What makes a teacher HIGHLY qualified? I am interested in
hearing your ideas, as this is a controversial topic on the Hill. I will explain
more after I hear your responses.
The root of my question comes from this fact: Currently, any person who HAS been certified or IS in the process of obtaining certification is considered Highly Qualified. If this is the reality in which our education system functions what does it mean? What makes a teacher qualified to begin with?
Thank you for the insights! I look forward to hearing your opinions on this topic.
I'm not a public school teacher myself, but from my experience as a public high school student (too many years ago) I know that some of the tenured "highly qualified" teachers, who may have looked good on paper, we're little more than babysitters.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that a "highly qualified" teacher is a teacher that has a higher degree or is NBCT... they can be all of that but can still suck at instruction and behavior management. so i think highly qualified should be a lot of everything... strong behavior management is #1, instruction that is strong, differentiated and keyed in perfectly to the individual students needs, but not forgetting the class as a whole. the teacher understands the students and accepts and appreciates them for who they are... are able to deal with parents and their needs as well.
ReplyDeleteHighly qualified teachers are those that pursue additional learning opportunities, not necessarily additional degrees. Teachers that reflect regularly on their practice and try to adjust their instruction for the sake of student learning, not their own convenience or preferences. Teachers that develop relationships with their students and their class. Teachers that are honest and compassionate with parents. Teachers that demonstrate effectiveness through data, but also through observable behavior in the classroom. It really irks me when administration feels they know me as a professional when they never watch me in action. Finally, highly qualified teachers are those that never stop thinking that there is something else they can do, some other way to reach their kids, some method they haven't tried. Basically, a teacher that never feels they've learned enough about teaching and learning. KB
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