Must young learners need teachers with a bachelor degree or not at all - Research Paper Example

of the Must young learners need teachers with a bachelor degree or not at all? This is subject of this debate. At the outset, it should be emphasized that there are two forms of education: formal and informal. The distinction and complementation of these two thus needs to be elaborated. Formal education requires that teachers should have at least a bachelor degree of education and must have passed the teachers licensure examination before they could be considered qualified to pursue the career of teaching. They may also improve their qualification by embarking on master and doctorate degree to possess high competence and skills in classroom administration and instruction (University of California Commission on General Education, 2007). Compared to previous system of education, modern teachers are required to be multidisciplinary in knowledge to ensure that they are able to impart full knowledge to their learners and the latter will acquire understanding and high capacity for retention of theories which they could use for critical relation with mundane and divine realities (University of California Commission on General Education, 2007). All educational institution sets standard for teachers to ensure that they are delivering quality education to the public and that they possessed core competencies on academic subjects (Atpe.org, 2013). Informal education on the other hand is not quite defined in its standards but this has been historically and philosophically developed through olden primary schools where children can be taught in an informal approach. This is done through creative ways such as excursion, painting or drawing, and mostly about reflecting on empirical experiences. Informal way of education simply requires “spontaneity, flexibility, naturalness, interests, sense of freedom, and self-expression (Atpe.org, 2013, p. 1).” For primary learners who are yet at the new phase of learning process, teachers can be those who have attained certain level of education, though may not be certified yet, but is practicing such “broad and balance teaching through alternative pedagogic alternatives that is driven for conversion processes (Atpe.org, 2013, p. 1).” Who are the important people? In formal and informal education, the pivotal parties in the learning processes are the teachers, the learners, the school administrators, the local government and its agency on education, and the community, including parents The teachers are of course those professional and non-professional instructors leading the learning processes that are maybe transpiring within and outside the classroom. The learners are those that are formally enrolled in school with the interest of improving their knowledge base for their personal growth and to fulfil their dreams in life. The school administrators are essential part of the educational process because they are concern about administration of educational institution, the improvement of their human resources (teachers and staff), and are concern in attaining quality standard of educative processes, such as ensuring that classroom instruction are done in accordance to required curriculum, approaches or methods, and in accordance to the policies set by the Department of Education (University of California Commission on General Education, 2007). The government is also a stakeholder of education. They are responsible in formulating and implementing policies to ensure that quality education are maintained and offered by the schools for young learners and that resources are allocated for the fulfilment of the state’s vision on education and production of skilled and quality human resources (University of California Commission on General Education, 2007). The state could also intervene on some policy issues and infrastructural developments for public schools to address the fundamental needs to deliver that form of education that will not leave any child behind (University of California Commission on General Education, 2007). Moreover, prominent scholars have asserted that every child’s education is a concern of the community. Hence, the child’s right to education is vigorously promoted under the law and by the people because knowledge is fundamental in assuming the responsibilities and accountabilities in life. The role of the parents, based on this context, is indispensable to education. What are the issues (for and against)? For those who supported the need for teachers to have bachelor’s degree in education, they assailed that education is a serious concern in nurturing the child to become responsible citizens of the country and to make them accountable of their chosen career in life. Some of their issues cover extensively on the need to sustainably offer opportunities for teachers to advance their careers to meet the quality standard of degree for educators and problems on improving the level of schools collaboration with the local government and the community to ascertain that all facilities and environment required for quality learning process is attained (Simmons, 2002). Many teachers have also complained of low salaries and the difficulties of delivering their services in remote communities where there is lack of opportunities for growth and development (Simmons, 2002). Those who are against the requisite of having a bachelor degree in education are often met with issues on core competencies and on poor quality in the educative processes (Simmons, 2002). Their qualifications are become subject of criticism especially in this period when the delivery of education demand essential core competence to meet the diverse learners with multicultural background. (Simmons, 2002). Many young learners these days have access to technologies for information and some of them have attained such wits and astuteness that may challenge the capacity of teachers with limited competences. Why is the debate important? This debate is important to remove the clouds and confusion about the need to extol the standard of quality education. The latter require that teachers, to deliver the proper learning process, must have at least a minimum qualification of having a degree on education. The demand of our times showed the necessity of having teachers with core competence to ensure the delivery of required outcome in the learning and teaching process as well as in nurturing teacher-learners relation (Simmons, 2002). Of course, it’s acknowledged that informal way of education can be supplementary to education because the creative nature of the learning process will support the rational aspect of education especially in science, mathematics and social sciences subjects. But albeit this fact, education can only be considered of quality when teachers are filled with competence and have sufficient degree of education. What is the historical connection? It is a known fact that education evolved from natural to rational modern system, as understood from the philosophical vantage. It is also noted that the learning process naturally standard with the simple awareness of human senses that lead them to relate with their experiences and their realization following the natural contact with events and its implications (Simmons, 2002). But knowledge acquisition from the ancient era also evolved to a post- modern system where the educative process includes the deconstruction of olden theories with the advancement of science and technology. Such timeline and evolution of education from the ancient era has also changed the old perception that a child is a blank slate that could simple perceive of realities when taught about or when one comes into experiential dichotomies (Simmons, 2002). A child, nowadays, a considered a being of unlimited potential within a learning system where one could opt to grow or stagnate at his choice. Thus, education too needs to be engaging, democratized, creative but rational, and critical. This is too far from the olden philosophy of education. It also requires stakeholders to be collaborative and competitive in their approaches (Simmons, 2002). Where do you stand? Why? Considering all contexts and standards, I prefer that educators of young learners should possess a degree on education. The purpose of education is advancement and fulfilment of dreams. This is only possible when teachers possess core competence, have multidisciplinary skills and is attuned to the reformation of educational system for genuine quality education. Bibliography Atpe.org (2013). No child left behind (NCLB) standard for ‘highly qualified’. US: Association of Texas Professional Educators, p. 1. The University of California Commission on General Education, (2007). General Education in the 21st Century: A Report of the University of California Commission on General Education. University of California, Berkeley: Center for Studies in Higher Education, p. 1-5. Simmons, W. (2002). An education support system. US: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, pages 304-309. Read More