**This post had so many junk comments, it was easier to delete the original and repost it than to delete all the comments.*
On April 23rd, the Baltimore Sun published an article that described a gap between the number of math and science teachers being produced in Maryland and the number required by public schools (“Ideas for Closing Teacher Gap”, http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.stem23apr23,0,558895.story). One of the key respondents to this issue was William Kirwan, the chancellor of the University System of Maryland, who is trying to make university presidents put measures in place to curb this problem. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan suggested increased payment for math and science teachers filling positions in particularly tough placements in addition to increased partnerships that would allow individuals in these fields to complete independent research.
A lot of this discussion reminded me of the issue of professionalizing teaching. Right now, districts use certification standards in an attempt to professionalize teaching with mixed results. The issue is that conceptions of teaching are closely tied with cultural values, and that it will be extremely difficult to induce a view of teaching as a distinguished profession without drastic systemic changes. One of the proposed changes in the article was the idea of permitting teachers to conduct independent research through outside partnerships.
Recently I was speaking with a friend who had spent a large amount of time working in the U.S. Finnish Embassy. She discussed with me how the country had basically overhauled its entire system of governance with a view towards promoting technology and education. As a result, Finland has attained one of the most distinguished education systems in the world. My friend was telling me that the top graduates from the top colleges actually seek employment as teachers. The fact that there is a teacher shortage and that we need to try to create extra incentives towards teaching demonstrates that indeed the teaching profession is not as distinguished as it could be and that this may be the result of a larger tendency to delegitimize education and teaching.
