PP4: Troops to Teachers

I just read about this on the bbc website (I'm on a 12 hour coach journey atm and have time to spare) and thought it sounded great. Troops to Teachers is a US scheme in which service personal with a degree and more than ten years experience are re-trained as teachers. Results so far are said to be impressive and they have a higher rentention rate than your average teacher too (although this is probably just because they already on to their second career).

In an age where school discipline is said to be sliding, and knife and drug use are almost certainly on the increase, there is a case to be made for their presence. Experience with dealing with unruly teens and that self confidence that is drummed into all recruits should do wonders for Britain's fatherless youth. I think strong male (and female) role models can and will make a difference. Perhaps the scheme should be broadend to include former members of the emergency services too.

Some might worry our kids will be led astray by war hungry monsters bent on indoctrinating the next wave of soldiers. This shouldn't be a concern, after ten years in the services I would happily bet that many of them are just as pink as their union loving commie colleages will be.

I have long thought that teachers could do with a dose of reality before entering the profession. How can a teacher prepare a child for the world if they themselves have gone straight from student to teacher, bypassing reality all together?

I'll admit that I myself am now considering taking up teaching and find myself in that exact situation. In defense I see it as a skill I can acquire now and rely on to always find me work, where ever I end up. But my plan is to then leave the profession and do what I was REALLY born to do!(?) Before returning and helping shape the next generation in my image when I'm old and grey.

But no, a similar Troops to Teachers scheme in the UK would work well I feel (and give some of our troops a viable future). Thankfully the Conservatives have already backed the plan and hopefully it will crop up in a manifesto near you.

America has all the best ideas.