Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-07-24
Teacher Standards

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While I heartily concur
with DR.. Hansen's reason for
raising the salaries of d. c.
teachers, / hope that he has
not overlooked another factor
equally responsible for the
shortage of qualified teachers.
This factor is the present GER
tification system which re-
quires a minimum Of 1924
hours Of education credits
with few requirements in the
academic subjects for teacher
qualification.
This is not a criticism Of
education courses per Sc, as
up to a point they have con-
siderable merit. An under
graduate contemplating en-
tering the teaching profess
sion should include in his
curriculum a course in the
history or philosophy of ed
ucation and a course in
teaching methods with en-
phasis on practice teaching.
in order to fully understand
the detectives. responsible
tiles, and procedures Of his
profession.
However. beyond this addi-
tional education courses are
superhuous as qualifications
for teaching. If forced to pur-
sue them to fulfill unneces-
sary certiflcation require
ments in college, a student
may become stepped in the
how and why Of education at
the expense of a real under
standing and knowledge of
the subject to be taught. AS
a result. the primary object
Of education-to prepare the
mind to think-soon becomes
secondary in the mind of the
would-be teacher. This is
hardly a qualification for
teaching. On the other hand.
many capable would-be
teachers are lost to the pro-
feSsion every year because
they are unwilling to sub
stitute education courses for
a reasonable knowledge of
their academic subjects.
Thus, by encouraging the
least qualified student to
teach and discouraging the
able student from entering
the profession, the present
practice Of basing profess
sional preferment in the Dis
trict school system on the
number Of education courses
taken, with little emphasis on
academic subjects, creates an
artificial shortage of qualified
teachers.
AS an aid (not neglecting
the salary increases) in over
coming the shortage of quail
fed teachers, the number of
hours in professional educa-
ton courses should be lowered
and the minimum require
ments for academic subjects
needed for certification to
teach in the District elemen-
tary and secondary schools
should be raised.
At the elementary level,
the number of education
courses can be lowered to Is
hours without raising aca-
demic subject requirements.
This is especially true for
grades one through three.
For 1t is generally recognized
that teaching methods are
the primary need and that q
college graduate has sufficient
mastery of the fundamentals
taught in the elementary
grades. However, it is feasible
to assume for the remaining
elementary grades, the pro-
fessional courses could be
further reduced and more
emphasis placed on academic
subjects.
At the secondary school
level the number Of profess
ional education courses should
be lowered to a minimum of
nine credit hours and the
academic subject require
ments raised to such a level
that a teacher has a reason
able mastery Of his subject.
Unlike the elementary school,
the secondary school teacher
is dealing with an older pupil.
He must be an expert in his
field If he is to meet the
demands of his pupil. The
secondary school teacher
should receive credit for post
graduate work in his field,
other than professional
courses, in determining his
advancement in the profess
sion.
In addition to improving
the supply Of qualified teach
ers. the teaching profession
would regain much Of It's
prestige and its effectiveness.
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