I read an article this week entitled "Is the Great American Teacher Dead?" by John J Ivers of Brigham Young University Idaho.
It seems to me there are a number of ways that the lack of good teachers can be addressed. The style of teaching new teachers needs to change to put more emphasis on deeper thinking and an attitude of challenging students more. Teachers need to learn how to make the material they teach more interesting to students to engage their minds and inspire their imaginations.
A great limiting factor in the United States is the requirement that to teach you must have a degree. There are many people that would make good teachers and would gladly become one if not for the fact they don't have a degree.
I believe a mentoring or apprenticeship program would be of great benefit to the United States. These programs could be set up in such a way that only the best teachers are included in them as mentors to new teachers. Current teachers that utilize deep thinking to challenge their students.
Apprenticeship programs should pay new teachers while they learn to teach. Such programs should include allowing the teachers in training to teach in classrooms under the supervision of a mentor. This would give the new teachers valuable work experience and the university or school would have known individuals to replace teachers that retire or leave for whatever reason.
I am one of those that would like to teach in a school, preferably an elementary school, but am excluded from being considered because I don't have a degree. I am earning a degree now but still won't be considered at public schools because my degree won't be a teaching degree. Here in New York state, there is a preference for teachers to have a masters degree. The bachelors degree I am earning is being paid by a Pell Grant. However, I am unaware of any grants that will pay for a masters degree and I am too poor to pay for it myself.
If anyone knows of a way for me to finance a masters degree for free please comment on this post and let me know.
