Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, June 29, 2012

SMART STUDENTS DON’T NECESSARILY MAKE GOOD TEACHERS « Teachers Fight Back

SMART STUDENTS DON’T NECESSARILY MAKE GOOD TEACHERS « Teachers Fight Back:


SMART STUDENTS DON’T NECESSARILY MAKE GOOD TEACHERS

A Golden Chalk award goes out to Susan Furman who wrote in to the Tribune about their editorial on higher standards for education majors in college. Here is her reply.
“Let’s see: The only good teachers are the “smart” teachers, right (Teacher prep; For the sake of Illinois students, don’t dilute state standards for tomorrow’s educators,” Editorial, June 21)? I graduated high school in three years, having taken mostly honors classes.  I received a score of 33 (out of 36) on my ACT.  I attended college, graduated with high honors classes, completed my student teaching and passed the Illinois state teacher’s exam with flying colors (on the first try).
Given your theory of your editorial, I would be a great teacher, correct?
Wrong!  I was a terrible teacher. I was smart, I knew every aspect of my subject matter, I just couldn’t relate to