Poll: Public thinks teachers need better preparation
As the debate over teacher tenure and teacher evaluations continues, a new poll released earlier this week showed that Americans support more stringent admission requirements for teacher education programs, more rigorous evaluations and a "bar exam" type of certification test.
Those surveyed in the second release of information from the 46th edition of the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools think performance evaluations are important to help teachers improve and to identify those who are ineffective. But they do not support the use of student test scores as the primary tool for evaluating teachers.
These are issues that those who educate prospective teachers already are beginning to address. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation has implemented new rules that will set minimum academic standards for students seeking admission into university schools of education. In addition, more than 100,000 teachers throughout the country have earned national board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, including many in Contra Costa County.
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education has endorsed a performance assessment developed by Stanford University, which is built on national board certification and has been compared to a bar exam, to determine whether a teacher candidate is ready to teach.
full: http://www.contracostatimes.com/education/ci_26568940/poll-public-thinks-teachers-need-better-preparation
"compared to a bar exam"? Hmm. Finland, whose ed system has been lauded for success, requires teachers to have a 5-year master's degree. I've heard Thom Hartmann say that teachers should be paid/trained as much as physicians and lawyers.
