Stricter standards
The education field could be undergoing significant changes as early as next summer that would affect education majors graduating after 2010. The proposed Rule Revisions for Educator Preparation and Accountability would revamp licensing requirements for new teachers. The theme of this proposal is the emphasis on deep content knowledge over teaching techniques. Sophomore Ryan Hendryx is a secondary education major. If REPA is implemented, he could be affected by the changes. Hendryx said he fears this ideology shift will not make as many improvements as hoped. "One of the major factors to being a good teacher is the ability to understand children," Hendryx said. "Since there will be less emphasis on understanding children, there will be less effective teachers." Ray Graves, the assistant director of licensing at the state Department of Education said that REPA doesn’t eliminate pedagogy – the skill of teaching methods – but it captures the concepts that the IDOE views as essential including educational psychology, methodology, training and curriculum. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett, who spearheaded the possible reforms, said he doesn’t believe there should be arguments over whether pedagogy or content knowledge is more important. "Research shows teachers are the primary factor influencing student achievement," Bennett said when he announced the changes. "Our goal is to ensure educators are highly knowledgeable in the content areas they’re teaching. These licensing recommendations will put the focus on teachers’ content knowledge and instructional skill while giving teachers and administrators greater flexibility and freedom to improve instructional quality." REPA would begin to accomplish Bennett’s goals by reworking the colleges’ and universities’ education curricula. Those interested in elementary education (pre-K to sixth grade) could still do the traditional education major, but they would be required to hold at least a minor in the subject area that they plan to teach. Those interested in secondary education (grades five to 12), however, would need a bachelor’s degree in a specific subject area with an education minor. "Indiana needs to ensure that every person in front of every child is highly qualified," said Graves, who noted that the more content knowledge will make teachers of greater value to school districts. However, the plan is quickly drawing critics. Erin Bewley, a junior elementary education major, said even if someone is the brightest in their particular field of study, it means nothing if they are not adequately trained to relate to students. "A person may know a lot about science, but how are they going to know the teaching techniques to relate it to the students?" Bewley said. "It’s hard to be able to relate to the students ... and meet all the standards. There’s a lot that goes into teaching that people don’t notice. It’s not just content." Franklin’s education chair Beth Moore declined to comment about REPA or the task of possibly implementing it into the Franklin College education curriculum, but officials from other colleges and universities have expressed concerns about the proposals since they were introduced.
But REPA seems well on its way to implementation. Gov. Mitch Daniels appointed an education advisory board in May, Graves said. The board is made up of nine teachers, three administrators, one businessman and one parent.
At the board’s first meeting in June, they decided to start the process of revising education licensing in line with Bennett’s recommendations.
During summer meetings, it revised and moved the proposals forward. Then in September, the board voted 15-4 to move the REPA into the public hearing process. Beginning this week, the board hosted public hearings around the state to gain feedback about the changes. The hearings wrap up Monday in Indianapolis.
The earliest changes could go into effect on July 31, 2010, which would need to be approved by Daniels and state Attorney General Greg Zoeller, who like Bennett, are both Republicans.
"We think it’s been a very deliberative paced movement towards the need to revise Indiana’s teacher training and licensing," Graves said.
The advisory board is the authority in enforcing REPA. If the changes go into effect, colleges and universities will be given a period of time to modify their curricula. Then they will have to submit their changed programs to the DOE advisory board, and it will decide whether the colleges are in line with the new requirements. Graves said it wouldn’t be a problem for higher education to put more pedagogy in as electives in their curricula as long as it doesn’t undercut the ability of students to complete the area-of-interest major.
Graves said those who are already licensed will not be affected by the REPA. There will be no special tests for license renewal – current teachers will continue doing coursework and professional development activities like they do now. New teachers will be required to pass content exams to become licensed.
Mark Heiden, principal at Creekside Elementary School, said none of his current staff would be affected by the REPA. However, he said it’s always a good idea for the institutions of higher education to reevaluate how they train teachers.
"Our teachers are our first line of educating our students, and nothing could be more important than making sure they’re prepared," Heiden said. "I hope Dr. Bennett listens to all the different sides and doesn’t just jump into anything just because it sounds right or it’s the politically right thing to do."
