Huffington Post Canada
Patricia G. Mathes
November 21, 2011
midst all the calls for reforming our nation's schools, we rarely
address the need for respect. In particular respect for teachers. As a
nation, we often treat teachers as if they are the culprits for the
problems we face in our nation's schools. They are not the culprits,
but rather the victims of a system that rarely rewards exemplary
teaching and a culture that is often at odds with excellence. Take for
instance, the recent report
from The Heritage Foundation (American Enterprise Institute, November
1, 2011) which suggests that teachers are significantly over paid. This
reports states that teachers have less skill than that of employees of
other professions with similar levels of education. Beyond the
absurdity of such a statement, this kind of report is symptomatic of a
pervasive lack of respect for the teaching profession that permeates our
society.
If we, as a nation, want to truly improve the quality of education in
our nation, then we must start by giving the profession of teaching the
respect it deserves. We bemoan the fact that we have lost our footing
in international comparisons to countries like Finland. However, in
Finland, being a teacher is as valued as being a doctor or lawyer. Only
1 in 10 applicants to teacher training programs is actually accepted,
and the teacher training process is rigorous. Further, teachers are
brought into the profession through a process of mentoring until
expertise is established. Such a system recognizes the multifaceted
nature of good teaching.
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