Module 3

According to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, a qualified teacher is someone who "holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a 4-year institution, has the content knowledge required to teach core academic subjects, and, usually based on a test of their content knowledge, a state teaching license" (Amrein-Beardsley). Basically, a teacher needs to be an expert in what they are teaching and needs to be knowledgeable in how to teach it. To assess the qualifications of a teacher, according to the NCLB Act, test scores are used to evaluate "increases in academic achievement" (Amrein-Beardsley). Good teaching is when the teacher is able to convey the course work and still make it interesting for the kids. Good teachers can adapt in different circumstances, but most importantly are reflective, meaning "they constantly think back over situations to analyze what they did and why, and to consider how they might improve learning for their students" (Woolfolk, 8). To measure good teaching, the teacher is also evaluated using test scores to assess student achievement, but more importantly the relationships he or she shares with each individual student.

Student achievement and success is mainly based off of how qualified a teacher is. An unqualified teacher may have experience, but does not obtained proper knowledge and expertise on the subject material that they teach. Also, a teacher that is not qualified doesn't possess a traditional certification, but rather has either an alternative or emergency certificate. The last thing and probably most important thing an unqualified teacher would not have is their bachelor's degree from a 4-year institution (which is why they would need a certificate). Highly qualified teachers usually have their bachelor's degree, masters degree, and several certificates.

There are 2 possibilities in which School systems that may have deal with paucity of qualified teachers can meet the requirements of NCLB:

1.            Schools in areas like those could increase salaries for the qualified teachers; this would then attract new teachers who are also qualified to enter the school system. This may seem like the most effective way to handle the situation but, in reality there’s not enough money to be thrown around like that in most schools. It would be a struggle to increase current teachers' salaries, but an even more difficult matter would be paying the new incoming teachers the same wage, if not more depending on their qualifications and experiences.

2.            An eco-friendly and efficient solution would be, having teachers help each other out and offering assistance in particular areas. "These [qualified] teachers could share their experience with other, less-qualified teachers in professional development activities, training activities, structured coaching, mentoring relationships, and adding to professional capital of all teachers at these schools" (Amrein Beardsley). Helping one another, there can be a larger amount of qualified teaching in school while, being able to keep an even steady budget. More money in the school means that there can be money used towards students education, such as, books, utensils, etc.