There is a difference between a teacher, a professor, and someone who has a doctorate in education. Doctor’s of Education normally become administrators in Education, seeking out positions such as principle and chancellor or dean much more than teaching any particular class. I’ve known may with an education doctorate that couldn’t teach worth shit but were fabulous administrators.

@papayalily so the whole concept of good teaching is a farce…if they can’t even do it right then its all…Bullshit?

@talljasperman No. What you want is a teacher who has a degree in the subject they are teaching, as well as lots of knowledge about how to teach – different techniques, different ways of explaining, different learning styles, etc. Some with education doctorates do know how to teach and they teach better because of it. It’s just not a guarantee, especially if they got the doctorate in education administration – which is what quite a lot want, because once you’re tenured as a professor, there’s nowhere else to be promoted. With education administration, however, there is quite the ladder to climb.

@papayalily GA’s thanks…

I know someone with a doctorate in maths education, who is a great teacher. Although I have never been one of his students, I am friends with many of his students who really enjoy his classes. He has a naturally entertaining personality, and from all accounts this comes across in his classes too.

I have done pretty good, and there is no shortage of work.

(plus the money is great)

No. Not at all. Although I could be proven wrong at any moment.

Most are not living in the real world, haven’t been in a classroom as a teacher in decades and refuse to actually provide practical information on classroom issues such as discipline.

Teacher preparation is an industry. The classes that were helpful were on how to teach my subject area and child development. The other 30 hours? Almost useless.

@all what about as professors teaching grad students…those classes should rock…shouldn’t they?

@talljasperman At a university level, particularly for post-graduate studies, education is not about how much fun the classes are. Teaching in the tertiary system is about imparting knowledge and skills as efficiently as possible, since class time is a lot more limited than at school. Considering this as the goal, many lecturers are very successful (although university lecturers are not required to have any education qualifications).