teacher prep

When considering the issues of funding and teacher prep, I will have to agree with many others that it is a combination effort in fixing both of these major problems that will truly reform American education. While attending the Ashland Undergrad program, I felt as if I was getting a nice preparation for the skills I needed to teach a class of students in the core subjects areas. But, I always had several questions when it came to watching others in the program with me. 1. What about those who want to teach but just CAN'T? (We've all seen these people...) 2. How much of teaching comes from natural ability? Can this be taught? 3. And finally, what about all of the people who would be wonderful teachers but due to the amount of bureaucracy in education programs, they choose other professions? Holland poses this very question in his article when he sites the teacher in VA who was forced out of the classroom because he didn't have enough credit hours on his resume, but was doing a spectacular job in the classroom. He goes on to point out the silly courses this teacher would have been required to take although he had thoroughly proven that he was versed in the subject areas! How frustrating and expensive to stay in that profession. We have talked about Teach for America in class. This is one of the ways of teaching while bypassing the traditional certification route. I would love to see a first year teacher next to a new Teach for America teacher, and see how it pans out. Maybe some charter schools similar to the ones Holland mentions in his article have the right idea- You don't have to be a traditionally certified teacher to teach at the school but you sign a document stating that you take full responsibility for the education of those students. Would this turn out better teachers? I think that it could in focused subject areas...but take elementary teachers for instance, we must be versed in all areas. And teachers at all levels must have a sense of control, organization, and empathy, along with people skills. Do we learn these things in college? Overall, teacher prep has to change because we have proven that the current system is lacking. Who knows? Maybe Strickland's plan will prove beneficial. I guess only time will tell... (If we can ever even come up with the money to fund it, oh but wait, that's another issue!)