I've been reading a lot of Internet commentaries and articles on John McCain's recent National Urban League Speech. There are many remarks about education, vouchers, teacher unions, and race. However, McCain selectively and creatively combined school vouchers with lowering teacher standards. He made one brief statement. Did anyone else catch it?
In recollection of watching his speech, he said it's easier to become a poet laureate than to become a teacher in this country, and it shouldn't be.
Why this Would be a Travesty for the US and its Education System
First and in my opinion, he is undermining the teaching profession. If he becomes president, this will hurt our already alarming illiteracy statistics. Secondly, teachers need to be taught how to teach. It is not solely about mastering your subject area. Students need to see good writing, reading, and speaking modeled daily. Teachers lead the way in molding good literacy habits in our students. Thirdly, people who come off the street or from the business world to teach are put into alternative certification programs. Do they equip them for the extreme ESE (Special Education Student) and ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) student loads teachers encounter? No! Will they have practiced best practice strategies to help their students be more successful? Perhaps, but at best they will be less than a novice finding their way as they make mistake after mistake at our children's expense. Clearly, he has a misunderstanding about what happens prior to stepping into a classroom. Finally, vouchers have nothing to do with teaching. They are two different issues. Keep it that way!
What Do You Think?
Either McCain is ignorant on this issue and should not be speaking, or he is well aware that he wants to lower the teaching standards and hurt our nation. What do you think?
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