What's the Best Way to Make Teachers?

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The best schools in America do not have credentialed teachers. They have teachers with high-level training in their subject matter. The mediocrity of the modern teaching profession is a direct product of the "mainstream" credentialing track, which produces the inoffensive, status-quo-supporting teachers we see in our public schools. I propose that the credentialing system be eliminated altogether in favor of higher subject-matter qualifications, where a master's degree in the field taught substitutes for the teaching credential.

Svend la Rose of CA 2:16AM July 06, 2009

I am truly amazed at the lack of accoutability for the teachers to pass children from kindrgarden,first grade, etc. with the children not learning any of the concepts of subjects to be learned. Namely reading,(not sight reading, reading with comprehension have been gained) Arithmatic, concepts learned, and under stood, English, basic sounds, combinations of letters, and what they mean when they are combined properly.
Reading,if these preceeding subjects have been taught understood, than Reading would pose no problem.
The schools are fully aware of this being done, I might add, not in the child's best interest. To promote
children lacking these necessary components of basic learning is deplorable. So now you have graduated people , that cannot read, understand math, and write proficiently.
Education has to wake up, or, is it profitable to have more prisons,drop outs, which you attribute to these so called participants not showing any interest in learning.
The truth be it known, is that educators are all at fault for this to be happening for this many years. Spend the money as you have previousely done, and still ponder the question, How can we improve education?Teachers know a good thing when they see it, at least they are able to earn a living and not get blamed for this sham that has been pulled on the public.This money that is being allowed to happen for education. Is it just another false pretense to still have individuals being denied a chance to progress in their lives. How is it You all sleep so well at night?
Wake up America and see if anyone will have a chance to really get an education.

R Tomaszewski of MA 7:03PM March 06, 2009

After 26 years of high school teaching, I still haven't seen many teaching programs that prepare anyone for the profession as well as a good long internship under the careful watch of an experienced teacher. The student teachers/interns who succeed are the ones who are knowledgeable about their subject matter, willing to work their butts off, honest with themselves about what worked and what didn't, ask lots of questions about how to get it right, and who have great people skills, including a genuine affinity with the kids. A sense of humor and ability to laugh at yourself are also essential. Most of this is character-driven rather than the result of training.
Invariably, the ones who think this is an easy job and are in it for the summers off are overwhelmed and disillusioned---they generally don't make it through the internship period!

JoAnne Boyd of NY 7:14AM March 01, 2009

This suggests that anybody can teach, and I am personally tired of hearing that. If you can't handle children first, then there is no teaching. Vast knowledge in content alone does not make on a great teacher, nor can Praxis exams determine that. It takes training to be a good teacher. Can anyone be a nurse, doctor, lawyer, etc. The answer is yes, but the proper training must be had. Further more, alternative teachers often receive more help and resources than veteran teachers. Teaching is much more than dispensing information. It is being culturally sensitive, patient, willing to be berated by kids and parents, and still try to help them, and having dedication to grade all of those papers. People who think anyone can teach are crazy. Most of these yo yos can't even manage their own kids.

Lisa of MD 10:53PM February 19, 2009

I would think someone at USN&WR would read more than the headlines from the recently released study on the effectiveness of teacher preparation. The researchers found, but did not emphasize that “students of alternatively certified (AC) teachers who were taking coursework while teaching scored lower in math than students of their traditionally certified (TC) counterparts.” Hmm. This may suggest that learning on the job may have its drawbacks.
Another new study – also recently released – but not with the fanfare of this one — shows that the students benefit from teacher education when their teachers have had extensive and well supervised student teaching – a hallmark of high quality traditional teacher education programs. The problem is that there is more variation within TC and AC than between them. The question should not be whether AC or TC is better — but what do teachers need to learn before they begin to teach — and how they can continue to learn as they develop as expert teachers.

Barnett Berry of NC 8:57AM February 16, 2009

I'm a middle aged, mid-career professional looking to get into one of these alternate programs. I'm glad to hear that it is not a folly and a road to failure.

Harry of NY 9:27AM February 13, 2009

I'd like to point out that the study was actually conducted entirely in grades kindergarten through grade 5. I only found it out by actually clicking on the link: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094043/index.asp.
First, I think the blog entry should make this clear. I know from personal experience the difference between teaching elementary, middle, and high school. And this study can't realistically speak to the effectiveness of alt cert teachers in all grades if it was only conducted in elementary schools. But, C. Miller, it does show that alt cert teachers don't just belong in high schools.

A. Yoder of MS 10:48PM February 12, 2009

I have worked in education for 30+ years. Some alternatively certified are horrible and some are terrific. The bad ones typically know a lot about their subject and feel that standing in the front of a classroom spouting facts is the best way to teach. The good ones decide to do this because they see a need and have a desire to help children... the same reason most of us traditionally certified teachers chose the profession.
In elementary and middle schools, it really doesn't matter how much you know about your subject if you can't engage kids in learning. That is a whole different ball game. In high school, especially in AP with motivated students, just content knowledge may work just fine. That's the place where we need to put the alternatively certified teachers.

C. Miller of DE 5:44PM February 12, 2009

My wife is a literature teacher in high school teaching advanced placement courses. She was a lit major in college, and didn't have an ounce of teaching experience before her certification after school. She didn't know her teaching style right out of the gate, but she knew her subject. She has been teaching for five years, and works at the top district in our state.
Ultimately, I believe that the effectiveness of the teacher depends on the individual, and not a specific course of learning.

Phil Bear of ID 2:40PM February 11, 2009