Blog Post #14

"Teaching Can Be a Profession" by Joe Klein

Problems and Proposed Solutions                                                           

1) Being able to pick from the best teachers which would happen by providing better academic

training for teachers and the ability to pick from the top of the class.  The way rewarding teachers would also be changed.

2) Seniority which can be changed by not paying teachers the same amount and changing the way performance is viewed.

3) Lastly, it was suggested that a board be established to help determine the teachers who are preforming well and those who are incompetent.  

The first issue addressed in the article by Joe Klein is the need to better educate teachers.  While I personally am only in the first tier in our own academic program, I disagree with this statement.  To me, the program I am involved with is very demanding and has shown me just how much goes into being an effective teacher.  I also see all the other students who are trying to become teachers working just as hard to make sure they are the best they can be.  I do agree that paying teachers differently based upon performance instead of how long someone has been teaching does change whether or not we have a more competent set of teachers.

Seniority is also addressed in Mr. Klein's article.  To change this, Alan Shanker suggested using academic testing to help determine what teachers are competent or incompetent.  He also suggested a "supervised internship."  I do agree with the idea of changing seniority.  Providing exams that challenge and encourage teachers to grow will separate out those that are good at teaching from those that are not good but remain in the system because of seniority.  I also agree with a supervised internship.  This would allow potential teachers to better understand what it is like in the classroom in turn making them more effective teachers in the long run.

Finally, it was suggested that a board be established to help regulate and guide teachers on standards and helping to remove under qualified teachers.  This idea is also a good one.  I think using it would also produce teachers who are always evolving and changing.

After reading this article, I do overall agree that there are some problems with the teaching fields that do need to be addressed.  The suggestions presented for fixing the problems are great ideas, but I do think the question than becomes how do you implement such over arching changes.