“The Fine Print”, by Michael Schrader

LETTERS, I GET LETTERS!

(Written 13 May 1998. Published in the Neighborhood Journal. Posted 26 June 2009.)

Unbeknownst to most of the readers out there in newspaper land, this column, through the magic of electronics and computers, is also read by family and friends nationwide. You see, when I compose this column, I transfer it electronically via e-mail to the "Journal." Simultaneously, I also send copies of the column via e-mail to about a dozen others.

Every now and then, someone among the readership will respond to the editors, who will then forward the response to me. I have been surprised at the caliber of respondents: a school district; a former Congressional candidate; a poultry company. While most of the time these comments are none too pleasant, I appreciate receiving them, anyway. After all, a columnist's worst fear is that his column is so lame that no one will read it. Controversy, to me at least, means at least someone cares about something. A response, any response, means that I hit a raw nerve and elicited emotion. Emotion is good; lack of emotion, lack of passion, is what is bringing our great nation down.

I have discovered that the easier it is to communicate, the more one will communicate. I have noticed that nary a week passes in which at least one of the folks who receive the column electronically sends me a response. Generally, the responses are along the lines of that I am full of malarkey, but that's okay. (Discussion is good, and with discussion inevitably comes disagreement.) I believe that since it is easier to type a response via e-mail than to compose a letter and put it in the mail, that is why I receive many more responses from the electronic crowd. Because I value feedback, both positive and negative, I am proffering my e-mail address for those who have an electronic connection and who would like to comment on my ramblings. Ready? Here it is-- mhschrader@aristotle.net. Unlike the USPS, e-mail is case sensitive, so it is crucial to make sure the capitalization is correct.

The reason why I bring this up is that my sister, Mrs. Barhorst, in St. Peters, Missouri, wrote me a nice rebuttal to last week's column on the need for certificates for teachers. She just happens to be a substitute teacher. The remainder of this week's column, then, is her rebuttal. Enjoy. And keep those comments coming!

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It would be interesting to know what type of response this article stimulated in it's readership. Maybe you should have checked state requirements before setting goals. State certification required for obtaining a license to teach assures the taxpayers, parents, and students that the people who are in front of the students in the classroom have studied and fulfilled requirements in the study of education as a curriculum in itself. This curriculum is carefully designed and outlined by a board of professionals and educators within that state. In more simplistic terms, it assures us that the people who are "teachers" presenting our children with information are not frauds and have met some basic criteria which enabled their placement in the classroom.

Would we allow a person to become a doctor just because he is good at diagnosing a problem?

Teachers are subject to a basic level of study and proficiency just as many other professions, such as nursing, engineering, medicine, etc., demand. By studying a curriculum dedicated to education, the future teacher learns about the history of education, teaching techniques, psychology and behavior of students, learning difficulties, presentation, etc. These are classes that will aid them in presenting their subject to the student in a way that the student can most successfully absorb and comprehend the material. At the elementary and secondary level, mastery of a subject alone may not be enough. A teacher's primary role is to take information and transfer or present it to his students in a way that they able to absorb the content. This is easier said than done. Few people would disagree that adult students learn differently than children. Both these students absorb and process information at a different rates. Therefore, knowing core subject matter alone may not be enough to communicate the idea to the student.

This article challenges the age old question. Is it better to have an instructor who is a master of a particular subject matter or someone who is familiar with the material but is a great communicator? Obviously, the preferred choice would be both background in education and a master of the core subject area.

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