Talk:Foundations and Assessment of Education/Edition 1/Foundations Table of Contents/Chapter 1/Content Articles/1.6.2

Reader Response
I would overall very much agree with this article. The term highly qualified is just a guideline the state uses to justify the education that is being presented. I would agree with the article that a highly qualified teacher is one that knows the content, has good classroom managment, works hard, etc. On the other hand I would say and agree with parts of the page to say that a teacher that is determined highly qualified is not always highly qualified or may not be the greatest judge of who would make a great teacher or not. Such as those students who have a difficult time to pass the standardized tests. Some of those people may be some of the greatest teachers out there yet they are held back because of one single test. Overall, I do agree with this article and think it was a great topic to discuss. Sston008 (talk) 02:31, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

I really found this article to be an interesting read that raised a lot of questions. The question, "What makes a highly qualified teacher" is a controversial and much debated topic today. I tried to see where I fit on the idea and realized it is not black and white. I do not think that all of the standards and qualifications required by the NCLB are all completely bad. I agree that teachers must show competency in subject areas and in most cases tests are needed to prove this. I also believe that a "highly qualified" teacher is one that is encouraging, caring, a good listener and a good role model. How is this tested? I am not sure what the answer is; however, I see both sides of the argument. I do not think that students' test scores or a teacher's expertise in one subject reflects on their qualification as a teacher. In previous articles I read, and firmly believe, that good teachers simply have the passion and innate ability to teach. Perhaps some day soon we will find a good mix of tests and standards that will measure not only knowledge of subject matter but will also take into consideration the passion and desire to teach that so many "highly qualified" teachers demonstrate. Khedl002 (talk) 12:57, 1 July 2009 (UTC)khedl002