Well, There’s a First Time for Everything

I don’t often agree with the editorial stances taken by the folks over at USA Today. They have an editorial today, though, that got my attention. I found myself agreeing with their assessment.

Their point is that the Teacher’s unions are fighting plans to bring scientists and engineers in to collaborate in designing and teaching courses in public schools. Why are the unions against it?

“The union leaders say raising teacher pay and improving working conditions, not bring in outside experts, is the way to enhance math and science teaching”. 

Uh, sure. That’ll do it.

Let’s face it, teachers these days have to take lots and lots of courses on how to teach. But they are not required to actually know the subject matter all that well. My two oldest children are both studying to be teachers and they have to take almost no courses in the subject matter they will actually have to teach. Lots and lots of courses in teaching theory, though.

Bringing in people who actually work in the science and engineering fields will make learning more relevant to students. I remember taking course in college from “adjunct” professors who actually had real day jobs. In most cases, those adjuncts were much better teachers than the tenured professors. They could make the engineering courses relevant, not just theoretical. (Full disclosure, one of the adjuncts I had was the WORST teacher I ever had, hands down. But he was the exception).

Read the whole thing, they actually make sense.