Reform of Teacher Education at Cal State

Re “Cal State Group Urges Reform of Teacher Training,” Nov. 12: It is heartening to read Cal State Long Beach President Robert Maxson’s statement, “We have a perfect window of opportunity . . . to revolutionize teacher education.” Unfortunately, practically all of the ideas expressed in the article relate to peripheral issues. Teacher preparation courses and programs need to be drastically overhauled.

Curriculum issues, instructional methodologies and classroom management strategies for today’s classrooms need to be taught. Teacher candidates need time in the classroom beyond student teaching. Most importantly, college faculty need to participate in their own staff development so that the most up-to-date ideas are related to their students.

Together, universities and the teaching profession can and will succeed. We must. We have no choice.

LAURENCE H. TENDIS

Huntington Beach

As a 1992 graduate of teacher education at Cal State Long Beach I have firsthand knowledge of its qualities. Please let me state some rarely mentioned facts.

Students studying English and students studying to teach English do not take the same English classes. The reality is the English Teacher Prep classes are significantly easier.

There is rampant cheating. Many students work at schools and recycle work from co-workers and alumni. How can anyone graduate from an accredited university with a bachelor’s degree and a teaching credential then not pass the CBEST, an eighth-grade-level basic skills test?

Great teachers are not made with gimmicks, conformity or easy certification. Great teachers love their field of study, are dynamic and interesting role models of meaningful integrity and have amazing powers of observation. When we remember great teachers we appreciate more than learning well. We remember strength of personality, appropriate structure, an admired insight process, something called fairness. We see our best potential realized in another.

PAT MARTIN

San Marcos

The main goal of this report is to increase the flow of well-qualified teachers--teachers who will be expected to solve the following problems: weapons and drugs in their schools, dysfunctional families, an increasing number of their students with an increasing number of learning disabilities, etc. For their dedication and skill, they will be offered $30,000 for a 60-80 hour workweek.

The degree to which this report is out of touch with reality is the mere mention of reinstating the undergraduate education major--a major discontinued because of its lack of standards. If we want more well-qualified teachers, we’ll have to make teaching an attractive profession which will draw our best undergraduates.

PAUL MURPHY

Professor of Mathematics

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo