Saturday, April 15, 2006

Are You "Highly Qualified?"


Probably.

According to NCLB, all you need is a bachelor's degree, a license, and proven knowledge of your subject area.

Does that mean you're a good teacher?

Not necessarily.

You may be, of course, but can you get along with kids? Do you like them? Do you have contempt for them? Do people understand you when you talk? To be "highly qualified," none of that matters.

And how did you prove knowledge of your subject area? Here in NY, where certification requirements are more rigorous than many other states, I've met Spanish teachers who couldn't actually speak the language. How could that be?

Still, they're "highly qualified," according to federal standards.

Go figure.
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