Sometimes it's hard to differentiate the two.
It's amazing how well the armed forces teach and train critical tasks to thousands and thousands of people every year without professional educators, the NEA, or ANY help from the like of Bill Bennet or the Dept of Ed.
Go look at a master's level teaching curriculum. I have. Lots of fluff and BS.
Part of the problem is the type of people that Education attracts and keeps.In college I used to tutor education majors, so I've seen some of thier abilities and their motivations.
Part of the problem is that too many teachers never leave school--they graduate high school, go to college, graduate college, then go right into teaching. All they know is the rubbish they are taught in school by those in the business of protecting the field and preserving job security.
Agreed! During my years of Army life, I to had been an instructor. Not a very good one. Some (actually most), were very good. None had any teacher's training. It seemed that those who had the knack for it, were really good right from the start. Others, no matter how hard they tried, no matter how much assistance given, just couldn't cut it.
Anyway, from what I've seen raising four kids, the same was true in public schools. There was that upper 10% who I would have graded super teachers, then their were the next 30% who I rated not good, not medicore, but poor (barely adequate). Then the next 30% were really bad (total failures). Then the last 30% who didn't belong in the school building.
The difference between the two, was that in the Army, other duties were found for seargents who didn't cut the muster. They still had duty assignments in their military occupations. In the schools, they just keep right on teaching.
Part of the problem is that too many teachers never leave school--they graduate high school, go to college, graduate college, then go right into teaching.
In other words, they are a poor role model. They have no life's experience, or accomplishments to draw from.