The educational "reformers" say they want to attract the best people to the profession and get rid of the grossly ineffective. Yet, by using teachers as scapegoats and striking at the heart of the profession in so many ways, they cause teachers and teacher candidates to flee. Student enrollment in teacher programs has decreased greatly in recent years. In California, the numbers are down 50%. A 2012 article, identified a nationwide decrease of 33% of students in teacher programs. Could the numbers be anything but lower now? Every survey taken seems to show teacher morale at an all-time low.
Thanks to this "reforming" craze, students are losing out. In 1988, the average teacher had fifteen years of experience. Today, the average teacher has but ONE year of experience. Now, that says a lot. It may also point to the fact that many of the so-called "reformers" view a cheap workforce as a success, witness the TFA. But do students really profit when their teachers are inexperienced? My experience tells me "no!"
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