I really can't believe that a news organization thinks
this is news! Any teacher could have told them elementary teachers generally aren't well-prepared for teaching math.
[I apologize to those who are stellar - you are the minority, and your job is made harder by this situation]
I teach physics concepts, methods, and technologies to science teachers. Over the past 7 years of doing so, I have found that a major lack on the part of the workshop participants was physics content. No insult to them - they were often certified in other areas, such as biology, and pressed into teaching in an unfamiliar area. I applaud them for the courage in tackling new vistas - and for their willingness to learn. Smaller schools and rural schools often can't afford to hire a teacher for a class taught only every few years, or with less than 15 students. So, these compromises are, in the real world, necessary.
I believe that only two subject areas are absolutely essential - math and reading/languages arts. Teachers need to be thoroughly grounded in the content of these critical areas, including:
- grammar
- phonics - I'm not suggesting that EVERY student needs heavy doses, but the struggling students often benefit from structured lessons.
- teaching writing - clear, focused, and designed to teach EVERY student to express complex thoughts in standard English.
- addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division - they should not only be able to teach it, but to be thoroughly versed in using manipulatives, and remediation techniques and strategies
- fractions & decimals- this is often the stumbling block in math education. I'd love to see an education course - mandatory - that lasts a semester, and is based on mastery - you can't pass until you demonstrate understanding.
That's my wish list. It would make teaching high school science a breeze.
And, after all, isn't that the real point of elementary education - to make MY life easier?