More Testing for Teachers?
This week, Good Education asked, “Do We Need a 'Bar Exam' For Teachers?”
Of course this is completely absurd. While exams are very good at determining whether one remembers a bunch of arcane regulations, rules and laws, teachers do not need to know this kind of stuff. On the other hand, teachers already have to pass relatively challenging comprehensive high stakes exams in most states to demonstrate their content knowledge. More importantly, the things that matter most in education (e.g., ability to build a positive rapport with students, design and implement creative and engaging lesson plans, create a safe and supportive learning environment) are difficult or impossible to assess by means of a pen and paper exam.
According to Good Education, American Federation of Teachers president, Randi Weingharten, recently suggested that implementing a “bar exam” for prospective teachers might improve the quality and status of American teachers. To her credit, when challenged on