McCain . . . Rhymes with . . . Insane

I just finished watching the last Obama/McCain debate tonight and though I missed the first half hour or so, I caught the last part. I was so insensed about a comment made by John McCain regarding education that I had to jump onto my computer and enter this entry.

The last question was regarding education reform. As a teacher, this was a critical question that I was very intersted in. Both candidates said that bad teachers need to be redirected and good teachers need to be rewarded, with which I heartily agree, but McCain also said that those in the military should be able to obtain teaching positions without going through the required credential programs. This is absolutely ridiculous and says to me that John McCain has no idea how the education system works and what it is that makes a good teacher.

Currently, in the school where I work, there are several teachers who spent many years in the business world and decided that they wanted to become teachers later in life. While a few of them have become successful in this field, many are struggling, unhappy and frustrated. Many of them chose to teach because of a love for the subject, not realizing that this love must be balanced with a love of working with teenagers. You cannot be a successful teacher if you can't stand to be around kids. I see this in my own school building and these are adults who DID go through a year-long (if not longer) teaching credential program.

A good teacher loves her subject, loves to share it with others, loves her students and looks forward to coming to work every day, despite having 150 five paragraph essays to grade, weekly planning to do, parent-contacts to make, state standards to meet, and a mere 24 minute lunch period.

What in McCain's mind makes military personnel qualified to teach? What subject would they be allowed to instruct? I will make one exception and say that I agree military personnel should teach NJROTC classes but what does military training have to do with the pythagorean therom or conjugating verbs and writing essays?

Without preparing in a teacher training program how will one's qualifications be regulated? Who will judge if this veteran knows the subject matter well enough to explain it to others? This fall, two of my colleagues had student teachers. One quit because he couldn't stand "any of it" and the other was asked to drop the program because she could not speak Standard English and did not know that Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was an entire book. Neither one was remotely prepared for the amount of work teaching involves on a daily basis and these were college graduates. If these folks with degrees in the subject areas they were student teaching couldn't hack it, what makes McCain think that someone with no specific training could?

If no credential program is required, what is McCain basing their qualifications on? Their high school grades? Many graduates of my high school enter the military. We are currently on the state watch list for low standardized test scores. Are these students qualified to teach after serving in the military for a certain amount of time. I certainly hope not!

As a veteran himself, I realize that McCain is looking out for his own. He should. I have no argument there. I wholeheartedly believe that those who serve our country deserve the highest level of respect. I invite John McCain to visit my classroom where I make all of my student stand for the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in honor of the three alumni who died fighting for our country in the middle east. I have their photos posted under my flag with a saying that reads, "Home of Free because of the Brave." Veterans should get the best health care and benefits available, but trading one crucial job for another is simply ludicrous.

What would we have said if McCain had suggested that as a reward, good teachers should be allowed to perform brain surgery or play NFL football in order to make the salaries and get the respect we deserve? Worse yet, what if he asked ME to serve in the war without training! (Thanks Lisha ; ) The idea is perposterous and completely unrealistic. Get a clue, John.