An interesting interview. He’s being a little too politically correct here, though:
…in the 21st century we need teachers who teach math and science to have expertise in math and science. So there needs to be an upgrade there, and refocus on how much we value those teachers. As you know, in this country, we don’t pay our teachers all that well. We need to rethink that.
The problem isn’t that we don’t pay teachers well, at least on average. The problem is that we don’t pay the valuable ones enough, and we pay the worthless ones far too much, thanks to the unions. We need to be able to adequately compensate the teachers who have actual useful knowledge to impart, and get rid of the ones who don’t. This would all start by eliminating the worthless, or to be more accurate, negative-value, “education” major.
Rand: Your idiocy knows no bounds. Eliminate a college degree that is specifically designed to prepare teachers to teach? How stupid. More tea party nonsense.
I’m guessing that this comment isn’t sarcasm. Which means it’s idiotic.
Rand is right. A teaching degree is the biggest sham ever foisted upon the American People. It should be outlawed.
It has caused more harm to our educational system than any other single element. It is only good for toilet paper. It rewards idiots and punishes achievers.
Ed,
How dare you call Rand an idiot over this.
Are you a total retard? Licking the windows on the short bus today? Mommy not pack your hockey helmet?
Effin’ Moron!
As you know, in this country, we don’t pay our teachers all that well
Well that’s a crock. Someone with an actual degree in science — a bachelor’s, mind you — can get a job right away teaching in California public schools starting at $55k or so, and easily reaching the 60s and 70s within 5 to 10 years. We pay K-12 teachers better than we pay nurses, and even better than we pay newly-minted doctors or engineers, particularly when you factor in the 3 month’s annual paid vacation, plus the extremely generous benefits and pension.
Hmmm. I wonder what degree Ed Smith has?
Having expertise in an area does not make a person a good teacher or even capable of teaching.
“Having expertise in an area does not make a person a good teacher or even capable of teaching.”
Having little or no expertise in an area DOES guarentee a poor teacher though Wodun.
“Having little or no expertise in an area DOES guarentee a poor teacher though Wodun.”
That is true.
In primary and secondary education programs students are supposed to learn the science behind how people learn as well as their subject specialty. You don’t get your teacher’s certificate without specializing in one or more subject.
It could be that teachers at this level of education need more in depth training in their areas of specialization but that doesn’t mean that they should not receive training in how to teach.
Those awesome summer vacations? Well, many teachers spend some of that time taking classes.
At the college level the problem is reversed. There are many highly knowledgeable professors but just because they have a PHD or made a fortune on the stock market doesn’t mean they can communicate their knowledge to students in any comprehensible fashion.
It could be that teachers at this level could use some training in how to teach.
No one is saying that teachers shouldn’t have pedagogical training. The issue is whether or not it can justify a four-year degree in just that.
It should be a six week block of instruction the summer prior to the new Teacher’s first year, not a college major that renders the actual subject material being taught an afterthought.
Literally, this isn’t Aerospace Engineering.
Universities don’t require their professors to have a degree in education. In fact, under the law in most states, a university professor can’t teach in a public K-12 school.
The military doesn’t require their instructors to have a degree in education. Instead, they attend a course on how to be an instructor that lasts a few weeks*. Their training is quite effective.
Industry doesn’t require their instructors have an education degree, either.
It’s only public K-12 schools that require education degrees. I used to be a teacher (math major, physics minor) who attended quite a few of those so-called “education” classes. They were a complete waste of time and money.
*When my youngest son was going through the Navy instructor course to teach new surgical techs, he had some SEALS in his class. For the demonstration presentation, one of them brought in a very small piece of C4 plastic explosive and demonstrated how to blow off a table leg. He was asked not to return.