Being a Teacher
Although teaching, from the outside looking in, appears
simpler than it actually is, there are many challenges a teacher
faces throughout his or her career. Despite these difficulties, there
are also many rewards. As I consider this field for my future
career, I will discover some of the most important aspects, such
as the beginnings of teaching, how the profession has evolved
and where teaching is headed in the future. Also it is
important to note the availability of jobs and education you must
acquire before becoming a certified teacher.
Since the beginning of time, teachers have covered the earth.
In the earlier years, informal teachers, parents, who taught their
children about the world. The early mothers and fathers also taught
their children how to survive, a means of getting food, and which
pathways to avoid. Of course, informal teachers to this day, aren't
paid anything but are only awarded the satisfaction of raising a
human being.
Next in the order of educational institutions came the one
room school house. Teachers of 1872 were required to complete
certain tasks before the day's session. The teacher, after arriving
in the morning, was required to fill lamps and clean the chimney, in
addition to building a fire. Their duties weren't terribly taxing.
However the limitation that were put on their social life seem a bit
unusual, compared to today's standards. For instance, a male
teacher could devote one night a week to courting a lady, two if he
attended church regularly. Wemen who got married or "engaged in
unseemly conduct" were dismissed.
After the teacher spent ten hours on studies, they were required to
read the Bible or other good books. Teachers were required to set
aside large amounts of their pay so that after they retired, the
wouldn't become a "burden on society."
Teachers were never allowed to drink, smoke, go to pools, public
halls, or revceive a shave in barber shop. If the teachers abided by
all these outrageous rules, they were eligible for a .25 cents, a
week raise, with the approval of the Board of Education.
(www.columiagorge.com)
One such case was that of Marilyn Callen, born in
Nebraska, who always knew she wanted to be an educator.
After two years of college, she began teaching at the local two
room school house in the country. Her first year was 1937.
Marilyn was only 25 when she began. She taught grades
The first training facility for teachers dates back to 1785. Many others came about between 1785 and the early 1800’s. It was not until the mid 1830’s that these teacher preparation schools became state subsidized. In the year 1839 the first state normal school was established, two others would follow the next year. Also, during the 1830’s and 1840’s, there was a movement to replace tuition schools with common schools. This created two different types of schools: rural, one room school houses, and city schools (Angus).
The word “teacher” doesn’t describe just those professionals who work in America’s public and private schools, but the term also includes those people who serve any sort of positive influence and direction in someone’s life. Parents, older siblings, ministers, coaches, friends, etc.,
Teaching is one of the most well-known professions all around the world. However, it is also extremely underestimated, especially when it comes to teaching elementary school students. Jenny Peters, writer of the article Confessions of An Elementary School Teacher, observes that it is indeed a “challenging career” that in the end has “immeasurable rewards” (1). However, no matter what you have to do, it seems as though those rewards overrule anything and everything as long as your heart is in it, not only for the students, but for the drive to teach them and lead them to bigger and brighter futures.
In a society where kids must go to school up to the collegiate level, teaching is an impactful career choice. Teachers help contour the minds of future leaders of the world. Furthermore, teachers play a crucial role in guiding students to the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to succeed in life, and teachers lead students to make informed decisions on any topic the meet in the future. As a teacher, a person must relinquish their knowledge onto students. Finally, they must prepare their students for all the obstacles they will face later in life.
There is no more critical role in our current society than that of a teacher’s. Teachers help shape the minds of the future. Tomorrow's engineers, scientists, politicians, and educators are all greatly influenced by today's instructors. Without teachers society would not be anywhere near where it is now, and only a select few would have access to learning. Sadly however important teachers are in human civilization, they are still drastically understated, unrecognized and under paid.
It is expected that the profession of teaching embraces many qualities of any other professional practice. Teachers must possess a combination of many qualities beginning with a strong academic background and wide-ranging knowledge. The National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching (2003) it is the knowledge of students, curriculum, subject matter, pedagogy, education – related legislation and the specifically teaching context that is the foundation on effective teaching, and a firm foundation on which to construct well educated judgments.
There are many rewards that come along while being a teacher; however it is key to note that it is not a role to be taken lightly. It is a difficult role to fill. Teachers need to appreciate that every child learns differently. No matter their socioeconomic status, culture, or gender, as teachers we have to inspire and have a level field in your classrooms. Teachers are faced with many challenges and issues that they may not know what to do, but the most important thing during these challenges is to not give up on the student.
As an education major at State College, I’ve decided to become a teacher for several reasons. As I progressed through elementary, middle, and high school, many of my teachers were great role models for me. This has inspired me to become a role model for someone in the near future. My love for science and math has also influenced my desire to teach and make a difference in a child’s life. I want to teach students the subjects that I love so much. I want the feeling that I helped a child accomplish or learn something they couldn’t understand. One of the main reasons I want to become an educator is because I feel education has really lost teachers who truly love teaching and those who truly love teaching and those who have the desire to make a difference. I feel I can really help make a difference in the education world and bring back the love to teach.
Doctors, lawyers, politicians, and engineers. How did they all get to where they are today? No matter the position someone may hold in society everyone has progressed to where they are in life because they had a teacher, someone who taught them in the way they should go. Teacher as defined in the dictionary as one who instructs. To teach someone is to communicate skills and give instruction. Today I would like to tell you why I would like to become a teacher. Specifically speaking I will tell you what has led me to this decision and why I want to become a teacher.
Becoming a teacher has been the ultimate aspiration for myself since the first day I walked into kindergarten. As a very timid student, it was a difficult task transitioning from being with my mother everyday, to being part of a classroom environment full of strangers. However, my kindergarten teacher helped me through this transition smoothly, and adequately. I very quickly learned to love school. Soon after, I knew I would aspire to become a teacher. I would spend countless hours at home with a blackboard, acting as a teacher to my imaginary students throughout my elementary school years.
Being a teacher is not an easy task as many people could think. To be a teacher does not only imply to know the subject to be taught, it also includes being willing to constantly improve oneself integrally, as much as updating the resources and materials one uses in teaching. Reflecting and analyzing over and over again the best way to teach to learn and how to make students to extend what has been learned. The many hours spend in the classroom will never be enough to plan lessons, prepare materials, review pupils tasks and exams, as well, all the administrative requirements one has to cover for whatever institution we work. Besides all this a good teacher, a professional one, will have to find the time to keep preparing to improve oneself.
Teaching is a daunting task that I do not intend to take lightly. Becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for several years. I always knew that teaching would be the career for me, especially when I began working in the school system as a substitute secretary. I loved working in the school environment; coming in contact with children everyday made me realize how much I would enjoy teaching a classroom full of students.
Teachers hold a very sensitive role in the modern civilized society. Regarded as social engineers, teachers possess immense knowledge on various issues that affect our daily lives as a community of human beings. Though in many countries including the developed ones, teachers are poorly remunerated they make invaluable contributions to their communities, to society and to the world at large, engaging in yeoman services with selfless love and dedication that could only be considered priceless. This paper serves to explore some of the social contributions that teachers make to the modern civilized society.
“Teaching is often a difficult process, but the end result is very rewarding. Watching a child develop confidence and seeing a student progress in their studies is a very exciting process. Teaching young children is especially great because it is setting a foundation for life-long learning.”(Chronicle guidance publications). What is teaching? A teacher is a person who provides education for pupils (children), or students (adults) using lectures, audiovisual aids, demonstrations, and computers to present academic, social, and motor skills. Teachers can also teach foreign languages, art, kids with special needs, and P.E. Teaching has changed a lot compared to the traditional methods of just lectures and textbooks. Students now are encouraged to actively learn through groups or individual projects. They have learning games, debates, and experiments to help them through the learning process. Being a teacher would be a great career for anyone who wants to further themselves, to help people, and to have great benefits (chronicle guidance publications).
I believe that teaching is the most important profession in the world. How else can we continue to develop in such a technical world, or in any other way, for that matter? Without the transfer of knowledge to young minds, we will stagnate and wither as a world. Teaching is hope for better, more successful futures. Learning is hope for becoming better individuals, for gaining intelligence, and for implementing practical experiences in our future. Since we always tell our children that they should plan for their futures and work to realize those goals, the teaching profession should “practice what it preaches” by helping young people to reach those goals. Teaching reading during the past five years has been rewarding beyond my imagination. I have watched non-readers become readers, I have watched scores and student confidence improve, and I have been part of that change. What a reward!