I read the letters from Ian Small and Adam Green (TES, September 19) regarding the debate on class of degrees, and found many of my own thoughts echoed therein.
Some of my acquaintances have firsts and by their own admission would not make good school teachers. A whole range of qualities is needed to be an effective classroom teacher - academic ability alone will not see you through, especially in the more “challenging” schools.
Subject knowledge and an enthusiasm for it are certainly vital but by no means the only prerequisite for good teaching.
I have also read recently in The THES that degree classification is going to be scrapped or revised. Will this not affect matters?
Ian Small put his finger on the pulse when he mentioned the example of Jesus Christ as a good teacher - and he didn’t publish much either. I believe Shakespeare never went to university, as far as we know; Einstein didn’t gain an exceptional degree and Watson (the joint discoverer of DNA) had a 2:2. Need I go on?
HARRY HARRIS
4 Grassy Bank Tenbury Wells Worcestershire
