McCain on Troops to Teachers program

[janet118]

In his rambling, erratic debate performance, John McCain presented as one of his gimmicky solutions to our education problems the "Troops to Teachers" program.

Here is what he said that made me nearly fall out of my chair:

"We need to encourage programs such as Teach for America and Troops to Teachers where people, after having served in the military, can go right to teaching and not have to take these examinations which -- or have the certification that some are required in some states."

Say what? Bring anyone from the military into the classroom without certification or examinations required by the state? Is this true?

No. As usual, without his keepers, McCain just makes up facts to fit into some kind of weird mythological world where hockey moms can be vice presidents and soldiers can come off the battlefield into the classroom.

Below is the actual description of the Troops To Teachers program. It sounds like an interesting idea. I'm glad I investigated it myself instead of listening to McNutty's bizarro take on it.

Under this program, the Secretary of Education transfers funds to the Department of Defense for the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) to provide assistance, including stipends of up to $5,000, to eligible members of the armed forces so that they can obtain certification or licensing as elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers, or vocational/technical teachers and become highly qualified teachers by demonstrating competency in each of the subjects they teach. In addition, the program helps these individuals find employment in high-need local educational agencies (LEA's) or charter schools. A "high need LEA" is defined as an LEA that has a poverty rate of at least 20 percent or at least 10,000 poor children and has a high percentage of teachers teaching out of field or with emergency credentials. In lieu of the $5,000 stipends, DANTES may pay $10,000 bonuses to participants who agree to teach in high-poverty schools. A "high-poverty school" is defined as a school where at least 50 percent of the students are from low-income families or the school has a large percentage of student who qualify for assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Members of the armed forces who wish to receive the program's assistance for placement as an elementary or secondary school teacher must have a baccalaureate or advance degree, and their last period of service in the armed forces must have been honorable. In selecting members of the armed forces to participate in the program, the Department of Defense must give priority to those members who have educational or military experience in science, mathematics, special education, or vocational/technical subjects and who agree to seek employment as teachers in a subject area compatible with their backgrounds.

McCain is a clueless airhead. He even distorts good programs to make them fit into his deluded world view.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

Thank you!!! He really bugged me with that BS comment

Maybe you could cross-post to general discussion as well?

[janet118]

3. I'll try . . . I'm kind of new to this n/t

[amdezurik]

2. you say 3+4=8?

DROP AND GIVE ME 50 YOU LITTLE MAGGOT!

Well, one way to make 1st grade more "interesting"...

[murray hill farm]

4. I about fell off my chair when he said that....

it was a really stupid thing to say, even without the disjointed way he said it....and in a serious debate about the need for better education in the fields of math and science. The way it was said was like saying to hell with our countries schools...just dump a returning soldier with ptsd and no training or qualifications or requirement to teach into our countries classrooms. Yikes! Thanks for your research into this issue. It was a scary thing to hear anyone say. McCain does not have a clue about how pathetic he looks and sounds when he says such things. He is not in touch with how inappropriate his many statements and actions are in a real world.

[murielm99]

5. Okay.

This makes better sense than the nonsense I heard him spouting last night. I was appalled by his suggestion that we take unqualified soldiers and put them in front of a classroom.

On the other hand, is this what we need? Is this what our veterans need? They are not having their needs met in other critical areas. That should be the first priority. After we take care of their health care and everything else, we can worry about turning them into teachers.

[CRK7376]

6. It's a very good program actually.

I've recommended numerous soldiers to investigate TtT programs as they are facing retirement. The one's I recommended are mena nd women who I think would make good teachers, enjoy working with young people and are prettylevel headed. I know what is needed in a classroom, so I'm not just flying off the handle. I spent 13 years teaching in a rural high school before returning to active dutywhere I spent an additional 4 years teaching Army officers and International Students. When I retire in a few more years I will return to the high school classroom. In fact I will probably use TtT to help me get back into the teaching community. My certifications have expired, hopefully I will not have to take Subject Testing/Praxis exams again....hated those. TtT is a great way to get good people into a great profession. Not all military members are PTSD headcases.

[musical_soul]

7. My gosh.

Obama should use that in his ads. Not that he needs to anymore.