Rethinking teacher licensing

Should the education of future teachers be focused on the teaching techniques that they will one day rely on in the classroom or be more “method based,” requiring them to have degrees in subjects in their main teaching field?

The editorial board isn’t sure, but we believe it is the right step to take a closer look at how teachers are trained.

That’s the debate currently underway as the Indiana educators discuss future licensing requirements proposed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett.

Due to increased competitive pressures from organizations like Teach for America and fast-track certification programs, Indiana universities are rethinking the way they educate teachers.

Bennett has proposed several measures, summed up as the “Proposed Rules Revisions for Educator Preparation and Accountability,” or REPA.

The proposals, among other things, would require future teachers to major in the subject of their choice rather than education – currently, secondary education students major in education and minor, or concentrate, in the subject they would like to teach.

It would also bring down barriers that currently restrict Indiana’s pool of teachers, preventing people like Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, from being eligible to teach in Indiana.

While there has been much protest and resistance to Bennett’s proposals, they have served an extremely valuable purpose: forcing the state of Indiana to critically evaluate how teachers are trained and certified.

Just as in any field, teaching requires a diversity of qualified individuals from different backgrounds – many of whom will reach their teaching job through varied routes and utilize distinct teaching methods.

There should be many paths to teacherdom; one way may be no better than another, but it can be the correct way for a certain individual and the incorrect way for another.
The debate that has developed in the wake of REPA has been both healthy and constructive, with education stakeholders and legislators working together and participating in needing dialogue.

With the state of Indiana receiving a “D” from the National Council on Teacher Quality for our policies affecting teacher quality, our education system and teacher training could definitely use some inspection.

Indiana ranks low in both our ability to identify and retain effective teachers as well as our ability to get rid of the worst teachers.

Proposals like REPA are the way to target what changes need to be made and to implement better standards.