Detail Teacher certification and credentials: from a focus on qualification to a commitment to performance   Oleh:  Imig, Scott R. ; Koziol, Stephen ; Pilato, Virginia ; Imig, David G. Jenis: Article from Books - E-Book Dalam koleksi: International handbook of research on teachers and teaching, page 141-157. Fulltext: inter10.pdf (115.6KB) Isi artikel An often-repeated phrase among educational researchers is that the variance in teacher quality within a school is greater than the variance among the schools in any district. This same principle certainly applies when analyzing teacher certification in the United States and around the world. It does not, however, minimize the great policy and practice differences that exist between and among international countries with regard to educating and certifying teachers. Initial licensure, for example, is good for life in Japan, Hong Kong and England but in the United States, where each state has separate requirements, most teachers must renew their licenses throughout their career. Additionally, though most American teachers are required to pass a licensure examination after graduating from a teacher preparation program, teachers in Singapore and the Netherlands are under no such obligation (Wang, Coleman, Coley, & Phelps, 2003). While these differences are great, a closer look at teacher certification within the United States reveals countless systems and policies operating in often-contradictory ways. In the United States, a system of teacher licensure is administered by the 50 states. Each of the states awards licenses to candidates who fulfill requirements established to ensure that all teachers are qualified to teach. Teacher licensure places a premium on prospective teachers meeting a set of prescribed criteria set by the state. It is a system that relies on candidates obtaining a baccalaureate degree, meeting state recognized standards, perhaps fulfilling specific course requirements, having a satisfactory grade point average, completing student teaching (also known as internship) requirements, and passing a state-administered or state-authorized tests that may include assessment of basic skills, subject matter knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge. Some states have additional requirements, but all expect that teacher candidates will fulfill what are viewed as minimal qualifications to teach the children of the particular state. It is a system, however, in flux as the system moves from one dependent upon prospective teachers meeting a set of qualifications for teaching to one that embraces successful performance by beginning teachers. This shift in emphasis is profound and carries with it enormous consequences for schools and colleges. Teaching qualifications are, according to Fabiano (1999), “state measures grounded on relatively objective assessments of the skills, abilities, and knowledge that [state policy makers] have determined to be important.” Policy makers in the several states exercise authority over teaching in many ways. One of the most important ways they do this is by controlling access to teaching and awarding advanced certificates to experienced teachers. They exercise this authority by setting qualifications that respond to a variety of factors – social, political, economic – seeking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of qualified teachers to staff the schools of the particular state or territory. Policy makers appreciate that they can shape many dimensions of the teacher workforce by regulating the availability of teachers and setting the conditions for continuing practice. In most states, state legislators and state school board members have exercised their authority to regulate the quality and the availability of teachers for classrooms. They have established qualifications that have to be met before one can obtain a license to teach. Opini Anda Klik untuk menuliskan opini Anda tentang koleksi ini! Kembali

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