No matter who you are or what your station is in life, you have had teachers. In nearly all cases, you have experienced those amazing and wonderful teachers; teachers who were acceptable, albeit not inspired; and teachers who were, um, easily classified as less-than-what-anyone-would-have-chosen teachers, given the choice.
As you are reading this article, I want you to think about – and maybe even list – some of the great teachers you know. They could be kindergarten teachers, third grade teachers, eighth grade English teachers, high school biology teachers, community college or university professors – or someone you know who teaches in the business sector. Get a few of these teachers in mind and then think about each of the following attributes and whether they would apply to those special teachers you have in mind:
Contrary to popular notions, teacher licensing in public schools does not insure teacher quality. A license also does not even insure that a public-school teacher knows much about the subject she teaches. In fact, in our upside-down public-school system, licensing often leads to ill-trained and mediocre teachers instructing our children. As we will see, it turns out that teacher licensing is a protection racket.
The notion that only state-approved, licensed teachers can guarantee children a good education is proven wrong by history and common sense. In ancient Athens, the birthplace of logic, science, philosophy, and Western civilization, city authorities did not require teachers to be licensed. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle did not have to get a teaching license from Athenian bureaucrats to open up their Academies. A teacher’s success came only from his competence, reputation, and popularity. Students and their parents paid a teacher only if they thought he was worth the money. Competition and an education free market produced great teachers in ancient Greece.