Teachers in Oklahoma are more qualified, their first year, than George W. Bush was after his 3rd year in the White House, and I think you would agree. Over the years in the education business, I've seen lots of new teachers. Today, teachers in Oklahoma are more qualified to walk straight into the classroom and are more qualified than Bush and his roll as a second term president. In fact, after Bush's first, untenured year, as president, he would have probably been required to choose a different profession. Something along the line of, ... maybe a prison guard?
In fact, Oklahoma has a teacher program that will, "Guarantee" that a teacher can walk right into class and be "lights-out" successful. By far, new teachers from Oklahoma are more qualified for their chosen profession than Bush was, after being governor of Texas.
To qualify to be a teacher in Oklahoma, a student in the first year needs to identify themselves as a candidate for teacher certification. Thus, even during their first year in the program, you can find those teacher-candidates observing in a classroom.
Bush had absolutely no proven experience that would guarantee he would be a good president. Oh, you say, "... but he was the governor of Texas, and the state is the largest, land-based state in the United States." (Alaska, only Texans claim that title. Oklahomans don't and just snicker.)
What can I say? Mac Brown, the coach for the University of Texas' football program, had more influential experience toward a presidential job, than Bush did. On Bush's resume, would be the huge responsibility of thumbing up or down, residential members of those on death row, and he shined at that job.
Unfortunately, his experience as the grim-reaper in Texas has lead him into an unfavorable presidency, who takes the grim reaper roll, internationally, with no remorse from the death of his own soldiers or collateral damage deaths. In Texas, that skill lead to the memorial sound-bytes, "Bring 'em on!" and "Wanted, Dead or Alive!"
I was astounded how a new music teacher came right into her classroom and took charge. She took charge in the cafeteria and even on the play ground. No complaints. She didn't even ask questions. No timidity. Absolutely no discipline problems. But, you see, this teacher came from Oklahoma's Teacher Certification Process, which Dubya Bush and Bobby Knight would have never completed. So, how can we describe Oklahoma's teacher certification process.
First and foremost, the outgoing teacher assessment is not based on grades only. A partial description is "an exemplary system for the approval and accreditation of teacher education institutions and programs. This new approach emphasizes performance-based criteria and assessments, focusing on what candidates can do in the classroom." 9/11 would, possibly never have happened if Bush had to conference with members of the outgoing staff for a year.
The final evaluation goes beyond a teacher test, which we have, but also from a "portfolio" of sources, both from the student's practice teaching observations and the student's professor. Once the student has a fat portfolio, which assures that she is ready to walk into that classroom, then and only then, does the future teacher have to pass their certification test.
Lucky for our kids, Bush and his cronies are not eligible to teach in our classrooms. Physically threatening a student would get their certification permanently withdrawn. Instead, following the state approved guidelines, the government poseurs would be trying to circumvent the program guide-lines or rewrite them.
Blow the whistle and send them back to the end of the line!
Dale Hill
Anadarko, OK 73005
