In an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Linda Darling-Hammond writes,
“The shortage of well-trained, career-committed math and science teachers has created a vicious cycle for our nation: Because those subjects have frequently not been well taught, we have a nation of math-phobic citizens, few of whom are prepared to pursue higher-level math and science in college, which in turn makes it harder to produce enough graduates who can effectively teach those subjects….”
She goes on to say that to break the cycle, we must develop a national policy that will:
- Raise the quality of teacher preparation in math and science.
- Enhance the supply of well-qualified science and math teachers.
- Improve the retention of qualified teachers through effective mentor programs.
“The evidence strongly points to the central role that effective teacher play in educational improvement- a role that leads to success and employability, and contributes to our nation’s competitiveness. The investment would be repaid many times over.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 21, 2007
The road to improvement can be long and arduous. Results can take time to become apparent. Hopefully, our society will be willing to make the effort and take the time to make the changes needed.
What do you think?
