No

by Brenda Obert

Created on: May 03, 2008

The first question I would ask is why do teachers need more training? Is it because they seem unprepared for the classroom? Is it because statistics say many new teachers leave within the first 5 years? Is it because there are problems with our education system, and it must be the teachers lack the training needed to cope with today's students? Before advocating such a measure we should consider why such a measure is needed. Then we would need to look at the repercussions of such a requirement. I am just curious to know why we are debating this issue.

As a long time teacher, I personally have no problem with stepping up the requirements for teacher education. When I came into the field, only certified teachers could teach in public schools. Now, however, many young teachers have a degree but no education courses. They sign up at one of the local colleges for a special program that allows them to take a few educations courses during the summer and teach for a year to acquire their certification. Advisers and mentors are encouraged to get these folks through the system because of the shortage of teachers. I know this because I have been asked to work as a mentor for such a "teacher". Because of the teacher shortage, even conventional teacher education and preparation is being set aside. What is the point of increasing this certification requirement? State legislators will respond to the lack of highly qualified teachers by filling classrooms with unqualified teachers.

When people lack the training and dedication needed for a demanding job, they become frustrated. People often come to teaching thinking it is a simple job. "How hard can it be to tell a bunch of kids what to do and they do it? That's what their teacher did." I've heard too many first year teachers, student teachers, and teachers in special programs whine (or even come to me in tears) saying that the students treated them disrespectfully. If they are the least bit dedicated, they are overwhelmed by a sense of futility when they spend hours planning lessons that have to be set aside because resources are not available to accommodate the completion of said lesson. They are inundated with paperwork that has little to do with what goes on in their classroom, and no one has explained to them how it should be done. it is no wonder they leave within the first five years. The only reason many come back for a second or third year is because they are told it will get better. It doesn't.

I can see how an internship might help new teachers experience and observe veteran teachers handling these situations, but who has the time to supervise these interns? Teachers who are already overworked and overwhelmed themselves, administrators who could take advantage of a low paid intern, or college professors who are seldom seen and often like fish out of water in a real school situation. It is not unusual for schools to employ a college student still working on a degree as a "full time" substitute teacher, or the school has lost a teacher at semester and have a student teacher fill that position. It can save the ISD a lot of money because they pay the people a much lower wage than a qualified teacher. Who would oversee such a program so that interns get the experience they need and without others taking advantage of them? Who pays them? What are their responsibilities?

It is true that our education system is in crisis. There are many trying to remedy the situation. There is a push to train new teachers and retrain older teachers to handle today's students. Administrators of troubled schools must go to many hours of workshops and training as well. The US probably has the best trained teachers and administrators in the world. Our schools are still in crisis. An internship program sounds great, but will it make a real difference?

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