An Alternative to America's Archaic Teacher Education System

Although one should always take statistics and standardized test scores with a grain of salt, the numbers indicate that US students get less out of public education than they did in 1980.  Several factors contribute to that, notably the life sucking increase of federal involvement.  It is possible, however, that those aspiring to teach are less prepared than ever.  Also, the rising cost of college education combined with rising student debt price many candidates out of the profession.

What's the answer?  Replace most of current teacher education with an apprenticeship program.

West Virginia University, in an effort to try and improve teacher education, put together a five year program.  It combines the heavy weight of endless education courses with more opportunities for the aspiring teacher to actually learn about what they are going to teach.  This is a considerable improvement from the content light programs in the 1990s.  Except, of course, that a five year program means that much more debt following the teacher into their low paying profession. 

A better alternative could be the following:

Aspiring teachers take 66 hours for a two year degree.  Three hours of educational foundations, three hours of an education course about the age group they will teach.  Six hours of classes outside of their field. That leaves 54 hours worth of classes to learn about their field and any related subjects. 

Next step, apprenticeship.  A junior apprentice would function as a teacher's aide only.  They would grade papers, assist with projects, observe the teacher handling their classroom.   Next would come the senior apprentice stage where the aspiring teacher would get to teach classes under the direct supervision of the classroom teacher.

Once a teacher passes the apprenticeship, then they reach "assistant teacher" status.  The assistant teacher can work as a substitute, at first only short term, later long term.  They would still work as aides when not filling in for others.  An assistant teacher can be trusted to handle and manage a classroom alone and also teach lessons.

Throughout this process, the candidates should be taking approved free online courses and webinars, attending presentations, reading on their subject. 

After that stage, then one would become a full-fledged teacher, ready to design curricula and handle a classroom all year.

What are the benefits?

An apprenticeship could be paid or unpaid, depending on the finances of the school system.  Either way, the aspiring teacher benefits because he or she pays nothing.  WVU boasts that their teacher education program can put a student in the classroom for a thousand hours.  Isn't that nice.  Future teachers can pay for the privilege of helping schools out.  

Apprenticeships put a premium on the real world instead of the theoretical.  Substitute teaching teaches more about classroom management than 40 hours of education courses.  Two courses can teach some basics.  Experience should teach the rest. 

Right now, going to the most pampered and elite schools gives any aspiring professional a mark of distinction.  A broad based apprenticeship system  does the opposite.  Just as a Royal Navy midshipman earned respect by going on the yardarms in treacherous storms, aspiring teachers can earn the most professional respect by going to the schools and the districts that have the most challenges and need the most help. 

Finally, in the epidemic coverage of teachers gone wrong, a system of supervised apprenticeship helps the schools to vet out those who might be considered suspect. The downside is that this can include vetting out candidates who simply disagree with the ideals of their mentors.  But it also renders other potential problems much more easy to spot.

Teacher education in the current climate does not help the aspiring teacher.  Get students out of five years of high tuition and get them into schools where they can learn the craft, help the schools, and help themselves. 

West Virginia University Joins Over 100 Schools Protesting Israel Boycott

Last December, the American Studies Association, which describes itself as the oldest American history and cultural organization in the nation, voted to boycott Israeli academic and other institutions.  This sparked protest from over 100 colleges and universities against its action.

West Virginia University interim president Gordon Gee, formerly of Ohio State and other schools, condemned the ASA's action.  In a press release today, Gee reminded the ASA that "lively and varied discussions often lead to innovation, discoveries, and leadership."  He then said "we strongly oppose the boycott" and urged all institutions of higher learning "to remain places where divergent ideas are encouraged and exchanged freely."

WVU joins colleges such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and others condemning the boycott.  Four universities withdrew from the association altogether.

The Rise of the Sports Mass Media Industrial Complex Oligolopoly

In Boston, the owner of the Red Sox threw some petty cash around and bought one of the town's major metropolitan dailies.

In Morgantown, disputes over Tier 3 broadcasting rights threw the old college town into a tizzy, hammered a wedge between two state Republican Party titans, and smashed a decades old relationship between the university and a media company.

ESPN long ago absorbed a traditional television network and an entertainment company.  Then it ran its bull through college sports' china shop, smashing conferences and forcing decisions on what defined a college sports program as "viable."  The American free market has sent two St. Georges, Fox Sports and NBC, to slay the dragon.

But that story is still developing.

These developments lead observers to ask, is the current fast inflation of the sports industry and its media handmaidens economically or ethically good for either?

Columbia Journalism Review analyzed the sharp rise in the value of sports franchises, as well as the coincidental correlation with the decline of traditional media, especially print.  It posed the question, can a hometown media outlet report fairly on a sports issue if it is linked with the franchise?

CJR answers the question by pointing out how poorly ESPN has covered stories in which it plays a central role.

Media tend to perform poorly when interests collide.  CJR speculates that the Boston Globe will have a harder time covering the team honestly when its parent company owns the Red Sox.  But this is hardly a unique situation.  When owned by General Electric, NBC tread very carefully when covering stories about its parent company.  Media outlets often face important decisions and criticism when dealing with stories involving critical advertisers.

Another problem with the sports mass media blobonomy is that there has to be a saturation point.  There are only so many sports fans.  There can be only so much interest here and abroad. Rules changes done for safety or (more often) public relations transform the games, frustrating traditional fans.

Rising prices have created an impact as well.  The cost of tickets and merchandise either now, or soon will, exceed the value of the product.  Players' and owners drives to profit as much as possible rely on a steep willingness of the market to pay.  What is the cost to the sport's profitability if children have less and less opportunity to see the games in person?

Franchises and media increasingly aim at sports followers instead of fans.  Serious differences separate the devoted latter from the fickle former.

A warning comes from the fate of American boxing.  Once one of the most popular sports in the nation, it died because the sports' foremost figures decided that it could thrive by forcing anyone interested in watching premiere events to pay through the nose.  Boxing still makes money, but how many Americans can name the heavyweight champion right now, let alone any contenders?

Anyone who thinks that bad decisions by the major sports could not reduce any of them in a generation to the status of boxing is delusional.

Sports teams' value comes entirely from the perception by their markets that an experience involving them has value.  No one needs to consume the product to survive. No one needs the product to help them understand the world better. That is why the notion of franchises worth over a billion is troubling.  At the end of the day, they don't make anything of substance.  How long can the market sustain them, especially given a seemingly never ending economic slump?

In other words, the sports media industry displays many of the classic features of an economic bubble, except for the availability of too easily obtained credit.  Nothing grows this fast forever and leisure spending is fickle.

And this is not meant to be a hand wringing, what-is-to-be-done, kind of commentary.  Making money honestly is no sin.  But, like any other industry, those invested and involved need to understand that no sure fire never fail model has ever existed.  What goes up tends to come down. And if mass media outlets tie themselves too securely to the sports industry ship, they may sink with it should market priorities change.

West Virginia University Expanding Its Scope

Last week, West Virginia University looked to expand its footprint in widely different ways.

On July 2, Metro News reported that WVU hospitals planned to purchase Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser from its owner Hal McBee.  It would join several other regional hospitals that recently joined the WVU Hospital system, including facilities in Martinsburg and Charles Town.  Since patients with serious conditions often get referrals from Keyser to Morgantown, this is expected to streamline the process.

It may also cut the number of patient referrals from Keyser to facilities in Cumberland.

West Virginia University also expressed an interest in buying a minority share of the Green Bank Observatory, according to a July 1 press release by Representative Nick Rahall.

The National Science Foundation communicated its possible termination of support over the next five years from the state of the art radio telescope.  While no final decision has been made, the university expressed interest in supporting its operations.

Green Bank's telescope monitors radio wave sources from across the universe.  It can discern valuable information about stars, galaxies, and other energy sources.  Should a transmission from another civilization reach earth, Green Bank, or a similar facility could receive and analyze it.

State institutions taking the place of federal in scientific research and technological advances is a welcome development.  More exciting course and work study opportunities help to make the school even more attractive to possible candidates for study.  It also improves the academic reputation without shutting the doors on many state students.

As the university expands into new fields, however, it must remain mindful to improve its standing as a steward of taxpayer money.  Administrative spending cuts must become the primary option when the university needs more revenue.  At some point the student loan bubble will explode and this will stop serving as academia's cash cow.

All the same, WVU's potential involvement in the Green Bank Observatory is exciting news.  And expanding into rural health should help communities and aspiring medical students alike.