Does a credential define a fine teacher?

Just because you know it doesn't mean you can teach it

Just because you know it doesn’t mean you can teach it.

After lighting his pipe, my history professor would take out his crinkled ancient-yellow notes and read the day’s lecture regarding American Indian history – as he had done for others over many many years. He helped put my curiosity about such history to sleep for a bit.

I remember the time my boring high school geometry teacher completely blew up at our class and yelled out, “You guys just don’t give a damn!” We never saw him again after that day.

Twenty years ago, as a fifth grade teacher myself, I knew that the only other male teacher on our faculty corrected no papers, recorded no grades, and was quite ineffectual in dealing with his students and parents. Yet he had little problem filling out report cards!

The principal was aware of this as well. But because of a strong teachers’ union and contract, there was no practical way to get rid of this piece of deadwood – we had to wait until he retired. He finally did.

Discussion abounds as to whether earning a teaching credential really prepares a candidate for the profession, and whether possessing a credential truly indicates an individual is an effective teacher.

Meanwhile, homeschooling is becoming more and more a part of our culture. Parents are finding they can do quite well in educating their children.

Okay, so Alabama does have a “Troops to Teachers” credentialing program. Personally, being a veteran of the Vietnam War myself, I have some questions about such a venture.

Setting that aside, as one looks through the various teaching credential requirements of each state, it is evident that much more preparation is now expected of an individual pursuing a career in education than was twenty or thirty years ago.

Those who turned to teaching back then simply because they could find nothing else they could do are gradually disappearing. Things will get better. They have to.

I think we are on the right track to hiring competent, dedicated people to the profession by requiring teacher training and credentials. A teaching credential can verify that candidates have the academic background and academic preparation which help assure their chances for success. They are investing a huge amount of their time which indicates considerable commitment and dedication.

A college degree does not indicate that a person is prepared to or capable of instructing.

Teaching is an art which also incorporates science in technique and approach. In other words, some possess a natural ability to capture children’s attention and interest. As an engaging public speaker or apt coordinator, they can help the average learners feel a hunger for knowledge, even without specific training.

But there are students with special needs, even in the typical classroom, which require methods best learned in training classes.

Some teaching aspirants, though quite knowledgeable in their subject, cannot convey information to a classroom of students. They may lack the ability to control the class, or simply be unable to keep the students’ attention.

These hope-to-be teachers can be trained to learn some new techniques, and observation of other successful teachers’ styles and routines will help, but there is no guarantee that this will make them competent when given a class to teach. This can only be evaluated through observation as the student teacher works with students, master teacher, and training professor in a live classroom.

I believe in a teaching credential program which is not just a myriad of hoops to jump through and requirements to be met. Just as with students in the classroom, the master teacher and training professor should be able to make individual adjustments in the program based upon the aspiring teacher’s abilities to teach effectively.

This might even mean waiving a requirement in certain circumstances and/or substituting another when deemed necessary.

But what I would add to these requirements of the future teacher, before being allowed to even enter a credentialing program, is proof of previous successful experience with children.

That means working as a playground supervisor, camp counselor, or teacher’s aide – something like that…….doing well and enjoying attending to children’s needs.

Today is a great day. A high degree of change is in the air. A good education combines academic knowledge with practical life experience and wisdom.

We need teacher training programs which prepare teachers to this purpose, without taking away their excitement, wonder, and enthusiasm through pointless and endless bureaucracy.

For more info: roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/education-degrees-and-teachers-pay/.

www.examiner.com/x-11234-Public-Education-Examiner~y2009m8d18-Standardized-test-scores-not-THE-solution-for-Mr-Obama

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