Who Can Teach?

Alison Lobron, a teacher at the elite Concord Academy in the shadow of Walden Woods outside of Boston, announces "I'm Unqualified to Teach Your Kids." In so doing she reminds us all of the silliness of most state teacher licensing systems, and of course of the utter vacuity of the fact that "education specialists" (I blame the university education departments, which should be seriously pared down to only dealing with elementary and special education) so often are in charge of education.

Her solution is so obvious, we know it will likely never happen:

. . . when it comes to teacher hiring, the Department of Education would do well to consider how independent schools define qualified. At the very least, the department should expand its definition so applicants who have taught in private schools or universities can substitute work experience for additional education credits. Ideally, the state would create a waiver system so that a series of positive evaluations from parents, students, and supervisors -- typically the method private schools use in deciding whether to retain new hires - could serve in lieu of state tests and education credits.

Unfortunately, there aren't too many academically accomplished people eager to work for a teacher's salary. But for the few who are, we shouldn't make life any harder.

Maybe someday these sorts of changes can occur. But I would not hold my breath as long as education theorists are in full self-preservation mode.