Ed and his guest (not sure who it was - I was listening, not watching) said that Mark Kirk claimed he had been a teacher. That experience included a part time work study stint as a nursery school "teacher" while in college (I'd call that an aide) and as a middle school teacher in London for one year. The talking heads were debating whether this was enough experience to call oneself a teacher.
The NY Times did a little research on this:
"Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the Kirk campaign, said that his work in the nursery at a United Methodist ministry called Forest Home Chapel in Ithaca, N.Y., took place in his final year of college in 1981. The campaign did not provide verification, and it could not be independently confirmed. A longtime member of the church who had a son in the nursery around the same time said she did not recall any male teachers.
“Like many Americans, Mark Kirk worked during college to help pay for school,” Ms. Kukowski said. “One of his jobs was a nursery school teacher with the responsibilities one would expect.”
Ms. Kukowski said that the congressman’s full-time experience as a teacher came after he received a master’s degree at the London School of Economics during the 1982-83 school year at Milestone College, a private college preparatory school in London, where he taught European history and English. The school, in the Kensington neighborhood, closed in 1993, according to the Department of Educational Services in Britain.
In a speech on the House floor on Sept. 19, 2006, as he talked about school safety, Mr. Kirk spoke about “the kids who were the brightest lights of our country’s future, and I also remember those who bore scrutiny as people who might bring a gun to class.”
Mr. Kirk declined an interview on Wednesday to talk about his time as a teacher. His spokeswoman said the congressman was referring to nursery school students in Ithaca, not his students in London, during that speech on the House floor in 2006."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/us/politics/17kirk.htmlHow can one tell if a nursery school student is a bright light or one who might bring a gun to class? One might have a glimmer of insight about this with middle school students, but a nursery school kid? This seems very far fetched to me.
Back to the conversation on the Ed show:
One person argued that "if you've been in front of students, even if as a TA or tutor, you've been a teacher." Sorry, not true. This attitude betrays a lack of understanding of what teachers do. What people often remember is a "stand up lesson" with the teacher lecturing, students taking notes, followed perhaps by some sort of activity or homework assignment. There's a lot more to teaching than delivering a lesson.
An analogy to a well-taught lesson is that of an actor in a movie. Good actors make it look easy and a less informed person might think that the movie was made in the same sequence as shown on the screen and that the actor just spewed out the lines. But we all know it's far more complex than that - there are hours of rehearsals, script memorizing, wardrobe fittings, etc. that we as viewers do not see. Same deal with teaching - there are hours of preparation, administration, etc. that are part of the job.
Does a tutor or TA:
Know which state standards and objectives were being addressed in that unit?
Determine the sequence of lessons in that "unit" or topic of study?
Have reponsibility for developing the lesson plan?
Make appropriate modifications for sped or ESL students?
Gather the necessary supplies, equiment, and supplemental materials?
Deliver a lesson or instruction?
Grade the homework associated with the lesson?
Develop the assessment for that unit?
Monitor and adjust the lesson in response to student understanding or unforeseen events?
Conduct the administrative tasks required that day?
Communicate with parents about a child's progress, behavior, or attendance?
Attend any meetings regarding students or for the education community?
Respond to requests for information or assistance for another teacher?
It seems that everyone who's been in school thinks he or she knows all there is to know about teaching. Everybody's an expert. Please.
Rant off.
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