A MIR for teachers
Being a teacher is a profession, and like any other, it requires dedication and learning. It's a wonderful, powerful profession that has a significant impact on people's lives. I started teaching in 1986, about 40 years ago, and I've always felt fortunate to have had this job. However, being a teacher in the 1980s wasn't the same as being one in the 21st century: the world has changed... and will change in a few years. The job isn't easy. We work with adolescents, people with a different worldview than adults. Conflicts arise. You have to be aware of them and be prepared to face them and, if possible, resolve them.
Playing the teacher also touches on Catalan literature. Toni Sala published Short chronicle of a high school teacher (2001) and, recently, Damià Bardera Basic incompetences (2024). These are two entertaining, well-written books with media coverage. They share a vision of the student as an adversary of the teacher, and spice it up with anecdotes that outline the toxicity of the educational system, the decline in standards, and the uselessness of educational innovation and teacher training. A different, opposing tone is that of Jaume Cela in Teacher's drawer (2004) or that of It's about teachers (2009) by Cela and Palou, masters with a long career and an exciting tone about the craft.
The complaining discourse about education denounces a decline in standards (which have been steadily declining since time immemorial). The paradox, here, is that the critical voices—who despise competency-based learning—use the results of competency-based tests as an argument. I invite the reader to learn about the 4th year of compulsory secondary education (all you need is a search engine and an internet connection). But what do we mean when we talk about standards? I've often asked colleagues who complain about the decline, and none of them have been able to explain it to me, or they've referred to limited knowledge and poor attitudes. For me, standards are structured around four skills: reading, speaking, writing, and calculating (I'd also add body language and artistic expression: physical education, music, and artistic expression are essential). But also curiosity, creativity, learning to think critically, and knowing how to behave ethically (with others and with oneself). And yes, standards are also the body of knowledge and how one is able to use them to resolve everyday situations. Knowing what a vaccine is, expressing yourself in English, locating your place in the world, or understanding what Franco's regime meant for our country is just as important as using periods and commas or calculating a percentage.
Being a teacher requires training. It's not enough to be a philologist, a biologist, a physicist... You need to know the didactics of what you teach, master methodologies that facilitate learning, and know how to evaluate it—you should read Professor Neus Sanmartí to understand evaluation. As in any other profession, qualities are also required. Not everyone can be a teacher, just as not everyone can be a musician, a carpenter, or a draftsman. And vocation? someone might ask. In that profession, vocation is important, but it's neither sufficient nor essential. I've had colleagues with a vocation who have fallen flat. A few weeks ago, this newspaper published an article by an experienced teacher, who explained why. I left teachingI've also had colleagues (more than those who were vocational) who didn't like the work, but they did it efficiently and correctly.
The organization of schools, resources, curriculum, and hours allocated to each subject are important, but not as important as what each teacher does, day to day, in the classroom. Teacher selection and training are key. A thorough review of secondary school entrance through competitive examinations is necessary. A selective and training system like that for doctors (MIR) would be more appropriate. In short: academic merits should count, but there must be initial training provided, above all, by expert teachers and professors, and a paid course in an educational center (tutored by experienced teachers), where aspiring teachers enter classrooms and decide if this is the profession they want (and can do). In any case, a job in which they are constantly assessed must also be assessed; it is too important not to be. In a recent article in this newspaper, the professor Anna Jolonch pointed out how teachers can be evaluated.
Finally, the Department of Education needs to improve: it must take better care of teachers, because they are the essence of the education system. It is its responsibility to select, train, and evaluate them. It also needs to provide them with the best resources and free them from bureaucratic tasks. The new school year begins, and thousands of teachers will be working with dedication and enthusiasm every day in the classrooms of the country's educational centers. Let's give them all the support and recognition they need to do their jobs well, to help many people grow, and to make them better.