Professionals in field kept from path to the classroom
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RE "The crisis in math, science" (Op-ed, May 21) by Solomon Friedberg: The Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Biotechnology Institute have just released a study of the effectiveness of science and biology teaching across the United States. They find that from 1996 to 2005, while university education departments where emphasizing training in teaching methods at the expense of training in sciences, proficiency in science and biology dropped.
During that same period I tried to enter teaching as a second career. I have a doctoral degree in molecular biology, and have experience teaching at the college and high school levels. I found certification and the training required by university education departments to be an insurmountable barrier for someone supporting a family. I also found other professionals willing to enter teaching who likewise found this path blocked.
Not only is there apparently no interest in certifying professionals with an interest in teaching subjects they like and understand, but there is actual hostility to this among professional educators. What they want is to teach and certify young people in the profession of education. Subject matter is a secondary concern.
Every year science graduate departments and postdoctoral programs turn out an excess of trained PhDs competing for insufficient positions. It's insane that this resource can't be used for science education.
Michael Holloway
Sharon
