Our schools face many problems today. Untrained and unqualified teachers are only one such enigma, but can prove to be the most crucial that schools and communities must address.
Effective teachers can be the limiting factor in student achievement.
However, many schools and education leaders differ as to how to determine the effectiveness of a teacher. This paper addresses the concept of teacher accountability and how it relates to classroom success. Much of the blame for failing teachers is centralized on undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs and certification procedures. Also implicated are low salaries, teacher shortages, insufficient mentor relationships and lack of respect by the general public. Realizing the significant impact well-trained teachers have on the ability of students to succeed, this paper addresses the problems many teacher education programs face.