Talia Richman & Trisha Powell Crain:
For Dallas schools, “it’s about the passion, not about the paper,” said Robert Abel, the district’s human capital management chief.
Dallas’ uncertified hires — who must have a college degree — participate in training on classroom management and effective teaching practices. Abel said the district is getting positive reports on the new teachers.
Some teacher groups worry about inconsistent expectations for teacher candidates.
A great teacher needs sensitivity and empathy to understand how a child is motivated and what could interfere with learning, said Lee Vartanian, a dean at Athens State University. A certification helps set professional standards to ensure teachers have content expertise as well as the ability to engage students, said Vartanian, who oversees the Alabama university’s College of Education.
Uncertified teachers may have some of that knowledge, he said, but not the full range.
“They’re just less prepared systematically,” he said, “and so chances are they’re not going to have the background and understanding where kids are developmentally and emotionally.”
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