends of the spectrum.  The whole article brings to mind the need for quality mentoring programs to access the knowledge and expertise of the experienced in many different areas, which could include a reciprocal mentoring relationship as new ideas emerge and are introduced into education.