Recently, there has been much written about teacher certification – and the different pathways that teachers can take to receive their initial (or advanced) certification. Here in our own blog, National Board Certification has even been highlighted. So, it was with great interest that I began to follow the Washington State Professional Educators Standards Board’s (PESB) discussion about teacher certification, especially online teacher certification.
Some individuals across our nation believe that anyone who knows the content can teach it to students. Others believe teaching only requires one to deliver prescribed curriculum to kids. Still others feel that teachers need to know the content, various assessment tools, and a variety of ways of delivering/ assessing content with kids. Whatever your belief about what constitutes ‘teaching,’ one thing is clear: standards for teaching are necessary and needed if we hope to improve education for ALL students. But what standard will we hold for ALL beginning teachers in Washington State as a sort of ‘baseline’ level?
Over the past year or so, the PESB has heard from various colleges who wish to certify teachers for work in Washington State, holding them to the established Washington State teacher certification standards. All the work has been centered around the universities/ colleges here. While far from perfect, the standards are clear and moving in the right direction as they apply to all new teachers.
Now, a new type of teacher certification program is entering the landscape in our state: online teacher certification programs. One thing remains clear. We all want the best teachers working with our children. That is why I was very pleased to see that the PESB reached a similar conclusion. At their July meeting, after hearing from various online teacher certification programs, the board passed a motion to:
…direct the Executive Committee to bring to the September 2008 board meeting a proposed policy framework which ensures that all out-of-state/online providers meet Washington State standards for the preparation of Washington teachers, educational staff associates and administrators.
In this technological age, it is difficult to know the effectiveness of any program, online or not. I am happy to hear that there will be a standard applied to all beginning teachers in Washington, regardless of the ‘institution’ that certifies a teacher. I know that I want teachers who meet high standards, like the ones that have been set here in Washington, working on staff with me and teaching my children. Great work, PESB!
Bob -Thanks for bringing up this point. Our Washington State Standards for beginning teachers are very similar to the NCATE standards. Thus, if a school meets NCATE standards, it is not that challenging to meet the state standards.
By the way, it looks like a few online teacher certification programs are seeking NCATE approval. This will be interesting to follow…
I love online programs. In fact, I teach one. I find that I can give more attention and feedback. Additionally, the people in my course can ask more questions and elicit more support.
However, to me, teaching is a skill. It is an art. It is something at which you have to work.
Curriculum does not make a class or teacher great. Give the world’s best curriculum to just anyone and the results will be poor. In fact, the world’s best curriculum would not work because it presupposes that all students are exactly the same. For it is the teacher that knows the students. It is the teacher that changes and adjusts and scaffolds for the student to learn.
I love teaching. I come from a family of teachers. I have always had the upmost respect for teaching so in this current era when the teaching profession is working hard to maintain the fact that it is a profession, I am wary of online programs or any way to just put a warm body into a room. In the end, it is not the best thing for students.
Where do you understand that NCATE standards relate to the proposed online teacher certificate program standards?