AN EDUCATION DEGREE:

By law, certified teachers are supposed to hold a degree in Education from an accredited college or university if they plan to teach in a Texas public school at the elementary level.

If they plan to teach in a middle school, they may have an elementary education degree and teach sixth through eighth grade students.

Teachers who want to teach in a middle school may also have an academic degree, and these teachers are much more qualified to teach at this level and should be hired as they are preferable for a number of reasons.

If they plan to teach in a high school,  a prospective teacher must have a degree in a subject such as English, math, biology, chemistry, a foreign language, history, physics, government, and so on.  These subjects are known as academic degrees.

If a teacher has an academic degree, she/he must also obtain a minor in education to satisfy the State's requirement in that regard.  In my opinion, this part of a teacher's education is a waste of his time and tuition money. There is nothing to be learned in a college education course.

Teachers are also certified to teach vocational subjects like typing, shorthand, computer technology, auto mechanics, cooking, cosmetology, and so on.  These are not academic subjects, and teachers of those subjects should not be grouped with teachers who have an academic degree nor should they be paid in an equivalent manner unless they hold an academic degree as well. If the computer technology course is actually an electronics course, then it should be classified as an academic course.

If someone plans to teach physical education, he can major in physical education and be certified to teach various levels of students.

My interest here is those who teach in regular academic classes K through 12.

It is my opinion that no teachers without an academic degree should be allowed to teach academic subjects above the fifth grade.  In my opinion, their academic skills enabling them to teach those subjects are greatly lacking. My experience has been that fifth grade teachers with an education degree who teach math are also unqualified.

My opinion here is not based on any sort of bias other than one of wanting obviously qualified ability for the teachers who impart knowledge to students. 

I am and have always been a supporter of teachers whatever their subject.  However, in the scheme of things academic, teachers who are able to teach academic subjects require a more difficult educational background  and should be compensated accordingly.

In the same area, teachers who go to the trouble to acquire an academic Master's degree also need to be compensated at a higher level than those who have only a Masters in Education.

Logically, what I'm saying here is an accurate appraisal of the system.  I have no inherent bias, and neither should anyone else.

Merit based accomplishments should always receive greater rewards.

I suggest that anyone who disagrees with me here should look on line at the course of study offered to college students at Lamar University, Blinn College, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and so on.  You will see the numerous mindless education courses that are required of education students.  That time and the money to pay for those courses would be much better spent on academic coursework in a prospective teacher's major or minor.

I have 33 hours of Education coursework at the college level. Every course was a waste of time!  I recall not one thing that I learned about teaching school while enrolled in those courses! My time and my money would have been much better spent on more courses in English or government--the two majors I had.

I would be happy if the State of Texas would shut down every College of Education at a state supported school.