Uncertified Teachers Performing Well

[Marnie]

I always wondered if state "teacher certification" was a beurocratic dream that didn't produce better teachers; turns out it doesn't! From the NY Sun, here are some excerpts.

Uncertified Teachers Performing Well, Study Says

Uncertified teachers end up performing just as well in the classroom as certified teachers and alternatively trained teachers like Teaching Fellows, a study to be released today says.

The study's results appear to challenge requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act that every classroom have a "highly qualified" teacher, instead suggesting that schools should put more emphasis on weeding out bad apples after the teachers have been hired.

"These are people who have no prior experience in teaching and they go into the lowest performing schools, and they do just as well," a Columbia University Business School professor, Jonah Rockoff, who co-authored the study, said. "Where you went to college and what your GPA was doesn't seem to tell you how good you're going to be in the classroom."

In the study, researchers at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank affiliated with Stanford University, used standardized test scores to measure the performance of New York City students taught by traditionally certified teachers, uncertified teachers, and teachers who enter the profession through alternative programs such as Teach for America and Teaching Fellows. They found that while alternatively certified and uncertified teachers do worse at first, they appear to improve at faster rates than traditionally certified teachers in their first years on the job. By the teachers' third year on the job, students of alternatively certified and uncertified teachers are performing just as well as those of traditionally certified teachers.

[nebula]

Not suprising.

I started through a masters program that would eventually lead to certification, and all I learned was a lot of bla-bla-bla.

[mrp1948]

The only true attribute that one needs to be a teacher...is to be a good learner. If you can learn than you can teach. God Bless

[Leonard]

I have been priviledged to study under some of the preeminent theologians and philosophers of the last 50 years, but the greatest thinkers I've ever met have all three been high school drop outs!

I am a great fan of education, but I consider college a very bad place for young people these days.

[SueZQ]

I was an uncertified, unqualified, uneducated art teacher in grades K-12 in a private school years ago. I had so much love & compassion for my students. Art was one of the few things we discussed in class. The younger kids needed attention the older kids wanted to be understood.

I am not sure about the higher grades, but in two private schools my daughter attended, while she was K-3 she did not have certified or eduated teachers, and these women impacted her life! The kids in those classes had the highest state testing scores in the school district.

I had become friends with several of the teachers since I worked at the one school, and these teachers were not there for the money (at times they didn't even get paid) or the glory, they were there to make a difference. And they did!

[nebula]

I have been priviledged to study under some of the preeminent theologians and philosophers of the last 50 years, but the greatest thinkers I've ever met have all three been high school drop outs!

I am a great fan of education, but I consider college a very bad place for young people these days.

I heard a funny quote not too long ago -

Our education system is set up such that the A students teach the B students how to work for the C students.

[jesusaveslives77]

I am an uncertified Computer Technology Teacher. I have a degree in Computer Networking, but I am teaching grades K-5. So I am happy to know what you all think of us.

[Pizzaguy]

The only way to teach something is to UNDERSTAND IT YOURSELF first, not hold a degree in "how to teach".

"Uncertifified teachers performing well" <--- the non-surprise of the year for me!

[Guest Harrison_Jeff]

I always wondered if state "teacher certification" was a beurocratic dream that didn't produce better teachers; turns out it doesn't! From the NY Sun, here are some excerpts.

Uncertified Teachers Performing Well, Study Says

Uncertified teachers end up performing just as well in the classroom as certified teachers and alternatively trained teachers like Teaching Fellows, a study to be released today says.

The study's results appear to challenge requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act that every classroom have a "highly qualified" teacher, instead suggesting that schools should put more emphasis on weeding out bad apples after the teachers have been hired.

"These are people who have no prior experience in teaching and they go into the lowest performing schools, and they do just as well," a Columbia University Business School professor, Jonah Rockoff, who co-authored the study, said. "Where you went to college and what your GPA was doesn't seem to tell you how good you're going to be in the classroom."

In the study, researchers at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank affiliated with Stanford University, used standardized test scores to measure the performance of New York City students taught by traditionally certified teachers, uncertified teachers, and teachers who enter the profession through alternative programs such as Teach for America and Teaching Fellows. They found that while alternatively certified and uncertified teachers do worse at first, they appear to improve at faster rates than traditionally certified teachers in their first years on the job. By the teachers' third year on the job, students of alternatively certified and uncertified teachers are performing just as well as those of traditionally certified teachers.

I think it matters if you care about the children or not

[kittyjo]

Marnie,

The Nevada / Clark County has more than just a teacher problem they have a common sense problem. Did you heard what happened here in Vegas this year... They imported teachers from the Phillipines!

Several of our area hospitals are over-run by Phillipino nurses who refuse to speak English or learn proper American/English medical codes which have caused numerous problems and State citations but the hospital administrators cover for them.... Even when thier mistakes cause deaths. The result is very poor care.

Now they import teachers from a foriegn country, with thick accents... To further confuse those who speak english as well as those who don't. They gave these folks added incentives to work here but that is not the upsetting part, althogh it does grate my cheese considerably! What is worse was that there were several people who applied for work here, teachers with years of experience, moved here for the job... After they were interviewed and given a positive outcome, promised work, then they were dumped in favor of imported help.

I wonder who was given a kick back for that deal, somthing sure does smell around here!