1. Completely overhaul the useless education departments at colleges and universities that stress method over content. Why is it that certification programs do this? It has led to a watered down content throughout the curriculum where teachers know more about method than they do their subject matter. Teachers should first have a major in the field in which they are teaching and secondarily a minor in method/pedagogy.

2. Completely overhaul the administrative system. As it is, the people who become administrators are our worst teachers. They begrudgingly stay in the classroom just long enough to hop into an administrative position where they can proclaim themselves experts in the educational field, when in point of fact they care little to none about kids, teachers, or parents. Their only concern is their little career and inflated salary. We need a better system where administrators are the best in teaching and caring.

3. Better pay. We don’t have the best and brightest in the teaching profession, largely because of #’s 1 and 2 above. However, salary is also an issue. However, increased salary needs to be accompanied by a longer school year. We currently run a 180 day school year, which is far fewer days than in Europe and Asia where they consistently rank ahead of us in teacher pay and test scores. There they attract the best and brightest because they are paid well, are top notch in their field (which is history, math, etc. – not education), and are held to a high standard.