A Teacher Shortage?

Julia and I were talking the other day and she brought up some interesting points about teaching.

First, she has a friend whose sister is a part of Teach for America. She is supposed to have a job in the city this fall, but there are problems since a hiring freeze was put into place. (Only teachers in the system can get hired unless the position is in a charter school.) so, her friend's sister doesn't really know what is going on. Since Julia is also going into teaching, though from a traditional path, she wondered if Teach for America is good for anyone but itself.

Lately, Teach for America is hiring only students from Ivy league schools. I don't have a problem with well educated teachers, but what makes a social studies teacher from Princeton better than a social studies teacher from New Paltz? Furthermore, the students following the traditional path are being schooled in the subject matter as well as best practices for teaching students. They are training in schools. they are spending a portion of their time studying what makes kids tick. In essence, students who are studying to be teachers now, are following two majors: their subject matter and education. Teach for America is taking students from fine schools and throwing them into very difficult educational environments. How, exactly, does that help anyone?

I know I am bitter about being unemployed and not finding employment, but I feel that Teach for America would be better if it took teachers like myself and my friend Gretchen -- people who know at least the basics in teaching -- and put them in difficult educational environments.

I think that would better serve the students in the schools that underperform.

More importantly, I don't really see a teacher shortage. They claim there is a shortage in Special Education but they will not hire a teacher like me -- certified -- to teach in that environment because I don't hold the proper certification. If that's what's needed, how the hell can they justify other uncertified teachers? I already have the bulk of the study done; I need a little more. Isn't that a better offer for students in schools that are failing? Isn't experience in the classroom more valuable than a degree from Harvard?

If there is such a shortage in teaching, why don't all education students get certified in special education too? It's true there is a seeming shortage of math and science teachers, but when I attend career fairs, I talk to plenty of math and science teachers who cannot find a job.

Teach for America seems to be robbing jobs from well-qualified teachers in an effort to claim that education is getting a needed boost. I am not buying it.

Knitting Supplies

I have begun knitting a new pair of socks with fingering weight yarn. Since the yarn is skinnier, the needles must be thinner. I am using a size two double pointed needle for this project and it was quite difficult getting the whole thing started.

Using different needles -- this time made of metal -- requires some adjustment. Some needles, such as wooden needles, are less slippery with the yarn. It's more difficult to move the project on the needles as you knit, but there is less likelihood of losing stitches. The size two needles I am using are nice to knit with, but the project is moving more slowly because the stitches are smaller. Still, I am interested to see how the whole project works out. This pair of socks is going to be like socks one would wear with shoes. We'll see how it works.

This project also has me thinking about needles in general. The Additurbo needle is supposed to be the circular knitting needle. I am considering asking for a set for Christmas. Circular needles are versatile and really nice to work with if they're constructed well. Some people in my knitting class have additurbos and they swear by them. I did once purchase a cheap set of circular needles and where the needle meets the connecting wire I had trouble with the yarn getting caught instead of smoothly moving along. I have since gotten rid - at the thrift shop - of those needles.

I cannot believe how many needles and supplies there are for knitting. And it matters. I knit a washcloth with a size four needle though the yarn is made for size eight needles. It will be interesting to see how this washcloth washes in the machine. will it shrink to be the size of a coaster? Will it maintain its shape because I used smaller needles? Time will tell.