ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the difference between learning versus job training. Learning is about equipping a teacher to tackle not just today's classroom issues, but preparing him or her to creatively come up with ways to tackle tomorrow's classroom or school problems and adventures. Some of the distinguishing features of effective alternative route programs include attracting individuals with excellent content knowledge, having high admission standards and a research-based curriculum, and providing sufficient and supportive on-the-job training. Traditional teacher education programs help teacher candidates integrate information to increase pedagogical skills and abilities by placing them in varied teaching contexts and by coupling those experiences with support, debriefing, and coursework. Star teachers say that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) emphasis on college and career readiness brushes aside the teaching of community involvement, environmental stability, and historical knowledge. Star teachers make the content relevant, teach with powerful ideas, teach with efficacy, and use many avenues to learning.