Ask HN: Why not require non-teacher experts to teach high school for one year? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Why not require non-teacher experts to teach high school for one year?

1 pointamichail14 comments

Do you think this would improve high school education?

Those that can't do...

Teaching is a skill. An expert typist typing "the fox jumps over the lazy dog" at 30 wpm doesn't make one a good teacher.

Isn't it better to have an expert who is a mediocre teacher than an excellent teacher with only a mediocre command of the subject matter?

Why not pay the money to get excellent teachers with a good command of the subject matter?

Because maybe most people with good command of the subject matter don't want to teach?

Do you think they'll become good teachers when they're forced to be there against their will?

If teaching paid as well as being an accountant, or whatever expert occupation you have in mind, I think you’d find that many more experts would be open to teaching.

It depends on the student being taught. Most (HS) students will do better with the excellent teacher than the subject matter expert. Perhaps what you actually want is for unusually bright or creative students to have access to experts? Maybe some sort of opportunity to observe and even help them in their field? Perhaps we could call it something that doesn’t sound anything like the activity in question, something like “interning.”

> Isn't it better to have an expert who is a mediocre teacher than an excellent teacher with only a mediocre command of the subject matter?

Suppose we suppose to suppose.

An expert visiting a classroom with a competent teacher would be the best thing -- the teacher can provide direction and control over the class as well as assist with prep.

A Boeing machinist specializing in door plugs might make for a dry presentation. But a Boeing machinist specializing in door plugs who has the help of a good physics/engineering class teacher to lay out a lesson plan would probably be pretty fun.

That's a very difficult question to answer - but I'd say, "no", especially for the younger grades.

Most of what's being taught is how to learn - and knowing how to teach is the hard part.

I think it depends on the how advanced the class is. An excellent teacher with mediocre subject matter expertise will outperform a subject matter expert with mediocre teaching skills in all but pretty advanced courses.

Also, my experience is that most experts aren't mediocre teachers, they're terrible teachers.

What do you mean?

There isn't a degree in "Expert". How would you determine who should "teach high school for one year"?

This would cause havoc in schools as these teachers would be there for one year and then gone.

What, force them to work for free?

If not, what do you mean by “require”?

It would be like mandatory military duty. They would be paid for their year of service.

How would they be selected? Would it work like extended jury duty?

Also, how will the salary difference be made up? If I'm making just enough to pay for my food & rent/mortgage, and suddenly I'm working on a public teacher salary for a year, what happens to my house and family when suddenly my salary is cut by anywhere from 50 to 90%?

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