“Would you encourage your son or daughter to devote an advanced college degree to this profession?”
An advanced degree in education? For pity’s sake *why*? An MS or PhD in education makes as much sense as issuing MS and PhD degrees in welding or plumbing.
That is not a knock on welding or plumbing — or even education. All three are examples of skilled trades where once the basics have been mastered, experience is the best teacher, not classroom work.
The Armed Forces turn out teachers (they call them instructors) with three months training. Why would anyone need more than three months to learn the techniques of teaching. (Yes, it can take 3-3/4 years to master a subject to be taught, such as science — but teaching techniques ain’t rocket science.)
I could see masters and doctorates in welding, with exotic automated systems. And in plumbing, if someone ever invents a robotic plumber.
Speaking of which, other than handling behavior problems, sticking a robot in front of a class of kids would do at least as well as what we got today.