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Why
Good Teachers
Are
HardtoFind
by
Ronald D. Kelly
Education is in trouble worldwide. Parents worry about the quality of
teaching. Teachers strike. Why?
S
OMETHING
is seriously
wrong in the field of
education. In our mod–
ern, technological world one
would think children should
be better educated than at
any other time.
Not necessarily true.
Over the past quarter century
standardized test scores have grad–
ually declined in numerous coun–
tries. For instance, in the United
States the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) scores dropped an average
of 20 to 30 points between 1966
and the present.
Worldwide, many schoolchildren
are not advancing in science and
math. Their reading and writing
skills are also mínima!.
Why?
Who ls to Be Blamed?
In the U nited S tates a 1983 report
by the National Commission on
Excellence in Education stated:
"Each generation of Americans has
outstripped its parents in educa–
tion , in literacy and in economic
attainment. For the first time in the
history of our country, the educa–
tional skills of one generation will
not surpass, will not equal, will not
September 1985
even approach, those of their par–
ents."
More recently, the U.S. Depart–
ment of Education reported nearly
on~
in five American adults is
func–
tional/y
illiterate-cannot effective–
ly read and write the English lan–
guage. Many corporations, realizing
this, have had to institute multimil–
lion dallar programs to teach
employees t.he most basíc reading
and writing skills-skills they
should have perfected in school.
What's wrong with a system that
requires school attendance, but
can't seem to teach the most basic
skills to untold mill ions of youths?
Is it the system? Is it lack of
money? Is it the fault of school
administ r ato rs? Have teachers
failed? Are parents to be blamed?
The answer to each of these
questions is, in one way or another,
" YES!"
Seldom has a subject stirred as
much comment as education and
teachers. At a lunch break during
the completion of this article, 1 was
sitting next to a family from Cana–
da. Across the table was a couple
from England. I casually asked
them both, "How do you find the
quality of education in your school
systems?" An anímated one-hour
discussion began. Education in both
those countries is in serious trouble,
justas in the U.S. system.
The Canadians told of diminish–
ing educational standards, lack of
discipline in the classroom,
incom~
petent and uninterested teachers.
The British couple told of teach–
er strikes, closed schools, substan–
dard preparation for examinations.
An American woman nearby,
overhearing the conversation (it
was a bit loud and lively), joined in
with a story from her son's high
school where violence is practically
a way of life.
Somehow, most Americans have
thought the problem was more
acute in the United States. But
research from our regional office
directors in New Zealand, Austra–
lia, West Germany, France, En–
gland and throughout Africa indi–
cates the problems of education are
indeed worldwide.
lmportance ot Teachers and
Administrators
It
is unfortunate the modero world
is just beginning to understand the
importance of teachers and school
administrators.
After World War II, there was a
worldwide baby boom. That gener–
ation of young people passed
through the educational system,
35