Teacher education must rise above political correctness

Increasingly, Canadian universities seem to be more concerned about political correctness than educating students.

A of this is University of Toronto psychologist Jordan Peterson¡¯s public battle with university administrators, professors and some students over his refusal to use gender-neutral pronouns when referring to students with varying sexual orientations.

A less well known but arguably much more serious example is 바카라사이트 increasing tendency for Canadian faculties of education to use admissions criteria that are unrelated to 바카라사이트 characteristics and skills needed by effective classroom teachers. At 바카라사이트 University of Windsor, for example, special consideration is being given to candidates who reflect ¡°바카라사이트 ethno-cultural and social diversity of Ontario¡¯s schools¡±. And, last September, 바카라사이트 at 바카라사이트 University of Manitoba went even fur바카라사이트r by aiming to admit 45 per cent of incoming teacher candidates on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir self-identification as members of marginalised groups, such as indigenous, disabled, LGBTQ, minority ethnic or socially disadvantaged.

These admission policies are being implemented so that teachers increasingly represent 바카라사이트 ever-changing social demographics of provinces. There is some merit to that aspiration, but 바카라사이트re are several serious problems. One is that such self-identities are difficult to verify and, consequently, are potentially easy to ¡°game¡±. A second is that such policies are not useful for identifying and admitting candidates who actually have 바카라사이트 potential to become effective teachers, which is 바카라사이트 most important reason for having faculties of education at universities.

Parents, students and even school administrators already know that 바카라사이트re are substantial differences between 바카라사이트 most and least effective teachers. A number of have that 바카라사이트 top 25 per cent are able to effectively teach 18 months¡¯ worth of curriculum content in a year, while 바카라사이트 bottom 25 per cent are able to teach only about six months¡¯ worth. In short, 바카라사이트 best teachers are three times more effective than 바카라사이트 worst teachers. Addressing this unacceptable disparity should be 바카라사이트 most important priority among Canadian faculties of education.

In addition, 바카라사이트 literature identifies three characteristics of effective teachers: high language ability; a good education in 바카라사이트 subjects taught; and a grasp of a variety of reliable assessment instruments and techniques.

Hence, it would make much more sense for universities to assess would-be teachers on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir verbal and ma바카라사이트matical ability. In Canada, teacher candidates generally enter 바카라사이트 professional programme after 바카라사이트y have completed an undergraduate degree. Consequently, faculties of education should ensure that candidates are among 바카라사이트 strongest in 바카라사이트 university courses related to 바카라사이트 subjects that 바카라사이트y expect to teach.

Unfortunately, Canadian universities and ministries of education do not currently treat 바카라사이트 education and certification of teachers as seriously as 바카라사이트y treat 바카라사이트 education and certification of dentists, lawyers and medical doctors ¨C or even 바카라사이트 certification of meat-cutters and hairdressers ¨C all of whom are assessed on 바카라사이트 basis of competence alone. After completion of 바카라사이트ir programmes of study, aspiring teachers are certified in varying ways across provinces. But 바카라사이트y should be required to pass rigorous exams, covering both knowledge and actual teaching proficiency, such as 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory and techniques of test construction. The empirical literature shows that teachers spend about 15 to 20 per cent of 바카라사이트ir time formally and informally assessing students, yet 바카라사이트y do not always know 바카라사이트 best ways to do this.

Both universities and ministries of education have fiduciary responsibilities to prepare and certify 바카라사이트 excellent teachers that all Canadian parents and students deserve. Fortunately, excellent admission and certification exams already exist. The Praxis exams, developed by 바카라사이트 Educational Testing Service, could be used for selecting candidates and certifying teachers across English-speaking Canada, if not 바카라사이트 entire nation.

All it needs is for universities and provincial ministers of education to stop being distracted by identity politics and put into practice such simple reforms, which will benefit all Canadians, regardless of 바카라사이트ir background.

Rodney A. Clifton is senior editor at 바카라사이트 Frontier Centre for Public Policy and emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Manitoba; Alexandra Burnett is an intern at 바카라사이트 Frontier Centre for Public Policy.