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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think teachers should be required to do student teaching and a few courses prior to teaching. Alternative certification programs don’t all do this so you have teachers in classrooms with zero experience at all. That’s not okay. [/quote]

I’m a teacher who came through an alternative program. I am now a mentor teacher and I speak district-wide about classroom management, assessment, and curriculum development.

There are many of us who came into teaching this way, and we are extremely successful. [/quote]

In our district, the majority of teachers who come through alternative programs leave within 2-3 yrs. They are not prepared and spend the first few years doing what they would've done during student teaching except they don't have nearly as much support. They are building the plane as they fly it. Would this be accepted for other professions? To have no previous experience experience at all or any coursework? [/quote]

Then you have a bad program.

Everybody is building the plane as they fly it their first year. I’ve had this conversation with coworkers who came through traditional ed programs. Student teaching is not the same as having your own classroom.  Year 1 is hard on everybody.

And you are discrediting the myriad of experiences career changers bring to the profession. My career prior to teaching prepped me for the long hours, the organization, the interpersonal communication, etc.

Frankly, some of the strongest teachers I know started the same way I did. [/quote]

How nice for you. One of my kid's worst teachers was a second career former engineer who was not good at teaching.

No, student teaching is not the same as having your own classroom, but spending a year(ish) working in tandem with an experienced teacher is a huge benefit. [/quote]

And my child’s worst teacher by far was an education major who came through a traditional education program.

I posted above about coming through one of these programs. I did student teach for 3 months before I had my own classroom. Many of these alternative route programs include a student teaching component.

Being a good teacher or a bad teacher has a lot to do with your traits, which can’t be taught in a class. Are you engaging? Are you able to connect with people? Can you remain organized when your job pulls you 20 different ways? Can’t be taught. [/quote]

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