Thank you, Missouri State Teachers Association, for linking to this article about a new route to teacher certification through the Denver Public Schools. Prospective teachers can spend 10 months in the classroom working under a mentor teacher, complete coursework for a master’s degree, and receive certification — provided they agree to work for the district for five years.

This doesn’t look that far removed from traditional certification, because of the coursework requirement, but I do think it’s a step in the right direction. Working in a classroom from the very start of the certification process will give people a better idea of whether teaching is the right job for them. And it will add a practical dimension to the training process, providing balance to the theoretical education courses. It may even introduce some competition into the profession, if more people are attracted to the apprenticeship than to traditional routes.