Hot on the heels of the ridiculous cheating scam one flunking NY teacher tried to pull, Newsday runs an article entitled, "Don't Stop Now In Testing Teachers."
For years, the city employed hordes of teachers who had been in the classrooms for years, even though they never had been able to pass the teacher certification exams. One exam tests the teacher's general knowledge of basic skills such as reading, writing and math, while the other tests the teacher's knowledge of the subject he or she teaches...Wayne Brightly was able to remain in the classroom for 13 years because he was hired before the new rules took effect and because he got several extensions of his temporary teacher's license. But he hadn't passed the exam in his subject area. His last extension was due to expire in August.
The educators I talked to said the certification reforms have improved the quality of teachers over all, aided by programs such as Teach for America and NYC Teaching Fellows, which have drawn new recruits by making teaching seem a cooler and more professional job. The written exams matter because research shows that students perform better when their teachers have high verbal skills and a mastery of the subjects they teach.
I don't know which specialty exam covers Brightly's subject area, but here's the Liberal Arts and Science test (LAST) is here.
Posted by kswygert at March 28, 2005 11:18 AM