Teacher training programs got a scathing report card Tuesday from The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The panel criticized most teacher prep programs in the U.S. as insufficiently rigorous because they consist mostly of lecture time and only include 12 weeks or so of teaching practice. The sweeping recommendations call for more hands-on experience and data-driven evaluation to determine whether potential teachers are actually helping students learn. They also said there should be higher standards for applicants being accepted into training programs and tougher requirements for teacher certification. The question of how to evaluate teachers already in the classroom has been hotly debated lately. It makes sense that reform earlier in the process might create real change. But how realistic are these recommendations? And how could they be implemented here in California?
Guest:
James Cibulka, President, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Karen Gallagher, Dean of USC Rossier School of Education