Deepbrook, just out of curiosity, where do you see the deficiencies in the current teacher education program?

I obtained my graduate degree at a relatively small program that no one outside of my home state has likely heard of, and I've spoken with several other beginning and pre-service teachers about the programs they attend. Most programs follow a very specific curriculum that aligns with the state's licensing requirements. While I think I learned more in my first week alone with a class than I did while getting all of my degrees combined, I don't think I was particularly shorted by my pre-service program.

Most of our inservices and teacher trainings concern NCLB and whatever new initiative(test) the district thinks will cure all of our woes. I can't remember the last time we sat down as a staff to talk about instructional practices outside of test prep. Our most recent staff training covered how to use the newest data management system. The one before that was on insurance. So I have to disagree that our instructional time is being lost so we can learn how to teach, it's being lost in needless red tape and minutiae.

I believe each district is required to have a new teacher indoctrination program, as well. Mine involved 50 hours of classes, five projects, two papers and being observed by no less than ten different people. Everything aside from the observations was done outside of the normal school day. I think this makes more sense than a more specific teacher ed program, as new teachers learn what is expected of them within the district where they work. I don't think any two districts in this state have the same expectations or methodologies, no teacher training program is able to address the needs of whichever district/school the teachers will be working in.

What would you change about teacher education?

I grinned all the way through Pushing Daisies. It was the most fun I've had watching network TV in, well, ever. I don't know if they can sustain it, and at this point I don't really care, as long as I get a few more episodes like the pilot which leave me feeling so very warm and fuzzy by the end.

HH, I look forward to your column every weekend. I don't watch much TV, but thanks to you I can roll my eyes and nod & smile at all the appropriate times when friends and co-workers talk about the stuff I don't watch without looking like a freak.

WOW, some strong opinions in here. I'm lazy and didn't jot down which anon said which delightful thing at what time, but I feel kinda bad for all of you, you've obviously been really hurt by someone, and it seems like Broadstreet is the only place where you can work out your anger issues. I'd strongly advise all of you (or one of you, if you're the same person) to talk to someone who can help you make peace with yourself. Life is too short to be that miserable.

To the topic at hand - my experiences tell me men and women can suck equally bad at the domestic arts. I know lots of men (esp in the 30-35 age bracket) that carry more than half of the household workload and an equal number of women that wouldn't know how to sew on a button if Jack Bauer was pointing a big gun at their heads. The way I see it, equality means we can succeed and suck with equal gusto.

Lots of things in our society perpetrate the myth that men are doofuses that can barely make it out of the house without the close supervision of a woman. Sitcoms, movies, women's mags - all tend to be generously sprinkled with Man-Boobs and the Amazing-Patient-Smart! women who tolerate them. IMHO, though, these factors are a lot less to blame for the pervasiveness of the idea than a good ole martyr complex. We humans are selfish, narcissitic creatures. We like to think that no one is as put-upon or stressed or hard-working as we are. To read the introwebs, you'd think every person with a blog was the only sane person on the planet, and marvel that these brave souls are still living, surrounded by all the idiocy and ineptitude. Men bitch and moan, women bitch and moan, the trick is to take all of it with a grain of salt and the realization that you're only hearing one (very biased) side of a story.