Banning Student Teachers From Schools?!

"Tennessee’s new teacher evaluation system has prompted some school districts to ban student teachers from working in core high school subjects, college education officials say. The reason: So much of a teacher’s evaluation is now based on student test scores that some teachers don’t want to cede control of their classroom to a student teacher..." (click here to read the article!)


I read this beginning of an article on banning student teachers from schools and I already know the reason, the amount of  value wrongly placed on test scores. Teachers are so desperately focused on how their students perform on testing. It almost seems a matter of life or death because it may or may not cost them their tenure or their career.


After winning the $500 million reward for participating in the Race to The Top education grant, Tennessee schools are starting to get serious by making tougher teacher evaluations and curriculum changes. Teachers are nervous to lose their careers and are starting to not want student teachers in their classroom in fear that they might damage the student test scores. The fact of the matter is that this is not something just happening in Tennessee, it is starting to form worldwide. If there is not a shift of focus in education, it can and WILL cost people their jobs and cost people their education.


Student teachers and education majors will only learn how to be an effective teacher by experiencing first hand what works and what causes issues. Due to the over-valued and overrated testing is America really going to deny future educators the experience they need to continue EFFECTIVE education?


Testing can have upsides to academic placement and other areas of education. However, it should NOT be the main focus of student AND teacher evaluation. When it comes to a point where citizens who are full heartily committing to a profession are DENIED an opportunity to excel and develop as a professional, then a change HAS to be made.