OU dean fails in argument against Teach for America
It’s time to teach Dean Renée Middleton a lesson about Teach for America.
Middleton, dean of Ohio University’s Patton College of Education and Human Services, testified in front of the Ohio House of Representatives against two proposed bills that would bring Teach for America to the state. Her main argument for opposing the program is the lack of proper training it offers its participants.
Participants go through about five weeks of intensive instruction before starting the school year. That’s a time period Middleton and other Ohio education leaders have deemed inadequate. But, that is a tired argument.
Several studies have found that Teach for America instructors are as effective, and often more so, as other new teachers. The only thing they lack is the pedagogical training that certified teachers received. Training in how to teach, though, does not necessarily ensure a good teacher.
Middleton cites qualifications as something missing from Teach for America instructors, but she failed to mention quality. With an average participant GPA of 3.6, the program is finding highly intelligent, recent college graduates to place in low-income schools.
The majority of the participants are chosen from elite universities and colleges throughout the United States. That has to guarantee some modicum of qualification and quality.
Those graduates are applying to this program knowing the difficulty of working at a low-income school. They are bringing not only skill but also passion — one of the key components of a good teacher, but not one of the requirements for entering into a classroom. You can learn how to teach; you cannot learn to want to teach.
Instructors in higher education do not necessarily go through pedagogical training. Their qualifications are usually a degree and experience.
The best university and college instructors — just like the best primary and secondary educators — will have the passion to teach, not necessarily the formal know-how.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
