Tiered Teaching

 In a bid to maintain their tenuous grasp of power - many from the NEA (National Education Association) are against any reform which will place many of it's members on the growing unemployment roles.

But if a teacher is not doing his job - isn't this just taking payment for doing no work?

Unemployment benefits eventually run out - but apparently, getting paid to sit around in an air conditioned room doing nothing doesn't. 

I have nothing against teachers - my only problem is with teachers who cannot teach.

I recently had a principal tell me that 70% of her teachers had at least a Master's Degree.

So what?

Can they teach?

Having a Master's doesn't mean that one is a good teacher - only that he is more than likely to have been good student.

Many teachers know the material in the textbooks being used - but few have the understanding needed to transfer that 'knowledge' to their students.

Even fewer have the ability to teach beyond the book.

A Teacher's Certificate only denotes that one has passed all the classes one needs in order to teach.

Having a certificate doesn't mean that the one holding the piece of paper can actually do the job.

It should be just like having a learner's permit for driving. 

A better method of recognition would be to require Teacher's Licences which would have to be renewed every five years.

This would eliminate many ineffective teachers from the profession the same way that failing a driving test eliminates poor drivers from the streets.

This would ensure that teachers are current in the subjects being taught and add more of a professional requirement for employment.

With this new level of professional status - teachers could demand higher pay and, in turn, more respect.

With this new status - maybe teaching would actually become a profession for the best and brightest and not just for those who had no other employment opportunities.

If teachers wish to be respected like professionals they need to be held accountable like professionals.