Campus Connections : Teacher Quality

Should Schools Require A Fifth Year of Training?

NO
As someone who’s reaping the benefits of a very strong four-year program, I don’t think a five-year program would offer students any added benefits. A four-year program can provide students with the information they need in order to be a great and qualified teacher.

I currently attend Texas Tech University, where I spend three semesters learning how to best meet the needs of all students while in the classroom. The fourth semester is devoted totally to student teaching. These "blocks" of education courses are very well organized to equip pre-service teachers with the information we need to know. By the time I student teach in the fall, I am confident that I’ll have all the knowledge I need to take on a classroom by myself.

College and universities all over this nation also need to realize the major teacher shortage schools are facing. Requiring students to have an extra year of school only adds to that shortage.

Besides causing our public school systems to wait an extra year for teachers, tacking on a fifth year adds an enormous financial cost to students. A full year of college can cost anywhere from $3,000 to tens of thousands, depending on your college. Is it fair to make students incur this extra cost?

Let’s face it: Four-year programs have been used successfully for years. Why, when we are facing the largest teacher shortage ever, should we change the program? A five-year program won’t solve any problems. It will just add to them.

YES
Here in California, a fifth year of education and training is mandatory for all students going into the teaching profession, and I think it makes a major difference to prospective teachers. During this important fifth year, you have the opportunity to student teach for an extended period of time and work more closely with mentor teachers.

When you weigh an entire year of student teaching as opposed to the typical 10-week period, you can see the benefits of the extra year.

In California, we also have a teacher-training cadre that works closely with student teachers and beginning teachers. These veteran teachers are able to observe us in the classroom and offer their suggestions for improvement. This period is also an important time to become accustomed to the challenges faced by teachers every day. You can see what happens throughout the school year and understand student behavior much better.

Having that extra year to train, I believe, will cut down on the burnout that is reported so often in young teachers. Having a year to work alongside a mentor teacher will allow me to refine my skills and discover new ways of teaching.

I understand it could be a hardship for some, but I believe the sacrifice is worth it. You can’t become a great teacher without facing down some of the challenges of the profession.

That said, I would love to see student teachers actually paid for student teaching, or at least receive a stipend. We could have the best of both worlds, and those students would truly benefit.