Article published Jul 30, 2009
Teacher licensing rules eyed
Schools chief wants changes; board slows plan.
By DEANNA MARTIN Associated Press Writer
INDIANAPOLIS -- A state licensing board put the brakes on state Superintendent Tony Bennett's plan to revamp teacher licensing rules Wednesday after some complained the changes would downplay the importance of learning how to teach.
Bennett wants to eliminate some requirements for teacher licensing and says the process should ensure potential teachers have a deep understanding of the subject they will teach. He said current requirements focus too much attention on teaching methods.
"We need folks who understand rigorous content," Bennett said.
Under the proposed changes, elementary education majors would take no more than 30 college credit hours in teaching methods and would have to have a minor in a content subject area such as science, math or English. It's unclear how the limit on credit hours would work, and members of the Professional Standards Advisory Board said they wanted to clarify that and other issues before voting on whether to move forward with the changes.
The proposed rules also would allow anyone with a bachelor's degree to become a teacher if they pass a test from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. Currently only seven states allow teachers to be licensed with that online program, according to the group's Web site.
Opponents of some of the changes said future teachers need to understand teaching methods, not just be brilliant in their respective fields.
"How you teach does make a big difference," board member George Van Horn said. "The 'how' is critical."
Bennett also wants to allow anyone with a master's degree to become a district superintendent if they pass a school leader's license test and get state approval.
Bennett said school districts need the flexibility to hire people from outside traditional education channels. The change would give local school boards more options, he said. If a board wanted to hire someone with a traditional educational background, they could do so, but if they needed an acute business manager to handle district financial problems, they could choose someone from outside the education field.
Opponents said not anyone can become a superintendent.Stephen McColley, the superintendent of Wes-Del Community Schools in Delaware County, said he was a teacher before becoming a bank executive and later a superintendent. His experience in business helped him understand the financial side of running a school district, but that was just a small portion of his job, he said."
Can I be a brain surgeon because I want to be a brain surgeon? No," McColley said. "School superintendents must be educational leaders, not a business person who looks at the bottom line."Several board members complained they had little time to read and review the proposed changes. Some said they got the extensive proposals 4 p.m. Tuesday, and a revised copy was given to them shortly before the meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Pat Mapes, director of the Office of Educator Licensing & Development, suggested the board meet again later to discuss the proposed changes and tweak them before voting on whether to advance them. The changes are subject to approval by the board, the Office of Management and Budget, the attorney general and the governor. If the proposals are approved, they would take effect next July.
4 comments:
I actually find content area the easier thing to teach, with teaching methods and classroom management the more difficult things to grasp unless you have been trained in the specific age groups. As a licensed Secondary Social Studies teacher, teaching Algebra last year was not as difficult as I thought it would be. The other math teachers were wonderful at helping me remember my high school math, and I found I relied more on the teaching methods I learned in college than on the actual math content I learned in college while a math major. I had a friend who taught freshmen English last year, and she was a licensed Elementary teacher. She didn't struggle with the English content. She struggled with how to manage high schoolers and how to teach in a way that engaged them. She is walking proof that the teaching methods and classroom management courses in college are extremely valuable. I sure hope the State Board of Education pulls in the reins on this proposal. We need teachers trained to teach and handle a classroom. That is so important. If a teacher can't teach or control their students, it doesn't matter how smart they are in the content area. They are not going to be successful. Thanks for alerting me to this potential legislation.
This would be fantastic.
I don't think he's attempting to eliminate methods classes for most teacher ed. programs. Anyhow, I'm praying this thing passes and reigns in the runaway train that is credit hour creep in teacher ed. programs all over. Thirty hours of prof. ed. courses for El. Ed. is more than enough, and a mandatory minor is a great idea.
I guess I didn't understand the article. I interpreted it that he was going to remove the bulk of methods and management classes. In college, I only had to take 1 social studies methods class (how to teach social studies), 1 classroom management class (how to handle a classroom & students), 1 diverse students class (special ed, gifted & talented, multicultural students) and 1 measurement & evaluation class (how to write fair tests, grade student work accurately, and how to assess student performance). I felt those classes prepared me. They may have changed the requirements over the years and I am unaware of it. These classes I took were just the right amount. I do believe they can't remove these basic classes. I wish they would change teacher license renewal. My license expired in 2002, and when I re-entered the classroom this fall with having taken a college class since graduation in 1996 and without teaching since 1997, I felt completely prepared and able to teach. My life experience made me a better teacher, and the support of the faculty caught me up very quickly on the new technology. I wish the 6-credits-every-5-years renewal was done away with. Just being in the classroom updated me on technology and teaching methods. I didn't forget how to teach and how to handle students. Teaching comes naturally to me, and I don't know how renewing my license will change it. But as with every government area, checks and balances need to be in place. I guess the license renewal requirements helps the state keep track of teachers and hopefully weeds out the bad ones. But here I am now, going back to work full-time, raising four kids, and now having to take two college courses to renew my teaching license. That's not going to be easy to balance all that. Oh well!
Post a Comment