Professor Says Teacher Training Should Focus More On Practical Knowledge.

Daniel T. Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, writes in the New York Times (9/8, Subscription Publication), regarding teacher training, citing Education Secretary Arne Duncan as supporting the view that “the way to improve schooling is to lure top-scoring graduates into teaching,” but, he argues, “the problem is dumb teacher training.” Willingham maintains that America’s teachers are “smart enough,” but successful teachers know their subject and “how to help children learn it.” Research, writes Willingham, indicates that US teachers do not receive adequate training in their subject, specifically referring to findings regarding reading and math. He further argues that teachers recognize that their training focuses more on theory than on the practical knowledge they require.