With Turnover High, Schools Fight for Teachers

[Clodfobble]

About two or three years ago, Texas implemented a policy that anyone with a bachelor's degree in the appropriate topic could with very little effort become certified to teach that topic in high schools, without actually going through the typical multi-year University course accreditation. This helped lessen the shortage tremendously.

My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and two aunts are all teachers, and they were all vehemently against this legislation when it came out. Basically to them it amounted to being told that they had no special skill at their jobs, anyone off the street could do it. The difference, as I tried to explain to them, is that they all teach elementary school and younger. A kindergarten teacher can reasonably be expected to need various classes in child psychology, developmental processes, etc. A high school teacher, however, does not. Sure, it's nice to have that sort of preparation, but high schools today have much more important problems to focus on.

I definitely agree that raising pay would help, but only to a certain degree--private schools typically pay teachers less than public schools, and yet are harder to get jobs in, because those jobs are inherently more desirable to the teachers. Students have to improve to allow the teachers to improve to help the students improve... I think we should seriously consider the concept of vocational schools as an alternative to high schools for those students who would find that environment more appropriate. Section off the kids who don't care and the ones that remain will be able to get a much better education.