There are so many problems with education these days it’s hard to point a finger at one thing and say, “If we could only fix this it would be great!” We all know what most of them are.
But, let me throw out something here. I don’t know much about the quality of the folks who go through college to specifically be a teacher. I didn’t. I wanted to do something else, in fact teaching was very low on my list of things I wanted to do. I got a degree in exercise physiology, because at the time I was very involved in health and fitness and at the time it was a very up and coming degree. Additionally, I loved anatomy and physiology, but I didn’t want to be a nurse.
Later, I had to have a job and education was something I could do with a little more *education* (on top of my bachelors) and I started teaching health, IPC and biology. I think the fact that I had a background in other things (I worked for a vet, I worked in a PT clinic, I worked at the YMCA, I had already raised 3 sons, etc. What I’m trying to say is, I had real life experience in things. I think that helped me be a better teacher.
I think the education establishment should do more to get regular people into the profession, even if they only teach a few years. There is a wealth of talent out there that they could tap.
Sorry this is so wordy, but I feel strongly about it.
susie
I think that’s a great idea, along with getting rid of tenure.
I don’t know of any other profession which can guarantee you a job if you can just slide by the first few years.