March 31, 2004
FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN THEIR RACKET:
Alternative teachers' training 'alarming': Group calls for reforms, oversight of programs that prepare new educators (Nancy Mitchell, 3/24/04, Rocky Mountain News)
Before they lead classrooms, alternative teachers in Colorado average only 18 hours of preparation. Some have none at all.The Alliance for Quality Teaching labels that statistic "alarming" in its report, released this week, on the state's 44 alternative teacher preparation programs.
"That was a surprising and somewhat distressing discovery," said Gully Stanford, one of three people who lead the statewide Alliance, a nonpartisan group of educators, politicians and policymakers.
"It goes hand-in-glove with our first recommendation that there be more consistent oversight, even regulation, of alternative programs." [...]
Alternative programs, once considered a stop-gap measure to ease teaching shortages, are supplying greater numbers of the state's teachers.
The report found the typical alternative teacher is older, with an average age of 35, and better-educated, with nearly a fourth already holding a master's degree.
A system that would require people who are manifestly competent to go back and get the worthless "educational" training that most teachers get now would be totally pointless. It would actually be better to do away with every education department at every college in America and only hire people who've had some real world experience and been trained in other fields. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 31, 2004 8:33 AM
Exactly.
What I wanted to do most after losing my airline job was to be a High School physics, math, and history teacher.
Unfortunately, an MS in Computer Science, BS in International Relations, 3 semesters of Physics, 3 more of Calculus, plus differential equations, etc, etc., plus 20 years in the military--many as a platform and flying instructor--made me inadequately qualified for the task.
But those utterly worthless education courses would make it all fine.
Idiots.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at March 31, 2004 3:00 PMJeff and OJ:
As a teacher I must wholeheartedly agree with you. Education classes are a total waste of time. When I went back to get my Masters Degree I went for an actual subject (History) rather than another degree that was totally worthless.
Posted by: Bartman at March 31, 2004 3:11 PMThe education courses are worse than worthless, they are actually harmful since they are almost entirely political propaganda.
Posted by: Carter at March 31, 2004 4:06 PMAre private schools hindered by this nonsense?
Posted by: Mike Earl at March 31, 2004 4:27 PMBartman:
Thanks. While I make more money working in IT at Ford, I would rather be teaching.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at March 31, 2004 5:24 PMMike:
They sure are. Unless you are talking about religious or endowed schools with a bulwark of tradition, private schools reflect the views of the parents. They are no less deranged than the rest of the population.
Posted by: Peter B at March 31, 2004 7:28 PMPeter is correct. Although I work at a Catholic school the parents dictate a lot of what is and isn't allowed...procedurally speaking (promotions/transfers, programs, etc.). Fortunately we have a wonderful PTO that relies on teacher expertise to set curriculum and choose textbooks. Many of them are also in the school every day. That is a plus. It keeps us on our toes and the parents that participate in daily duties grounded in the reality of it all.
Bartman:
Lucky you. Private school parents are often far more committed and engaged. They can make terrific volunteers, but they also tend to watch everything like hawks and share the modern neurotic determination that their children always succeed and never experience stress or unhappiness. They are also prone to a spirit of aggressive hyper-consumerism. It takes a lot of skill in the administration to keep these egos properly disciplined and channelled.
Posted by: Peter B at April 1, 2004 1:38 PM