This weekend I talked to a principal for a middle school in Winston Salem. When she found out that I was an elementary edu. major, she said that I should check with my advisors on the new "No child left behind" policy that will be started between ,04, 05. Basically, she said that they are going to require elementary teachers to have an additional 30 credit hrs in one specific area, or they will not be able to teach. First of all-- I'm interested if you guys know what is going on with this. She said that even if we got hired before this started, we would still have to have those 30 hrs or we couldn't continue to teach. Please let me know if you all hear anything about this... How terrible to think we've got yet another YEAR of classes???????

Some of the kids in one of My reading classes was talking about the whole No child left behind thing because a couple of fellow classmates have mom's that are going to have to take a lot of credit hours. I think this is crazy and would also like to know more about this... What middle school in Winston Salem?? I'm from winston so I was just curious..

I was at a meeting this afternoon, where I was able to ask about this. According to NCLB, teachers have to be .... hmm; is it "outstanding" if they teach in "important" areas? Anyway, elementary ed majors, to be hired by a district, have to have PASSED the praxis exam prior to being hired.

For secondary majors, if you teach in one of the "important" areas (hah) math, english... I'll have to check my notes. Sorry. Anyway, those secondary majors must take and pass the praxis before they can be hired. People teaching in "unimportant" areas, like art and phys. ed. can take the praxis during their first year of employment.

I wish I had more clarity on this, but the rules are being made as we speak... so far as I know, it is NOT a matter of having more credits right now!

GT