I would like to make a few comments
concerning this post, and I would like to
say that the comments made by Mr. Bill Page
were exceptionally insightfull. Mr. Page
comments:
"We have not done a very good job of
determining which certified teachers
possess
these skills[understandings,
and procedures; that teaching involves
careful planning, precise execution, and
thousands of appropriate minute by minute
decisions.], so I am not sure how we expect
to determine it for non-teachers."

Do teachers themselves realize that most
University Professors, have never taken a
course in "methods" most Professors have
never taken any 'teaching' courses
themselves. BUT all professors have an
empirical knowledge base which comes from
years of studying their specific topics,
hence they are 'qualified' to teach the
courses which are designated to them.

How many of us remember the
teacher/professor who demanded more from
us, than we thought was feasible at the
time? How tough those courses were? And
in looking back on those courses, how many
of us are thankful we had this 'tough'
teacher/professor because we learned so
much throughout his/her's instruction.

A good teacher cannot be measured by a
teaching certificate. A good teacher is
measured by their thoughtful careful
planning, empirical knowledged based
presentation/delivery to their students,
and positive results acheived in the
classroom. Most of all, the teacher MUST
HAVE A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT
THEY ARE TEACHING.

PE teachers thrown into teaching a Math
course, English teachers thrown into
teaching an Art course, Teachers with a
degree only in teaching, who have not a
degree in their respective courses, is a
receipe for dissaster.

I am a mother who has seen/helped her child
thru good teachers, and bad teachers. I
have taught at Universities, Schools and
Tech Schools. I have taught in Europe and
in the United States. I am a white american
born in Washington State, educated in both
the U.S. and Europe.

What I see, here in California (and I'm
sure in other states), makes me want to sit
down and cry for these children: Math
teachers who are so over worked they cannot
grade homework, but only have the time to
mark it as 'completed' or 'not completed.'
Health teachers who teach our children
to 'plan their own funeral' (an absolute
oxymoron) my 'average' son as a freshman
passing the california state high school
exit exam, given last year.
I do not blame the teachers, I do not
administration, I do not 'blame' anyone. I
DO believe the educational system as it
stands now needs immediate reform if we are
to be sucessful at primary/secondary
education. Change isn't a word for wrong,
and all great strides mankind has made
forward has been initiated by those who
think outside the box, usually ignoring or
fighting with those who wish to supress the
reform or knowledge they wish to initiate
or expose. I don't have any answers, but I
am quite sure there are those more
knowledgable than me out there, who can put
their heads together and come up with
positive change.

One of the endearing qualities we all have
as Americans is the innate ability to 'rise
to the occasion.' In the course of our
careers as educators, in our desire to
spread the love of education to our
students, perhaps the one thing we have
forgotton is failure does not breed
failure. But rather it is through failure
that define sucesses.

Hiring a teacher because they have a
teaching certificate is not the root of our
problem. Hiring a teacher with a great
knowledge of the subject they are teaching,
yet no knowledge of teaching methodologies
is not the root of our problem.

Teachers NEED BOTH full comprehension of
the subject matter they are teaching, and
the knowledge of applied teaching
methodologies, comprehensive curriculum,
and lesson plans which mirror this
curriculum. They also NEED to have the
ability to TEACH and not be the
disciplinarian. Teachers NEED to have the
ability to fail a student, else the student
perceives no reward of success. This
mirrors the 'real world.'

Until we have
teachers/educators/administrators that are
willing to implement these standards, and
adhere to them, even in 'crunch' times, our
system will fail.

The above is only my very humble opinion.

Elaine Ossipov, eossipov@socal.rr.com,
12/27/01

This month's letters: