Recertification is a dreaded word in the education world.  For teachers it means hours and money tied up in classes that may or may not help them become more polished in their trade.  For administrators it means following a paper trail of evidence that determines whether their teachers are up for the job or not.  Some schools systems have become proactive about recertification standards by requiring their teachers to complete a certain number of hours every year regardless of whether or not their recertification points have been achieved.

My concern about teacher recertification stems from the nation's obsession with overhauling the education system.  The "higher-ups" in education are re-vamping everything from the bottom up but does that extend to teacher recertification programs?  In our state teachers are required to be recertified every five years.  The school systems occasionally offer courses that will count towards those required points.  Otherwise, teachers are able to fill in those points with other relevant courses as they desire.

If the state and federal governments are so interested in revamping the system, then this is another good place to address a weakness.  While it's nice for teachers to be able to pursue secondary interests while acruing their points, it would be more effective if programs were designed to help teachers continue to develop and polish their trade.  If weaknesses were identified during the school year, teachers ought to be encouraged or, even, required to take courses that will help strengthen those areas of weakness.  The area of continuing education and recertification is a great place for education reform to focus on teacher development.