Re: National Certification for Physics Teachers

["L. R. Cartwright (Larry)" <physics@SCNC.CPS.K12.MI.US>]

$5000/year?  Cool!  National certification is a long sequence of hoops
and hurdles, the completion of which somehow makes one superior to
run-of-the-mill uncertified teachers.  I don't think it has much to do
with command of subject matter, more to do with using the current "best
knowledge" of educational psychology, sociology, and classroom practices.
I.E. there doesn't seem to be a national certification specifically for
physics teachers; you would probably acquire the certification called
"Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Science".

The National Education Association is a driving force behind and strong
promoter of national certification.  See their stuff at
<http://www.nea.org/teaching/>.

[ ... here you are being spared a vituperative diatribe about the
education establishment's penchant for fads, the NEA's penchant for
political expedience, the questionable value of the certification, etc. ]

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright
Physics, Physical Science, Internet Teacher
Charlotte High School, 378 State Street, Charlotte MI 48813
<physics@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us> or <science@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Aminthe Broussard wrote:

> Does anyone know anything about the national certification program for
> teachers?  There is a bill in our state legislature here in Louisiana that
> would give a $5000/year bonus for teachers who have such a certification.
>
> Thanks,
> Aminthe Broussard
> New Iberia Senior High School
> New Iberia, LA