University of South Carolina Libraries
Professor Says Teache By Dr. MICHAEL ROWLS Special To Th? Camtcodt The South Carolina Department of Education is now trying to altpr raHipa 11 u tho u/qu in toonkinw " ? J IIUJ iii nin\,ii ivavncio 111 iJUUlll V/OIUUIIcl periodically renew their teaching certificates. The changes the department wants to make will have a direct effect on every public school child in South Carolina. Many professional educators in the state believe these changes may lower the quality of instruction in the public schools. Teachers must be licensed (or certified) by the state, just as doctors, lawyers, and other professionals are. Like other professionals, teachers must maintain their skills and keep abreast of new developments in education. In order to teach, teachers must now obtain certification by going through an accredited college or university teacher naming prugram. in j>oum Carolina, teacners must also meet recertification requirements to remain licensed by taking six hours of college or university credit every five years. The plan devised by the State Department of Education would allow each school district to plan and conduct its own recertification training programs for teachers. In effect, this plan would result in each school district offering creditbearing teacher training programs now offered only in colleges and universities. News Analysis The department's plan also would allow school districts to circumvent virtuallv all national and r#>ainnni ^ ? - VVUtCIViV/11 standards colleges and universities must meet. Such a plan may drive up the cost of education in South Carolina by duplicating educational programs. It also may undermine the quality of professional training South Carolina offers its teachers. Why would the state department offer such a plan for recertifying teachers? The reason most often heard is that colleges and universities are not sensitive to the individual needs of school districts in the state. But even if the colleges and universities could train teachers differently for different school districts, it is not logical to assume that this is either a good idea or that the cphAnl Hi efri/?fo ? 1 -?a a uvivui uiou ivuj uicniacivcb can implement sucn training programs for their teachers. Do the people who devised the new plan seriously believe that individual school districts can do a better and cheaper job of teacher training than Winthrop, Clemson, the University of South Carolina and the other institutions which Jgr'1"""111" * Jtif 'TTV r JHTSSpK* JJ STUDENT GOVER I No Discount Movie Ticl will be sold past Fridav. Anril 30 - - - j f ? ?J"*- v v 9 v V j All Pollworkers be sure to pi checks in the Student Governi between 9:00 and 4:00, Mont S EI hi / i i iuay. Fellow Students ? Good Luck on your EXAl ^ x iJll lH | ,i|iLHH iiw11 | WIWMIIMMBI l^ilMWW MMMI11JIIMMIIMILilWIMBUM t Training Plan Faulty offer accredited teacher education programs? Several states have tried to give individual school districts the authority and control over the recertification of teachers. In many instancesteachers in thesestates have been awarded recertification credit for field trips to zoos, written reports on current movies, and visits with out-of-state relatives. We must guard against teachers in South Carolina being given advanced certification for similar kinds of activities. What are some ways we can improve our system for providing continuing education for teachers? There is only one answer to this question: by encouraging, and even requiring, collaborative and cooperative relationships between school districts and colleges and universities. We must bring to bear all of the resources of the colleges and universities in solving the problems that exist in the public schools. Florida has passed legislation that requires such cooperation between the public schools and the universities. Yet when the S.C. Department of Education used part of the FloriHa nlan r?c n mnHol fnr ntimoinn - f ?. uu u iiiuu\.i Avi viiniigiug i CV.C1 llllCdllUll 111 llllb state, it ignored the most critical part of the Florida plan: the encouragement of cooperation among professional educators at all levels. While many of the criticisms leveled at the colleges and universities regarding teacher education programs are justified, teacher education institutions in South Carolina are working hard to improve the training they do. In fact, Dr. Cyril Busbee, former state superintendent oS education in South Carolina, has worked closely with the USC to develop a comprehensive plan for helping the state's public schools. Dr. Busbee recognizes the important responsibilities the colleges and universities have to the public schools. He has a vision of what nuhlip pHlir>atinn ppn ho/inmn if ViinKor . x/v?%?v>v?vawii VU>1 MVWIItV 11 lllgllt/l education, the public schools and other state agencies are encouraged to work together for the benefit of the children of South Carolina. It is crucially important that Dr. Busbee's ideas be given a chance to work. But without the encouragement and support of the State Department of Education, any such plan is doomed to fail. We must all keep firmly in mind the purposes of the public schools, as well as teacher training institutions. Public schools are responsible for educating our children, not our teachers. (Dr. Rowls is an associate professor in the Reading Department of USC's College of Education. He holds an Ed.D. degree in reading from Indiana nniv*?rcit*, NMENT ^r M.M. ick up your ment Office ' , < ? lay through - I See you PATE MAY PLACE USC WOMEN'S I MEN S I OK TRAD. SIGNI * I I ^^^^^S: ---:::j&^si:- <r^:N:>: :;:^:::: . iya^^MBS^BBwH^^^^^^Bli^^^CT "~ ~ i-f ~ ~ r T,u? ; -Jm |B Mark Scully and Steve Rhodes from r Engineering 404 calibrate their Solar j Tracker. Rhodes tries to find the sun j through the clouds. j Sociology Classes To Build Special Equipment Students from freshman and sophomore sociology classes at USC's College of Applied Professional Sciences will build specially designed playground equipment at the Babcock Center today and Friday. The USC students will be aided hv fiv#? nmfuccirtnoi ^ -- ? f? vawuA\/IIUl V-?l ~ penters from Fort Jackson, and the majority of funds for the project were provided by Budweiser of Columbia. *30 REBATE your College Ring r Jostens' Representative. 3- 4 S 5 TIME 9 TO 5 UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE 4K $ 129 (il .+ 1. $167 /ilftM/ltA 1?:?1 /// ^ j^IAo^c<,rJ j