Thursday, February 19, 2009

Need a job? Be a teacher!

Senate Bill 48 is said to address a teacher shortage, and would allow people to get jobs as teachers in public schools without the education background currently required.
The “shortage of teachers” may be affected by predictions of high unemployment.
But the real question to ask is whether “real world” experience can take the place of training in pedagogy for teachers. For example: would a banker or bookkeeper who has been laid off be prepared to teach math at the local middle school. Should a retired secretary with no other training be hired to teach English, or second grade? Pedagogy includes what motivates a child to learn, how to discipline individually and in a classroom setting, how to create effective lesson plans, how to write tests and measure learning.
The argument that “substitutes have no other requirement than a high school diploma” is no reason to lower the standards for full time teachers with responsibilities for a class. I will concede that there are many “natural teachers” that could by their personality and dedication effectively teach young people. But brillance in a subject area isn't the same as understanding how to impart the knowledge. A concert pianist may not be a good piano teacher. The skills that motivate love for learning may be natural but I can't see how will it show up on a written application.
Before this door to employment in public schools is opened, I’d like to see provisions of a trial period, mentoring and supervisory structure, and equal requirements for on-going training.

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