Teachers count: Lets make sure our kids get the best teachers possible!

Source: "Lessons learned: At last, America may change the way it trains, recruits and rewards teachers," The Economist, January 6th 2011

We should recruit from our best and best educated young people for our new teachers. We should train them not only in the subject matter that they are to teach, but also how to teach well in the schools for which we are preparing them. We should evaluate teachers according to the best evidence we can develop as to how well they help the students under their charge to learn. We should reward good teaching well, both monetarily and with appropriate recognition. We should not tolerate poor teaching or bad teachers. We should continue to educate our teachers in the substance that they are to teach and in the best ways to teach it. If teachers need help to teach better, we should provide it. If, as is sometimes necessary, we need to make cuts in teaching staffs, we should do so to support the level of teaching for the children (helping those who must be laid off as much as possible).