If you talk to school leaders who are allowed to choose among applicants who have been through an ed school program and applicants who haven’t, you’ll often hear that they would rather hire the latter. Ed schools are infamous for their obsession over “progressive” educational theories and their neglect of insuring that teachers actually know much about the subjects they teach.
Ed schools are sheltered by state laws mandating that schools hire only certified teachers and you can’t usually become certified without passing through an ed school program. If we want better teachers, we should repeal those laws, thus opening up entry into the teaching profession to anyone who can convince the decision-makers that he’s capable of teaching. Let the school decision-makers decide what they regard as good preparation and evidence of teaching ability.
