Teacher Training Needs Attention From Policy-Makers

By Alfred S. Posamentier

Recently, the City College School of Education was approached by two private organizations wanting to enter into a partnership agreement to mount an innovative teacher training program. Although portions of each program had merit, after much discussion it became clear to our faculty that these organizations were not interested in a partnership; rather they wanted us to serve as their teacher certification agent — without our having any significant involvement in the structure and content of the program.

Although the agencies dangled an attractive financial carrot, on serious reflection we decided to decline the offer. It is difficult to think of another profession in which a group of interested and well-meaning people feel qualified to take responsibility for professional training from certified university programs.

Over the past decades, when critical staffing shortages occurred, there has been a pattern of panic moves by school administrations to find ways to meet these needs. Using the leverage of special outside funding, programs are requested of schools of education to help fill vacant teacher positions quickly.

These programs can compromise professional judgment in the interest of expediency. In reality, schools of education are closely bound to societal needs, and cannot ignore the pressures of local communities and the national education agenda, even if the proposed programs dilute standards. Naturally, many of these problems are more prevalent in urban centers, but they occur elsewhere as well.

The dilemma results in the compromise of professional training to solve short-term emergencies and to fulfill the political will.

There seems to be a general perception that teaching does not require special skills, or exceptional intelligence and training, but rather, just some knowledge of the material to be taught. In no other profession, certainly not law or medicine, are the practitioners treated with so little respect as in education, which – - given its mission — is perhaps among the most important professions in society.

We must seek to make the preparation of teachers, including innovative programs, the highest priority as we work to improve education. This means strengthening and securing the professional status of schools of education.

It is time for policy makers and school administrators to bring schools of education to the table and jointly plan for staffing needs, curriculum changes and other items of mutual interest, so that schools of education do not find themselves in a constant reactive position jumping to respond to last-minute crises in school districts.

It is also time for joint initiatives on the part of school leaders and education faculty to design real partnerships that allow them to make the most effective use of their talents to support our nation’s children.

Alfred S. Posamentier, Ph.D., is dean of the School of Education at the City College of New York.

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