Quality of Teachers
The Australian Monday, April 14, 1997
Some of the best teachers aren't formally trained.
They say there's going to be a shortage of primary school teachers.
This could be a blessing in disguise.
Teaching talent is more important at primary level than any other. Attitudes acquired by children determine their educability for life. We have conducted an independent alternative primary school for 21 years. We have employed experienced teachers, young teachers, trainee teachers doing rounds and graduates in arts, science and law to assist part-time. We have a very high standard and a happy campus.
Parents are naturally anxious that teachers be qualified and they blindly trust in official teacher registration. But the reality is that there are many capable and inspiring teachers outside the school industry who never have - and never would - endure the official teaching training process.
Not everybody can teach - as some poor trainees discover after registration. But there are some people who can walk into a classroom and conduct a happy and effective session - without having been through "training". They need only work alongside a senior teacher for a few weeks to absorb professional protocols and can then be assigned a segment of curriculum from their area of expertise.
While there are still some bright and capable teachers coming through the official channels, there are many who not only struggle with literacy and numeracy but emit an aversion to excellence which is contagious.
Ourt tired and long-winded teacher-training courses are heavy on ideology and weak on scholarship. There are great potential teachers willing and able to give a period of their lives to teach the young - and who can work with children. The question is how to procure these special people.
Who do you trust more to garner talent? The principal in the field or the training institutions that scrape the barrel. Entrance scores for teaching at Melbourne University are about the lowest (40s to 50s) of all courses. Other institutions accept teaching candidates with scores as low as 29.
Let those who can, enhance the "breed" by bringing in the talent that our children at present sadly have no access to.
Philip O'Carroll