[StBernard] certification for teachers

[Westley Annis]

I agree about certification importance. To some, the certification test is
too easy, to others who find it too hard, perhaps they might rethink their
choice of occupation. If folks are not qualified to teach, they should not
be so. A certification is as important as a college diploma. None guarantee
a job, however, it does qualify one to be prepared for one.

--jer--


-----Original Message-----
I have to disagree with the statement that certification for teachers is a
waste of paper. If so, then why do go to an attorney who had to pass the bar
exam to practice law, or the engineer who had to pass the professional
license exam to practice engineering design, or the physician who had to
pass the medical exam, or the pharmacist, or the certified public
accountant, etc.  While 50 to 100 years ago some of these professionals
learned as they practiced, some not even going to college, let alone take an
exam, IT IS BECAUSE TESTING AND CERTIFICATION OF THOSE PROFESSIONALS IN WHOM
LIFE, SAFETY, HEALTH, AND THE WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC IS ENTRUSTED has to have
some standardized training, education, experience, and TESTING. 
 
 As a professional engineer, I admit I know engineers with degrees who do
not have a license because they did not take the exam but can design
anything, and likewise, I know engineers who have a degree and license but I
wouldn't let them design a house for my dog. But by and large, testing and
certification is better than nothing to ensure professional standards. Only
when teachers are considered professionals because of the college courses
and certification requirements they have achieved, can we pay them what they
deserve and ensure some standards.
 
When I reflect on my elementary and high school education, and that of my
daughter (we both went to Catholic schools), most of the teachers we had in
the Catholic school system were NOT certified and  some had no college or
very little college courses in education. And it showed!  The nuns at St.
Mark came off the boat from Italy in the 1960s not even speaking English and
were put in classrooms to teach. They told me this themselves.  The
Archdiocese resisted paying teachers a decent salary and the nuns worked for
free. Now the Archdiocese has the goal for all certified teachers in its
schools. In fact, I dare say some the teachers I and my daughter had did
more harm than good because they knew little about the subject they taught
and/or how to teach effectively to students and do basic lesson plans.
Fortunately, there were enough great teachers over the 12 years of Catholic
education  that made up for the ones who didn't deserve to be called
teachers. 
 
My daughter is now a senior in education at UNO. I see what she is studying.
I see that she is observing certified teachers in real classrooms as she is
required to do. I see she has to teach classes at public schools and be
graded by her UNO teacher.  She is learning lesson planning, how to meet the
needs of all learners, how to teach math  effectively ( after proving her
proficiency and mastery of math and English), how to read to young teachers,
etc. Her last semester will be a non-paid full time assignment at a public
school as a student teacher. Some children somewhere will be lucky to have
her as their teacher. 
 
These are the up and coming PROFESSIONAL teachers graduating from the
Colleges of Education that will be applying for certification. And for high
school teachers, they need to master the subject they are certified to
teach. A high school English teacher will have taken nearly as much English
courses as an English major, and the same for a science, social studies, and
math certified teachers. Someone who excels in math and science and takes
all those courses could easily major in engineering and get a job at $50,000
with no experience today and have several job offers to boot. Compare that
with the starting salaries of teachers.
 
Our children are as important as whatever else we entrust to professionals
who have required standards to be licensed/certified.    Deborah Keller