In Vermont, to become certified for secondary teaching, a person must
have a major (Or equivalent # of hoursand courses) in the field in
which he/she is certified to teach. This has done away with an
education major in the state. The education department still has
work to do, to offer courses which lead to certification, but the
students must declare a subject area for a major.
Obviously many high school teachers are
grandfathered in and are the old education majors, but the new
teachers have to have much more than intermediate algbra to teach
math in middle or secondary school...Of course this does not solve
all the problems...lousy teachers are still lousy teachers, but it
does ensure at least minimal competency in the field. At least this
is the case in math...in foreign languages it is different because
you can have a French major and be certified in modern languages and
find yourself teaching Spanish!!...but that's another story!
I would like to know what the standards are in other states for
secondary school mathematics teachers.....maybe with higher math
competency standards for the teachers, we would find the students
better prepared for college!!
Beth Gambler
Vermont Technical College
Randolph Center, VT 05061
tel. 802-728-1205
egambler@night.vtc.vsc.edu