Teaching & Learning

Mass. Union Suggests Ways

To Improve Teachers : As a storm continues to rage around the state's new licensing exam for prospective educators, a Massachusetts teachers' union is calling for a broader approach toward improving teacher quality--including an end to the traditional undergraduate education program.

In a 14-page policy paper circulated last month, the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers recommends requiring teacher-candidates to complete a graduate program in education after earning a bachelor's degree in another major. Teacher-preparation programs also need to provide candidates with more practical skills and classroom experience, the paper urges.

"From our perspective, teaching is the most complex and hardest job in the world," said Kathleen Kelley, the president of the 15,000-member union, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. "You need to not only be well-grounded in your discipline, you also need a huge...