Submitted by Dori Billows, PhD, Dec 15, 2006 11:44

I find it sad that criticism of the American educational system is rampant (based upon standardized test scores I assume) but no real long term solutions are provided. Having taught in high schools, university educational programs, alternative licensure programs and working as a consultant for school improvement, I have experienced multiple perspectives of this complex issue of "preparing teachers". It seems that the American public wants teachers to ignore the differences students bring with them to school, both in learning style and home experiences. They want teachers to teach "the way we were taught". They want students to sit quietly in their seats, take notes, raise their hands politely and study for the weekly multiple choice tests (is this what the author means by "back to basics"?). Today's societal view greatly advantages some chidlren (those of means) and increasingly disadvantages a growing number of others.

University programs can teach the academics for teachers (and I agree that all should have at least a minor in subject areas, especially for middle and high school teaching). Teacher preparation programs attempt to teach the "art" of teaching, how to ignite curiosity in children, how to orchestrate the interactions of children during cooperative work, how to gain the skill of diagnosing learning disabilities and learning styles so they can provide ways for children to express what they know in valid ways. And American society expects ALL this to be done within a four year program. Additionally, students preparing to teach are, to some extent, at the mercy of teachers they work with in the field for practical application of what they learn in the classroom. There is a dire need for exemplary teachers who can model effective teaching for university students during their clinical/field experiences and student teaching. One hundred hours of clinical experience and a semester of guided student teaching will NOT prepare teachers to do everything they are asked to do as a full time teacher. It does not prepare teachers for the vast differences in school cultures between urban and suburban schools. It does not prepare them for the demands of districts dictating what and how subjects are to be taught . It does not prepare them for being evaluated as "good" or "poor" based upon the test scores of students they have only known for a few months, and whose scores reflect not only the teacher's quality of teaching, but student learning experiences outside of school, the poorness or richness of the district, the support for learning offered by the community as a whole and the students' ability to adapt to their daily challenges.

Articles such as this promote destructive stereotypes of the American educational system, university programs and teachers who devote their lives to helping children succeed. It ignores the good in the system, gives the readers the impression that our system is ready for the trash bin, and creates an environment where teaching is no longer a professional endeavor. What the author should provide instead is information about the highly successful programs, how they assist students preparing for a PROFESSION of teaching, and how the support for their learning transitions into the school districts as they experience teaching long term. If this was to be the focus, rather than criticizing the essence of teacher preparation, there would be fewer teachers who leave teaching. Currently nearly 50% of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years, in part due to perceived poor preparation, but in large part due to lack of support from the districts in which they teach. Continuing the "those who can't, teach" mentality only serves to further the unprofessional view of teaching. Dedicated teachers, those who stuck with it and continued to learn their craft over time are the same ones who helped the author to become successful. It is sad to think that treating the profession of teaching and the programs that prepare teachers as "less than" desirable, will encourage highly qualified individuals to choose teaching as a career, or assist in improving the quality of teaching overall. It only highlights the dunce cap on the heads of education put in the corner for bad behavior. Shame, shame!

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