recertification is a terrible idea

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Home : 2002 : February : 24

recertification is a terrible idea
By katy

Just one of the many wasteful exercises coming down from the Ontario Education Ministry is this recertification proposal. We have never had recertification (or "decertification" to be more precise) in Ontario until the govt
trying to push it through now. It's a political vote-getter and cash cow for ed. organizations. It is not in the best interests of teachers or students. Here's why I'm AGAINST it.
1. It's redundant. Teachers are already constantly upgrading--and you don't need an $800 course to do it. (That's the cost of each teacher AQ course in Ontario now). Workshops, professional readings,

conferences, team meetings, divisional and grade-level meetings, on-line courses, mentors, are just some of the ways we get better at what we do.

2. Recertification is costly. I already put hundreds of dollars each year into my classroom--consumables, motivators, books, equipment, games, treats. I am NOT exaggerating here. I don't get compensation of any kind--not even a tax break. To spend more of my own money on courses that someone else thinks I need in order to keep my job is ridiculous.

3. Recertification is unnecessary. Before recertification, I make the choice as to which courses/training fit my particular professional needs. In Ontario, it's proposed that every 5 years we have to take courses to fulfill 14 areas--one of these, for example, is "parent-teacher communication". I am a teacher with 15 years' successful experience dealing with parents--with firmness, concern, and compassion. What is it that I still need to know?? And, once having fulfilled the 14 areas, I have to do it all over again and again!!

4. Recertification is time-consuming. I have to spend my own personal and professional time going through the recertification motions. That's time away from my students and my family--time that is already eaten up with doing much more with much less.

I am a hard-working professional who is passionate about teaching, who fights hard for my students, who never says never. I am proud to be a teacher--the most important role I can think of. I strive for excellence every day, and my motivation is my students and the betterment of our society. The money and time that the government puts into these teacher testing and recertification schemes should be used for our students. Bravo to all teacher organizations who are fighting to protect our hard-earned qualifications.

Thanks for letting me have my say.