7 Qualified
Are the Best Teachers Highly Qualified?
by Kelley Atkins
Introduction
What is teaching exactly? Some argue that it is a learned profession, others say it requires many years of training. I believe it is a combination of both. “Teaching is, or ought to be, a difficult and complex endeavor. When one considers what is expected of a teacher in terms of end results- the preservation and improvement of our culture and civilization- teaching is perhaps the most important job in a democratic society.” (Troen and Boles, 34 and 35)
Personally Qualified
Teachers are a special kind of human beings. They are willingly entering a career with minimum room for promotion, hardly any recognition from society, a dastardly amount of pay, and in many cases, unfavorable working conditions. It takes a special person to become a teacher, especially to become a good teacher. Anyone can become a teacher, hence the phrase, “Those who can’t do, teach.” In the book “Extraordinary Teachers, The Essence of Excellent Teaching,” Fred Stephenson outlines the qualities of an extraordinary teacher:
1. Extraordinary teachers have a great passion for their work.
2. Extraordinary teachers know what to teach, how to teach, and how to improve.
3. Extraordinary teachers excel at creating exciting classroom environments.
4. Extraordinary teachers connect exceptionally well with students.
5. Extraordinary teachers challenge students to reach their full potential.
6. Extraordinary teachers get extraordinary results.
Stephenson, Introduction page xix.
Standards, degrees, laws, or any other structural requirement is not stated on this inspiring list. The essence of teaching is wanting your students to excel, genuinely caring about their success, and having the will to improve your own methods. It is a sad misconception that anyone can teach, and that it takes minimal skill and talent. To be a highly qualified teacher, one must be a dedicated, hard-working person, who is drawn to teaching through a sense of high purpose and social conscience. “They genuinely like children and want to help them achieve success.” (page 32 Troen and Boles) Aside from these personal characteristics, a highly qualified teacher should also be competent. This is the side of teaching that requires passing exams, mastering material, and holding up to government standards.
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“In my opinion, mastery of the subject matter and staying current, having a teaching plan, and being organized, and developing one’s communication skills are the responsibility of every teacher. These are components of effective teaching that teachers owe their students. Keith J. Karnok, “Thoughts on College Teaching” |
Standards
If our teachers are to become more highly qualified in an academic sense, we should make it a priority to make the standards and/or qualifications as well as their implementation more clear and concise. In a study performed to uncover the “implementation of the highly qualified teacher provisions of the No Chil