Why do you need a teaching certificate?

1. 63

   whoisbidposted 13 years ago

   Why do you need a teaching certificate?
   
   A friend of mine has a PhD in a topic that schools require teachers for but he can't legally teach because he does not have a Teachers certificate. Is this system correct? Why should he be prevented from teaching if he is more qualified on this subject than most people in the world?

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2. 80

   Doc Snowposted 13 years ago

   Yes, I think this system is correct.  Working with children is both harder and more important than we have traditionally assumed--possibly because of the effects of sexism, as working with children has usually been 'women's work.'  But it's appropriate that transmission of our culture to the next generation be undertaken with care--part of which is proper credentialling.
   
   Your friend may be very knowledgeable about his subject area, but that does not mean that he knows the craft of teaching in the slightest.  Knowledge of a topic and knowledge of how to impart it are quite distinct, and both are required of a teacher.
   
   As for being "prevented from teaching," is anything preventing him from learning how to do it?  In some places, knowledge of a subject can give you a faster track to learning the other pieces of what you need to know--shorter courses of study, learning on the job, or mentorships to help you learn--things like that.

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3. 71

   Abhaque Supanjangposted 13 years ago

   Certificate in teaching (especially on English) is the admission of some official institution or person on your capability to teach. Possessing the certificate make you trusted better by some concerned people in your profession. The problem is sometime the certificate can not guarantee the ones who hold it are really able to teach well.

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4. 84

   TFScientistposted 13 years ago

   I absolutely believe this is correct. Just because you know your subject, doesn't mean you can teach it. On my teacher training programme a number of extremely intelligent first class degree holders in physics and biology dropped out because they could not handle the rigours of teaching. Plus, university education isnt teaching - it is providing with information which students go away and learn independently. Pedagogy is more demanding than many people give it credit for.

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5. 61

   teachertalking1posted 13 years ago

   There are many reasons that all states require teachers to be certified.  Knowing your content well and the ability to teach students are not the same thing. 
   
   There are many,many layers of teaching!  All are equally important:
   
   1)classroom management (without which, no content will ever be taught)
   2) knowledge of developmental levels (Vygotsky's ZPD - Zone of Proximal Development)
   3) differentiated instruction
   4)UbD - (Understanding By Design) - a framework that focuses on backward planning and Teaching For Understanding
   5)SIOP strategies to address English Language Learners
   6)extensive knowledge of the various stages of literacy development
   7) data collection and the ability to use that data to guide instruction
   8) critical in connecting all of the above is..... RESEARCHED BASED instructional strategies!
   
   Sorry for the lengthy response, but the question was pretty loaded!

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