Would you be angry if you found out your child's teacher wasn't certified?

Question

My wife is a kindergarten teacher and is going to a new job, the principal is going to replace her with someone who never went to college and has absolutly no teaching degree, first is that even legal? and would you be angry knowing that you were paying all this money for your child to get a good education, btw it is a catholic school

Answer 1

I agree with a lot of what most people have already said. Private schools do not have to follow the same standards that public schools do. But they do have minimum requirements. In my state, private school teachers do have to have a college degree, but they do not need to be certified.

As a certified teacher, I do not agree with non-certified people teaching. Contrary to what "busy mom" says not everyone who can relate to children or has a big heart makes a good teacher. Getting certified is not just sitting in some classes and earning a piece of paper. It is very clear that "busy mom" does not understand nearly half of what it takes to be a teacher. Going through the process of getting certified teaches you how to frame a unit and lessons. You learn teaching strategies and standards. You also cover different ways to conduct formative and summative assessments. Plus, there are tons of other things you learn while you are "sitting in class earning a piece of paper" as BusyMom puts it. The responsibilities and expectations of a good, qualified teacher are demanding. They are not simple and must be learned how to be done properly and effectively. They are not things you know how to do just because you are "good with kids."

Answer 2

The law that requires certification applies only to public schools.

Even public schools may use uncertified personnel in an emergency. If your wife is leaving in the middle of the school year, even a public school may be in enough of a bind to fill the position with a non-certified instructor.

My daughter is a senior taking Spanish II and there wasn't a Spanish teacher available. The class has an office staff member that doesn't speak a word of Spanish supervising the class which is running from a WebCT course due to the lack of a certified Spanish teacher. There isn't an auditory component. There isn't a textbook. The kids are handed a worksheet with the answers written in to use for the online tests. So, even public schools have to rely on non-certified instuctors in a bind. Am I mad that they couldn't find one. No, I realize you cannot materialize a teacher out of thin air. But, considering we have a 10% Hispanic population in the area, I would take any adult that could speak the language even without a certification over a staff member even with certification who didn't know a word of it. And I see NO reason why they cannot at least provide a textbook for the kids to study. They could get DVDs in Spanish and let the kids hear the language with English subtitles turned on at the very least. Sorry, off on my own rant. LOL.

Answer 3

Absolutely not, a certification does not mean the person can teach, or even relate to children.

A certification simply means they sat in a classroom, and spend the time, and money to get a piece of paper saying they are certified to teach.

A college degree does not a teacher make either.

Anyone with a heart for children, and basic skills can teach, or read a teaching manual.
Teaching is a work of the heart.

Most private schools do just fine without their teachers being certified, and pre-school, or kindergarten is not even mandatory.

Not everyone, certified, or not is cut out to relate to children, or is able to bring down the material so that children can understand and learn it.

Personally give me a person male, or female who loves children, and has a heart for sharing, and I'll show you a natural teacher.

By the way that would definitively qualify just about every parent wouldn't you say.

Answer 4

Private schools are generally not subject to the same rules as public schools, so certification is not required. Perhaps the principal is in a desperate situation. If you are concerned about the school's capability overall, ask the administration about its accreditation status. Generally accreditation reflects, in part, teacher competence.

As far as certification being necessary for good teaching, here's what I think.

I am a Spanish teacher of pre-K, K, 1, and 2 in a private school for gifted and bright children. For the sake of argument, let's say I accomplished the following with some level of competence. I was a Spanish major in college (presumable proof of subject competence). I have two master's degrees (proof of personal teachability). I have tutored college students (proof of teaching experience, although not with children). I have no certification in my state (there is no such thing as subject certification in elementary in this state).

I lack the technical methodology knowledge that I assume education majors study, so I am reading as much as I can from our state university's library and using as many resources as possible (including other teachers--invaluable). Yet I worry (my own kids are two of my students, too) that other parents might be concerned that some random parent is teaching their children. I'm paying for the school, too. So I work hard to make sure that the children are getting the education that their parents are paying for.

But for me, despite my need to study more and practice more and learn more, the proof is in the pudding. One student challenged me that he could sing the Spanish alphabet song alone during lunch. My kids sing the songs around the house (I generally don't teach them Spanish ouside school hours). The students beg me to do the "Adios" song at the end of each class. Parents of the kids often thank me for the vocabulary and song sheets I routinely send home and tell me how much the kids like Spanish class (I was actually totally surprised--and pleased--by this!).

So long story short: Is certification necessary? No. Is it some external measure of competence? I hope so. Do I think teachers need some basic level of competence, including a 4-year degree? Yes.

Answer 5

The interesting thing here is that if it is from K-12 and the person teaching has AT LEAST a high school diploma...
I mean, you can figure that out easily......

If you want a guide through a jungle, do you need someone who has a Ph.D in navigation or do you simply need someone who already crossed that jungle?

Sometimes simple critical thinking skills are hard to find.


You can have the professional american scientists in NASA with all the certification in the world trying to spend a few million tax dollars on making a pen that can write in zero gravity....

At the same time you can find a highschool graduate in a third world country say.. You Foo, USE A DANG 25 Cent PENCIL!

Answer 6

I have heard of licensed/certified teacher's being placed in grades which aren't on their license/certification.....that can typically be done if it is an emergency situation (the school must get a profesional in the classroom ASAP).

Some states have a cerificate for those who graduated from college, but aren't licensed/certified teachers who can teach in emergency situations, but I have never, ever heard of what you are talking about.

Other parents should be notified of this situation. The person may be fantastic with kids, but this should not be happening in any school that truly values education.

Answer 7

I think it is legal. My nephew went to a Catholic school where the Math teacher was a parent (no college education) who came in twice a week and taught Math because "she loved Math." Private schools don't have to follow the same regulations as public schools.

Answer 8

Private schools don't require certification, and anyone sending their child to one should know that.

I believe you can't "teach" someone to be a good teacher; they either are or they aren't. So, to answer your question, no, I would not be angry. I'm sending my daughter to a Montessori kindergarten, and her teachers are not "certified" by state standards. There's more to getting a good education than that.

Answer 9

Come on. Kindergarten. Come on, give us ALL a break.

A 15 year old girl can do that job.

I'm sorry, but KINDERGARTEN is an ELECTIVE not MANDITORY.

You don't like it keep them home and let them watch Super Heros on TV.

If my kids teacher teaches them MATH, ENGLISH, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, MUSIC, ART and they aren't certified, even if they aren't a HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE and they are SUCCEEDING AT TEACHING THEM SOMETHING ACCURATE, I would not say a word

Better my kid get taught by a 16 year old who actually teaches them where MONTANA is on the MAP than a PH D who can't find Montana on the map!

Grow up.

It's a 5 year old you're talking about!

This ain't CALCULUS

This ain't BRAIN SURGERY

This is KINDERGARTEN

Did you ever see the movie Kindergarten Cop with big Arnold.

He didn't know what he was doing but he tried his best and that is PLEANTY good enough for a 5 year old

And Arnold, by the way, is GOVERNOR of California

TWO TIMES GOVERNOR!

I don't think he even has a BA degree!

And he can RUN a state!

And he's AUSTRIAN!

And he's a MOVIE STAR

Answer 10

As long as the person could teach, a degree prove you nothing but it is just a piece of paper saying you finish college.

If the teacher is old and have lot of experiences on teaching..I
will let that teacher teach my child rather then have a certified teacher.

That is just my point of view.