Training for Teachers

Re “Teach the Teachers,” editorial, Nov. 29: Would our society suggest that an intern take a two-week course to “fix” a medical training problem? This “quick fix” idea is an indication that our society sees teaching as a profession based upon quickly learned processes. Learning how to teach reading--the whole package, including research--should be taught in college before a person becomes a teacher. It should be a whole year’s course, with practice, so that those skills are internalized so deeply that a new teacher can more easily teach reading while simultaneously learning how to balance the other dozen or so subjects, not to mention learning how to discipline and love children wisely. The emergency teachers who did not have “reading” in college need this two-week jump-start as a kickoff for a whole year’s class.

ELAINE S. WIENER

Villa Park

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You imply that the key to having every child able to read by age 9 is more phonics training for teachers. Although you call for research-based training, you cite no research studies done in California, with its linguistically and culturally diverse population, that indicate that a lack of phonics instruction is the cause of reading failure. The standardized test scores released last summer show that native-English-speaking students are performing just as expected when compared to their peers around the nation. It is the limited-English-proficient students who are the most at risk of reading failure. This situation has been aggravated by Prop. 227, with the restrictive and educationally unsound program it mandates.

The focus of training for teachers must be on preparing them with effective teaching strategies for working with English-language learners. If you are really committed to improving instruction, ask the teachers themselves what training they need, instead of relying on political ideologies and prescriptive methodologies that amount to creating a “politically correct pedagogy.”

JILL KERPER MORA

San Diego

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Re “Davis Pushes Summer Training for Teachers,” Nov. 25:

As a teacher, my first question to Gov.-elect Gray Davis would be: What summer? Most primary teachers and a majority of new teachers work a year-round schedule. To arrogantly say that the teachers will be sent to “summer school” shows that once again public officials are completely out of touch with what actually occurs at public school sites.

Second, when do I find time to attend your summer school, when my own district requires new teacher training? Furthermore, I need to attend my own credential classes and prepare my lesson plans for the coming week. Of course, you could take my “off track” breaks away, but I am usually substitute teaching in order to supplement my income.

N.E. BELLAMY

Palos Verdes Estates