You have made the decision to enter the teaching profession. Entrance requirements for acceptance into teacher preparation programs are extremely competitive. Only those with a clear aptitude for teaching and proven strong academic performance are admitted. Only 10% of those who apply are accepted into teacher prep programs each year. Acceptance is considered as competitive as entrance into medical or law school. All primary and secondary teachers are required to hold a master’s degree before beginning their careers which translates to extensive and rigorous training in content knowledge and pedagogy. Teaching is an esteemed profession. Primary school teaching is one of the most sought after and prestigious careers. Teachers are respected, trusted, and encouraged to craft their own pedagogical style. Retention rate is between 85-90%. Vocational paths for students are equally valued as traditional academic paths.
Perhaps you have just fallen down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. Or, you live in Finland. Either way, you can’t help but see the marked contrast between what the reality is in the United States compared to other countries.
Let’s compare:
• Entrance requirements in the United States are often not considered very rigorous• There are a growing number of fast-track programs and alternate route programs that place teachers in classrooms with only minimal preparation
• Teachers feel disrespected and devalued in society
• 42% leave within the first five years of teaching
• Students are highly encouraged to follow a traditional path through college graduation
• Following a vocational path carries a negative societal stigma
In this rabbit hole students start school at a later age, receive less homework, have shorter school days, spend more time at recess and have more free time than American students. Compulsory education ends after the 9th grade. Students are required to choose one of two paths – to continue on a traditional academic path forth the 10th through 12th year or acquire a skill or trade through the vocational path. Equally valued by society, choices are 52% traditional to 48% vocational. There is a high degree of trust and belief that students can care for themselves. Independence is highly valued inside and outside the classroom. A seven- year old is responsible for getting themselves to and from school without parental help and have to navigate a public transportation system for themselves. At nine- or-ten- years old children care for themselves before and after school by preparing lunches and after-school snacks and getting themselves to after school activities. During school hours students come and go at lunchtime and free periods. They can also go to the bathroom on their own when needed.
Consider this comparison to American practices:
• Classes take group bathroom breaks
• Students are assigned lunchroom or classroom seating
• Extrinsic, reward, or bribery-based classroom management systems are used
• A rope is often used with handles for each child to hold and be safely led eve minimal distances
Can American teachers change perceptions of the profession?
They can if they want to. They must show they embrace and embody the mindset of their own professional development by pursuing a master’s degree or attending educational conferences. They must present themselves and be a model of professionalism no matter what the current conditions are and portray teaching as a professional and respected profession. They must advocate for the importance of vocational education and support the value of a vocational educational path.
Can American culture and belief systems be changed to allow the following in American classrooms? Not without a great deal of angst and protest (and several teachers having chest pains).
• Provide freedom by allowing students to use the bathroom a t their discretion, move through hallways without walking in a line, choose where to sit in the lunchroom and who to sit next to in class
• Schedule time in the day for students to exercise choice: play a quick game or socialize instead of a “Do Now” activity, choose self-selected texts or write about topics that interest them in lieu of assigned prompts
Impossible? Absolute chaos! Too young? Dangerous!
Source: Drs. Tracey Garrett and Sharon McKool, NJEA, Review, October 2019
