Teaching Conditions: Teacher Prep Programming

Educators are reflecting on the inadequacies of teacher prep programs, sharing that they believe pre-service teachers should be educated on interventions, grading and assessment practices, classroom management strategies, technology in the classroom and more.

  • “Teaching a graduate class for math teachers. Zero of my students have read any research on grading practices. How is this not an actual class in the teacher credential classes?? ‘Research and math of grading’ should be required.” —Math Teacher in Kansas
    • “I took ‘math for elementary school teachers’ when I had already passed calculus. It was a waste of my time  – a methods class focused on math intervention would have been WAY more helpful.” —Math Teacher in Colorado
    • “We were often told that our school district would be in control of it, and train us in it, and they vary widely, so it wouldn’t be a big part of our study in the secondary ed grad program, but I do recall a lesson on the philosophy no-zero grading.” —High School English Teacher in Virginia
    • “I wish I had this at the beginning of every year when setting up my gradebook! I would gladly take an online course now.” —High School Educator in California
    • “State department of education requirements and credentialing guide courses and content. I can see how some concepts get focus while others only get referenced in passing. That being said, I wish more discussion on assessment was common.” —High School ELA Teacher in Pennsylvania 
    • “I taught a grad school class for people transitioning into teaching. It was written in the content areas. One of the weeks all the reading focused on grading practices. They were often baffled. I never had a class on assessments—not in my certification program, not in my Ph.D.” —High School Teacher in Missouri 
    • “Forget just prep classes, I’m 20+ years in and have yet to have any discussion or direction on grading practices other than ‘we have too many Fs.’ What even is an A?” —High School History Teacher
  • “How are teacher prep programs equipping themselves and their educators to prepare future educators for the reality of teaching in 2023 and beyond?” —High School English Teacher in Texas
    • “Honestly.  I teach a social studies methods course for pre-service teachers.  As an educator in a K-5 building full-time, I  share the trials and triumphs–and acknowledge the brokenness of the system. But I also attempt to maintain encouragement and hopefulness.” —Educator in Colorado
    • “I work with student teachers, and as a new teacher mentor in my district. The programs that are doing teacher prep right are teaching incoming folks about classroom management/climate, and how to learn new systems and interpret data. Really, those three pillars are key, in my opinion.” —High School ELA Teacher in Kentucky
    • “Secondary teachers need training in reading instruction now, too. For the next 10 years or so, students will be walking our halls with their early literacy instruction damaged by the patchwork of pandemic teaching.” —High School English Teacher in Michigan
  • “I kinda can’t believe that teacher prep programs and PDs don’t talk about secondary trauma… like at all. And all we hear is just ‘self care.’ Woof. I so wish someone would do something with preservice teachers about this that is worthwhile.” —Art Educator in Maryland
  • “Things teacher-prep programs should absolutely be teaching preservice teachers about regardless of content area or grade level: 1: linguistics 2: the neuroscience of learning 3: how to read critically / interpret edu research 4: the business side of education.” —High School ELA Teacher in Michigan
  • “American education might be better if schools of education and teacher prep programs actually focused on the practicalities of the classroom and not radical politics or the latest progressive fad.” —Middle School English Teacher in Wisconsin 
  • “After transitioning from teacher to EdTech founder I am of the firm belief that every teacher prep program must now include a mandatory class on technology in the classroom and technology ethics in schools.” —Special Education Teacher in Pennslyvania