You’ve seen some of them in the halls–usually, they’re carrying around a little lunchbox or paper bag filled with a bologni sandwich and apple or something like that; and they look like their eyes have sunk in to the back of their brains, because they’re exhausted to no end. The draining days overlap with each other as they deal with the toughest of kids, and for what? Just to get by? To earn a paycheck?
We need to improve our teachers! Seriously! The difficult thing about these teachers are the requirements they need to take. One priority is to promote a fast-track alternative credentialing. If you were studying to be a teacher, you’d have to admit: the student teaching requirement was taxing on you, not to mention the fact that it took you a little longer to achieve your teacher’s certificate. There were never as many openings for certain classes you wanted to take to get yourself into a certificate and get you working. If you already have a Bachelor’s and wanted to enter the field of education, really all that would be required is several months of classroom training. That’s it. It would benefit the economy as well, providing more educators for more schools. Another priority is to require teachers to major in their subject matters.
These are just a couple of priorities. Whatever needs to be done, teachers need to be held at high regard. They are the shapers of young minds. Let’s make sure to shape the minds of teachers just the same!