R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Kati Haycock's opinion on this controversial issue hits home. Creating tests for currently tenured teachers will definitely increase respect. In Arkansas, a series of three tests is required to receive a teacher certification. One in general knowledge, another in subject specific knowledge, and yet another in knowledge of educational techniques. However, the third test (educational techniques) was not introduced until recently. Therefore, a majority of the current educators in American schools have not passed tests on educational techniques. A series of mid-career tests should be instituted to fill in the gaps. Requiring these tests every two or three years would provide a net to weed out teachers that do not meet the standards. By creating a better teaching population, the bad teachers will not lower the universal respect for teachers.

Certain individuals might argue that testing does not measure the quality of education of teachers; and that testing will not weed out the bad teachers but just cut down on the population. However the tests would be structured much differently than the standardized tests of today. Performance review would even be a better term to describe the process. The whole process would involve written exams on subject knowledge and a committee of state employees observing your teaching process. This combination allows for the possibility of a bad test or bad observation day to become unimportant. The truly effective teachers will remain and the ineffective teachers will have to find work elsewhere. With a better teacher population, the American public will begin to see teachers as professionals and the respect will accompany this new view.