Category Archives: Teaching

If you don’t have an attention span that lasts long enough to learn what I’m teaching in this post, start with the conclusion first. Then if you want to read the evidence following the CONCLUSION, it is your choice to stay ignorant, unless you already know what all the evidence shows us.

CONCLUSION

The United States should not eliminate the US Department of Education.

Still, the US Congress must pass legislation that standardizes teacher training to be more in line with what Finland does and require all K-12 teachers [in all K-12 schools private and public — that’s how it’s done in Finland] to complete a training program similar to what Finland does. The U.S. already has one that’s close, the U.S. Urban Teacher Residency programs.

Each state will still be in charge of education in their state, but setting standards for teacher training, and support for those teachers, should be the federal government’s responsibility.

In the United States, the best public schools are well funded Defense Department schools [DOD].

Department of Defense schools [DOD], are often considered to be “good” because of their consistent, well-funded structure, high expectations for student achievement, a strong focus on addressing the needs of military families with frequent moves, a culture of parental involvement, and a relatively uniform quality of education across all bases, resulting in high standardized test scores compared to many public schools.

The NY Times has an article about DOD schools, stating, “this school system outperformed all 50 states on reading and math scores for both eighth graders and fourth graders.” — Oct 10, 2023

The rest of the country must fall in line and stop fighting to see who can race to the bottom the fastest. No more teacher bashing. They get what you pay for. When they set low expectations and standards for teacher training like Teach for America [TFA] does, they can’t expect those teachers to turn out like Finland or the DOD’s public-schools.

For that to happen, the U.S. Department of Education [ED] must be reformed to be more like Finland’s Ministry of Education, with a mandate to insure all fifty states end up with highly trained and professional teachers in schools that perform like the DOD’s K-12 public schools.

End of Conclusion

Now you may start with the evidence if you haven’t fallen asleep yet.

The U.S. Department of Education [ED] is responsible for:

• Establishing policy: The ED creates policies for federal education assistance, including financial aid and civil rights laws
• Administering programs: The ED manages the distribution of federal funds for education programs, including grants and other assistance
• Monitoring programs: The ED tracks how federal funds are used and ensures they are used effectively
• Enforcing civil rights laws: The ED ensures that students have equal access to education and that programs receiving federal funds are free of discrimination
• Researching education: The ED collects data and conducts research on education, including teaching techniques and best practices
• Identifying issues: The ED identifies problems in education and recommends solutions
• Raising awareness: The ED informs the public about education challenges and best practices
• Helping communities: The ED works with communities to develop solutions to educational issues
• The ED’s programs must be authorized by Congress and signed into law by the president
• The ED’s budget is a portion of the total federal budget
• The ED’s budget includes funding for programs like Pell Grants, early childhood education, and work assistance

Next Finland, a country considered one of the top in the world for education. It consistently ranks in the top ten for every subject in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

This is what Finland’s Ministry of Education is responsible for:

• Developing education and TRAINING
• Early childhood education
• Lifelong learning
• Internationalization
• Preparing educational legislation
• Making decisions about education
• Managing the country’s budget for education

In Finland, teacher training is highly selective, requiring a master’s degree in education which includes extensive pedagogical studies, substantial teaching practice in real classrooms, and a strong emphasis on research-based practices, aiming to produce teachers capable of independent problem-solving and exploring new teaching approaches; essentially, becoming a teacher in Finland is considered a prestigious career path due to the rigorous training involved.

In the United States, there is no standard for teacher training. Instead, each of the fifty states in the US sets its own standards for teacher training and licensure. Teacher training ranges from programs like Teach for America [TFA], to an Urban Teacher Residency [UTR] program.

TEACH FOR AMERICA [TFA] training takes place both virtually [on a computer at home] and in-person over the course of about two months for about 6 to 8 hours a day. After completing that short program without much or any actual experience working with students in a real brick and mortar classroom, the TFA teacher trainees enter K-12 public schools and go straight into teaching. According to research, the average retention rate for TFA teachers is significantly lower than non-TFA teachers, with only around 25% of TFA teachers remaining in the classroom for five years or more.

I am a US Marine, combat vet where what we learned in basic training was discipline, how to obey orders, and how to fight in a team and as an individual. Lots of muscle challenge sweaty exercise, too. Our training days ran longer than 8 hours. We didn’t get weekends off. Boot camp lasted for 13 weeks, much longer than TFA teacher training.

Now for the teacher training program I went through a few years after I was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines and earned AS and BA degrees. The MFA came later.

In the United States URBAN TEACHER RESIDENCY (UTR) programs that train teachers combine academic coursework with teaching experience in urban school districts. UTR programs are designed to help close achievement gaps in high-need schools.

Partner with universities and school districts — UTR programs work with universities and school districts to provide aspiring teachers with teaching experience and a master’s degree.

• Work with a mentor teacher — UTR programs place teacher residents with experienced mentor teachers for a full school year.
• Commit to teaching in the school district — After completing the residency, teachers agree to teach in the school district for at least three years. I stayed in the same district where I was trained in 1975-76 until 2005, when I retired from teaching.

According to research on teacher residency programs, the average retention rate for UTR teachers is typically between 80-90% within the same district after three years, and 70-80% after five years, indicating a significantly higher retention rate compared to traditional teacher preparation programs.

More than 65,000 teachers have earned their teaching credentials through TFA compared to nearly 4,200 through UTR programs.

As one of the few UTR trained teachers, my students learned problem solving and critical thinking skills, and how to understand what they read, and to write poetry, short stories, essays, et al. Starting in the late 1970s, students I worked with in middle school won awards in state poetry and short story contests in competition with other junior high schools

In high school, my journalism students won regional, state, national, and international awards competing with other high school journalism students and student newspapers. The English [teaching literature, how to understand it, and how to write essays] students I worked with dramatically outscored other students throughout the school on those annual rank-and-punish standardized tests. Still, I hated those tests and still do. While other teachers sweated bullets teaching to those tests, I focused on the literature and writing, ignoring those tests.  Finland has standardized tests, but it is up to the teachers to use them. Standardized testing in that country is not mandatory.

All teachers in Finland are required to have a master’s degree, which can be specialized based on the subject they will teach, meaning there are different programs for primary school teachers, subject-specific teachers in secondary school, and other educational areas, but all require a high level of academic study and rigorous practical training. Entrance into teacher education programs is highly competitive, with rigorous entrance exams and interviews to ensure only the most qualified candidates are admitted. Finnish teacher education is heavily focused on research and evidence-based practices. Teacher programs include significant in-school practice teaching with close supervision.

Take a glance at the list of teacher training options for the United States.
Don’t miss the last paragraph.
It may blow your mind.

K-12 teacher training programs in the US include traditional Bachelor’s degree programs in education, focused subject area specializations within a Bachelor’s degree, alternative certification programs, post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs, and various professional development courses covering different teaching methods and subject areas, often with options for online learning and specific grade level focuses like early childhood education or secondary education.

Key types of K-12 teacher training programs:

• Traditional Bachelor’s in Education:

A standard 4-year degree program with a focus on general education coursework alongside specific teacher training classes, often allowing for specialization in a particular subject area like math, science, or elementary education. 

• Subject-Specific Bachelor’s Degree with Teacher Certification:

A degree in a specific subject (e.g., biology, history) with additional education courses to qualify for teaching licensure at the secondary level. 

• Early Childhood Education Degree:

A focused program preparing teachers to work with young children in preschool and early elementary grades. 

• Alternative Teacher Certification Programs:

Designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in a non-education field, allowing them to gain teaching certification through a shorter, more targeted training program, often including accelerated coursework and intensive classroom practice. 

• Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Programs:

For individuals with a bachelor’s degree who want to add teaching credentials, offering focused coursework and additional student teaching to qualify for licensure. 

Areas of focus within K-12 teacher training programs:

• Special Education: Training for teaching students with learning disabilities or other special needs 
• Bilingual Education: Preparing teachers to work with students from diverse language backgrounds 
• Gifted Education: Training for teaching highly gifted students 
• Math Education: Focused curriculum and pedagogy for teaching mathematics at various grade levels 
• Literacy Education: Training for teaching reading and writing skills 
• Science Education: Specialized instruction in science concepts and inquiry-based teaching methods 

Professional development options for K-12 teachers:

• Online Courses:

Flexible learning opportunities through online platforms covering diverse topics like classroom management, curriculum development, and instructional technology 

• Workshops and Seminars:

Short-term training sessions focused on specific skills or pedagogical approaches 

• Coaching and Mentoring:

Individualized support from experienced educators 

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs):

Collaborative groups of teachers focused on improving instruction through peer feedback and shared learning 

All states except Minnesota and Rhode Island allow individuals to become teachers through alternative certification, even if they don’t have a degree. However, each state has its own requirements for alternative certification. Many states in the United States allow high school graduates to substitute teach in K-12 public schools without a specific substitute teaching certificate. In some states, a high school diploma or GED is enough to start substitute teaching. Some states may also accept a bachelor’s degree or college credits. However, some states, like California, require a bachelor’s degree for all teachers, including substitute teachers.

In the majority of states, you don’t need a specific substitute teaching certificate to get started. This means you can often begin your substitute teaching journey with just a high school diploma or GED, and sometimes, a bachelor’s degree or some college credits.

Your Guide to Substitute Teaching Across the U.S.: Certification Requirements by State