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Despite what I mentioned above, it is a fact that just because a teacher is certified, that does not ensure quality instruction. In fact, under the federal No Child Left Behind law, school systems will be cut off from federal funds if they do not have a teacher staff that are all certified. How will that help the children at those schools? (I think it might ‘leave them behind’) I struggle to understand how teacher certifications are considered to be “required" when over a quarter of most educators do not possess teacher certifications.

It has been argued that teacher certifications and licensing are overrated. Teacher certification policies are often required to limit the number of people granted access to a profession, it is the attempt to ensure that teachers meet some minimum standard of competence. Teachers should at least appear in the eyes of the public to possess qualifications that others lack. It has been said that a standard teacher certification exam is a relatively meaningless indicator of teaching ability. In actuality, teacher certification exams will keep many talented teachers out of the teaching profession in the first place. For example: D.C. schools have required teachers to have teacher certifications for years, yet they are among the worst schools in the country. A graduate with a masters degree in, say, English, is not qualified to teach high school English at many schools in this country because first they must have a teacher certification—which means more school, even after four years of Undergraduate school and two or three years of Graduate school. But a person who graduated high school and got his or her teacher certification can teach a high school English class. Oh but not to worry—after all, they have a curriculum provided by the school which will tell them how to teach English, grammar, and even advanced English. What should be a major requirement for public school teachers, on the other hand, is competence in the subject areas in which they teach.

Teaching is one of the most subjective professions around. There are very few techniques capable of gauging teacher performance accurately. Success can be defined as anything the teachers evaluator wishes. Should teacher success to be measured by student behavior? Student test scores? Bulletin board attractiveness? Appropriate dress? Adherence to school instructional policy?

For example, how can a teachers effectiveness by her students test scores? Should a teacher be responsible for students that do not study, who are not interested in learning, who don't attend class regularly? Teachers with teacher certifications or without will find it is nearly impossible to get anything accomplished in class if they teach at a school whose principal refuses to discipline students who disrupt other classmates.

These are just some reasons the No Child Left Behind Act should be repealed, it is not working. The federal Department of Education should cease to exist because local school districts are able to determine their own education policies. However, these schools must be compelled to do so.

The system by which the nation requires and obtains teacher certifications for public school teachers recently came under attack by an organization called the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF). The commission has charged that public schools employ many unqualified teachers, mostly because of inadequate and poorly enforced standards for teacher training and licensing. Perhaps the NCTAF will have some success in turning this whole thing around. One can only hope.

Homeroom Teacher has the best selection of Teacher certifications at the lowest prices!

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