Re: Advice on teacher education?

[Arlyn DeBruyckere <arlynd@HUTCH.K12.MN.US>]

Michael Edmiston wrote:

> Snip

>  Kyle
> suggests that difficult courses such as a semester of physics may drive
> prospective teachers away from science.  That might be true, but maybe
> that's not all that bad.  My feeling is that someone who cannot do physics
> at the entry-level in college ought not be teaching physical science at any
> age level.  What we have to do is convince prospective teachers that this
> entry level course is not only passable, but also an interesting course.
> Virtually everyone who takes it and passes it agrees that they learned a lot
> of really interesting things.  But they also agree they worked hard.  Can't
> we expect that from future teachers?

I agree.  Having these more rigorous requirements might "scare" some people out but we
owe it to the  teaching candidates and to their future students to require a better
background.  Would any of us suggest that a Ph.D. candidate not be required to quantum
mechanics for example because "it is hard and when will we ever use it anyway?"  If a
large number of potential medical students couldn't pass their board exams would we lower
the passing score because "we need more family doctors"?

--
Arlyn DeBruyckere
Hutchinson High School