This week for EDM we read an article from the New York Times about making teaching a more respectable profession. Let me start by saying I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BLOG POST!
In the Joel Klein's article, he says he was asked what is the one thing he would change about public schools if he could wave a magic wand and it be done. His answer was that he would professionalize teaching. Klein listed several aspects of the teaching profession that make it a less-respected career choice. There are three issues with education that Klein discusses, they follow the sequence of becoming a teacher, being a teacher, and remaining a teacher.
Problems
The way prospective teachers are trained
The way teachers are recruited
The ways in which teachers are rewarded
The way teachers are recruited
The ways in which teachers are rewarded
The way prospective teachers are trained - the solution proposed by Klein is "excellence is hallmark," meaning that from the very beginning of the process to become a teacher, nothing but the best is going to be accepted. Medical students have to prove their worth before entering medical school, law students have to provide exemplary work in order to survive in their field, so why should those that want to enter the College of Education be able to do so with just getting by? Klein says both students and teachers are benefited by setting higher standards for those that aim to become teachers. It is upsetting to hear how much of a joke others (as well as some in the profession themselves) perceive becoming an educator is. Furthermore, it is frightening to think of those that do not particularly care about their own education will soon be in charge of a child's education.
The way teachers are recruited - the solution proposed by Klein is built upon Albert Shanker's ideas published 30 years ago. This solution is to not just letting anyone become a teacher. The article explains that someone is not qualified to be a teacher just because they have a degree in the area. Again, excellence is hallmark, so hire the best of the best in their field. Klein pulls from Shanker while discussing other solutions to the problems associated with the way teachers are recruited. Shanker discusses a national teaching exam that would be the teaching equivalent to the Bar exam or the MCAT. This "demanding" exam along with a longer internship period for young teachers will lead to more prepared teachers with a deeper understanding of teaching methods. Longer internships, though, would only prove to be helpful if those teaching are competent teachers themselves. Which leads me to...
The ways in which teachers are rewarded - the solution proposed is to quit being distracted by a teacher's seniority and start focusing on the teacher's performance. The article explains how the profession has fallen into the thinking that all teachers are equally qualified for the job positions they hold. This is, of course, not the case and through this thinking, it has become increasingly difficult to remove teachers who are not doing their job. Shanker calls for a 'teacher police' which would establish an organization dedicated to setting standards for the profession. This 'police force' would be able to make sure that teachers are held responsible for the product of their work, just as in any other respectable profession.
I agree with so much that Klein wrote in the New York Times and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shanker's idea on improving the teaching world. More often than not, I come home to my roommate, an accounting major, doing copious amounts of homework and preparing for yet another test while I make a joke about how I am learning how to find the area of a rectangle in my math class. Not to say I do not have plenty of work for my education classes, because there is plenty of work to be done. However, I very rarely have to apply myself in order to complete my assignments. When I took the first part of Math for Elementary School Teachers, there was a student that told the teacher a square was not a rectangle. I have heard others in my classes having conversations and are using words such as 'ain't' and 'EXspecially' and these are who we are going to let teach our future children! Teaching is often looked down upon by other professions, but where would those in other professions be without teachers?
The ways in which teachers are rewarded - the solution proposed is to quit being distracted by a teacher's seniority and start focusing on the teacher's performance. The article explains how the profession has fallen into the thinking that all teachers are equally qualified for the job positions they hold. This is, of course, not the case and through this thinking, it has become increasingly difficult to remove teachers who are not doing their job. Shanker calls for a 'teacher police' which would establish an organization dedicated to setting standards for the profession. This 'police force' would be able to make sure that teachers are held responsible for the product of their work, just as in any other respectable profession.
I agree with so much that Klein wrote in the New York Times and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shanker's idea on improving the teaching world. More often than not, I come home to my roommate, an accounting major, doing copious amounts of homework and preparing for yet another test while I make a joke about how I am learning how to find the area of a rectangle in my math class. Not to say I do not have plenty of work for my education classes, because there is plenty of work to be done. However, I very rarely have to apply myself in order to complete my assignments. When I took the first part of Math for Elementary School Teachers, there was a student that told the teacher a square was not a rectangle. I have heard others in my classes having conversations and are using words such as 'ain't' and 'EXspecially' and these are who we are going to let teach our future children! Teaching is often looked down upon by other professions, but where would those in other professions be without teachers?
Ellen, I strongly agree with the points you have made. Who is going to help make doctors, doctors, and lawyers, lawyers. It is the teacher's and I definitely think there should be higher standards for becoming a teacher. There are some people in my classes that make me think, "WOW! They're going to teach one day? Not my children!!" I really enjoyed the article from the New York Times as well as your blog post!
ReplyDelete-Ashley