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In the last few years several unique programs, designed to bring new teachers to the classroom, have been introduced. Among them are the military programs intended to attract those with college degrees to the classroom by assisting them in completing courses required to received their teaching credentials. Other military programs encourage those interested in receiving their college degrees to do so with the goal of eventually teaching. In Georgia, there are programs which are attempting to bring people from other professions into the teaching field. I imagine there are other areas of the country attempting to deal with their teaching shortages in a variety of fashions.
Bringing other people into the field of teaching will introduce some interesting perspectives and attitudes. As a former teacher, I know that most teachers suffer at the hands of the system. If their students and parents are not abusive, the administrators and the system often are. Eventually, this wears on teachers, and they become part of the system that we now can see is failing. New teachers from other fields, bringing with them years of experience both as human beings and as employees, are not going to be as vulnerable to the abuse. Many of them will flatly refuse to accept it. They will be accustomed to being treated with dignity and respect and will not take kindly to being treated so poorly. They will demand a voice in the operations of the schools and will surely require that they be masters of their own classrooms. They will expect students to participate fully in the learning experience and parents to support them by insisting that their children behave properly. People with experience in other fields will not accept dramatically lower salaries especially those in the sciences and mathematics. They will not permit the indignity of being paid as first year teachers because their experience in other fields is not counted. They will expect the benefits to which they have become accustomed including flexibility of schedule and some privacy. I am sure they will insist on being treated as if they are adults. If their schedule includes an hour break, they will probably see no reason why they can’t leave campus to take care of errands. They will surely, after years of success in the world outside of the classrooms, have learned the meaning of personal responsibility and will return on time to be prepared for their classes. They will probably be offended at having no free time for lunch because baby-sitting students is not considered a free lunch time by anyone other than teachers. Go To Page: 1 2 |
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