Opinion | How I learned to be a better teacher

The May 15 front-page article “Apprenticeships help fight teacher shortages” was an affirmation of a concept that shaped my life.

I’m a former teacher, 42 years in total. My teacher training came in the form of a program at George Washington University in the 1970s called Masters in Applied Teaching. The requirements: bachelor’s degree in any discipline but teaching. The program lasted one year and included experience at multiple schools within the district you wished to teach in (Montgomery, Prince George’s or D.C.). An important component of the program was videotaping of your teaching and then analysis of that video with seasoned master teachers.

I soon learned that teaching, although classified as a profession, is actually an art. Artists perfect their skills and develop their own styles by working with master artists. Through coaching and modeling, novice teachers were trained to use the best practices in education. Watching oneself make mistakes, falter and stumble on tape is a powerful tool in improving your teaching skills.

I applaud the revival or return to what I believe is the best and most efficient way to develop good teachers: apprenticeships.

Frank J. Sanford, Chevy Chase

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