Public schools are frequently punching bags. And I get it. I’m a public school teacher and on many things I will punch right there with you.

But I will say that a major problem we have in education is the teacher prep programs. So much of it is useless to future teachers and it forces teachers to bootstrap their own pedagogy and best practices after they’ve graduated. And paid a lot of money for those useless classes. And possibly spent more semesters at college completing the programs. It’s expensive and the ROI is very often just not there.

Of course it’s not all bad. But there are many assignments that are essentially busy work. 10 to 15 page lesson plans. Not enough time in classrooms working with *expert* teachers. Not enough time analyzing teaching videos and case studies. Not enough time considering the *practices* of teaching well. Not enough training in cognitive science and what it has to say about teaching and learning. Far too much constructivist philosophy, which is directly related to the lack of focus on cognitive science. And then you throw in super-left activist professors and sometimes whole departments whole departments. Future teachers are starting in the hole and have to dig themselves out while maintaining a more than full-time job that’s exhausting.

Now, this is not ALL education departments at EVERY university. I’m speaking in averages. I’m going speak at a university that, as far as I can tell, has a pretty solid department, at least when it comes to math teaching.

Every experienced and good teacher needs to do their part in helping young teachers and future teachers get the skill set and mindset they need for long term success. I doubt there are professors reading this, but if so, get your students in classrooms and connected with teachers a much as possible. Help them learn and use the skills of teaching well.

If you wanted to teach someone to be a great woodworker you wouldn’t make your primary approach textbooks and obnoxiously long papers. At the end of the day a great paper on woodworking doesn’t mean jack if you can’t build the thing. And it’s the same with teaching.

#teaching #education #grownostr