I’ve heard the reference, "high school teachers refer to the textbooks the use, while college professors refer the textbooks they wrote. Many of my high school teachers major in the subject they want to teach, get a license, and then they’re a teacher. Are professors more qualified (i.e. PhD’s, experience, etc)?
… yes?
Not in every case of course but in general. Generally: to be a high school teacher requires a 4 year degree. To be a college professor, you’re required to have a PhD which entails anywhere from 5-7 years on average of deep, intense study of your subject and be conversant in all the conversations going on around your field.
I think it really depends. Yes, college professors may have deep, intense study in their field but that doesn’t mean they can teach it. Being able to convey information and connect with your students making someone an effective teacher goes way beyond knowing your subject matter. This is where high school teachers have more training in the actual profession of teaching. Its the age old question…“is teaching an art or a craft?” At my son’s large suburban, highly rated high school his A.P. Environmental Science teacher has three science degrees. The class is very rich and the teacher is very engaging. Some college professors are fabulous teachers and really enjoy doing so. Others are more interested in research or working in academia and teaching classes is just part of their job which they may not be passionate about. So are professors more qualified on paper…probably but gifted and effective teachers? Maybe. Maybe not.
Since high school teachers really aren’t allowed to teach anymore, it’s hard to compare.
It depends on what you mean by “qualified”.
High school teachers have had about 5-6 advanced courses in their subject(s). College professors have had about 20 advanced courses in their subjects AND looked for innovation/new elements to advance that field. In most cases, there’s a huge difference in terms of content knowledge.
High school teachers have had classes on how to use technology to teach, how to manage classes, how to handle students with disabilities or special needs, how to detect drug addiction or other issues, how to ensure everyone can learn if they try to, what to do if students don’t try, how to prepare a lesson plan, how to write a test, how to comply with a variety of rules that change frequently, etc. College professors have had nothing of the sort, although most had some basic training but nothing like what high school teachers have covered and with no obligation to take into account different needs.
College professors design their own tests/finals and are sovereign about the way they grade.
High school teachers have their students quizzed and tested through state standardized testing as well as tests they design themselves.
All in all, high school teachers have more knowledge in the art/craft of teaching, whereas college professors have more content knowledge.
No way. A lot of college professors may be knowledgeable, but do not enjoy teaching, they view it as a necessary evil for their research interests.
I concur with many comments above.
Many college professors have had little pedagogical training. Others are so focussed on research that they view teaching as a nuisance.
That said, however, some college faculty, and even some schools, take great interest in undergraduate teaching. Faculty may be encouraged or required to take courses or colloquia in pedagogy. VERY generally speaking, Masters level universities may offer a more student-focussed experience than doctoral research universities.
Many LAC s have professors chosen specifically for their ability to involve undergraduates in their research and, of course, offer superb teaching/learning.
However at large universities, it can be hit and miss.
I disagree, @MYOS1634 – even LAC teachers have to publish or perish in order to get tenure and raises. For them, teaching is as much of a distraction as it is for those at large universities. I think to claim that one system has better professors is misleading. I know many professors at LACs who are have to carry a greater burden of administrative duties (mandatory committee involvement) precisely because they’re in a smaller school with a smaller body of people to spread those responsibilities.
In general, neither one is qualified to do the other’s job. The professor has more content knowledge, but there’s a lot more to high school teaching than that.
“publication” encompasses many different levels of research. You can publish a calculus textbook critical review or a ground-breaking new theory that no one but a few mathematicians will understand. It doesn’t represent the same length and depth of the task, not the same time commitment (often because depending on the type of college where professors work, they simply don’t have the same amount of time and funds to devote to research.)
At 2-2 Research institutions, order of priority tends to be 1. research grants & publications 2. other research 3. service 4. graduate teaching 5.undergraduate teaching.
At 2-2 LACs, order of priority tends to be 1. Research grants/publications 2. Undergraduate teaching 3. Service 4. other research.
At 3-2 institutions (LACs or universities), order of priority is 1. Undergraduate teaching 2. Research grants/publications 3. Service
At 3-3, order of priority is 1- Undergraduate Teaching, 2- Research 3- Service (4. graduate teaching or other research)
At 4-4, order of priority is 1-Undergraduate Teaching, 2- Service, 3- Research
I know many universities and professors and I don’t know a single 2-2 institution that considers teaching more important than research, nor do I know a single decently ranked LAC where undergraduate teaching isn’t an essential element to being granted tenure. At some 4-4’s they’ll frankly tell you they’re not hiring you for your research skills, that you should basically do it on your own time, because they expect something published, but don’t care all that much.
This is reflected in the way professors are evaluated and promoted. At a 2-2 research institutions, you won’t be promoted if 1+2 are average, no matter how excellent 4+5 are. 5 can be added to problems in 1+2 leading to a decision to pre-tenure dismiss or non promotion, but is never sufficient for promoting or retaining a professor. Good teaching is expected but is cherry on the cake. You can absolutely be promoted if you bring in grants no matter how terrible at teaching you are.
At elite LACs, you won’t be retained nor promoted if your teaching is lackluster, no matter how excellent your research is, but you won’t be promoted if your research isn’t up to snuff.
At directionals, service and undergraduate teaching will be the most important elements of your evaluation. Good research is expected but isn’t crucial since the schedule is so teaching-intensive.
HS teaching requires stronger “classroom management” skills. Generally professors have more depth in the subject area. Other than that, I think you find strong and weak teaching skills in both groups.
Perhaps the point of the question may be specifically with respect to high school AP courses and college frosh level courses covering the same material, taught by high school teachers to advanced high school students and college instructors to college students. But this material is not so advanced that the greater content knowledge of college faculty (and PhD student TAs) is that big of an (or any) advantage compared to a high school teacher with a BA/BS in the subject plus a teaching credential.
However, the classroom environment, student maturity, class format, and grading methods can differ significantly even for the same material being covered, and high school teachers and college instructors teach differently based on those factors. Of course, there are good and bad high school teachers and college instructors.
^ I disagree that advanced academic study is of little benefit in the teaching of freshmen level courses. There are many aspects of psych or econ 101 level classes where PhD studies bring a deeper understanding of even basic material. But the students may not be aware of the differences.
While some college professors use textbooks they’ve written, the majority do not. Publications required of college professors take many forms, not just textbooks.
High school teachers do not “just get a license”, they are typically required to have a degree in the subject they are teaching PLUS a certain amount of education courses. In some states teachers are required to have a Masters or equivalent. Because they have studied a subject at the collegiate level, the expectation is they understand the subject enough to teach at the high school (or for some AP) level.
College professors do not have any training in education as part of their studies. They learn on the job, but the expectations for their students are much higher than for high school students. College professors do have advanced degrees, which means they have mastered their subject matter at a level at which they can teach to college students. They will have research experience, but not many have experience working outside of academia.
The teaching styles, students, methods and requirements are different for both. Which is why the qualifications are different. High school teachers are still teaching at a broad level, while college professors are much more specialized (for example, in high school you just take a general approach to Chemistry taught by one teacher. In college different teachers teach Organic, Inorganic, Physical, Biochem, and so on. It requires a much deeper level of knowledge to teach at.that specialized level).
Depends.
My son’s private HS had a practicing vet for biology. Did it on his own time and amazing.
An architect (same school) taught drafting. Another amazing professional giving his time to teach.
The public middle school math teacher was an engineer who had changed careers. He started so many new programs that I’m still in awe. Truly donated his time to teaching. An amazing individual.
My science teacher years ago was a nurse and inspired me to go into science.
My HS calculus teacher was a retired colonel who taught in the army (and ran the class that way! Man, did we learn!
His focus was to run the class as a college course so we’d be ready. It worked. A blessing.
OTOH—I had a college professor with 100 plus patents–who couldn’t teach his way out of a paper bag. Literally.
Had a college professor who was SO bad that he was summarily fired after the semester. I can’t even describe. And that was back in the days…
There are born teachers. Who can learn a subject.
There are people who know their subjects and can learn to teach it.
Just stay clear of the NON teachers no matter how much they know!
^^^ There are outliers in every scenario. This particular question was asking in generalities.
In general, based on the requirements for each, I’d say high school teachers are qualified to teach at the high school level. College professors are qualified to teach at the college level. The disciplines are not the same, so why would the requirements be?
It depends. But if you will rate it, I think that most of the answer is yes. Because honestly speaking college professors have more experiences than the high school teachers.
No, it depends. They can say that professors are better than high school teacher because of their degree in masteral. But, if we can assess it they are both qualified.