Recently I read an article in the New York Times with the title A Way to Get Great Teachers Into the Classroom. This question was right in line with many of the discussions and conversations that I have surrounding how to keep and recruit good teachers. The article goes on to begin mentioning how charter schools are working to develop their certfication for their teachers that come from noneducational backgrounds. Perhaps, to correct the issue of keeping and finding "great" teachers we need to refocus our perspective. Perspective should be the importance, respect, and likeness of education and its instructors.
In America, everyone has been apart of some time of schooling. This is amazing, but it presents some very thought-provoking challenges. One everyone forms a view of teaching good or bad and reformulates their belief on how a school should be based on their experience. Usually, this experience doesn't take into account the growing the demand to keep up with our international peers but aims only to please what is needed in America. It is important to keep the international mind intact because there has never been a military country maintain its power when it education level drops. Secondly, if their schoolings experience was negative, they begin to project that negativity onto the education system now. Meaning they usually don't believe in the system or have serious thoughts about what is happening.
Therefore, keeping preparation programs for teachers is critical. Sure the scope of programs should be broader. However, the continuation of preparing teachers should continue at high-levels is much needed. Additionally, we must get society to begin to change their views on teachers as highly regarded members of society and not people who can manage our "kids" and should be paid more because of it. Paying teachers more doesn't quite solve the problem either as it has been proven that teachers tend to work better for leaders then individual school settings. I do not believe if charter systems created their teaching certification program will solve anything. In fact, I think it will just continue to add chaos to an already confusing system. It will add chaos because not enough people are signing up to be teachers and often the steps to become a highly-qualified teacher pass college is confusing, too time-consuming, and very difficult.
In conclusion, I believe that changing society's views on teachers would be a great start. Of course, we would need to make sure that our teachers stay our the media for scandals and negative attention. Moreover, we also will need to find strong leaders that can help keep teacher motivated. A multileader system is much needed in schools where different leaders are responsible for different aspects.
A Way to Get Great Teachers into the classroom
Gerard,
ReplyDeleteI agree that teacher preparation should remain at the highest level of education and that paying teachers more will solve the problem. Quite honestly we have very well payed teachers in classroom now that may not need to be educating our children. Perhaps another way to attract more individuals who may want to go into education, but might not be able to afford the increasing cost of college in general, our higher education systems could look into offering full undergraduate scholarships to individuals declare a major in education and or a critical area/discipline needing teacher along with a commitment to teach for five years. With this scholarship a possible fully paid internship in a school that the teacher will be assigned to teach at upon completion of their degree could be offered. I don't know there may already be something like this in the works, but I definitely think we have stick to higher standards of preparation for future teachers.
A large part of my job is recruiting teachers. Colleges of education where my employer used to find dozens of teachers have 2 or 3 students enrolled in a particular P-12 program. The public dialogue that attracts teachers and that other careers pay more have severely hampered the profession. At some point in the future, I want to start an organization that lifts teaching as a profession.
ReplyDeleteGerard,
ReplyDeleteI think the media has a part in building society's perception of teachers. Although there are a few that cover a few positive stories, they crucify teachers who make mistakes or breach contract through acts of moral turpitude. I'm not suggesting the public doesn't have a right to know, but they show a teacher's mugshot without caring about the circumstances behind the situation. I'm just saying.