Reflection 1

Back in the colonial times teachers had to go to a normal school. It was a two-year teaching program where teachers learned academic subjects as well as teaching methodology. Some of the teachers came straight from elementary school and others completed secondary school before going to nornal school. Teachers didn't get special treatment due to the fact that they didn' thave too much proffessional training to become a teacher. The had a teacher's contract that looked very unproffessional and tacky compared to a teacher's contract today. They coudn't get married and if they did the contract became null and void. Nowadays a teacher cna marry or stay single and no one cares. They only got paid $75.00 a month. Eventually normal school expanded to three and sometimes four year programs. From there these normal schools changed into state teacher's colleges. By the 50's many of the state teacher colleges. Most of the universities today started off as normal schools. In the 1980' s people were ready for a reshape of education. There was controversy about whether or not teachers were properly prepared. The Carnegie Forum and The Holmes Group reported that teaching should have higher standards and higher professionalism for the countries teachers. Some universities reacted to this report and made teacher education programs five years long which is the bachelor's and master's degree. Other colleges still have undergraduate programs. Critics blame the universities for the unprepared teachers because they didn't fund and support the schools of education. There are alternative teaching programs that focus on a sort of "on the job training." One of the most knopwn alternative programs is the Teach for America (TFA). The TFA recruits work for two years in inner city schools. It is relatively small in size. This program cathces many college students attention. College students see this as a perfect oppurtunity to prove themselves as good teachers. It's for college students that have the desire to help poor students do well in school. The TFA does not just let anyone in the group. In fact they are very selective. They only accept a small percentage of people that apply. Critics think the TFA is not a good idea because the program is all too short and the teachers will be overwhelmed by being assigned to a difficult inner city school with little training. Reality will hit them and if the teaher fails in teaching the students fail in learning. Most TFA members leave teaching after there two years are up. The TFA members say that the teachers from the program would be trained better if there was more money towards the program.