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New Rules Will Bring Qualified Teachers to Classrooms
Ohanian Comment: Qualified Teacher: Surely one of the weasel words of our time. I am someone who was deemed qualified to enter teaching with an MA in medieval literature, and I'm glad they let me in. But it didn't take me 15 minutes in a room filled with 9th graders to understand that anyone who thinks knowledge of subject matter is more important that teaching strategy and knowledge of adolescent psychology has never been alone in a room filled with 9th graders. And, as I learned a couple of years later,
People who vote on legislation affecting the teaching-learning relationship should be locked up in a room filled with kids. How long do you think they'd last?
The recent vote by the State Board for Educator Certification to allow a new form of alternative certification of teachers has been the subject of much discussion in major newspapers. There has been a great deal of misinformation generated about this rule, largely by organizations that have an interest in preserving the status quo with respect to teacher training programs.
As the parent of two school-age children who attend school in the Austin Independent School District, I share the desire to have the most-qualified and effective teachers in our public schools. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Texas teachers and am proud to work on their behalf at the Texas Education Agency. This year alone, we have enacted policies to reduce paper work for teachers, protect them from frivolous lawsuits, reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses used for classroom supplies and ensure that great teachers receive less frequent administrative evaluations. All these efforts are designed to improve the working conditions for teachers so that they can focus on teaching.
The proposal by the State Board for Educator Certification would allow individuals with a college degree who pass a competency examination to receive a temporary certificate to teach in grades 8-12. Thus, this proposal is limited to students who are older and who have more need for teachers with greater content knowledge in the subject area rather than training on learning techniques. As a parent, I would rather have my child's math teacher take more college-level mathematics courses rather than courses in "Education Psychology" or "Social and Philosophical Foundations of American Education," two courses cited by The Wall Street Journal as less important than subject area courses.
In addition, the new rule specifically requires pre-service training for teachers that includes classroom management, instructional strategies and information on state and federal laws relating to education. Furthermore, the rule requires that school districts provide a robust mentoring program to ensure that these new teachers have the assistance they will need to be effective. Criminal background checks would also be mandatory.
The most significant aspect of this rule, and I suspect the real reason for opposition, is that these teachers must prove that they are effective at improving student performance before they can receive a permanent certificate after a two-year training period. This represents a higher standard than current certification rules that focus more on process than results.
Texas is not alone in this effort. Pennsylvania and Idaho have adopted similar programs and the United States Department of Education has endorsed the American Board Certification program that is a national certification exam for teachers.
Alternative pathways into the teaching profession have resulted in highly qualified individuals teaching in our schools. There is no reason to believe that this latest proposal will not yield similar results. Programs such as Teach for America recruit intelligent, energetic and effective college graduates and place them in schools with struggling student populations. The results have been impressive, and it is interesting to note that the founders of the highly successful KIPP and YES Charter Schools are both alumni of the Teach for America Program.
In Texas, we want the best and brightest teaching our children, and the certification board's recent actions confirm that commitment to our parents and school children. Texas has made great strides in student achievement through a strong accountability system and an emphasis on higher standards of achievement. Our teachers deserve respect and support for these gains, and our students deserve the teachers who can best help them achieve their full potential.
That is Gov. Rick Perry's goal, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Scott is the interim head of the Texas Education Agency.
— Robert Scott, Interim Head, Texas Education Authority
New rules will bring qualified teachers to classrooms
American-Statesman
2003-11-20
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/auto/epaper/editions/thursday
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
Pages: 380
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