Troops to Teachers

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Did anyone else catch McCain last night when he suggested that troops coming back from battle be encouraged and permitted to become teachers without 'those tests', implying that they were qualified on the basis of their experiences. Appalled and angered was my reaction. It's offensive and ignorant of what qualifies someone to be a teacher, much less a good one - there are many current teachers who don't make the grade on that basis, so we're going to saturate the schools with those with less training and volatile backgrounds, while those who went to school and studied for their career may lose their opportunities? GAH!! !


M.

Strange, Senpei ... the only thing that the politicos thought that I was best suited for when I was honorably discharged was "Corrections Officer." But this was during an era when getting tough on crime was the fashionable thing to do.

I've known teachers who were either so dumb or so nasty that I doubt there really are any qualifications to be a teacher.

Many states with teacher shortages have laws where people who do not have a teaching certificate can become a teacher. They do usually have to have a college degree, and for middle school or high school their degree usually has to be related to what they teach. Once they start teaching, they usually have one or two years to get a certificate - they are required to take courses in pedagogy and psychology at nights or weekends.

Not sure why McCain would mention this - some people are already doing it. He didn't really call for anything new as far as I could tell - probably just wanted to praise the troops and tie it to education.

What qualifies soldiers to be teachers? Is it the same qualification(s) that allowed them to soldiers? I think not.

And what sort of teachers are these veterans supposed to be?

A good teacher is taught how to teach, not just how to relay information. There's a world of difference between teaching and relaying information.

Its the typical military strategy where if you throw enough jarheads at a problem a few of them will eventually solve it (the rest will create new problems) applied to the civilian sector.

I think we should be very afraid of this guy becoming president.

[edit] That's not even mentioning the fact that this reeks of an attempt to subvert the traditionally anti-war lean of American educational institutions.

If all your teachers are ex military what sort of real discussion on matters of protest and the negative impact of militarization and conflict can there be?

I concur. That's why I would rather see Obama in office.

Whatever happens to America will eventually effect Canada.