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Teaching as a Profession Essay

Teaching is a respected profession which demands consistency and patience. Educators are not only seen as knowledge distributors but also mentors and role models. This article “ Teaching as a Profession Essay” sheds light on the value of such teachers and what the world would be without them. Let’s get started with the importance of teaching profession.

Many teachers dedicate all their lives to empowering students and making them better and more successful human beings in their lives. Furthermore, they even help them financially so that they’re not left behind in life. These are those children who can never afford to be admitted to coaching classes for competitive exams. Anand Kumar teaches, guides, and motivates students to dream big and fulfil those dreams.

Table of Contents

Some Respected Teachers in History

The first Anand Kumar from Super 30 (played by Hrithik Roshan) made a record of selecting 18 students for IIT out of 30 students.

The next example in front of us is Siva Subramania Iyer. He was the teacher of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and he was responsible for giving India its Missile Man. He taught him to fly high and inspired him to make it big.

Thus, not only teaching a profession a thing to pursue but also a passion that can take you to heights.

What is a Teaching Profession?

We all know what it is teaching profession. But still, we need to be aware of the importance of teaching profession. They mentor and motivate students to perform well in their studies and be passionate about their careers.

Let’s explain teaching as a profession. Teaching is a job made to make students more capable and teach important academic and life lessons even about values like respect, sharing, ethical values, and cultures.

Teachers are the ones who teach students to live life with discipline and high value and also play a crucial role in shaping the minds and lives of students, allowing them to attain knowledge, skills, and values crucial for personal and intellectual growth.

Importance of Teaching Profession

Teaching is the most desirable Profession nowadays. The importance of the Teaching Profession incorporates tomfoolery and learning together. Being in the teaching profession doesn’t mean you have to share your knowledge.

Teachers play a vital role in student’s life by assisting them with achieving their goals. Therefore, choosing the Teaching Profession offers perpetual career opportunities. However, Teaching isn’t the only Profession; in fact, it is the activity to serve education. Let’s check out the reasons explaining the importance of teaching profession in this “Teaching as a Profession Essay”.

Improves Communication Abilities

Teaching is a systematic strategy to communicate with more and more people. In this manner, being in the teaching profession will improve communication abilities. Therefore, one can interact more confidently with others.

Fun and learning together

Among all careers and professions, we found teaching much better. The Importance of the Teaching Profession is that one can have fun and learn together. Other than training students, teachers can be involved in other educational program activities.

Experience To Handle Various Youngsters

School or college is a place where various students with various mentalities reach. The teacher should have the ability to handle all youngsters normal, savvy, or physically disabled.

Brilliant Organization Abilities

The teaching profession makes one multi-tasker; notwithstanding teaching academics to students, teachers, and Organizational abilities. Being organized means one can manage time and resources proficiently and really for improved productivity.

Ethical And Restrained

One characteristic of the teaching profession involves morals and discipline. Teachers teach ethical values which make students more focused.

Setting up Role Models for Others

Being a teacher isn’t a lot of complex however being a favorite of all is what matters. Teachers should inspire students to find their secret talents and achieve their aims. An inspired teacher can make students motivated by setting up Role models.

Assemble Future Leaders

Teachers are the source of affecting tomorrow’s leaders.

Inspire and Influence

Teachers have the added responsibility of shaping the future generation and also have an opportunity to make a distinction. They will have the exceptional opportunity to guide a mass in the correct direction.

Improvement and Learning

It will associate with young, curious, personalities all day, you would actually want to propel yourself and get better consistently. At the point when you are in an environment that asks a lot of questions and is curious, you grow and develop consistently.

Work Satisfaction

Teaching provides job satisfaction that resembles no other and the joy of making a distinction and making a change in the correct direction is like no other.

Teaching is a deferential job and look up to teachers for work. They guide and direct students and also they inspire and shape future generations.

Potential for Growth

It is a clear career path with a lot of opportunities and with online teaching apps and virtual classrooms on the rise you can teach from the comfort of your home and without any geographical restrictions.

Role of a teacher

While writing an essay on teaching as a profession, the role of a teacher must be included. Teachers should find different ways to teach students and apply them in teaching so that the maximum information and knowledge reach the students.

They are responsible not just for teaching the syllabus but also for inspiring students by exchanging thoughts, sharing a bond, and being with them in every up and down.

Teaching skills, knowledge, personality, and ways of imparting pieces of information are some factors that affect the learning patterns of students. It helps teachers to become successful teachers and mentors for their students.

Academic Path For A Teacher

To pursue teaching as a profession, you can follow some of the below-mentioned ways:

Nursery Teacher

To become a teacher of pre-primary, you should complete your 12th and pursue a Nursery Teacher Training (NTT) course of 1-year duration. You can also go for a Kindergarten Training Program or a Montessori Teacher Training program for about 9 months to 1 year. Even after completing graduation, you can opt for these courses. With the right qualifications and skills, you can try your career in teaching.

Also, by pursuing the child development program of Anganwadi Workers (AWW) – Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), you can begin your career as a teacher in Anganwadi.

Primary School Teacher

In the primary section of teaching, you can have the chance to teach students a variety of subjects and enhance the learning experience. If you want to make your career as a teacher for primary classes, then you have the following options:

The option of a Primary Teacher Training (PTT) program of a 2-year duration is also available for pursuing.

You can also take part in the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) to get recruited as Primary School Teachers in Government schools and Government primary schools.

Secondary and Higher Secondary School Teachers

If you want to be a teacher of higher secondary classes then you can do a Master’s degree after graduation and then pursue a B.Ed. degree.

If you want to qualify as a teacher for central government-run schools, then the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) will be the option for you. CTET is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for applicants to be eligible to be a teacher at the secondary and higher secondary levels.

You can also opt for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) or a State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) for recruiting secondary-level and higher-secondary-level teachers.

College and University Teacher

If you want to teach students in colleges or universities or want to be called a lecturer in government or private colleges and universities, then follow the available options:

How to Become a College or University Teacher?

If you want to choose teaching as a career in a college or university, you must get a degree in a Master’s program.

Once you complete a Master’s degree, you can apply for the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). NET requires a postgraduate degree and a certification of eligibility for entrance.

It is an essay on the teaching profession that can help you on your pathway to becoming a teacher.

Characteristics of Teaching

However, many teachers teach in schools/academies/Institutions or colleges, yet not all may prevail with regards to being great teachers for students. So, what are the characteristics of the Teaching Profession that make teachers more successful in the classroom?

Those who enjoy investing energy with youngsters and will make others educated with their abilities can choose Teaching as a Profession.

To become an exemplary teacher, one may possess relevant qualities like creating a dynamic environment, being adaptable, and kind, classroom management, a good comical inclination, an active personality, being Innovative, calm demeanor, experience, and so on.

Teachers’ unions and teachers’ associations

In most countries, there is one major teachers’ organization to which all or nearly all teachers belong and pay duty. Sometimes participation is obligatory, sometimes voluntary.

In the former Soviet Union, where a significant part of the political and social existence of the people had been organized around unions, there were three teachers’ unions — preschool teachers, primary and secondary school teachers, and teachers in advanced education. These unions provided pensions, vacation pay, and debilitated leave pay and in this way touched the welfare of teachers at many points.

England, for example, has two distinct associations for male and female secondary school teachers, two unique associations for male and female headmasters of secondary schools, and a separate Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions.

These associations are parallel to the National Union of Teachers, which is open to any qualified teacher from nursery school to college level. The National Union has no political affiliation except for being politically powerful by its own doing.

France, in contrast, has a wide variety of teachers’ organizations, with various political leanings, however, they do not manage everything well together and are politically less successful.

In this “Teaching as a Profession Essay”, we learn the importance of teaching profession and how to explain teaching as a profession. Teaching provides a way to give back to society and teachers have so much potential in the field, that they should be given every opportunity possible to use it.

Teaching is a profession of imparting knowledge and skills to students in a way that will help them achieve their full potential and such as teaching can be an incredibly rewarding career. Teaching is one of the few professions that allow you to work with children and then retire from the same occupation while still young.

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Essay on Teaching Profession & Its Benefits

Teaching is an often under-appreciated profession, but the impact of a good teacher cannot be overstated. Teachers are an essential part of society, shaping the next generation’s future.

Teaching also provides a chance for personal growth and development as well as the ability to make a difference in lives. This essay will explore some benefits of teaching profession.

Essay on Teaching Profession

A good teacher is not only knowledgeable on the topic but also has a set of relationships with the students that go beyond the classroom.

Teaching might not be an easy task but it is an important one. Teaching can change someone’s life by teaching them new skills or providing them with a more thorough understanding of something they were previously confused about.

1 – Why teaching is important?

Teachers make a real difference in the lives of people who are ill or suffering. Students learn to develop their own learning styles Students get to know one another and develop social skills and begin to know their place in the world.

Teaching is important because it makes a huge impact on development of society or a country. It is a profession that has the ability make a stronger nation.

2 – Reasons to Become a Teacher

The role of the teacher is to be a caretaker of others; responsible for bringing out the best in everyone you come into contact with. There may be a lot of reasons to become a teacher but some are listed here.

3 – Teaching is Great for Personal Growth

These lessons are crucial to a child’s life and can help mold the next generation of successful people. Teaching Makes you a better person. One of the best things about teaching is that it makes you a better person.

Children inspire teachers and, in turn, they can teach children to follow their dreams, achieve their goals, and be independent. By teaching students, you can inspire the students you once were. As a teacher, you have the opportunity to teach students the value of education and the joys of learning.

4 – Benefits of Teaching

The job satisfaction level of teaching is particularly high. Many teachers tell us that they are really able to connect with their students and share a passion for what they are learning.

In addition to developing other professional skills, teaching also allows students to learn the essential skills necessary for success in college and in life.

Research shows that children are more successful when they are taught at a younger age, and it is generally recommended that teachers serve from 6 to 18 years of age.

Teaching also provides opportunities for personal growth and development.

5 – The Need for Teachers

In fact, the vast majority of students who need teachers are not even aware that they need them.

In a culture where children learn at a faster rate, they want more hands-on learning experiences. At present, America’s children spend less time studying and doing traditional lessons and more time doing research, in comparison to their counterparts in other countries.

The teacher’s role in this situation is to provide this hands-on learning experience. Being able to instill in children an enthusiasm for learning is what teachers do best, and the best teacher in the world is one who inspires children to learn.

6 – Challenges of teaching

Teaching is a stressful job, which means that some people are discouraged and turn down the opportunity to teach. However, teachers do not have much time off, since the students usually need to meet with them on a daily basis. Therefore, they have to be at their best and available. The job also requires a lot of patience, because students can be difficult to deal with. Experience of teaching Teaching requires a high level of knowledge, and a good knowledge of the subject of study is necessary. Many teachers also need a thorough knowledge of the educational system in the country they teach in. Teachers also have to be able to read and write in multiple languages, which may be a challenge in the Philippines.

Teaching jobs come with a lot of challenges and stress. Some of these challenges are occupational and some are related to age. Regardless of the challenges you face, the biggest challenges facing teachers are the following: Overcrowding Class sizes are high, especially in public schools. In addition to the extra people in your classes, some schools have open classrooms that are designed so that students can come in and out at will. As a result, teachers spend a lot of time with their students when it is not a class period. This is important to learn about so that you can set up a classroom that will be able to function well. You can train your students in the art of teaching so that they can accomplish more on their own. Relationships Teaching is a way to be in a community.

7 – Teaching as a career

Teaching may be the most popular career option in the United States. Even though the job market has not been as favorable to young people as many may think, many remain devoted to teaching. Having a job as a teacher means that you can also be a job seeker. It is important to consider all of the factors before deciding on a career, especially if you plan on staying at one position for the rest of your life. Other careers Teaching may not be the most popular choice for young people, but it is not out of the question. Other options include becoming a police officer, a teacher in a foreign language, or a nurse.

8 – How to become a teacher

As the link between life and education, the teaching profession is not something that you can just wake up and decide to do. You must be attracted to the teaching field and have a great passion for it. In a market where many people are on the lookout for teaching jobs, you must be outstanding in what you do in order to win the position. In the last 15 years, there has been a steady increase in

9 – Conclusion

Teaching provides a way to give back to society and to help improve the lives of those who come after us. Since teachers have so much potential in the field, they should be given every opportunity possible to use it. Don’t let yourself be left out of the perfect opportunity. Be the one to bring change and be the one to inspire others. Become a teacher, and it will change your life.

Teaching is the profession of imparting knowledge and skills to students in a way that will help them achieve their full potential. As such, teaching can be an incredibly rewarding career. What’s more, teaching is one of the few professions that allow you to work with children and then retire from the same occupation while still young. Teaching gives you the chance to make a lasting impact on the world by inspiring a new generation of thinkers and leaders. Teaching is also a way for people to find meaning in their lives after struggling in other areas.

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Essay on Teaching As A Profession – Short & Long Essay Examples

Essay on Teaching As A Profession: Teaching is often considered one of the noblest professions, as educators play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of young individuals. In this essay, we will explore the various aspects of teaching as a profession, including the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards that come with the job. From inspiring students to fostering a love of learning, teaching requires dedication, patience, and a genuine passion for helping others succeed. Join us as we delve into the world of teaching as a profession.

Table of Contents

Teaching As A Profession Essay Writing Tips

1. Start by introducing the topic of teaching as a profession and why it is important in society. You can mention the impact teachers have on shaping the future generation and the role they play in educating and inspiring students.

2. Provide a brief overview of the history of teaching as a profession, highlighting how it has evolved over the years and the increasing demands and challenges that teachers face in today’s world.

3. Discuss the qualities and skills required to be an effective teacher. This can include patience, empathy, communication skills, subject knowledge, and the ability to adapt teaching methods to meet the needs of diverse learners.

4. Explain the importance of ongoing professional development for teachers. This can include attending workshops, conferences, and pursuing advanced degrees to stay current with best practices in education.

5. Discuss the impact of technology on teaching as a profession. Highlight how teachers are incorporating technology into their lessons to enhance learning and engage students in new ways.

6. Address the challenges and rewards of being a teacher. This can include long hours, low pay, and dealing with difficult students, as well as the satisfaction of seeing students succeed and making a positive impact on their lives.

7. Provide examples of successful teachers who have made a difference in their students’ lives and in the education system. This can help illustrate the importance and value of teaching as a profession.

8. Discuss the future of teaching as a profession and how it may continue to evolve in response to changing educational trends and societal needs.

9. Conclude your essay by summarizing the key points you have discussed and reiterating the importance of teaching as a profession in shaping the future of society.

10. Remember to proofread your essay for grammar and spelling errors before submitting it. Make sure your ideas are well-organized and supported with evidence and examples to make a compelling argument for teaching as a profession.

Essay on Teaching As A Profession in 10 Lines – Examples

1. Teaching is a noble profession that involves shaping the minds of future generations. 2. Teachers play a crucial role in imparting knowledge, skills, and values to students. 3. The profession requires patience, dedication, and a passion for helping others learn. 4. Teachers must continuously adapt to new teaching methods and technologies to keep up with the changing educational landscape. 5. Effective communication and interpersonal skills are essential for building relationships with students and parents. 6. Teachers must have a deep understanding of their subject matter and be able to convey complex concepts in a way that is easily understood by students. 7. The profession offers opportunities for professional growth and development through ongoing training and education. 8. Teachers have the power to inspire and motivate students to reach their full potential. 9. The impact of a good teacher can last a lifetime, influencing students long after they have left the classroom. 10. Despite the challenges and demands of the profession, teaching can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling for those who are passionate about education.

Sample Essay on Teaching As A Profession in 100-180 Words

Teaching is a noble profession that requires dedication, passion, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the minds of future generations, imparting knowledge and skills that will help students succeed in their personal and professional lives.

As a profession, teaching requires continuous professional development to stay current with best practices and educational trends. Teachers must also possess strong communication skills, empathy, and the ability to connect with students on a personal level.

Despite the challenges and demands of the profession, teaching can be incredibly rewarding. The impact that teachers have on their students can be profound, shaping their beliefs, values, and aspirations for the future.

In conclusion, teaching is not just a job, but a calling that requires a deep sense of purpose and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

Short Essay on Teaching As A Profession in 200-500 Words

Teaching is often considered one of the noblest professions in the world. It involves shaping the minds of young individuals and preparing them for the future. Teaching is not just a job, but a calling that requires dedication, passion, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of students.

One of the key aspects of teaching as a profession is the impact that teachers have on their students. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the future of their students by imparting knowledge, instilling values, and fostering critical thinking skills. They serve as mentors, role models, and guides, helping students navigate through the challenges of academic life and beyond.

Teaching is a profession that requires continuous learning and growth. Teachers are constantly updating their knowledge and skills to keep up with the latest developments in their field. They attend workshops, conferences, and seminars to enhance their teaching techniques and strategies. They also collaborate with colleagues to share best practices and learn from each other.

Another important aspect of teaching as a profession is the sense of fulfillment that comes from seeing students succeed. Teachers take pride in the achievements of their students, whether it be academic success, personal growth, or overcoming challenges. The joy of witnessing a student’s “aha” moment or seeing them reach their full potential is a rewarding experience that keeps teachers motivated and inspired.

Teaching is also a profession that requires patience, empathy, and understanding. Teachers work with students from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles. They must be able to adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of each individual student and create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Teachers must also be able to handle difficult situations with grace and professionalism, such as dealing with challenging behavior or supporting students through personal struggles.

Despite the many rewards of teaching, it is also a profession that comes with its own set of challenges. Teachers often face long hours, heavy workloads, and limited resources. They must juggle multiple responsibilities, from lesson planning and grading to parent meetings and extracurricular activities. Teaching can be emotionally and physically demanding, requiring resilience, perseverance, and a strong support system.

In conclusion, teaching is a profession that requires a unique combination of skills, qualities, and dedication. It is a rewarding and fulfilling career that offers the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of students. While teaching may have its challenges, the joy of seeing students grow and succeed makes it all worth it. Teachers are not just educators, but mentors, advocates, and inspirations who shape the future generation.

Essay on Teaching As A Profession in 1000-1500 Words

Teaching is often regarded as one of the noblest professions in the world. It is a profession that plays a crucial role in shaping the future of individuals and society as a whole. Teachers are not just educators, but also mentors, role models, and guides who have the power to inspire and empower their students. In this essay, we will explore the various aspects of teaching as a profession and why it is considered so important.

First and foremost, teaching is a profession that requires a high level of dedication, passion, and commitment. Teachers are responsible for imparting knowledge and skills to their students, and they play a key role in helping them achieve their full potential. A good teacher is not just someone who imparts information, but also someone who inspires and motivates their students to learn and grow. Teaching requires patience, empathy, and the ability to connect with students on a personal level. It is a profession that demands constant learning and self-improvement, as teachers need to stay updated with the latest developments in their field and adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students.

Teaching is also a profession that requires a high level of expertise and skill. Teachers need to have a deep understanding of their subject matter, as well as the ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear and engaging manner. They need to be able to create a positive and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued and respected. Teachers also need to be able to assess the progress of their students and provide constructive feedback to help them improve. In addition, teachers need to be able to manage their classroom effectively, handle disciplinary issues, and work collaboratively with parents, colleagues, and other stakeholders to ensure the success of their students.

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of students. Teachers have the power to inspire and empower their students, to help them discover their passions and talents, and to guide them towards a successful and fulfilling future. Teachers often form close relationships with their students, and they have the privilege of witnessing their growth and development over time. The impact of a good teacher can last a lifetime, as students carry the lessons they have learned and the values they have imbibed with them into adulthood.

Teaching is also a profession that offers a great deal of personal satisfaction and fulfillment. The joy of seeing a student grasp a difficult concept, the pride of watching them succeed in their endeavors, and the gratitude of knowing that you have made a difference in someone’s life are all rewards that come with being a teacher. Teaching is a profession that allows you to use your talents and skills to make a positive impact on the world, and it provides a sense of purpose and meaning that is hard to find in other professions.

Despite the many rewards of teaching, it is also a profession that comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties. Teachers often have to deal with large class sizes, limited resources, and diverse student populations with varying needs and abilities. They have to juggle multiple responsibilities, from lesson planning and grading to parent meetings and extracurricular activities. Teaching can be physically and emotionally demanding, and it requires a great deal of resilience and perseverance to succeed in this profession.

Another challenge that teachers face is the lack of recognition and support that they often receive. Teaching is a profession that is often undervalued and underpaid, especially in comparison to other professions that require similar levels of education and expertise. Teachers are often asked to do more with less, and they are frequently subjected to criticism and scrutiny from parents, administrators, and policymakers. Despite these challenges, however, teachers continue to do their best to provide a quality education to their students and to make a positive impact on their lives.

In conclusion, teaching is a profession that is both challenging and rewarding. It requires a high level of dedication, expertise, and skill, as well as a deep commitment to the well-being and success of students. Teachers have the power to inspire, empower, and guide their students towards a brighter future, and they play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and innovators. Despite the challenges that they face, teachers continue to work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of their students and to create a better world for future generations. Teaching is not just a profession, but a calling, and those who choose to answer that call have the power to change the world for the better.

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Teaching as a Profession

First Online: 01 January 2014

Cite this chapter

A. Reis Monteiro 2

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Education ((BRIEFSEDUCAT))

1977 Accesses

5 Citations

According to international and national reports and studies, the overall status of the teaching profession is not very prestigious (and indeed far from it), as already mentioned. Underlying its widely degraded status—and being decisive for its future—is the crux of grasping its very identity. Teachers should consider themselves and be considered as professionals of the right to education and of pedagogic communication, the centre of gravity of their professionalism being interpersonal relationship. At the core of the teaching profession is its unique and far-reaching ethical dimension. The improvement of its quality should therefore begin at … the beginning. The human quality of the candidates to exercising the profession should be taken into account when deciding on the criteria for entering professional education and evaluating professional performance. Besides selection, education and evaluation, improving the quality of the teaching profession should also include other aspects of its professional and social status, such as working conditions, as well as pay and career perspectives, without overlooking the relevance of school management. The future of the teaching profession is obviously tied to that of the school. Teachers should become professionals of example. Professional exemplarity should be understood as an exceptional incarnation of a blend of qualities, values and knowledge. The teaching profession should be principally responsible for attracting the best human beings. How? by means of outstanding professional self-governing bodies, composed of people holding a passionate and inspiring vision.

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Teachers as Active Contributors in Quality of Education: A Special Reference to the Finnish Context

Teaching Effectiveness in Spain: Towards an Evidence–Based Approach for Informing Policymakers

Teaching and Teacher Education: The Need to Go Beyond Rhetoric

www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_162259.pdf .

www.metlife.com/assets/cao/foundation/MetLife-Teacher-Survey-2012.pdf .

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/education-philosophy .

See the database of the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions (CSEP, created in 1976), Illinois Institute of Technology (USA) ( http://ethics.iit.edu/codes/coe.html ).

Kindly made electronically available by OAJ (February 2013).

www.cpa.ca/cpasite/userfiles/Documents/Canadian%20Code%20of%20Ethics%20for%20Psycho.pdf .

www.acm.org/serving/se/code.htm#full .

www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp .

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations refers to its Code of Ethics as a “Meta-Code” ( www.efpa.be/ethics.php ).

www.acm.org/constitution/code.html .

www.cpa.ca/publications .

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13084andURL_DO=DO_TOPICandURL_SECTION=201.html .

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13144andURL_DO=DO_TOPICandURL_SECTION=201.html .

www.ei-ie.org/en/websections/content_detail/3270 .

EI is a world Federation of about 400 professional organizations in the education field, representative of about 30 million professionals in more than 170 countries and territories. www.ei-ie.org/worldcongress/docs/WC04Res_DeclarationProfEthics_e.pdf .

Teachercodes.iiep.unesco.org/index.php?lang = EN.

www.iiep.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Cap_Dev_Training/Virtual_Institute/pdf/Forums/IIEP-UNESCO_Forum_Teacher_Codes_Report.pdf .

The philosopher Olivier Reboul (1925–1992) said that “every teacher is a teacher of Morals, even without his or her knowing” ( 1971 , p. 109).

www.nbpts.org/UserFiles/File/what_teachers.pdf

The NBPTS webpage reads:

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, known simply as National Board, is an independent, nonprofit organization. It was formed in 1987 to advance the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching, creating a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards and integrating board-certified teachers into educational reform efforts. (See more at: http://www.nbpts.org/who-we-are#sthash.EMoRVWn1.dpuf )

Other organizations for voluntary certification, at federal level, include the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE), the National Center for Alternative Certification (NCAC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

www.bcteacherregulation.ca/documents/AboutUs/Standards/edu_stds.pdf .

The Royal Commission on Learning was established by the Province of Ontario, in May 1993, “to present a vision and action plan to guide Ontario’s reform of elementary and secondary education” for ensuring “that Ontario youth are well prepared for the challenges of the twenty-first century” (Order in Council). The Commission released its report, entitled For the Love of Learning , in January 1995.

Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers by Kurt Lewin . New York: Harper and Row.

The Ontario’s New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) is a good example.

They are organized according to the rules of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), created by the Bologna Process, and the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS, each one corresponding to 25–30 h of learning work, and each academic year consisting of 60 ECTS).

Accountability is an ancient English term whose etymology is ‘count’, but has gained a broader meaning that entered the dictionaries and encyclopedias only in the 1980s, following Dario Castiglione ( 2006 ).

An OECD ( 2011b ) Report comments: “Given the ‘teacher-bashing’ engaged in by the previous government, this show of trust in the competence and professionalism of the teaching force was an essential ingredient in repairing the rupture that had developed between the profession and the government” (p. 76).

In connexion with this, the Report of the 2013 International Summit on the Teaching Profession notes:

Jaakko Meretniemi, a teacher from Finland, struck a different note. He said that teachers in Finland are well educated – all have master’s degrees. He did not see the need for a formal teacher-evaluation system. Teachers get plenty of feedback from their students and colleagues. He worried that the Summit was going in the wrong direction, that increasing teacher inspections might kill teachers’ passion for their work. (Asia Society 2013 , p. 17).

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Karl Marx (1818–1883) put it this way in “Theses on Feuerbach”, first published as an appendix to Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy (1886): “The materialist doctrine concerning the changing of circumstances and upbringing forgets that circumstances are changed by men and that it is essential to educate the educator himself”. ( www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/Marx_Ludwig_Feurbach_and_the_End_of_German_Classical_Philosop.pdf ). This is a problem similar to the political one highlighted by Tom Campbell ( 2006 ): “The eternal problem of political philosophy is how we can guard the guardians” (p. 100).

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Be mindful of their position as a role models to students; and Both in their personal and professional life, be mindful of their behaviour and attitude, being that these may have an impact on the profession they represent.

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Monteiro, A.R. (2015). Teaching as a Profession. In: The Teaching Profession. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12130-7_5

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"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

Essay: Teaching as a Full Profession

This reflection explores the ways in which teaching aligns as a profession based on current definitions from four reputable sources. To prove that teaching is a full profession, I have compared and contrasted it to the profession of medicine. This reflection includes practical examples of what it means to be a professional teacher on a daily basis. I believe that through the professional mindset and behaviors of educators, we will be able to shift the mindset that teaching is a semi-profession. Teaching is a full profession and with that right is the responsibility to ensure that all learners exceed and become self-motivated, respectful citizens and adults.

Keywords – full profession, Code of Ethics, professionalism, specialized knowledge, autonomy

Teaching as a Full Profession

Whether or not educators are professionals is a highly contested topic. The argument against being that, teaching differs from other professions, such as doctors. This argument coupled with the fact that “governments have historically resisted efforts to afford teachers professional autonomy” has resulted in teaching “to be classified as a “semi-profession” (Young, 2007, p. 275). However, I would argue that teaching is a full profession and shares as many similarities to other professions as it does differences.

In order to understand how teaching compares to being an attorney or doctor, we must understand what it means to be a professional. Krishnaveni and Anitha (2007) define a full profession as a career that requires specific knowledge acquired through further, lifelong education, high standards and qualifications, and follows policies, procedures and Codes of Ethics. Furthermore, a high level of consistent and quality work must be displayed (149). Contrary to popular belief that anybody can be a teacher, the skillset needed to understand, motivate and be able to mentor children with various needs, abilities and interests is an extremely rare and specialized skill. Teachers acquire this specific knowledge through teaching programs, internship placements, and volunteer experiences. This educational journey is lifelong, as teachers attend professional development events, collaborate with their colleagues, are part of professional organizations and unions, collect data about their students, consult research from reputable journals and many go on to receive their masters degree. I intend to get my Inclusive Education Certificate and pursue a masters degree in Educational Psychology; my learning journey is only just beginning and I know that each and every day I will learn from my students.

Krishnaveni and Anitha (2007) believe that “teaching not only requires expert knowledge and specialized skills but it calls for a sense of personal and corporate responsibility for student’s education, welfare and clarity in character” (p. 158). Educators are role models for the next generation and make professional decisions on a daily basis. To ensure that qualified decisions are being made, teachers are required to keep data about their students and explain assessment practices to parents and students. Educators are also responsible to follow the Saskatchewan curriculum, albeit with the freedom to teach the outcomes in a way that meets their learners’ needs. Furthermore, with initiatives like Response to Intervention, teachers are held accountable for the success of all learners. Lastly, teachers are bound by the moral guidelines outlined in the Code of Ethics. Krishnaveni and Anitha (2007) suggest that this is “the most fundamental tenet of professionalism and the most challenging” because it requires teachers to solve their problems ethically (p. 156). For these reasons teaching meets and often exceeds the definition of professionalism that Krishnaveni and Anitha defined.

Young, Levin and Wallin (2007) describe professionalism in a similar way but they also note that “a profession is an essential service that is held in high regard by society at large; as such, its members are usually afforded high status in society” and professionals “exercise independent judgement in carrying out their work” (p. 276). Teaching is obviously an essential service as it leads to every other career, professional or not, that our society relies on. Teachers are also part of the process of socializing students to be responsible citizens and adults. However, whether or not teaching is valued by Canadian society as a whole relies on many perspectives and in this sense, teaching as a profession could be debated. Young, Levin and Wallin note that “centralization of curriculum, assessment, and [outside] decision making” interfere with the autonomy of most professions. On the other hand, these structures and standards are vital to the overall organization and consistency of education in Saskatchewan. They ensure that every student has an equal opportunity, no matter where their families reside. Although the curriculum is centralized, teachers can teach the outcomes in a way that will meet the needs of their learner. They can differentiate their instruction, assessment measures, environments and tasks using their professional judgement. Teachers also have the opportunity to join curriculum review committees and all teachers have a voice when it comes to what is valued in our classrooms; it was teachers who recently suggested that the curriculum changes were happening too fast and as a result, curriculum changes have slowed down. Since Canada is a democracy, teachers also have the power to elect a party that they believe will improve education. Young, Levin and Wallin suggest that “teachers should take a stand on important issues” (2007, p. 288) and we see this on a daily basis as teachers advocate for resources, smaller class sizes, inclusion and student needs.

Even though teaching meets almost all of the defined criteria, some people argue that teaching is not a full profession. Fenstermacher (1990) believes that teaching differs because we do not “lock away [our] specialized knowledge,” students “must expend effort,” and most importantly, “students are not “cases”” (Young et al., 2007, p. 282). Michael A. Morehead discusses that “as an educator, it is often necessary to step into a professional role” – when dealing with parents, for example – “just like an attorney or a doctor” (1998, p. 24). I would argue that locking away specialized knowledge goes against the professional criteria of lifelong learning and development. Furthermore, if your doctor sends you to a specialist, information is shared. If cancer was cured by a doctor, this information would be incorporated into general practice. Current practices are often assessed by the media and reports are released frequently on things like vaccinations. In this regard, the sharing of specialized knowledge happens similarly in both professions, especially with our globalized world. I would also argue that, just like students, patients must expend an effort. When doctors give us advice, for instance to stop smoking, it requires patience to listen in order to maintain their optimal health. It is true that teachers do not treat students like clients but this is out of respect for their journey to adulthood and the relationship building that is required to teach effectively, rather than a lack of professionalism.

I find it ironic that although some people argue that teachers are semi-professionals they hold teachers to a higher set of values. Although acting professionally and being a professional are two different things – for instance, I act professionally at my summer camp job but it is not a profession – I believe that these two concepts go hand-in-hand. Young, Levin and Wallin note that “teachers’ private lives are… relevant to their employment” (2007, p. 288). Similarly, because of the caring nature of the job Morehead notes that “students, parents and peers hold educators to a different set of expectations. Teachers are often criticized for the very actions that students or parents may themselves undertake” (1998, p. 25). I believe that regardless of what the general public thinks or the partial stories that the media portrays, educators must believe that they are professionals. Phelps suggests that “we reveal our professionalism when we uphold the highest standards of ethical behaviour and exhibit integrity” (2003, p. 10); teachers are in the public eye – whether we like it or not – and in order to change minds we must first play the part.

I intend to act professionally on a daily basis. This will include dressing appropriately, coaching sports, tutoring students and informing parents of things in a positive way that utilizes my vocabulary. One situation where I think ethics and professionalism comes to play is during graduation planning. Students often make post-graduation plans that involve illegal and risky behaviors. As an educator, I will have nothing to do with these plans. Furthermore, I would encourage and arrange dry or safe grad options. Another example would be if I was out at an event and saw one of my students drinking there. Based on my professional judgement, I would confront the student and call them a cab home. I most likely would not have their parents’ number and I think threatening to call parents would only make students jump into a vehicle, when they most likely should not drive. This does not mean I would not inform parents, but in the moment I would arrange a cab ride. Talking to the students and hearing their side of the story is vital, just like it is when dealing with colleagues. Since I intend to become a Learning Resource Teacher the majority of my time will be spent working with teachers, who may have varying teaching philosophies, to make their classrooms and instruction inclusive. This often results in tension but I would handle these situations by listening to their needs, wants and fears and then providing a solution and support. Instead of getting mad, it is always best to listen and assess why people are acting the way they are so that they can get the help they need.

Beyond dressing appropriately, conducting myself in a professional manner when speaking to parents and furthering my education, I also believe in maintaining professional behavior in my personal life. For instance, I try very hard to make my Facebook posts and pictures appropriate. I do not post negative things about individuals and I am very careful about what photos I am tagged in; even if the photo is of me drinking a pop, if I feel it can be misinterpreted, I delete it. Drinking is not illegal but it is not something I want to promote to the minors in my class. I believe I should be able to enjoy a beer if I am out for a family supper but there is no reason to share this information. I do not want to give anyone any reason to think I am not a professional and even though this is a tension of teaching, I think we must accept the challenges with the positives. Morehead notes that teaching goes beyond the walls of our classroom and for educators to be considered full professionals they must “accept [these] responsibilities related to the profession” (1998, p. 26).

Teaching meets almost all of the defined criteria for a profession, aside from public perspectives in some cases. In many ways, for example, lifelong education, Code of Ethics and specialized skills, teaching is comparable to being a doctor. Even when differences are present, I believe all educators should conduct themselves in a professional manner and view themselves as professionals; these attitudes and actions are the key to changing contrasting perspectives about teaching as a profession. Also, professionalism ensures that the students’ best interests are being accounted for. Phelps believes that “we must renew our dedication and perseverance to move our profession to a higher level of respect” (p. 11). Our professional behaviors must extend beyond the four walls of our classrooms so that they become internalized behaviors. Teaching is the only job that leads to all other professions and careers and it should never be represented as less than a full profession.

Krishnaveni R., & Anitha, J. (2007). Educators’ professional characteristics. Quality Assurance in Education, 15(2), 149-161.

Morehead, M. A. (1998). Professional behaviors for the beginning teacher. American Secondary Education, 26(1), 22-26.

Phelps, P. H. (2003). Teacher professionalism. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 40(1), 10-11.

Young, J., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2007). Understanding Canadian schools: An introduction to educational administration . (4 th ed.). Toronto: Thomson.

Redefining the Role of the Teacher: It’s a Multifaceted Profession

A closer look at what being an educator really means.

Imagine a school where teaching is considered to be a profession rather than a trade. The role of teachers in a child's education -- and in American culture -- has fundamentally changed. Teaching differs from the old "show-and-tell" practices as much as modern medical techniques differ from practices such as applying leeches and bloodletting.

Instruction doesn't consist primarily of lecturing to students who sit in rows at desks, dutifully listening and recording what they hear, but, rather, offers every child a rich, rewarding, and unique learning experience. The educational environment isn't confined to the classroom but, instead, extends into the home and the community and around the world. Information isn't bound primarily in books; it's available everywhere in bits and bytes.

Students aren't consumers of facts. They are active creators of knowledge. Schools aren't just brick-and-mortar structures -- they're centers of lifelong learning. And, most important, teaching is recognized as one of the most challenging and respected career choices, absolutely vital to the social, cultural, and economic health of our nation.

Today, the seeds of such a dramatic transformation in education are being planted. Prompted by massive revolutions in knowledge, information technology, and public demand for better learning, schools nationwide are slowly but surely restructuring themselves.

Leading the way are thousands of teachers who are rethinking every part of their jobs -- their relationship with students, colleagues, and the community; the tools and techniques they employ; their rights and responsibilities; the form and content of curriculum; what standards to set and how to assess whether they are being met; their preparation as teachers and their ongoing professional development; and the very structure of the schools in which they work. In short, teachers are reinventing themselves and their occupation to better serve schools and students.

New Relationships and Practices

Traditionally, teaching was a combination of information-dispensing, custodial child care and sorting out academically inclined students from others. The underlying model for schools was an education factory in which adults, paid hourly or daily wages, kept like-aged youngsters sitting still for standardized lessons and tests.

Teachers were told what, when, and how to teach. They were required to educate every student in exactly the same way and were not held responsible when many failed to learn. They were expected to teach using the same methods as past generations, and any deviation from traditional practices was discouraged by supervisors or prohibited by myriad education laws and regulations. Thus, many teachers simply stood in front of the class and delivered the same lessons year after year, growing gray and weary of not being allowed to change what they were doing.

Many teachers today, however, are encouraged to adapt and adopt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They understand that the essence of education is a close relationship between a knowledgeable, caring adult and a secure, motivated child. They grasp that their most important role is to get to know each student as an individual in order to comprehend his or her unique needs, learning style, social and cultural background, interests, and abilities.

This attention to personal qualities is all the more important as America continues to become the most pluralistic nation on Earth. Teachers have to be committed to relating to youngsters of many cultures, including those young people who, with traditional teaching, might have dropped out -- or have been forced out -- of the education system.

Their job is to counsel students as they grow and mature -- helping them integrate their social, emotional, and intellectual growth -- so the union of these sometimes separate dimensions yields the abilities to seek, understand, and use knowledge; to make better decisions in their personal lives; and to value contributing to society.

They must be prepared and permitted to intervene at any time and in any way to make sure learning occurs. Rather than see themselves solely as masters of subject matter such as history, math, or science, teachers increasingly understand that they must also inspire a love of learning.

In practice, this new relationship between teachers and students takes the form of a different concept of instruction. Tuning in to how students really learn prompts many teachers to reject teaching that is primarily lecture based in favor of instruction that challenges students to take an active role in learning.

They no longer see their primary role as being the king or queen of the classroom, a benevolent dictator deciding what's best for the powerless underlings in their care. They've found they accomplish more if they adopt the role of educational guides, facilitators, and co-learners.

The most respected teachers have discovered how to make students passionate participants in the instructional process by providing project-based, participatory, educational adventures. They know that in order to get students to truly take responsibility for their own education, the curriculum must relate to their lives, learning activities must engage their natural curiosity, and assessments must measure real accomplishments and be an integral part of learning.

Students work harder when teachers give them a role in determining the form and content of their schooling -- helping them create their own learning plans and deciding the ways in which they will demonstrate that they have, in fact, learned what they agreed to learn.

The day-to-day job of a teacher, rather than broadcasting content, is becoming one of designing and guiding students through engaging learning opportunities. An educator's most important responsibility is to search out and construct meaningful educational experiences that allow students to solve real-world problems and show they have learned the big ideas, powerful skills, and habits of mind and heart that meet agreed-on educational standards. The result is that the abstract, inert knowledge that students used to memorize from dusty textbooks comes alive as they participate in the creation and extension of new knowledge.

New Tools and Environments

One of the most powerful forces changing teachers' and students' roles in education is new technology. The old model of instruction was predicated on information scarcity. Teachers and their books were information oracles, spreading knowledge to a population with few other ways to get it.

But today's world is awash in information from a multitude of print and electronic sources. The fundamental job of teaching is no longer to distribute facts but to help children learn how to use them by developing their abilities to think critically, solve problems, make informed judgments, and create knowledge that benefits both the students and society. Freed from the responsibility of being primary information providers, teachers have more time to spend working one-on-one or with small groups of students.

Recasting the relationship between students and teachers demands that the structure of school changes as well. Though it is still the norm in many places to isolate teachers in cinderblock rooms with age-graded pupils who rotate through classes every hour throughout a semester -- or every year, in the case of elementary school -- this paradigm is being abandoned in more and more schools that want to give teachers the time, space, and support to do their jobs.

Extended instructional periods and school days, as well as reorganized yearly schedules, are all being tried as ways to avoid chopping learning into often arbitrary chunks based on limited time. Also, rather than inflexibly group students in grades by age, many schools feature mixed-aged classes in which students spend two or more years with the same teachers.

In addition, ability groups, from which those judged less talented can rarely break free, are being challenged by a recognition that current standardized tests do not measure many abilities or take into account the different ways people learn best.

One of the most important innovations in instructional organization is team teaching, in which two or more educators share responsibility for a group of students. This means that an individual teacher no longer has to be all things to all students. This approach allows teachers to apply their strengths, interests, skills, and abilities to the greatest effect, knowing that children won't suffer from their weaknesses, because there's someone with a different set of abilities to back them up.

To truly professionalize teaching, in fact, we need to further differentiate the roles a teacher might fill. Just as a good law firm has a mix of associates, junior partners, and senior partners, schools should have a greater mix of teachers who have appropriate levels of responsibility based on their abilities and experience levels. Also, just as much of a lawyer's work occurs outside the courtroom, so, too, should we recognize that much of a teacher's work is done outside the classroom.

New Professional Responsibilities

Aside from rethinking their primary responsibility as directors of student learning, teachers are also taking on other roles in schools and in their profession. They are working with colleagues, family members, politicians, academics, community members, employers, and others to set clear and obtainable standards for the knowledge, skills, and values we should expect America's children to acquire. They are participating in day-to-day decision making in schools, working side-by-side to set priorities, and dealing with organizational problems that affect their students' learning.

Many teachers also spend time researching various questions of educational effectiveness that expand the understanding of the dynamics of learning. And more teachers are spending time mentoring new members of their profession, making sure that education school graduates are truly ready for the complex challenges of today's classrooms.

Reinventing the role of teachers inside and outside the classroom can result in significantly better schools and better-educated students. But though the roots of such improvement are taking hold in today's schools, they need continued nurturing to grow and truly transform America's learning landscape. The rest of us -- politicians and parents, superintendents and school board members, employers and education school faculty -- must also be willing to rethink our roles in education to give teachers the support, freedom, and trust they need to do the essential job of educating our children.

Judith Taack Lanier is a distinguished professor of education at Michigan State University.

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Teaching — Teaching as a Profession: The Strategies To Improve Efficiency

Teaching as a Profession: The Strategies to Improve Efficiency

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Published: May 17, 2022

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Dick, W., Carey, L., & Carey, J. O. (2005). The systematic design of instruction. Allyn & Bacon.
Gagne, R. M. (2013). Instructional technology: Foundations. Routledge.
Pollard, A., & Collins, J. (2005). Reflective teaching. A&C Black.
Reflective practice. (2005, August 29). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 4, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_practice#cite_ref-Shapiro_18-0
https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/nc-framework/nf2005-english.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_practice#cite_ref-Shapiro_18-0

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Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Future Educators

Helping America's Future Teachers

I Want to Become a Teacher Because | My Dream Job Essay

My dream is to become a teacher . If you have this dream, you’re not alone. Here’s a collection of short essays by aspiring teachers. Current and future education students were asked to describe their motivation; what inspires them to succeed at their teacher training studies.

In these 31 student essays, future educators answer the question “I want to become a teacher because …” or “I want to become a teacher to …”. The short student essays are grouped thematically, forming the top reasons to become a teacher.

1. Giving Brings Its Own Rewards

Helping people is the unifying theme as to why students are inspired and motivated to become teachers. Education is a field where you can help young people directly in a personal way; potentially changing their lives for the better. Teaching is more than just a job.

For a significant percentage of education students, the opportunity to be of service provides plenty of motivation to pursue a teaching career. In each Why I Want to Become a Teacher essay here, a future educator explains why teaching is an opportunity to do something meaningful and beneficial.

by Hanna Halliar

If I can make an impact in just one child’s life, I will be able to consider myself successful. That is my motivation. As a future educator, what else would it be?

Every day that is spent in class, the late nights at the library, the endless hours of studying are all just steps getting me closer to the goal. When I am still up at 1 a.m. struggling to keep my eyes open, but only half way through my 6 page paper I remember how excited I am to work with my own students one day.

To me, being a teacher is so much more than the typical response most people have towards education majors. “Oh, you’re going to be a teacher. You know how much you will make?” Yes, I’m aware that I will be making an average of $50,000 a year in Indiana.

To me being a teacher means that I get the opportunity to not only teach my students math, English, and science but to teach life lessons that will stick with them as well. It means walking into school every day being the reason my students look forward to coming to school. It means being surrounded by crafts, books, and music and not being stuck in an office. It means educating our future generation. And if somebody has to do it, it should be somebody who is passionate about it.

So what motivates me to study? It is so simple, it is the kids.

by Savannah Stamates

I lay awake at night and practice my first morning message to my first round of students whom I will not meet for more than a year.

I wonder if I will have hungry children, happy children, or broken children. I wonder if I will be good enough or strong enough to reach those most in need. I wonder if my students will trust me enough to tell me that they are hungry, happy, or scared.

I worry that I will not be strong enough to share their burden or provide a place for peace and learning. I worry that I will misread their actions or their words or miss them reaching out.

So I study, even when I am tired from working two jobs or sick of not being where I want to be. When my time comes to walk into that classroom, my worries and doubts will be silenced by the knowledge I have mastered and the dream I have finally achieved.

by Charity Latchman

Dreams for the future are subjective. They can be based on what we desire. But visionary dreams are not only for us. Imagine asking some of the greatest revolutionaries and pioneers about their dreams. They generally had others in mind. In the famous “I have a Dream” speech, Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr said “we” more than thirty times. Dreams are not for our benefit alone, but to encourage, inspire and benefit others.

Recently I graduated from California Baptist University with a degree in English literature. During my studies, I was cared for my disabled mother. She was a religious studies professor who inculcated me with a diligent and steadfast approach to schoolwork. Managing the role of caregiver with university studies was challenging. But the goal to become a teacher kept me going. Approaching graduation, my mother was diagnosed with throat cancer. She didn’t worry about herself as much as you might expect but kept pushing me to finish the final paper in the program.

With her encouragement, my faith, and a burning desire to teach English literature, I graduated. My motivation comes from wanting to help, to encourage, and to inspire others. Teaching is an act of giving that has its own rewards. Life’s trials bring ups and downs. But we must always strive to attain our dreams, especially when others are central to them.

by Katheryn England

As a high school senior, many people assume I’m prepared for college and know what I want to study after graduation. These assumptions cause me to experience moments of self-doubt. Then I re-evaluate what I want for myself, and what it is that keeps me working towards my dreams. Through the goals I’ve set for myself, I can maintain focus, move past my self-doubt and succeed. By focusing on my goals, I can make a difference in the world directly around me.

A goal I have in my life is to be an elementary teacher, also known as an early childhood teacher. As a teacher, I can share the knowledge I’ve gained to leave behind a better future for our world .

Last year, I had the opportunity to work alongside a previous elementary teacher and mentor of mine. I’d visit her classroom daily, and taught lessons alongside her or independently. Uniquely, they were the opening act in my high school’s original winter play. They read first-hand from our scripts and learned what happens behind the scenes. Showing a new part of the world to the youth of my community has motivated me to pursue my dreams.

Remembering this experience and the positive influence I had on those students helps me overcome self-doubt and stay focused on my goals. Thanks to the goals I’ve set for my life, I not only can find purpose for my efforts, but find the will to be confident in whatever choices I make.

by Emma Lillard-Geiser

I have always known that I would become two things: a mother and a teacher. What I didn’t know is that I would become the mother before the teacher. Having a child that depends on me is what fuels my desire to succeed in life. When I get frustrated with my studies I take a deep breath, look at my daughter, and know that I have reason to persevere. I know that one hour of studying will give me hours with my daughter as soon as I am done.

My mother is a teacher and growing up I cherished learning from her. She had knowledge that I admired and I quickly realized that I had to spend my whole life learning. I love to learn, to have that light go off in my head when it all just clicks.

I cannot wait to see that light in the eyes of my daughter and my future students. For every thing that I learn, is another thing I can teach someone else. It isn’t easy to study when you have a small child to take care of but I know that my education will provide me with the ability to take care of her for the rest of our lives.

2. Help Disadvantaged Students

Students are disadvantaged for many reasons, whether it’s because of a handicap, where they live, economic disadvantage or a language barrier.

Future educators may want to become teachers so they can make a difference in the lives of students who face extra learning challenges. This special interest often comes from the future teacher’s own experience, either personally or involving people they’ve known.

by Ian T Thomason

While attending the University of Minnesota-Mankato, I have aspirations of becoming a Special Education Teacher. Becoming a Special Education Teacher and helping students who have a need for extra help and students who are having troubles with everyday life are things that I dream of doing. I was in their shoes once and know how difficult it is to deal with everyday life and how nice it was have a teacher to talk to.

Becoming a Special Education Teacher is my ultimate goal and, when difficult times arise, I have to remind myself of the children out there who have it potentially worse than I. When I remember this, I also think back to all of the support that I had from my parents, family members, and teachers. I also know that there are lots of children who don’t have this type of support and, if I can be there for them, that would make my career choice all the more worth it.

My Special Education degree is something more than just a degree for me. It is a degree that allows me to help children improve their education. I realize that children are our future and that their minds are terrible things to waste. So, instead of wasting their minds, why not put our best foot forward to educate them? My dream is to help kids realize their full potential, promote education and a brighter future for every child.

by Katherine

Motivation allows you to persist through difficult circumstances. Mine comes from a desire to grow into an instructor who is able to make a difference to many children’s lives.

In elementary school, I actually was a special education student. I’ve had to work hard most days of my life to achieve anything. I could not have succeeded without the support of some absolutely amazing teachers. Now I desire to take on that supporting role for as many students as I can reach.

When a class or an assignment I don’t want to do come up, I think of what motivates me. And the motivation is children. Many students feel powerless about their education, just like I did. I could be a teacher who turns their education around, providing vital support and motivation to succeed at their studies. Ultimately, everyone motivates themselves by one way or another. My motivation comes from the pure desire to help future students.

by Robbie Watson

My road to graduate school has been a long one. I studied religion and culture in undergrad, interested in the material, yet not sure how I would apply it later. Yet I found places, got involved in community and international development, engaged with different cultures, and now feel I use my degree every day.

For over two years I worked alongside Congolese refugees in Rwanda, developing educational opportunities for youths who could not finish secondary school in the underfunded camps. It is these refugees, young and old, the students, the teachers, their passion and vision for a better future that has driven me to seek out more education for myself. I remember how they would pay from their families’ meager funds to attend classes led by volunteer teachers. When finances were against them, or time, or family obligations, or the dire depression of the camp life itself, or even government officials were against them, still those students attended, still those teachers taught.

It is their example of perseverance towards a goal against all odds that inspires me now. I think of them often, think of the friends they were, are still. And I think of how that passion is in me now, to better understand education so that I might better educate, and thus equip such downtrodden communities to work for transformation themselves. I work not only for myself, and am motivated by the potential in those students and educators, which is also in me, and in others like them.

by Natalie Pelayo

I’m a young Latino woman working towards the goal of earning a bachelor degree in bilingual education. On occasions, I feel a slowing in my motivation. But, every time it happens, I think about the goal and that pushes me to move forward.

Looking back to a middle school class I attended, there was a boy who never really participated. He sat in his hoodie, looking down to his desk. Only after trying to talk with him, I discovered he spoke with broken English and a thick Spanish accent. It seemed as if no-one in our class actually knew that he struggled to understand what was being taught because it was presented in English.

By his manner, it was apparent that he had already accepted a dismal fate. Past teachers may have been unable to communicate with him. Eventually, he’d become demoralized. Thinking about the disadvantages he had to endure provides ongoing motivation to study hard.

I aim to become a bilingual elementary school teacher to support young Spanish-speaking children. As a teacher, I’ll be able to show them that they can succeed. Children need not grow up thinking they’re incapable of learning due to a language barrier. I’ll keep working towards my goal to help ensure teaching is inclusive of all children, no matter their first language.

by Abigail Young

I am an American citizen, but my whole life I have lived in Cameroon, Africa. I have been blessed with an enormous amount of opportunities and a great education at a private international school.

Every day I have seen children and teenagers around me who do not get the same education or have the same possibilities of a “bright” future. I see schools that are forced to have three children share a small table, paper, and pens. I have seen a badly lit room with poor roofs and walls made from bricks. Even in my school there are numerous Cameroonians, my friends, and classmates that do not have the same chances at a higher level education, although they work just as hard.

When I study, I study hard because I do not want to let this chance and opportunity go to waste. I study because I have been undeservedly blessed to be able to go the United States for a high education with better chances at getting scholarship money. I study my hardest because it is my dream that I may come back and make a difference in countries like Africa with poor education systems . It should be a right for children to be able to learn like I have. Therefore, because of this mindset, I am driven to study not just out of thankfulness for my circumstances, but also in hope that I may be able to give other children a better chance, and a greater reason to study.

3. Helping Many People Is Achievable in Teaching

A powerful source of motivation for some education students is the potential to touch and positively impact the lives of many people. Education is a field of consequence and that’s a good reason for wanting to join the teaching profession.

Over the course of a long career, a classroom teacher may help shape the learning experience of hundreds or even thousands of students. In policy roles, educators can affect millions of people.

by Rachel Bayly

Through high school I worked as a teacher at a daycare. When I left for college I said goodbye to a lot of people, including my students. All summer I had woken up at five in the morning to go to work and wait for them to arrive and put a smile on my face. Those kids motivated me to keep waking up and working hard, and leaving them was not easy.

The thing that made that goodbye worth it, the reason that I keep pushing through this tying chapter of my life is that I am determined to improve early childhood education in the United States .

I want to be a positive force in the lives of as many children as I possibly can, and I plan on doing that by improving standards and policies for early childhood education and making it more affordable.

Every week I write in my planner, “I will make a difference” and one way that I will change the lives of children and families. On days that I find myself asking, “why am I here?” “why am I going into debt, paying to be stressed out all the time?” I think of my students. I read my “I will make a difference” statements.

I remember that some children out there are stuck in low quality child care centers, they will never reach their full potential, and they need help. I keep working hard everyday so that I can help those children.

by Megan Burns

My ultimate goal is to change the lives of people. Studying to be a teacher is hard. All of the classes that are required, all of the practicums, and all of the time spent just to become a teacher is stressful, but the thought of being able to help just one person changes everything.

It takes one person to be a light in someone’s life. It take one person to be a helping hand. It takes one person to change an unmotivated, broken life, and make it brand new. Qualified teachers are those people. We motivate students to do their best, we guide students to success when no one else will, and we are always available to listen. One teacher can change the lives of thousands of students. That is my motivation.

I know that after college, I will be a teacher, a guider, a counselor, and a friend to so many students. No matter how many bad days I have or how many times I want to quit, I just think of what is to come in the future. I can be that change this world needs, even if its in a small high school classroom. It just takes one person.

by Victoria Shoemkaer

My dream is to make a difference in the life of children.

To make them excited about learning.
To make it fun the way it used to be when they were younger.
To show them that someone cares about them and wants to see them succeed.
To show that they are much more that a test score or a number.
To believe in them so much, that I do not let them get discouraged from chasing their dreams.
To showing them that everyone fails and it’s your recovery that determines what happens next.
To sacrifice myself to gives them more opportunities for success.
To encourage students to succeed in and out of the classroom for the betterment of themselves and the community.
To inspire them to change the world, because they can.
To help them transform into caring and compassionate adults who are ready to conquer the word, but remember where they came from.
To teach them to do good in the world because anyone can accomplish doing well.

Most importantly, my dream is to make children feel like their voice is important and valued and that they are loved more than they know.

4. Lives Can Be Improved by Dedicated Instructors

Teaching a subject such as Math or English is the everyday task of a teacher. But our prospective teachers see a greater purpose in their training and career path.

The daily motivation to teach doesn’t come from the superficial advantages of a teaching career, such as great job security or extra vacation time. Here are stories by future educators who want to go beyond the curriculum and improve people’s lives all round.

by Savannah Luree Weverka

Teachers are the ones who ignited my love for learning and there is not a day that goes by when I do not challenge myself to a personal goal of lifelong learning.

My mother is a teacher, so I was a student educated in an institution filled with support and a home that also supported education. I recall many teacher “get-togethers” and Husker parties where an informal invitation led to my presence.

Due to all of this support and interaction received throughout my elementary and high school career, Elementary Education continues to be at the top of my career choices. And now, as a senior looking forward to graduating from high school, teachers remain my role models .

In considering a focus in Elementary Education, I now realize that many teachers not only teach children eight hours of the day, but become doctors for scraped knees, dictionaries for challenging words, mediators between students, and parents away from home.

Now, as I am taking the steps to make my dream come true I hope to make school an escape to free their minds and expand their knowledge. I want to share my love of learning with my students.

by Aaron Banta

Since I was younger, I have had the dream of becoming a history teacher at the high school level. The reason I am striving for this career is thanks to a teacher I had. They held such a passion for history and taught it so well that it made me want to keep learning everything I could about it.

In college, I have had to work multiple jobs and attend school full-time. I would wake up early in the morning and not get home until late at night. The one thing that kept me on top of my studying and work was the dream I have; to be able to teach history and express my love for it by teaching the next generation. I strive to impact their lives for the better just like mine was.

Being able to pass my courses and get a degree and teaching credentials is the first main goal I am striving for. But being able to have a positive impact on students I have will be an even greater goal that I want to accomplish. I am hoping to guide them through their study of my favorite subject so I can teach them about the world and help them just like my teacher had helped me.

by Chelsea Rogers

At USC Upstate, I am studying to be a Secondary Education Mathematics teacher. The math courses are not easy and the education courses pushes you to challenge yourself. The thought of being a future teacher is what motivates me to keep pushing.

Although I do not know any of my students, they are precious to me and I believe it is my job to change their lives for the better. Teaching math is my job, but looking beyond my content and into the wellbeing of my students is my passion.

The question I always ask myself is how can I teach students who may not trust me? I have to establish a connection with each student so that they will see I care about them academically, physically, and emotionally. Once students see that you care about them in these areas, it becomes easier to teach them and they are willing to perform to the best of their ability because they know their teacher supports them 100 percent. Being a great teacher is what motivates me to continue striving for my degree.

by Micayla Watroba

One plus one is two. Phone is pronounced with an F sound. 60 divided by 15 is 4. An essay typically has five paragraphs. I know all these things because I went to school. I also had teachers that helped me understand it even when I didn’t get the same opportunities as everyone else.

See, when I was in first grade I was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia. This made school very hard. I was either out of school so often that I missed entire chapters or I was bullied so badly that I couldn’t focus because I was so scared. Having cancer also made it hard for my mom and dad to pay for food and rent much less after school activities and tutoring. I grew up knowing that there were some things that were just not in reach for us.

For as bad as I had it, I can’t imagine having to live on the streets, going hungry, or even being taught in a language I don’t know.

My dream is to be the teacher that makes sure that every student gets an education that helps them succeed. I want to make sure that my students not only enjoy being at school but feel safe while there. My students will know that it doesn’t matter where they came from or what background they came from. I am going to be there and I will not leave them behind. This is my dream.

5. Promote Lifelong Learning in Young People

What inspires some people to become teachers is the power to set young people on the right education path. Helping children to have good early experiences and embrace the learning process can profoundly enhance someone’s life. The potential for transformative early development applies to handicapped and disadvantaged kids as much as anyone.

by Lesley Martinez-Silva

I aspire to make a difference in others’ lives through education. I’m studying to be an elementary school teacher because I believe that children can achieve so much more if they learn early of their potential.

Education has always been my priority. My parents always stressed the importance of obtaining an education, having missed that opportunity themselves. My parents taught me as a child that schooling was vital to success in life. Truly, that lesson has been the most important in my path to college. I don’t think I would’ve made it this far had I not taken my education seriously.

I want to teach others about the importance of education so they too can prosper. Everything I’m learning at university is important for my future career and, if I don’t study it, I’m failing my future students. Every child deserves the best education available and I should strive to be the best educator possible to provide that for them. When balancing academics, work, and my social life, it can get challenging to keep going. But, with the future of children’s education in my hands, I always get back on track.

by Brianna Rivers

One of my goals is to become a teacher and work in an public elementary school within the greater Boston area (possibly my own elementary school). I want to be a teacher because I enjoy working with children and I know how important teachers are in children’s lives. I plan on receiving my Bachelor’s degree for Early Childhood Education and my Master’s degree in Special Education.

I want to major in Early Childhood Education because early education is significant for children and is a building block for their future in learning . I also want to major in Special Education because I believe all children should receive equal learning opportunities as well as equal treatment (meaning an inclusive environment, etc).

I think all of my experiences have a positive impact on myself because I am learning more about what it takes to be a teacher and what it takes to be a good teacher. My experiences also have a positive impact on the children and adults I work with. I offer a helping hand to the teachers and a friendly face to the children.

I plan to continue to work hard and take advantage of learning opportunities to achieve both of my goals. Being a teacher is my desire and I will stop at nothing to be a great teacher one day.

by Jennamarie Moody

When I close my eyes, I picture myself in a school located in an urban setting, teaching a classroom of diverse yet alike students. These students are in the second grade, meaning that they are impressionable yet vulnerable to their environment whether this means at home, at school, or in their greater community.

Some of these students don’t speak English as their first language, and some come from low-income households that can limit their educational experiences outside of the classroom. And yet, no matter what differences these students bring to the table, their uniqueness flows throughout the classroom in such a positive energy that embraces, respects, and promotes learning. This is the goal I am working towards; the goal to inspire our youth to become self-advocates for their learning .

Opportunities for equal educational experiences may not exist, however the beauty lies in the growth of love young students can develop as they are challenged in the classroom to question their surroundings. I plan to make a difference in the lives of the children I meet along the way, and to create a safe learning environment.

Although the tests for certification and studies can be difficult, my passion for education and dedication to shaping the lives of my students is what keeps me going. The end goal is to nurture the development of my students to become active and engaged participants in society, and that is what I intend to do completely.

by Julie Anderson

My long-time goal has been to become a teacher, and this year I’m in a class called Teachers for Tomorrow, where I get to shadow a kindergarten teacher. Working with her and the students has increased my interest in children with special needs.

From here on out, I want to support my students in academics and other parts of their lives so I can help them learn, grow, and succeed. I know that children need a strong start to their school career because the first few years of school are crucial; this is when students begin to love or hate learning itself. Whether or not children enjoy school, they deserve to appreciate learning. Students who love learning will always want to improve themselves.

I will make an effort to provide a loving environment where each child can prosper. However, for students with special needs, this task becomes even harder to accomplish because traditional classrooms are usually set up for non-disabled students. While I know I can’t “save” every student I teach, and some of them will still hate learning, at least I can start them off right.

When I’m swamped with schoolwork, I will imagine my future students and how I could influence their lives. Even though not all of my college classes will relate to my major, forming a habit of working hard in college will help me to succeed as a future teacher.

6. Teachers Are Excellent Role Models

The experience of being helped and transformed by a good teacher leaves a lasting impression. Teaching is considered a noble profession for good reasons.

Some education students are motivated to become a teacher to emulate their own role models. They want to provide the same kind of service they once received. An added reason for pursuing a teaching career is to be a role model to younger people outside the classroom, including one’s own children.

by Teresa Pillifant

My first day – well, more like first semester- of my freshman year in high school was the hardest semester of my whole school career. Usually the kind of student who loves school, I found myself getting stomach aches in the morning and dreading school with my whole being. I was new to the school, and the number of students was overwhelming.

It seemed like there was no relief, except for my first hour Spanish class. Having no friends, I would always arrive at my first hour class early. As this pattern continued, my Spanish teacher and I developed a relationship. My teacher started giving me books to read, asking my opinion on what we should do in class and just talked to me in general about life. Through my teacher’s support, I grew to find my place in the school and became more confident.

Her kind words and actions inspired me to become a teacher myself. Now, whenever school or life gets difficult, I think of my freshmen year Spanish teacher and how she inspired me. I want to do what she did for me for my future students. Whether it be a difficult test or a challenging class, my goal of making a difference in a student’s life keeps me going.

by Mo Cabiles

The world we live in is hard, unsteady and ruthless. We see this everyday in the harshness of homelessness, to social media screaming for justice. What motivates me to continue on is that I have felt the bitter cold bite of homelessness. I know what it’s like to not have enough to eat and to be scared of what will happen next.

I am fortunate to no longer be in those situations but that, by no means, is an indicator that it will all now come easy. As an adult learner and your “non-traditional” student, there are other obstacles I must overcome. From transportation to childcare or education application mastery to APA formatting, the many roadblocks I tackle both large and small are what I consider to be my victories.

I’ve seen what having a higher education can do for someone and I want that for myself and that of my daughters. I strive to be a good example for them , to show them that, regardless of social standing and unforeseeable circumstances, if they work hard and put their best effort forward, they can achieve their dreams.

My dream is to obtain my Masters in Education with an emphasis in counseling. I want to be an academic advisor or guidance counselor. I’ve seen so many youths attempt community college and fail because they fell through the cracks. These students need to realize their potential and I want to help them achieve that and to be their cheerleader.

by Gia Sophia Sarris

In every school I’ve ever attended, experienced teachers were there to support and inspire me. I have looked up to these people ever since I was in elementary school, and they have had an immense and positive impact on my life and my view of the world. My fondness for these people [educators] has led me to aspire to become a teacher.

I want to “pay it forward” and improve the lives of children and teenagers who grow up struggling as I did, or in any way for that matter. I want to make a difference in their lives and let them know that they are not alone with their problems.

This is what motivates me to study hard. Becoming a teacher, I believe, will help me fulfill my purpose in life, which I think is to create happiness and ease the burdens of others. I feel that children and teenagers need this especially, because they are struggling to understand the world and their place in it. I study hard for their sake.

by Jennifer Wolfert

From elementary school to my first year at college, I struggled to establish a dream for myself. Trying to figure out what career I wanted to pursue as successful adult always filled me with anxiety. I had spent multiple years in special education and left with a low academic self-esteem. So, after high school I attended Bucks County Community College in search for more time. Still I made no progress. Then I decided to change my outlook. I stopped asking “what do I want to do?” and started asking “who do I want to be?”. That’s when my dream took shape.

The educators that I met during my time at community college were my inspiration. They are brilliant, hardworking people with a passion for their specialty that I had never seen before. Their belief in hard work was infectious. School began to fill me with excited anticipation and my grades improved. I started to believe that if I worked hard enough then I could be like them and inspire others like they had inspired me.

At the end of my second year attending community college, I accomplished a task that had previously racked me with fear. I applied to Temple University as a Secondary English Education major. I have now completed my second semester at Temple and earned my first 4.0 GPA. In time, I am confident that I will be able to accomplish my dream. I will become the passionate and inspiring educator that my younger self never had.

by Jenyfer Pegg

My entire life has been filled with discouragement. I grew up in a household where I was constantly told “No”. I was told my ideas were stupid and would not work. In my junior year of high school, my teachers and counselors started talking about college and sending in applications to different places. At that point, I knew I was not going. I came from a poor family and I knew we could never have money for something like college.

But I went on college visits, I listened to people speak about their college, and I was set. I had a lot of things pushing me, except the one thing I really wanted, my family. No one in my family has gone to college, and when I told my mother, she was shocked. She told me she just wanted me out of the house.

When I came to school, I realized I wanted to teach high school. I want to make an actual difference in someone else’s life. My family has taken the same road for years, and I’m not going down that road. I won’t live paycheck to paycheck like my mom, I will be a person that others will look up to.

I’m going to do something worthwhile, and I will work harder than anyone else if it gets me there. I’ve seen what my life will be like without school and motivation and there is absolutely no way I’m going down that road. I’ve got bigger plans.

7. Unlock the Success Potential of Students

Educators want to help students in every way they can but, for some future teachers, the focus is on helping students soar. That child in front of you in the classroom might grow up to do great things for society, raise a strong family, or just be happy and fulfilled.

Whatever the potential of a pupil, a teacher’s job is to help unlock talents and remove any barriers to future success.

by Tamara Vega

The thing that motivates me the most is the thought of having my own classroom someday. I want to be the teacher that changes a child’s life, inspires them to set high goals for themselves and encourages them to reach it.

College can be so hard at times and I get really anxious and scared. I worry about not passing my classes and exams, I worry about not getting my degree. Despite that I do not give up because I have to do this and I want to do this.

I cannot see myself doing anything else besides teaching, I have never been this passionate about something. I want to graduate and get my degree. I’d love to look at it and say, “I worked hard for this and I earned it”.

The idea that the students in my classroom could grow up to cure cancer, or become president, pretty much anything they want, brings me so much excitement. I want to be the teacher that they remember, the one who helped them realize their dream and who gave them the knowledge needed to reach it.

Be the teacher that I needed as a child but unfortunately never had. That is what gets me through all the stress and anxiety, I know in my heart that all the studying I’m doing right now will be worth it in the end.

by Nicole Gongora

The dream of success motivates me to study – not my success, my future students’ success. I push myself through the rough spots for them.

I was a lost child in high school; I didn’t know how to apply to college, let alone afford it. No child should have to experience that. As a future educator, I am committed to helping my students succeed, achieve more, and continue onto higher education. Every child should be given the opportunity to showcase their strengths and follow their dreams.

College was never a dream for me; it was a far off, unattainable fantasy. I met some inspiring teachers in high school who encouraged me to change my life and who helped me to thrive. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I plan to work at a low-income school similar to the one I attended. These types of schools are the ones who lack resources. I will serve as a resource to my students and I hope to be an inspiration to them. In turn, I hope they become kind, respectful adults. I want them to see the virtue in helping others and I hope they will serve others in their future careers. I want to be the teacher they remember. I want to be the teacher that helped them succeed.

I’ll feel successful as a teacher if my students are successful in attaining their goals. If one student decides to achieve more then I will have lived out my dream.

by Madison Sherrill

I’ve decided to become a teacher because I want to show the value of compassion and diversity.

As I begin college this upcoming fall, my main motivation is the students. While I haven’t even met them yet, they inspire me to persist in my classes and stay optimistic. My classroom will support innovative thinking and celebrate each student’s individuality.

As a classroom teacher, I want to encourage and positively influence the next generation. They should know that they can be successful and achieve what they aspire to become while making the world better. By teaching the value of inclusiveness and the power of kindness, my students may turn out to be visionary thinkers and leading members of society.

by Alicia Costin

I am returning to school after taking a few years off. After graduating from California Lutheran University with my BS in Mathematics, I wanted to land a job with benefits and begin my “adult life”.

While it took me a few months to find my current job, is it just that; a job. I have benefits, a full-time schedule, weekends and holidays off, but am I happy? Is this what I want to do as a career for the rest of my life? I have asked myself this question a few times and the answer is always the same; no.

My dream is to become a teacher and help motivate and encourage students to do their best in their studies and in life. It is my dream to do what I was meant to do; shape young minds and help future generations.

When things become difficult during my graduate program, I know to keep pushing, thriving, and studying hard so that, when I do become a teacher, I can use this as a positive story to shape their way of life. I landed a job outside of college, however now it is time for me to land my career.

Who taught the first teacher, what can i do with a master’s in education, why teaching is still a good career choice, how to become a homeschool teacher.

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Chapter 1: The Teaching Profession

Unlearning Box

“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

“It’s easy to become a teacher.”

“Teaching is an 8:30-3:00 job. You have it so easy!”

You may have heard people in your own life share quotes and comments such as these. These quotes are hurtful and untrue. Teaching is a profession. Teachers are capable, intelligent, and held to extremely high professional standards. Quotes and comments like these demonstrate gross misunderstandings of what it means to be a teacher in the United States.

In this chapter, we will begin to peer behind the scenes of what it means to be a teacher in the United States. We’ll walk through a day in the life of a teacher, break down what is involved to become a teacher, and close with characteristics of effective teachers.

Chapter Outline

Elementary perspective, secondary perspective, special education perspective, profile of teachers today, undergraduate degree program, graduate degree program, accreditation of epps, provisional certification, residency programs.

Maintaining a Teaching License

InTASC Standards

Professionalism & dispositions, teacher beliefs, a day in the life.

To get started, let’s drop into three different classrooms to get a feel for a day in the life of an elementary teacher, a secondary (high school) teacher, and a special education teacher.

The school doors open at 7 AM, and you greet children as they enter the cafeteria for breakfast. Once morning duty is over, you hurry to your classroom to await the 25 students that will come filing in momentarily. You make sure materials and directions for tasks are ready and calming music is playing. As students enter, you gather signed forms and respond to notes from families, help students with their morning activities, take attendance, and hold a morning meeting. The rest of the day, you are simultaneously teaching the content areas–English, math, science and social studies–and social skills as students navigate groupwork and friendships. Various other educators drop in throughout the day: the reading specialist to work with a group of readers who need extra support, the occupational therapist to help a student with some motor skills still developing, the speech pathologist to help students with articulation and language development, the instructional coach and sometimes the principal to give you feedback on your instruction.

Female elementary students work on a poster.

Pauses throughout the day from the busy pace of classroom life include related arts, where students go to learn about music, visual art, library, P.E., and more while you meet with your grade level for team planning; and lunch and recess, which involve scarfing down your lunch while getting your students through the lunch line, figuring out who changed their lunch choice or left their lunch at home, opening mustard packets, reminding students to eat while they talk with friends, and hopefully scuttling off to check your school mailbox and take a bathroom break. After a post-recess water break, you return to classroom instruction, with a few interruptions for students leaving early for doctor’s appointments, a student needing to go to the nurse’s office, another teacher popping in to borrow a book, or sometimes even a whole-school assembly for a class play or anti-bullying program.

When it is time to pack up for the day at 2:30, you make sure all students know how they are getting home that day, have their materials packed and ready to go, and then you bid them farewell at the door with a hug, high-five, or handshake as they head to their dismissal area. Once your room is empty, you go to monitor a dismissal area to make sure everyone is safe. After school, you might have a faculty meeting, a debrief with an instructional coach based on today’s observation, or time to prepare tomorrow’s instructional materials. You marvel at how quickly yet another day has passed in the life of an elementary school teacher.

The bell rings at 8:15 AM, but you’ve already been at school for more than an hour–making copies, checking emails, and writing the plans and goals for the day on the board. As an English teacher, you’ve decided to work on writing fluency during this year, so as the students enter the classroom, they take out their journals and begin responding to the prompt on the board. Every day the class meets, the students will write for five minutes and then briefly discuss their responses with each other and as a whole group. You write alongside them to model what it looks like, and often share your own writing–at the beginning of the year, most of the students struggled to write for five straight minutes, but now nearly all of them have gotten the hang of it. The rest of the lesson involves a minilesson on figurative language, small group discussions about students’ literature circle books, and a whole group review game to prepare for the unit test on Wednesday.

The school adopted a block schedule last year, so your classes are 75 minutes long. You teach three of four blocks each day; today is an A day, so first block is 9th grade honors and the other two are 10th grade general English. Tomorrow, you will teach two blocks of 9th grade general and one block of 10th grade College Preparatory English. You hate these labels and what they do to the students in the room, and, as department chair, you have been working with your principal to remove such rigid tracking.

High school English teacher with three students

“Bear Block” falls between 1st and 2nd block, and ten students stream into the room to retake tests, make up missed homework, or just hang out and read. You glance at the learning management system and see that there are 45 essays waiting for you, but there won’t be time to look more closely at them until later tonight. During lunch, some of your journalism club students are in the room, partially working on stories and layouts, but mostly sharing the latest news about their friends and acquaintances.

For the Professional Learning Community (PLC) meeting during fourth block, you will meet with the other 10th grade English teachers to look at the results of a common assessment. At some schools in the district, the grade-level teachers all teach the same lessons, but luckily at this school you have more freedom in how you teach the material. There is a new teacher on the team who is struggling with classroom management, so the first 15 minutes of the meeting is spent discussing some strategies that have worked in other teachers’ rooms.

The end of the day comes at 3:15 PM, but it will be another hour or two before you head home–there are sub plans to finish for Thursday because you will be attending a district-wide training for working with English Language Learners, and you are hoping to send at least ten texts and emails to parents. The initial fear of parent contact faded quickly, and now it’s one of your strengths–you reach out early and often, connecting with families around student successes first. Later, if students begin struggling, contact is much more seamless. It’s been a long, exhausting day, but interacting with the students has made it all worth it.

You arrive early in the morning, an hour or so before teachers officially start the school day. You greet the office manager, principal, and custodian on the way to your classroom. Aside from these three, the building will be mostly empty for another half hour. You’ve found that this quiet morning time provides the best opportunity to catch up on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) paperwork, reflect on student data from the prior day, and make adjustments to instruction for the coming day. As the official start time for the school day draws close, you make a quick dash to the copy machine, fingers crossed that it isn’t broken and that there isn’t a line of teachers anxiously waiting their turn. It’s your lucky day. Your last photocopies shoot out of the machine just as the overhead announcement calls teachers to report to their morning duty stations. You quickly drop the copies off in your classroom, pick up your data binder, and dash out the door to the bus loop.

The bus loop is a flurry of activity. You greet students with high-fives, occasional hugs, and countless reminders to “use walking feet.” Amid all of these informal greetings, you are slipping in some IEP services by completing morning check-ins with several students who have behavioral or social-emotional goals on their IEPs. From an outsider’s view, these check-ins don’t look that different from your interactions with any other student. However, intermixed with those high-fives and hugs you quietly assess needs, remind students of the goals they are working on, offer supports where needed, and quickly make notes in your data binder. On this particular day, a third grader with autism reports that he is feeling like “a category 3 hurricane.” You know he needs some quiet time before joining his homeroom class, so you walk him to the computer lab where he has an open invitation to help the instructional technology specialist get the computer lab set up for the day.

The halls begin to clear as the instructional day begins. You spend the next six hours in constant motion, serving 18 students across four grade levels. You transition between co-teaching in general education classes and pulling small groups of students to your own classroom for intensive intervention in literacy, math, or social skills. When co-teaching, your job is to supplement the general education teacher’s deep knowledge of grade-level content with specialized instructional strategies that make content meaningful and accessible for students with disabilities and other learning differences. When providing intensive intervention, you implement research-based programs that target specific skills identified in your students’ IEPs. Data collection is on-going and individualized for each student, so your trusty data binder is by your side in all settings.

Normally, you would end the school day completing check-outs with the same students you saw in the morning. Today, you assign that responsibility to a teaching assistant so you can participate in a special education eligibility meeting. It is the initial eligibility meeting for this student and her family. A team of educators work with the parents to determine if the first grader has a disability and needs special education. Her parents feel overwhelmed by the process and fearful when the team concludes that their daughter has an intellectual disability. This is a moment when your job and your passion meet. You assure the parents that the future is bright for their daughter, that the educational label does not change who she is or who she will be, and that you will highlight her strengths and address her needs as you plan her education with them as equal partners. The decisions that you will make with this family are new to them, but for you they are a familiar and important part of your day as an elementary special education teacher.

Becoming a Teacher

The scenarios above describe some typical teaching days, but not all days are the same in teaching. In fact, each one will be different in some way. Deciding to become a teacher is an exciting commitment to shaping the future, and it is both demanding and rewarding. We’ll take a look at the profile of teachers today in the United States, and then discuss various routes toward earning the credentials necessary to become a classroom teacher.

The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) collects data on various aspects of education, one of which is the demographics of teachers and students. In the 2017-2018 school year, there were 3.5 million full- or part-time public school K-12 teachers ( NCES, 2020a ). (K-12 means the range of grades public schools serve, starting with kindergarten in elementary school and culminating with 12th grade in high school.) Of those teachers, 76% were female [1] , 79% were White, 90% held a standard teaching license (more on that below), and 58% had earned a graduate degree (at the master’s level or beyond). A majority of teachers were in the middle of their careers, with 40% having ten to twenty years of experience in the classroom. The average salary of a full-time public school teacher was $57,900, with the average first-year teacher earning $44,200. (Note that salaries vary based on years of experience, highest degree earned, and location.)

Stop & Investigate

Check out the demographics of teachers in your state or school district. How do they compare? Find the salary scale for teachers in your local school district. How does it compare?

Let’s revisit some of those demographics on racial diversity. Figure 1.1 depicts specific racial categories of public school teachers in the 2017-2018 school year, compared with the 1999-2000 school year.

Figure 1.1: Racial Demographics of U.S. Public School Teachers, 1999-2000 and 2017-2018

This graph compares demographics of teachers approximately 20 years apart.

Note: Data for teachers who identified as Asian, Pacific Islander, and two or more races in 1999-2000 was unavailable. The 2017-2018 data for teachers who identified as Pacific Islander rounded down to 0.

The trends are clear: in the United States, we lack a racially diverse teaching force, and that trend has not changed much in the past 20 years. While the 2017-2018 school year included more Hispanic, Asian, and multi-racial teachers, teachers are still overwhelmingly White. In the same school year, however, students who attended public schools were only 44% White ( NCES, 2020b ). That means that generally, there are more White teachers and more students of color ( Geiger, 2018 ). This trend is concerning, given that research shows that having teachers of color benefits all students, not just students of color ( Wells, Fox, & Cordova-Cobo, 2016 ).

Seventh-grade social studies teachers gather for a meeting.

There are many reasons why teachers in the United States are not racially diverse. While the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education (further explained in Chapters 3 and 5 ) demanded all schools integrate to address some of the inequalities between separate schools for White and Black students, it did have other consequences that directly impacted the diversity of teachers in the United States. This case caused 38,000 Black teachers (about one-third of the Black teachers in the country) to lose their jobs in the years following the case (Milner & Howard, 2004; Thompson, 2019 ). Even though this historical antecedent did limit access to teaching jobs for Black people, racial discrimination in the hiring process continues to compound this issue. D’Amico et al. (2017) found that despite equally-qualified candidates applying for jobs in one large school district, White teacher candidates still received a disproportionate number of job offers: of the 70% White applicants, 77% received job offers, while of the 13% Black candidates, 6% received job offers (D’Amico, Pawlewicz, Earley, & McGeehan, 2017; Klein, 2017 ). Beyond the hiring process, retention of hired teachers is lower for teachers of color than for White teachers. For example, between the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years, only 15% of White teachers left their jobs, compared to 22% of Black teachers and 21% of Hispanic teachers ( U.S. Department of Education, 2016 ).

Critical Lens: Naming Races

You may have noticed in this section that races are capitalized (like White and Black). Capitalizing these names recognizes the people more than the color. In fact, the Associated Press recently changed its writing style guide [2] to capitalize Black and Indigenous when referring to racial categories.

Pathways Toward Teacher Certification

High-quality, well-prepared educators are the foundation of our educational system. Well-prepared teachers are more effective in the classroom and also tend to have higher rates of retention, meaning they choose to stay in the teaching profession (Darling-Hammond, 2010). There are several different ways that you can become a teacher, depending on where you are in your life and career. These pathways toward teacher certification fall into two general categories: traditional or alternative preparation. Traditional preparation involves an undergraduate or graduate degree program affiliated with an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) , while alternative preparation can take many forms, including provisional certification or residency programs like Teach for America. No matter how you obtain your teaching license , you will have to renew the license periodically.

Traditional Preparation: Educator Preparation Program (EPP)

The most traditional way to earn your teaching certificate is through an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). An EPP could offer a few different programs that would culminate in your teaching certificate. Two popular options are an undergraduate degree program or a graduate degree program.

In this pathway toward teacher certification, participants enter a 4-year degree program knowing that they want to become a teacher upon graduation. Exact majors vary: sometimes you might major in education, or in a specific form of education (like elementary education). If you want to teach elementary school, you are expected to be more of a generalist: you will likely teach all content areas to your students. Therefore, you will take education classes in all of these areas. If you want to teach middle or high school or become a related arts teacher (arts, language, etc.), you will major in your future area of specialization, such as history if you want to teach social studies, or music if you want to be a music teacher. Regardless of the exact structure of the specific program, participants take classes that help them learn about pedagogy (the art and science of teaching), along with specific methods of instruction (such as how to teach the structures of different disciplines like literacy, math, science, or social studies).

Completing coursework is just one part of becoming a teacher in a traditional undergraduate degree program. There are also tests that future teachers must pass to prove they are prepared to teach. Some of these tests occur early in the degree as entrance requirements to an education program to assess basic literacy and math skills; some of these tests occur at the end of the degree as a culmination of all courses. These tests, run by ETS, are called Praxis tests. Their website [3] has information about testing requirements in different states.

Critical Lens: Bias in Standardized Assessments

While standardized assessments have been associated with measuring intelligence and learning for many years, some schools are moving away from relying solely on standardized tests as a measure of aptitude. You or someone you know might not be a great test taker, and you may have experienced first-hand (or second-hand through an acquaintance) how standardized tests aren’t always a reliable measure of what you know. Beyond test anxiety, standardized tests also tend to be culturally biased. That means that some cultural norms are assumed to be shared by all test takers, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A passage in a reading assessment, for example, might assume that a test-taker can build on background knowledge of certain experiences, like going camping, that they haven’t had, or use vocabulary words that are more common in middle-class White households. Another standardized test of intelligence, the IQ test [4] , was used early on by eugenicists to argue that White test-takers scored higher because they were the smarter race, using questionable statistical analyses and overlooking that the tests were written to benefit White test-takers. However, these standardized tests were often used to choose “highly qualified” candidates for jobs such as military leaders, therefore limiting access to certain professions based on race and socioeconomic status.

One of the most important parts of preparing to become a teacher is getting practice working in actual classrooms with actual students. In a traditional undergraduate degree program, you will engage in two different types of field placements. The first types of field placements are sometimes called practicum , which are part-time placements that are often tied to specific courses (like methods classes, where you learn about how to teach specific content areas like language arts, math, science, or social studies). You attend practicum a few hours a week in between your other coursework. In these practicum placements, you get to try out what you are learning in class with actual classrooms, teachers, and students. Sometimes you are observing to learn more; other times you are actively leading instruction in one-on-one, small group, or whole group settings. Your various practicum placements typically will be in different schools and different grade levels to give you experience working with many different types of students and teachers. The second type of field placement is called student teaching or an internship . This full-time placement occurs at the very end of your degree program. You spend all day, every day at your placement, just like the classroom teacher does. As the semester progresses, you will take on more and more responsibility for planning and teaching. By the middle of the semester, you will usually be responsible for all of the planning and teaching for all content areas for several weeks. After those few weeks, you begin passing the instructional responsibilities back to the classroom teacher. Both practicum and student teaching will require you to work closely with the classroom teacher, who may be called your mentor teacher . Neither type of field placement is an official job, so you should not expect to be paid for these experiences.

After you have completed all of your undergraduate coursework, your field placement hours, and your state’s required testing, you will earn your teaching certificate and be ready to apply for your first teaching job.

The first graduate, or post-baccalaureate, degree programs were developed in the 1970s as Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs (Darling-Hammond, 2010). A post-baccalaureate degree program is designed for people who want to become teachers, but who have already completed their undergraduate coursework in a field other than education. Therefore, a post-baccalaureate degree program allows people to learn how to become teachers while earning a master’s degree. In a post-baccalaureate degree program, courses are often offered in the evenings to cater to the needs of adult students who may be working or have family commitments during the day. Even though its structure is a little different, a post-baccalaureate degree program also has the field experiences explained above (practicum and internship).

After you have completed all of your post-baccalaureate coursework, your field placement hours, and your state’s required testing, you will earn your teaching certificate and be ready to apply for your first teaching job. The master’s degree you will earn in a post-baccalaureate program can result in higher pay for teachers in some states. (Even if you earn your teaching credential in an undergraduate program, you can still earn a master’s degree in education and get a pay increase in many states.)

Research has shown that teachers who earn their teaching certificate through an educator preparation program (EPP) feel significantly more prepared to meet their students’ needs than those that pursue other routes toward licensure (i.e., Darling-Hammond, Chung, & Frelow, 2002). One reason for this finding lies in the high standards that EPPs must meet. EPPs must be accredited by either state or national agencies. Accreditation means that the programs have met specific standards of high-quality teacher preparation programs.

The first national credentialing agency was the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which was founded in 1954. By 2016, NCATE was replaced by CAEP (pronounced “cape”), which stands for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. In their mission, they state: “CAEP advances equity and excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning” ( CAEP, 2020b , “Mission”). To receive CAEP accreditation, EPPs have to demonstrate evidence of their success in five areas, or standards [5] : (1) content and pedagogical knowledge; (2) clinical partnerships and practice; (3) candidate quality, recruitment, and selectivity; (4) program impact; and (5) provider quality, continuous improvement, and capacity. When you enroll in an EPP with CAEP or state-level accreditation, you know you are in a high-quality program that has provided evidence of meeting rigorous standards to prepare teachers.

Alternative Preparation

Sometimes, you decide to become a teacher after you have already earned an undergraduate degree in another field. Perhaps you’ve even worked in another field for several years, and you realize that you would like to become a teacher instead. While each state has different policies and programs for preparing teachers beyond undergraduate coursework, a few common approaches include provisional certification and residency programs like Teach for America.

Some schools face shortages of teachers in certain content areas or in more urban settings, which mean they need teachers as soon as possible–even if those teachers aren’t officially certified just yet. A provisional teaching license allows an individual to become a teacher temporarily, while they work with their employer to arrange to meet the requirements of earning a teaching license (such as taking the required Praxis tests). These licenses might be valid for a period of time ranging from one to three years and typically are not renewable, meaning that if you do not meet the licensure requirements before your certificate expires, you will not be able to continue teaching. Sometimes provisional certification is also called emergency certification, since it is designed to meet an immediate need.

Residency programs are another alternative pathway to receive a teaching credential. Typical participants in a residency model already have a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning a residency program. During the residency program, future teachers work simultaneously on a master’s degree in education while being placed in a school full-time. Typically residents do not serve as the teacher of record in the classroom, meaning they are not solely responsible for all instruction. Residency programs are particularly popular in high-needs areas where there is high teacher turnover and recruitment and retainment of teachers is challenging, such as urban centers. Some critiques of residency programs center on the short-term, intense nature of the experience: while a traditional undergraduate pathway toward a teaching credential takes around four years, a residency may last only one year, with the field experience occurring concurrently with coursework ( NYU Steinhardt, 2018 ).

Teach for America (TFA) is one well-known residency program. TFA recruits from undergraduate completers, mostly from programs other than education, to complete intensive training in the summer immediately following their graduation and prior to assuming their teaching position. Teach for America places candidates in higher-needs areas, while incentivizing the program by offering candidates a free master’s degree in education while they complete two years of teaching in the program. However, fast-tracked, alternative certification programs like Teach for America do tend to have lower rates of retention ( Hegarty, 2001 ). Retention refers to how long teachers stay in the field of education. Higher retention rates lead to higher-quality teachers, since you will keep growing in your competency as a teacher the longer you stay in the profession. Therefore, some alternative certification programs like Teach for America receive critiques for their short-term placement of teachers in schools for a couple of years instead of long-term teaching careers.

Maintaining A Teaching License

Once you have earned an initial teaching license, you will be able to teach for a period of time before you have to renew it. Usually, you will have to renew your license every three or five years; each state sets their own regulations, and different licenses sometimes have different timespans. Renewing your teaching license is important because teaching and learning are constantly changing and evolving, and you will best serve your students by being up-to-date on the latest information. You can earn renewal credits in a variety of ways, including taking graduate courses, attending conferences, attending professional development opportunities offered in your district and beyond, and more. The year your license will expire, you will have to submit a request to renew your license to your state Department of Education, including evidence of how you met your continuing education requirements. You cannot be a teacher with an expired license, so it is important that you remember to keep your teaching license current.

Each state has their own policies for becoming a teacher, so what happens if you earn a teaching license in one state and then have to move to another state? Many state Departments of Education have reciprocity with other states, meaning that your license could be transferred to a new state without having to start over completely. You might have to meet a few additional requirements unique to your new state, such as Praxis tests, but you don’t have to go back to school to get another degree in education. Learn more about reciprocity from the Education Commission of the States [6] , including a state-by-state comparison of reciprocity conditions [7] .

Look up the licensure and reciprocity policies for your state. Here is Virginia’s licensure website [8] . What do you notice about your state’s policies?

Characteristics of Effective Teachers

First of all, what does it mean to be an effective teacher? Effectiveness can be hard to define. Some ways to measure effectiveness include student achievement, such as test scores; performance ratings from supervisors, like administration members observing a lesson; or informal feedback in the form of comments from students or other stakeholders. Defining effectiveness is further complicated by the reality that there are many variables that a teacher cannot control that still impact these various measures ( Stronge, 2018 ).

Pause & Ponder

Who was a teacher who positively influenced your life? What did they do that left this impact? Was it how they approached instruction, interacted with you as a person inside or outside of school, or facilitated an extracurricular club? Now, think about a teacher who negatively affected you. What did they do that caused you to have a less than desirable experience?

As you yourself have experienced as a learner, there are certain characteristics that effective teachers share. Even though all teachers have distinct personalities and instructional approaches that they bring to the classroom–since teachers, like students, are still individual people–here are some practices that effective teachers have in common.

Over the span of 15 years, Walker ( 2008 ) asked college students what made effective teachers in their own experiences and found twelve recurring characteristics.

A high school student is outside with her teacher, examining a plant.

Prepared. Effective teachers were ready to teach every day and used time efficiently.
Positive. Effective teachers were optimistic about their jobs and their students.
Hold high expectations. Effective teachers believe everyone can succeed and challenge students to do their best.
Creative. Effective teachers come up with new, innovative ideas to teach content.
Fair. Effective teachers establish clear requirements for assignments, give everyone what they need to succeed, and recognize that learners are unique.
Display a personal touch. Effective teachers connect with students by sharing stories about themselves and participating in their students’ worlds, like going to a performance or sporting event.
Cultivate a sense of belonging. Effective teachers make students feel welcomed and safe in the classroom.
Compassionate. Effective teachers are sensitive and empathetic to students’ situations.
Have a sense of humor. Effective teachers bring humor into the classroom, but never at a student’s expense (i.e., laugh with, not at, students).
Respect students. Effective teachers maintain privacy and don’t embarrass students in front of the class.
Forgiving. Effective teachers don’t give up on students and start each day without holding grudges about how previous days have gone.
Admit mistakes. Effective teachers apologize when they make mistakes and make adjustments accordingly.

In addition to these personal qualities, there are specific ways to structure learning that are more effective than others. Creemers and Kryiakides (2006) called this the “dynamic model of educational effectiveness.” The dynamic model focuses more on teaching and learning than other factors that are beyond the teacher’s control in the classroom. Eight factors that tend to have an impact on student learning are explained in Table 1.1 (adapted from Muijs et al., 2014 ).

Table 1.1: Eight Factors that Impact Student Learning (Muijs et al., 2014)


Orientation
Structuring
Questioning	, discussed in )
Teaching modeling
Application
The classroom as a learning environment
Management of time
Assessment

As you can see, while we all bring our own personalities to our own classrooms and instruction, there are some practices that have consistently impacted student learning. We will continue discussing those specific practices throughout the rest of this book, and you will continue honing those skills as you continue on your pathway toward becoming a teacher.

Common characteristics of effective teachers can be found in ten InTASC standards . A nonpartisan, nationwide group of public officials with leadership positions in U.S. K-12 education called the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) created a subgroup called the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC). InTASC created a list of ten standards that cover model core teaching practices that high-quality K-12 teachers should be able to demonstrate as effective teachers. These standards were originally released in 1992 to guide early-career teachers, but the group realized that these characteristics were actually applicable to all teachers. Therefore, in 2011, InTASC revised the standards and expanded them to all teachers. Table 1.2 breaks down the 10 standards into the four overarching categories.

Table 1.2: InTASC Standards by Categories

This category recognizes that before we can teach, we must understand our learners.

This category focuses on the depth of knowledge teachers need to possess in their corresponding content areas in order to support students in their accurate learning of content.

After mastering the content knowledge itself, effective teachers need to understand how to deliver instruction by weaving together assessment, planning, and instructional strategies.

In this category, a teacher’s role as a life-long learner is the focus. Learning can occur through professional development (like trainings and classes), reflection, taking on leadership roles, and collaborating with various stakeholders.

The last category of InTASC standards focuses on professionalism. Teachers are held to very high standards as professionals because of their influence on shaping students’ learning, outlook, and futures. Teachers are expected to be role models, both within and beyond the classroom. Therefore, there are certain interpersonal skills–sometimes called dispositions –that teachers are expected to demonstrate as professionals.

In your own experience as a student, what are some behaviors or actions you have observed from teachers that made you respect them or lose respect for them? How will this impact how you practice professionalism in your future classroom?

A challenge related to dispositions is that research has not yet established an exact set of non-academic qualities that teachers need to demonstrate in order to be successful ( CAEP, 2020a ). Therefore, expectations of which dispositions should be observed will vary. Overall, here are a few examples of dispositions that you should possess as a future teacher.

Communication. You will be expected to demonstrate mastery of oral and written communication with a variety of stakeholders, including students, co-workers, administration, and families. Communication should be respectful and positive, and teachers are often expected to demonstrate mastery of conventions of standardized English.
Professional image. Related to communication, you are expected to portray a professional image in words and actions. You will be expected to dress professionally. You will be expected to avoid documentation of overly reckless behavior, such as photos on social media of drinking to excess at a party. As a teacher, you are a representative of your school district, and you are expected to maintain that professionalism within and beyond the classroom.
Organization. While there is no one “correct” way to be organized, you will be expected to manage your time, complete tasks by deadlines, and show up to work on time. You will also need to be able to organize student records (including assessments) and return assignments to students in a timely manner.
Collaboration. You will be expected to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders, including students, co-workers, administration, and families. Many times, you will be interacting with people whose backgrounds differ from your own, and it is very important that you respect the contributions of others, even if you would not approach a situation in exactly the same way.
Reflection. You will be expected to reflect on your instructional practice and adjust your next steps accordingly. Rarely does an instructional activity go perfectly, and that’s OK! Teachers must be able to reflect on what went well and what to change going forward.

Critical Lens: Linguicism

You’re heard of lots of -isms: racism, sexism, classism. What about linguicism? Fain (2008) cites Skutnabb-Kangas (1988) to define linguicism as “unequal treatment of languages based upon power structures that privilege certain languages as having legitimacy” (p. 205). People often assume that “Standard English” is right and everything else is not (Wheeler & Swords, 2006). Standardized English received this position as a “prestige dialect” (Wheeler & Swords, 2006) about 500 years ago, when the self-declared “superior” Europeans came to the Americas and began interacting with the so-called “inferior” native people. Linguistic discrimination, therefore, is a result of the “racist project of colonialism” (Otto, 2004, p. 3). Linguicism can be applied to languages, such as Spanish, or dialects, such as African American Language or Southern English. As Wheeler and Swords (2006) remind us, “while language varieties clearly differ, difference does not signal deficit” (p. 14). (Note: We use the term “Standarized English” instead of “Standard English” to highlight the artificial construction of one language as the “standard” and all others as “substandard” [Wheeler & Swords, 2006].)

Many of these dispositions and expressions of professionalism are culturally bound. For example, tattoos may need to be covered in some school districts, while others do not mind if age-appropriate tattoos are visible. It is important to know the expectations within your local context so that you can act accordingly. In Chapter 5 , we will discuss more about your legal and ethical protections and expectations as a teacher.

Explore the purple “Critical Disposition” boxes in the InTASC standards document [9] (starting on p. 12). What trends do you see? What will this mean for your future classroom?

In the teaching profession, it is also important to be aware of our beliefs. Awareness of our own beliefs can be particularly challenging because sometimes we are socialized into certain beliefs and do not even realize we hold them until we meet someone who holds different beliefs. Furthermore, in education, “Whiteness is the invisible norm” (Derman-Sparks & Ramsey, 2006, p. 35). As we established earlier in this chapter, most teachers in the United States identify as White. That means that the majority of teachers share certain aspects of mainstream cultural backgrounds and bring them into their schools and classrooms, often teaching next door to other teachers who share those same mainstream cultural backgrounds. That is how one cultural background can become the invisible norm.

We teach who we are. We bring our identities into our classrooms on a daily basis, just like our students do. Who we are involves many different facets of our identity, called intersectionality . Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw ( 1989 ) invented the term “intersectionality,” and it has since been applied in varied contexts, including education. The idea behind intersectionality is that many different aspects of our identity–including characteristics such as race, economic class, gender, and more–overlap and “intersect” with one another. Our identities–and our students’ identities–are greater than any one isolated characteristic. In this short video, Kimberlé Crenshaw explains intersectionality and its impact in educational settings.

Where do some of your identities lie in this diagram of intersectionality? Which groups within each characteristic tend to have the most power? (For example, which racial groups tend to be the most empowered or disempowered?) What other characteristics would you add to this diagram?

Intersectionality considers how different characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or gender, intersect.

As human beings, we have a natural desire to belong in order to survive. This drive to survive results in our grouping people–both consciously and unconsciously–based on their similarities or differences to us. Unfortunately, those same survival skills mean that we may think less of people who are different from us. We may think they aren’t as smart, or aren’t as good at what they do, or don’t do things the “right” way (the way we do them). Judging or evaluating another culture based on your own culture is called ethnocentrism . If we aren’t careful, we can let ethnocentrism interfere with our professionalism as teachers. We might think a student is less capable of success in our classrooms or beyond based on our own cultural beliefs about certain characteristics. Sometimes we assume people from certain racial, socioeconomic, ability, and other demographic groups are less capable, simply because of our own expectations or cultures. We might consciously or unconsciously believe certain stereotypes –sweeping, oversimplified generalizations about a group–and those stereotypes will filter into our interactions with our students, our expectations of our students, and our teaching in general. As Gorski (2013) reminds us, “no amount of resources or pedagogical strategies will help us to provide the best opportunity for low-income students to reach their full potential as learners if we do not attend first to the stereotypes, biases, and assumptions we have about them and their families” (p. 69).

Therefore, an important aspect of being an effective teacher is knowing yourself. Freire (1973) discussed the importance of critical consciousness, the ability to see beyond one’s own limited realm of experiences. Members of mainstream groups must be especially aware of their identities and how these identities impact their teaching (Gay, 2010; Harro, 2000).

In this chapter, we surveyed the teaching profession in the context of the United States. You learned that teachers today are mostly White females with 10-20 years of experience in the classroom. Pathways toward preparing high-quality teachers can be traditional, such as earning an undergraduate or graduate degree in education, or alternative, such as provisional certification or residency programs like Teach for America. No matter how you earn your initial teaching license, you will need to renew it periodically. Finally, the teaching profession depends on characteristics of effective teachers. InTASC standards remind us of ten common characteristics of effective teachers across four domains, and dispositions relate to our general professional demeanor as teachers. Additionally, we must be aware of our beliefs and how they consciously and unconsciously contribute to our instruction. In the rest of this book, we will continue to explore the complexities of the teaching profession.

The demographics from NCES are only broken down by male/female. ↵
https://apnews.com/71386b46dbff8190e71493a763e8f45a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP ↵
https://www.ets.org/praxis ↵
https://www.businessinsider.com/iq-tests-dark-history-finally-being-used-for-good-2017-10#:~:text=The%20first%20of%20these%20tests,basis%20for%20modern%20IQ%20testing. ↵
http://caepnet.org/standards/introduction ↵
https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-teacher-license-reciprocity/ ↵
https://c0arw235.caspio.com/dp/b7f93000c5143bf0c78540a0bfa4 ↵
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/index.shtml ↵
https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/InTASC_Model_Core_Teaching_Standards_2011.pdf ↵

Abbreviation for kindergarten through 12th grade, the traditional span of public schools in the United States.

Landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared separate educational facilities were not equal, ending segregation in schools.

One way to earn a teaching license through completing coursework at an Educator Preparation Program (EPP).

Programs offered through colleges or universities to earn teaching credentials.

Pathway toward earning teaching certification that does not involve undergraduate coursework and might involve residency programs or provisional certification.

Earned after meeting state-established requirements (such as courses and testing) in order to become a teacher. Requires periodic renewal.

Term referring to teachers in areas like music, visual arts, drama, etc.

The art and science of teaching.

How to teach the structures of different disciplines like literacy, math, science, or social studies.

Series of teacher certification tests offered by ETS.

Part-time field placements that are often tied to specific courses to give preservice teachers experience in classrooms.

Full-time practicum experience, usually situated at the end of an educator preparation program. May also be called internship.

Full-time practicum experience, usually situated at the end of an educator preparation program. May also be called student teaching.

Teacher of record in a practicum placement. Mentors preservice teachers by modeling effective instruction and sharing classroom responsibilities.

Process of formal review of an Educator Preparation Program by an outside agency, such as CAEP.

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Teaching license that is temporary, usually with certain stipulations or provisions attached. Sometimes called an emergency teaching license.

Alternative pathway toward teacher certification in which future teachers work simultaneously on a master’s degree in education while being placed in a school full-time.

Agreements among different states to honor teaching licenses earned in other states, sometimes with additional requirements added (like testing).

Framework designed by Benjamin Bloom and colleagues in 1956, and later revised in 2001. Divides educational goals/cognitive processes into six categories of increasing complexity: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create.

10 standards from the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium that cover model core teaching practices for K-12 educators.

Interpersonal skills expected of teachers as professionals.

Unequal treatment of languages based upon power structures that privilege certain languages as having legitimacy.

Term coined by Crenshaw (1989) meaning many different aspects of identity--including race, economic class, gender, and more--overlap and intersect with one another.

Judging or evaluating another culture based on your own culture.

Sweeping, oversimplified generalizations about a group.

Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens Copyright © by Melissa Wells and Courtney Clayton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Essay on Teaching

Students are often asked to write an essay on Teaching in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Teaching

What is teaching.

Teaching is the act of helping someone learn. It involves sharing knowledge, skills, and experience with others. Teachers help students understand new concepts, develop new skills, and think critically. They also help students learn how to work together and solve problems.

Why is Teaching Important?

Teaching is important because it helps people learn. Learning new things helps people grow and develop. It also helps people get better jobs and live more fulfilling lives. Teachers play a vital role in helping people learn and grow.

Who Can Be a Teacher?

Anyone can be a teacher. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your background is, or what your experience is. If you have knowledge, skills, or experience that you can share with others, you can be a teacher.

How Can I Become a Teacher?

There are many ways to become a teacher. You can get a degree in education, or you can take a teacher certification program. You can also become a teacher through experience. If you have worked in a field for many years, you may be able to become a teacher without a degree or certification.

What Makes a Good Teacher?

250 words essay on teaching.

Teaching is a way to transfer knowledge, abilities, and skills from one person to another. A teacher helps students learn and grow by explaining new concepts, providing guidance, and offering support. Teaching can take place in many settings, such as schools, colleges, workplaces, and even at home.

The Importance of Teaching

Teaching is essential for the progress of society. It is through teaching that we pass on our knowledge and culture to future generations. Teaching helps students develop the skills they need to live and work in the modern world. It also helps them learn how to think critically, solve problems, and be creative.

The Qualities of a Good Teacher

Good teachers are patient, kind, and understanding. They are able to explain new concepts in a clear and concise way. They are also able to create a positive and supportive learning environment. Good teachers are passionate about their subject matter and they are always looking for new ways to engage their students.

The Challenges of Teaching

Teaching can be a challenging profession. Teachers often have to deal with large classes, limited resources, and unmotivated students. They may also face pressure from parents and administrators. However, the rewards of teaching are great. Teachers have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of their students.

Teaching is a vital profession that plays a crucial role in the development of society. Good teachers are patient, kind, and understanding. They are able to explain new concepts in a clear and concise way. They are also able to create a positive and supportive learning environment. Teaching can be a challenging profession, but it is also a rewarding one. Teachers have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of their students.

500 Words Essay on Teaching

Teaching: a journey of inspiration and knowledge, the power of a teacher.

Teachers are the guiding stars that illuminate the path of knowledge for their students. They possess the power to unlock the potential within each child and help them discover their strengths and talents. With patience, understanding, and encouragement, they nurture the minds of their students and help them grow into well-rounded individuals.

The Art of Communication

Teaching is an art form that requires effective communication skills. Teachers must be able to convey complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner, adapting their teaching methods to suit the different learning styles of their students. They use a variety of techniques, including lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, to ensure that students comprehend the material and develop a love for learning.

Nurturing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Building character and values.

In addition to academic knowledge, teachers play a crucial role in shaping the character and values of their students. They teach the importance of honesty, integrity, responsibility, and respect. They create a positive and supportive classroom environment where students feel safe to express themselves and learn from their mistakes. By instilling these values, teachers help their students become ethical and responsible citizens.

The Impact of Teaching

The impact of a good teacher can be profound and long-lasting. Teachers have the ability to inspire their students to pursue their dreams, overcome challenges, and make a positive contribution to society. They ignite a passion for learning that can last a lifetime and empower their students to achieve great things.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

582 Teaching Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best teaching topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on teaching, 📌 simple & easy teaching essay titles, 💡 interesting topics to write about teaching, 🎓 writing prompts about teaching, 🥇 most interesting teaching topics to write about.

The Impact of Technology on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Report Technology assists in the development of a positive attitude to learning mathematics. The paper has revealed that use of technology improves students’ learning and leads to better results in mathematics.
Professionalism in the Teaching Profession Professionalism is very important in the education sector as it has a very deep impact on the role of a teacher, which in response influences the aptitude of students to learn successfully.
The Nature of the Work of Teachers To ascertain as to whether every teacher belongs to the teachers’ union, and reason why they decide to join it The strength of the teachers’ union seems to be the toughest in the country.
Main Components of a Language Classroom: How to Learn & Teach This essay involves a discussion on the main components of language learning and teaching within the sheltered approach of language acquisition which involves the incorporation of content and language while dealing with the learners of […]
Curriculum Approaches in Language Teaching The backward design of curriculum development in the context of second language learning will help eliminate the gap between understanding and learning with the aid of establishing a clear framework of goals that should be […]
Teachers’ Attitudes towards the Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning Teachers’ attitudes towards technology and its use in teaching Al-Zaidiyeen, Mei, and Fook conducted a study with 650 teachers randomly picked in Jordan in order to determine “the level of ICT usages among teachers and […]
Online Teaching and Learning: Pros and Cons Online learning is a learning option, which allows for students to develop a more adequate time management strategy by attending courses virtually.
Personal Teaching Experience Furthermore, I needed to develop programs that could increase the cultural awareness of these people. Moreover, I was able to apply various teaching techniques that could improve the academic performance of students.
Difference between formal and informal teaching However, in the case of home-based teaching, attendance is usually inconsistent as the programs offered do not usually require the learners to attend classes on a daily basis.
Teaching the Pizza Preparation Process In your large bowl containing the mixture of salt and wheat flour, make a well at the center of the blend using your fingertip.
Skills That Make Teachers Effective Effective teachers also need to incorporate relevant doses of humour in their teaching, which can help students gain confidence in their work. Moreover, a teacher has to involve students in making decisions.
Testing in Language Teaching Since the result is crucial in teaching, an educator is to be able to measure the performance of the learners, their improvements, strengths and weaknesses and this is where testing is necessary.
Teaching Methods and Their Determinants The determinant of the teaching method that flows with the student depends on many factors such as; the age of the students and their developmental stage, the subject matter of the lesson, aims and objectives […]
Handwriting Teaching Guidelines and Lesson Plan Name: WGU Competency Number: Subject: Handwriting Topic or Unit of Study: The Introduction of Lowercase Letters ‘l’ and ‘t’ from the Basic Stroke Family Grade/Level: 1st grade Instructional Setting: the lesson plan will be […]
Constructivism in Learning and Teaching At the end of the day, it is a highly democratic environment where the students and teachers are able to interact and participate in the learning process.
Use of Authentic Materials in Teaching Listening: Advantages and Disadvantages There are those who argue that use of authentic materials in teaching listening is more beneficial both to the learners and to the instructors as compared to the use of scripted materials.
The Importance of Teaching the Spelling The foundation of error-free reading, speaking, and writing is laid during the period of spelling training, which is an important component of overall speech and language development.
Memory Model of Teaching and Its Effectiveness The main objective of the research study was to find out the difference in the effect of the memory model and the traditional method of teaching on students’ performance.
Teaching in Schools and Creativity of Students Perhaps, what the policy makers in the education sector have not realized is that the natural ability of students is not concentrated in the brain alone.
Teaching Net Present Value (NPV) & Future Value (FV) The net cash inflow at the present time within a business entity is usually used to compute the Net present value (NPV).
Innovative Teaching Methods and Learning Programs The primary problem of this research project is the fact that teachers from the Lauttasaari School use innovative methods in their work with children, while other institutions all over the world cannot adopt the same […]
Mixed Ability Classes and How Teachers Can Face This Challenge Common Challenges as a result of the differences in class include; Getting all the students to pay attention, learn and take part in class Avoid boring the fast learners Avoiding loosing focus as younger students […]
Teaching Performance: Strengths and Weaknesses At the current stage, I work to involve students in the process of assessing their learning and to refer to all the information in order to decide on the effectiveness of assessments and instructions.
Reading Comprehension and Teaching Strategies The volunteers, therefore, should be more focused on analysis of children’s aptness to listen to a teacher and provide the corresponding modifications to the curriculum.
Four Management Functions in Teaching Unless the management process had been split into the four key stages, i.e, planning, organizing, leading and controlling, I would not have been able to either come up with an efficient teaching strategy, or a […]
Highly Qualified Teaching Staff A clearly outlined lesson also allows the students to understand the relevance of the topic of study to their learning and the goal of the lesson.
Teacher’s Role to Make a Difference Instead, I see a teacher as someone who encourages students to develop the learning strategy that they will, later on, use in any domain of their life to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and, […]
Teaching Approaches by Dewey, Montessori and Vygotsky The questions for the discussion between the three foundational educators will concern the meaning and importance of the environment for the learning process and the role and goal of the school curriculum.
Private School Teaching V.S. Public School Teaching In the recent past, there has been a rise in the demand for education offered in private schools relative to public schools notwithstanding the high cost of private education.
Improving Teaching and Learning It is certain that educators and the methods that they apply in practice while teaching can directly affect the outcomes of the students, which is why teachers are willing to improve when it comes to […]
Goals Achievement in the Teacher’s Career A set of personal goals in a teacher’s life is important because it acts as a guideline to ensure that it strengthens his or her career and also benefit the students.
Early Childhood Development: Teacher’s Responsibilities Moreover, the teacher should motivate students to be tolerant towards opinions of others. In addition, the teacher is responsible for social and emotional development of the students.
Computers Will Not Replace Teachers On the other hand, real teachers can emotionally connect and relate to their students; in contrast, computers do not possess feeling and lack of empathy.
Impact of Learner-Centered Approach on the Teaching of Language for Specific Purposes (ESP) Hence, re-evaluating the role and place of a teacher in ESP learning is indispensable to meet the goals and needs of a learner.
Multimedia Use in Teaching The main reason for easier conceptualization of the facts is the interaction and identification of images presented in videos and the ability of video to arouse imagination in the watchers.
Teaching Cultural Identities: A Lesson Plan Therefore, it is crucial to teach students in school the importance of their own cultural identities and explain the importance of intercultural cooperation.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Experiences In order to grow and improve as a teacher and a person, it is essential to reflect on my personal feelings and education practices that define them as a unique instructor.
STEM Education: Teacher Approaches and Strategies It is the interest of science, science education, and society to help students and all citizens develop a greater understanding and appreciation for some of the fundamental concepts and the processes of technology and engineering”.
Teaching Strategies: Lesson Plan Critique The notes taken by the students are intended to help them in the future and provide them with relevant information concerning the insights of an interview. Second, the teacher will provide the students with an […]
The Teacher Speech With Parents These instances are broadly meant to ensure that the parents get the best understanding of the information concerning the school and more importantly enable them to fully participate in the education of their children.
Educational Psychology in Learning and Teaching Thus, this course has significantly helped me as a teacher in studying and applying modern research methodologies and suppositions, practices and plans which emphasize on the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods in improving […]
Ethical Dilemmas Facing Teachers The proponents of this system claim that it is authentic and offers a first hand experience to the learners. The needs in this system include having a strong foundation in the areas that the knowledge […]
The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium The two common themes in CEC and InTASC standards are collaboration and leadership and ethical practice and professional learning. In summary, the two common themes of InTASK and CEC standards are leadership and collaboration and […]
Professional Teacher Evaluation Student test scores are good in providing information used to judge the performance and effectiveness of teachers in providing instruction and in delivery of pedagogy.
Teaching of English in Primary School The main reasons of this tendency are recognition of significance of the learning process and vital role of teachers in it, importance of both pupil and teacher assessment and better understanding of the profession of […]
Teacher’s Must-Have Characteristics In this paper, I will review my current characteristics as an aspiring teacher and the characteristics I need to develop in the near future. The following are some of the characteristics that I will need […]
Teaching a Musical Instrument in School The drive towards musical achievement is of great inherent value to both the learner and the society. The learners are the central point with the head teacher, the leader of music service, the class teacher, […]
Teaching Profession The strategy I used to handle the situation was first to calm the students down because they were ready to talk to me because of my affable nature.
Action Plan for Recruiting Teachers The spreadsheet has columns that indicate the goals set at the beginning of the years and the actual performance of the teachers at every juncture.
What Makes a Great Teacher Terronez questioned students about qualities that teachers should have to be great teachers, and one of the students answered: “The great teachers help students if they notice a struggle”.
Five Main Perspectives on Teaching The perspectives on teaching may vary depending on the subject, the types of assignments, the age of your learners, and the aims of education.
Unethical Behavior in Teacher-Student Relationships The relationship between teacher and student should be one for the welfare of a student. It is also applicable to the students and the first amendment of the US constitution allows all the students to […]
Memoir About You and Your Learning and Teaching The experiences that I went through when I was a student have made me to be a better teacher to my students.
Montessori Education: Textbooks, Curriculum, Teachers To start with the first issue, it is important to note that customer satisfaction is a fundamental ingredient to the success of a program.
Teachers Attitudes Towards Mathematics Teaching The paper also identifies the limitations of this investigation, which consists of the fact that the results of the investigation are general, and cannot be restricted to any country in particular.
Teacher Experience in the Montessori School Standing, highlights the importance of leadership by stating that “Maria Montessori was herself; the personification of what her own ideal teacher should be one who combines the self-sacrificing spirit of the scientist with the love […]
Multimedia Technology for Teaching and Learning Studies have shown that the use of multimedia is a technological phenomenon because its applications involve the use of technology. The implication is that multimedia has a theoretical basis for both teaching and learning.
Montessori Teacher’s Certification Experiences Therefore, I will devote my time and effort to the students with honesty in order to uphold my standards of integrity.
Emergency Nursing Disaster Preparedness: Teaching Plan The topic that will be covered in the teaching session is “Emergency Nursing Disaster Preparedness”, and the time allocated to cover the topic is 30 minutes.
The concept map for teaching spoken English Such arrows are also present in stages of lesson planning and the role of the teacher and students. The initial approach would be to let students to understand the importance of spoken English in their […]
Characteristics of an Effective Teacher More so, an effective teacher should be able to impart subject contents well so that, the learners may be in a position to understand the concepts intended well.
Why I Enjoyed a Particular Teacher To be an effective educator, it is not enough that the teacher knows how to teach the subject but also one must learn to keep and maintain the power of enhancing the students’ ability and […]
Male Teachers: Gender and Schooling This is the perception that is held by most people and thus the presence of male teachers in the school might help to reduce the myth that is associated with school among the boys.
Effective Teaching Strategies’ Implementing to the Classroom The implementation of the strategy can be assessed in the following way: The strategy was rather hard to implement at first, for the students who were not used to discussions in the classrooms were initially […]
The core teaching of Jesus The core of Jesus’ teachings was on the fact that God love us and that we should love each other just as he has demonstrated his love to us.
Teaching Mathematics in Primary Education She also had a clear understanding of the role of zero and applied it to reading and writing of numbers up to hundred. She also had difficulties with combining and partitioning in the range of […]
Teacher Empowerment Through Curriculum Development The PCE aims to achieve the goal of internalizing the necessary skills and abilities to the learners. From these findings, it is apparent that the future of the American education system is bleak if the […]
Need for Lesson Plan in Teaching Pacing the lesson plan is necessary so as to ensure that the presentation of the lesson helps the students understand the material despite differences in their abilities and interests.
Discourse for Language Teachers: Discourse Analysis and Phonology The purpose of this presentation is to explain why phonology is important in human communication. It is not enough to give definitions and examples.
Induction Program for Beginning Teachers The effective work of this system is presupposed by the teacher’s willingness and abilities to foster in a student the burning desire to know and the student’s readiness to collaborate with the teacher to become […]
Teachers’ Right to Strike Debates The essence of teachers’ strikes is of doubtful nature: teachers may be allowed to strikes as they have the freedom of speech and rights that cannot be neglected by the government, the necessity to talk […]
Teachers’ Perspective on Barriers to Play-Based Learning The play-based has an added advantage for the child, and we have to focus on the opinions and beliefs of the teachers. The motivation behind conducting research is to get the perspective of the teachers […]
Using Jing in Teaching Jing is a free, screen casting and image capturing tool (TechSmith, 2013). It also grants marking up uses and wide sharing probabilities within a short time.
Basic Life Support Training: A Clinical Teaching Plan The aim of teaching this topic is to enable the learners to understand the principles of CPR training and adequately develop these skills for teaching high school students to perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The Role of Teachers in “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse Vasudeva, the ferryman and the river act as the best teachers for Siddhartha in his pursuit for enlightenment; however, one cannot undermine the role played by his own father, the Samanas, Kamala, Kamaswami and Buddha […]
Teaching Math: The Best Learning Practice In this paper, the attention to three teaching strategies, which are explicit teaching, developmental activities to support a diversity of levels, and reflection, will be discussed and explained through the prism of mathematics classes and […]
Teaching Social Studies: Reasons and Goals It should be noted that the researches have shown that when the teachers are dedicated to the whole process and find the ways to make the students believe that this subject is vital together with […]
A Good Teacher: Teaching Is More Than Just Lecturing A good teacher ought to be interactive with his/her students as teaching is far more than just standing in class and giving a series of lectures.
Effective Teaching of Reading in Education However, as a result of learning the importance of communicative approach and applying it in the teaching of reading, I have had a better perception of the role of reading as well as the types […]
Reflective Teaching and Learning in Further Education I have good knowledge of morphology, syntax, grammar, and other aspects of the language, as well as the history of French and diverse linguistic theories instrumental in understanding the peculiarities of the language.
Critical Incident Analysis in Teaching For instance, through my reflection in the critical incidents above, I was able to explore the reversal point of view, which challenged my personal values and assumptions with regard to handling behavioural issues and helped […]
Narrative Communication in the Teaching and Learning Process Narrative communication in the teaching and learning process is an act of enhancing attention of learners through storytelling. In addition, educators should be creative and should embrace the use narrative communication so as to enhance […]
Teaching Strategies in Promoting Reading Comprehension One of the critical roles of the educator is to determine the text that must be used during teaching, and choose the suitable text for different students depending on their levels of study and abilities.
Effective Teachers’ Skills and Qualities It cannot be denied that it is crucial for teachers to follow instructions and rules. To sum up, some people say that teaching is not a profession, and it is a vocation.
Teachers’ Involvement in Syllabus Design, Implementation, and Evaluation On the whole, the problems that should be discussed can be explained by the fact that many education systems can be very centralized, and it is difficult for school teachers to affect the policies of […]
Important Characteristics for Effective Teaching Fourth characteristic is that the teacher should be able to come up with strategies to establish individual investments for each student and help them develop interest in learning.
Merit Pay for Teachers Merit pay, as many would call it, is a practice in which the salary of the worker is determined based on the basis of how well individual worker is successful in his/her work.
Cooperation Between Teachers and Parents To guarantee the parents’ responsiveness and interest in the children’s activities, it is necessary to inform them about all the significant events and children’s successes.
Albert Namatjira: Teaching Activities and Methods Nearby was the Lutheran mission of Hermannsburg, where the tribespeople of Namatjira often visited to earn extra money and, at the same time, listen to the priests’ sermons.
How to Be an Effective Teacher This topic is very important for students as it gives instructions of how to behave during the first weeks in class. The Internet has a rich source of information for students and teachers.
Teacher-Based Assessment and Its Advantages It is on this basis that a growing number of stakeholders want teachers to take a central role in the assessment of students.
Andragogy: A Reflection on Adult Teaching and Learning The reason why the conference was held was to emphasize on the need for all human resource managers and other employees to conform to the changing trends in our society today. In the traditional learning […]
The Role of Teacher Improvement in Modern Education First and foremost, teacher improvement in the United States of America is necessary to keep up with the changes and trends in the public education curriculum of the country.
The Suzuki Violin Teaching Method In this case, the basic aspects of the successful teaching are the listening to the music, the constant repetition of music elements while playing, and the parents’ support.
Technology in Classrooms: Learning and Teaching Geometry One of the main advantages of interactive learning is that it is the best way of motivating the ability of students to make innovative ideas.
Museum Education: Modern Methods of Teaching Children The effectiveness of teaching practices used in museum education is strictly interconnected with the degree to which they awake the interest to the world in people from different age groups.
High School Social Studies Teacher Career In this line, my expectations in the next five to fifteen years is to be able to be financially stable and debt-free, be able to land a job that gives me the benefit of having […]
Parent-Teacher Conferences and Their Forms The picture is a great example of a successful parent-teacher conference as all factors presented in it can greatly contribute to the mutual understanding and further cooperation of parents and a teacher.
Teacher-Student Communications via Social Media One of the most distinctive features of the document is the emphasis on the professional use and the absence of any non-professional links.
Teaching Geography and Value-Based Education The issue selected for being taught and discussed in the class is the pollution of the Georges River because of Endeavour Coal’s activities.
Delayed Oral Practice in Second Language Teaching The experimental group that was undergoing delayed oral practice were found to develop better comprehension skills than the rest of the control group.
Parent-Teacher Interaction Strategies Despite this fundamental importance, the reality on the ground is that these interactions are often feared by parents and educators alike due to a variety of issues that need to be understood in order to […]
Language and Culture Interaction in English Language Teaching When teachers act oblivious to the norms and expectations of the students, is simply denying the experiences of the learners. Teachers have to engage the students in the cultural background of English language usage.
Use of Graphic Organizers in Teaching For instance, using the flow chart can allow students to follow the causes and effects, as well as define the dependency between the dates of the World War II.
Review of “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” At the same time, the book is based on the idea to determine the level of connection between the nature of suffering and various qualities of enlightenment.
Child Behaviour: Evaluating Techniques Used by Teachers In Ignoring Disruptive Behaviour, the children in question are displaying lousy behavior openly, and the initial reaction of the teacher is to engage in conflict and continue talking to a student.
Founding Teacher’s Experience in Montessori School During this time, I was promoted to the position of the vice principle in the school that I had worked for a very long time.
Teaching Philosophy Statement and Beliefs In conclusion, I believe that practical teaching skills and students’ curiosity to learn should be the integral factors influencing learning for adults.
Is a Native Speaker the Best Teacher? Compared to the non-natives who had to learn the language at later stage, a native teacher is used to the language because they have been learning it since they were borne.
A Teacher as a Legitimate Authority This article demonstrates a problem of disrespect and abuse that teachers face daily from their students. Teachers are shown disrespect because of misunderstanding of the profession’s importance, student resentment, and inability to accept the teachers’ […]
The Student-Centered Classroom Teaching Strategy The article focuses on the importance of the same student-based teaching strategy. In addition, the above article will impress on the minds of the traditional teacher that change should be implemented; the change is the […]
Teaching the ECG Procedure The nurse who sees the patients in the emergency room must understand the value of the ECG in a life-saving situation.
Role, Responsibilities and Boundaries of a Teacher in Terms of Teaching Cycle The main role of a teacher is to ensure that he or she has enhanced communication in class so as to encourage all students to participate in the discussion.
Felony Charges Made by Teachers I do not agree with the ruling as it was unfair to the teacher bearing in mind that the court did not take the imitative of seriously dig into the case as with the technology, […]
Classroom Behavior Management In order to achieve positive outcomes in the educational arena, teachers ought to be able to organize the classroom and manage the behavior of their students.
Basic Methods of Instruction for Teachers These factors include the number of learners, type of support you have available, the type of educational environment you are working in, the physical design of the learning environment, the funds available to develop the […]
The Science of Teaching Science The growth of students was attempted as the initial goal, providing them with all the possible chances to participate in the discussion, as well as experiment and find the process of education captivating.
Teachers Turnover: Qualitative and Quantitative Statement The study will adopt a case study research design where the focus will be students and teachers of elementary schools within the state of Ohio in the United States.
Teaching Career: Setting Goals The goal that I want to set is that by the end of the year, more than eighty percent of the students in grade 7 should be above the grade level in English.
Underachievement in Schools: Teaching and Learning In a school setting, underachievement refers to the inability of a learner to meet standards of performance that are set in the relevant level of study, which they have been established to have the ability […]
Language Teaching: Techniques and Principles The main goal of the given activity is to use the new vocabulary that is learned regarding the particular topic, master communication skills, and promote the ability to use these words in dialogues of various […]
Communication and Collaboration With Teacher Colleagues In the end, I am deeply convinced that it would be important for the teachers to use parallel teaching strategy when two professionals are working with different parts of the class; I suppose that the […]
Washback Effect of School-Based Assessment on Teaching and Learning in Hong Kong Just as Biggs and Shepard state, there is a need to align curriculum, pedology and assessment constructively to ensure that while teaching and assessment form the better part of curriculum, there should be conducive strategies […]
Factors to Consider in Teaching Young Language Learners A detailed analysis of the existing studies on teaching English to young learners will reveal that the process in question demands that the teacher should be able to address the specific needs of young learners.
Pedagogy and Andragogy: Learner-Teacher Relationship From the discussion, we found out that the appropriateness of identified andragogy in classroom activities mainly relied on the knowledge, skills and ideas possessed by the learners.
Creating a Theoretical Framework for the Teacher’s Philosophy of Education Considering the variety of philosophical approaches to the primary goals, content, structure and methods of the educational programs, a young teacher is not obliged to decide on only one of them and can blend the […]
The Importance of the Logical – Mathematical Intelligence in Mathematics Teaching This kind of intelligence expresses the ability of a learner to identify a blueprint, form a reason to a specific mathematical answer, and ultimately employ logical thoughts in any kind of response.
Teachers Wellbeing: Becoming Aware of Work-Relate Stress Teachers who are aware of these stressors early in their careers may be able to minimize their risk of burnout and experience a sense of well-being.
The Importance of Humanities in the Profession of a Teacher The profession of a teacher requires knowledge in different disciplines and different sectors of human activity.
Nasogastric Tube Insertion: Teaching Concept The teaching intention is that on completion of the intubation training program the providers are able to understand the indications and contraindications of placing a NG tube, describe procedure of placing it, and demonstrate their […]
Teaching & Instructional Methodology In these methods the teacher only directs and leaves the part of understanding to the student. All the above methods are good and are applicable to all kinds of students in various grades of learning.
Teacher’s Personal and Professional Commitments Avoiding conflict of interest in personal life. Avoiding conflict of interest in professional life.
Nutrition Instructor’s Teaching Philosophy My teaching involves instructing dietetic students in the main aspects of clinical nutrition, including nutrition support and clinical care process, the connection between physicians, nurses, and patients when they have to share their experiences and […]
Health Teaching and Physical Education Lesson Plan Students will be able to dribble a ball with a hand paying attention to such principles as dribbling on the side, waist-high, pushing the ball down, and eyes lookup.
Teaching and Grouping Strategies in the Classroom If the majority of the students grasp the concept, the teacher moves on to the next lesson, but if the majority is still struggling with the ideas presented, he or she is obliged to revisit […]
Approaching the Planning and Teaching This is because I think the purposes of an appraisal to be directly related to the overall objectives of learning and hence when the instructions are planned in a manner that facilitates the attainment of […]
Teaching English Language Learners To determine the reading and writing abilities of students, students should be encouraged to take English tests more often. In addition, the efforts of the students should not be limited to the use of certain […]
Vision for Your Teaching and Learning & Role as a Teacher-Leader or Teacher-Researcher The concept of teacher leadership is based on the effectiveness of developing and following the definite vision statement worked out by the teacher to accentuate the path according to which the teacher leader can act […]
From the First Language Literacy to the Second Language Proficiency The above observation was also apparent in the study by Benseman, Sutton and Lander who explained that, the involvement of the learner in the teaching allows students to increase their use of first language literacy […]
The Major Point in Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong Loewen points out that the majority of people in the USA know the history of their country from the school course and the textbooks.
Developmental Teaching Plan for Patients The objective of this article and the teaching template is to enable nurses to offer patients an appropriate and sufficient teaching plan that allows them to comprehend and succeed in the future.
Transactional Writing and Writing Teaching Strategies in Grade Six In general, it gets to the point and is concise and straightforward. To promote creative and critical writing among grade six students, the instructor should use visualization as a strategy.
The Importance of Teaching Alternative Evolution Theories The theory of evolution should be the basis of the entire course of biology at school. The general representation of the leading alternative evolution concepts should be provided before the arguments for these theories implementation […]
Review of “No, Teachers Are Not Underpaid” According to Biggs and Richwine, there is considerable evidence that teachers receive market-level salaries, which are even exceeding the salaries of similar private-sector workers by 8 percent.
Methods of Elementary School Music Teaching The key research questions are focused on the most suitable method for teaching singing and playing instrumental music; the application of the methods in the middle and lower grades of primary school; a comparison of […]
Teaching Math: Number Sense Instruction In particular, the child gets to know that not all shapes are convenient to measure, for example, it is difficult to measure the length or width of a ball.
Teaching Statistics in a Year 5 or 6 First, students at upper primary level need to understand the importance of data and statistics in real-life using common examples from the area of sports, politics, entertainments, and studies.
Core Principles for Teaching the History of Osteopathic Medicine Therefore, this paper is going to focus on the history of osteopathic medicine, the core principles of osteopathic medicine, the importance, and the extent of practice together with critics of this practice.
Teacher Evaluation, Discipline, and Dismissal With help of the findings of the given research, probable ideas on how to improve the existing system of teacher’s evaluation at school can be suggested, which will result in the increase of the efficiency […]
The Life of My Teacher’s Handbag The open top is secured by a buckle that locks to the inside, meaning the side that is in contact with the body while the bag is on the shoulder.
Communication Plan for Students, Teachers and Parents The overwhelming majority of educators believe that the student should not be excluded from the communication between teachers and parents; they usually describe the interactions between student, home, and the school as some triangle.
Impacts of High Stress Levels on Teachers This reduction in teacher numbers has made it difficult for the existing teachers to handle the students and perform their duties as required, it becomes equally tasking to recruit and employ new teachers since they […]
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Teaching Plan The main purpose of the given teaching plan is to provide a concept of sexually transmitted diseases, their types, routes of transmission, pathogens, and signs and methods of prevention.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Community Teaching Plan Based on the study by Hailu, Mergal, Nishimwe, Samson, and Santos, the majority of adolescents receive no advice from parents concerning the unwanted consequences of sexual relationships, including STDs. Since 2013, in people aged 15-24, […]
Factors Affecting Teacher Attrition Gaines states that the main problem in teacher attrition research is lack of data and statistical information concerning the real state of the matters on both national and regional levels.
Human Diversity in Education & Effective Teaching But if you are a teacher or an educator, how will you address the human diversity in education and at the same time maintain a good quality of education that the students deserve to achieve?
The Effects of Integrating Mobile Devices with Teaching and Learning on Students’ Learning Performance It also provides a meta-analysis of the effects of the size of different journal articles, which have provided an analysis of computer use in learning.
Teaching Standard English: Whose Standard? Thus, it is the role of teachers to encourage students not to be afraid of making mistakes and sharing their thoughts, especially in language learning.
Teaching in an Urban School The major reason why I want to become an urban school teacher is that I understand the challenges existing there and I wish to help both students and other educators to overcome these difficulties.
Mental Mathematics: Assessing, Planning, Teaching
Supervision and Observation Process on Teaching Candidates
Health Administration Instructor’s Teaching Philosophy
Career of Teaching Art
The Highest Good in Tao Te Ching’s Teaching
Non- vs. Traditional Teaching in the 5th Grade
Teaching and Research Philosophy
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Teaching Mathematics Plan: Big Idea’s Focus
Family Therapy and Teacher as Counselor
The Comedy Film “Bad Teacher”
Communicative Language Teaching
Teaching Mathematics
Teacher Merit Pay Program
Culturally Responsive Teaching of Students With Disabilities
Challenges and Benefits in Teacher Profession
Infant Feeding Options in the First Six Months
Teaching Philosophy in Early Childhood
Tips on How to Make the First Day of Class Productive for New Teachers
Counseling and Teaching: Comparative Discussion
The Teaching of Balaam and Its Content
Teacher’s Role in Student Learning
Teaching Effective Presentation Skills
Wealth and Poverty: The Christian Teaching on Wealth and Poverty
Teachers’ Readiness to Offer First Aid to Children
How to Motivate and Reward Teachers
Why Professionalism Is Important for Teachers
Long-Lasting Impact of a Teacher on a Student
Inquiry-Based Teaching Practices
Qualities of an Effective Teacher
Should Teachers Be Armed?
Decoding Skill Teaching Methods and Instructions
Failure and Success in Teacher Career
Just Draw Exhibition in Visual Art Teaching
Teachers’ Perspectives in Subject-Verb Agreement
Preparing Teachers of Second Language Reading
Cooperative Learning in Math Teaching
My Classroom From Hell: Teacher Experience
Rehumanizing Education: Teaching and Learning in a Postpandemic Society
Reading and Teaching Students in Poverty
Effective Teaching and Cognitive Challenges
The CAEP’s 7 Elements of Effective Parent-Teacher Partnerships
Teaching in a Differentiated Classroom
Perception of Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers
Literature Discussion Groups: Teaching Literature
Role of Teachers in Literacy Education
The Issue of Armed Teachers and Students’ Safety
Personal Teaching Philosophy: Assessing Student Learning
Teaching and Learning Philosophy
Specific Problem in Education: Teacher Salaries
Nurse Education and Teaching Style
Core Themes of Teaching Standards
A Nurse’s Emergency Teaching Tool for a Community
Aspects of Teacher Retainment
Nursing Practice: The Teaching Approaches
Concept for Teaching Memory in Primary School Students
Teacher’s Work: Tasks and Ethical Principles
Paul’s Consistent Teaching on Law
Teacher Help Me Grow Up and Stay Healthy: Case Study
Non-Traditional Teaching Experience in Nursing
Manzano’s Tips for Teachers to Use in Classrooms
Cyberbullying Through Facebook at School: Teacher’s Actions
Impact of Social Media on Instructional Practices for Kindergarten Teachers
Doctor of Nursing Practice Teaching Intervention
Teaching Preschool Children
Curriculum Transitions and Their Impact on Teaching
Faith and Transformational Teaching
Teaching Art: Developing Reading Skills through Effective Reading Approaches
Co-Teaching Models and Paraeducators
Teacher’s Responsibility: A Responsibility of Teacher Educators
Link Between Teaching and Learning
Scenario-Based Teaching on Organizational Culture
Teaching the Younger Generation Life Skills and Social Integration
Women’s Military Service and Biblical Teaching
Connecticut Teacher Certification
Challenges and Barriers in Novice Teachers’ Practice in Public Schools
The Competence of a Nurse Teacher
Effective Attributes of an Expert Teacher
Teachers-Parents Partnership and Children’s Literature
Teaching and Managing in New York City Schools
Recommended Multicultural Teaching Approaches
Culturally Sensitive Nurses Teaching Health Literacy
Health Teaching, Its Complexities, and Realities
The Early Numeracy Skills: Teaching and Learning Strategies
The Play-Based Learning: Teachers’ Perception
Generational Digital Gap in Teachers
The Life of the American Teacher Article by Edwards
The Role of My School Platform in Developing Teachers’ Technical Skills in Saudi Arabia
The Problem of Teachers’ Turnover in the US
High Turnover of New Teachers in the US
Attrition Tendency Among Teachers
Teachers’ Freedom of Speech in Learning Institutions
Factors for Teachers’ Motivation in Distance Learning
Community Teaching on Physical Activity
Teaching Theology: Augustinian Confessions
The Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
Augustine’s Approach to Teaching Today
Business Administration Education Reform in Teaching Style
The Importance of Mentorship for Teachers
Mentorship Concept in Teaching Profession
To Grammar or Not to Grammar: Teaching Grammar in Context
Nutritional Teaching Plan for a Protein Restricted Diet
Sociology of Labor in the Modern World: The Example of Teachers
Co-Teaching and Use of Technology in Education
Teaching Experience: Diabetes Prevention
Catholic Social Teaching Impact on Human Life and Dignity
Remote Teaching: Advantages and Disadvantages
Teaching Community Skills Through Practice
Teaching English Language: Pedagogical Strategies
A Teaching Plan for Functional Illiterate Adult Learner
Community Teaching on Epidemiology
Personal Teaching Experience: Additional Roles of Nurses
Teachers’ Collaboration and Participation
Health Promotion Model for Teaching Patient
Distance Learning Experiences of In-Service Music Teachers From Puerto Rico
Teacher Career: E-Learning
Co-Teaching Approaches With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Students
The Use of Technology in Teaching Practice
K-3 Educators’ Skills in Teaching Spelling
The Instrumental Music Teaching: Educational Resources
Occupational Stress: Patient Teaching Plan
Advanced Nursing: Community Teaching Plan
Breastfeeding Health Teaching Project
K-8 Teachers Procedures for Carrying Recurring Activities
Opinion About Web Site sedl.org and Teaching
Age-Relatedness in Teaching Music
Teaching Strategies for LGBTQ (Queer) Community
“Promoting Urban Teachers’ Understanding of Technology…” by Mouza
The Teaching Style Change: Pedagogical Approaches
Teaching of Nurse in Australian Versus Jordanian Culture
Qualities That Effective Teachers Should Have
The Issue of Teaching Students to Write Essays
Qualities and Skills Needed to Become a Teacher
Cooperative Teaching as the Primary Model: Teaching Directed Reading
Prospective Elementary Teachers in Indiana University
How Computer Based Training Can Help Teachers Learn New Teaching and Training Methods
Understanding Culture and Tradition as an Effective Way of Teaching Indigenous History
Strategies for Teaching Literacy in a Secondary Classroom
Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding PLCs’ Practice
Exploring the Experience of In-Service Teachers Pursuing Master’s Degree
Situated Case of Practice Examining Teacher’s Practices of Inclusion
Covid-19 Teaching Among the Elderly
Identifying Learner Strategies and a Teacher’s Role in Shaping Them
Teacher Self-Efficacy: Significance and Improving
Preschool Teaching and Nuggets of Wisdom
Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Teaching Developmentally by Walle
Multicultural Concepts in the Teaching Profession
Teacher Expectations and Student Academic Performance
Mathematics Curriculum Instruction and Teaching Methods
Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Libya
The Sample of Sports Education Teachers
Teaching and Learning Principles in Nursing
Teaching Plan For Students in Health Care
Peanut Allergy: Teaching Plan for Child With Anaphylaxis Reaction
Community Teaching Work Plan
Teaching Plan for Obesity in the Elderly
Choosing a Career in Teaching
Comprehensive Teaching Plan: Renal Failure With Dialysis
Respiratory Isolation Teaching for Tuberculosis
Patient Teaching Module: Diverticulitis
Teaching Clinical Skills
Java Engagement for Teacher Training Workshop
White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles: A Not-For-Profit, Faith-Based, Teaching Hospital
Language Teaching Through Information Technology
Enhancing the Teacher Hiring Process
Teaching Styles: Fitness Director
“Teachers, Social Media, and Free Speech” by Vasek
Teaching Profession in the Movie “Dangerous Minds”
Parent-Teacher-Youth Mediation Program Analysis
Teaching English in Riyadh Public Primary Schools
The Problems English Teachers Face in Riyadh Public Primary Schools
Media Portrayals of Education, Teaching, Learning
Teaching Listening and Speaking – The Graduate Designs Instruction
The Teachers Service Commission
Stress in the Teaching Fraternity
Teaching Mathematics: Problems and New Approaches
Professional Teaching Standards vs. Unprofessional Practices
Effects of Information Literacy on Scholarship, Practice and Leadership in Teaching Profession
Teaching Adult Learners Overview
How Can Teacher Motivate Emirati Students to Read?
Saudi Primary School Science Teachers’ Beliefs: Teaching New Curriculum
Philosophy and Teaching: Peter Singer
Jazz Studio Masterclass: Teaching Observation
Teaching Observation for Chamber Music Coaching Lesson
Social Accounts Reviewing Before Selecting Teachers
Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Teaching Staff
School Leadership and Its Role in Teacher Turnover
Teaching Children and Its Aspects and Characteristics
Personal Teaching Philosophy Statement: Encouraging Lifelong and Individual Learning
Flipped-Classroom and Traditional Classroom Student Engagement
The Role of Practice in Teaching Science in Grade 8
Special Education Professional Development Needs of Teachers in Saudi Arabia Assessment
Buddha’s “No-Self” Teaching and Its Meaning
Input-Directed Approach to Raising Schools’ Teaching Quality
EFL Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Communicative Language
Serbian Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion
Autism: Teaching Plan for Taking All the Features Into Account
Effective Strategies for Grammar Teaching: Ideas for Learning Prepositions
‘Letters to a Young Teacher’ by J. Kozol Review
Teacher Employment and Empowerment
How to Teaching Mathematics
‘Lies My Teacher Told Me’ by Loewen
“Professionalism in Teaching” by Beth Hurst
The Profession of a Teacher : Requirements and Features
The Significance of Teaching Moral Reasoning at Harvard
The Things That Teachers Must Learn
Teacher Career: Professional Development Plan
Electronic Filing System for Teacher Career
Teaching Vocabulary Through Communication
Teaching Speaking and Pronunciation
Debate on Teaching of Values
Teaching Methods: Visual & Performing Arts
Information Literate and Professional Development in Teaching
“Lies My Teacher Told Me” by James W. Loewen
Ethnographic Prospects in Teaching and Learning
Underperforming Teachers and Educational Fall of Nation
Self-Management for Enhancing Teaching and Learning
Linguistics: Grammar and Language Teaching
“Teaching Exceptional Children” by Smith, R. M.
What’s the Point: Unmotivated Students & Ineffective Teaching
“From Teacher-Centered to Learner-Centered Curriculum: Improving Learning in Diverse Classrooms” by Brown
Problems of Inexperienced Teachers Analysis
Theological Teaching in the Flow of Christology
A Teaching Strategy: Storyline Method
Strategies for Teaching Spelling
Culture-Sensitive Science Teaching and Urban Schooling
Teacher Conduct in Sensitive Situations
Team Collaboration Between Teachers in Schools
Teacher Tenure: Reasons and Oppositions
Teacher`s Rights and Responsibilities
Bilingual Education: Enhancing Teachers Quality
Teaching Skills in Simschool Program
Teaching Practices: The New American Lecture Strategy
Inductive Learning: Teaching Styles and Strategies
Music Teaching Style: The Effects of Choral Music Teacher Experience and Background
Environment of the Classroom to Support Teaching and Learning
Sustain Neophytes in Teaching Profession
A Lens to Teacher’s Christian Worldview
Research Method in Teaching English as a Second Language
Teaching English as a Second Language: Listening Comprehension
Teaching and Learning: Portfolio Qualities
Teaching Culturally Diverse Children
Teaching Writing. Process Approach to Writing
Teaching Language Arts: Phonemic Awareness
Ethical Dilemma in Teacher Career
Why I Want to Be a Teacher
Math Teachers’ Beliefs and Attitudes about the Use of Graphics Calculators
Repressed Memory and Developing Teaching Strategies
High School Teacher’s Role in Education
Diabetic Teaching Plan for Alzheimer’s Patient
Teaching English to Students of Other Languages
Teaching Strategies: The Art and Science of Teaching
Merit Pay for Teachers in the USA: Advantages and Disadvantages
Problems of Learning and Mutual Understanding of Students, Teachers and Parents
Teaching In Different Cultures Factor Analysis
Studying and Teaching Environment of Australian and Malaysian Primary Schools
Preventing Burnout in Preschool Teachers
Preschool Teacher Burnout Prevention
Determinants of Individual to Choose a Teaching Career
A Teacher’s Reflection From Work Experience
Teaching Language to Students With Severe Disabilities
Shiite and Sunni Teaching of Islam
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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Teaching Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write a teaching statement, a 1-4 page document that describes your teaching experiences and pedagogical approaches.The first time you write a teaching statement is often in the context of an application for an academic job or teaching position.

What is a teaching statement?

A teaching statement, or statement of teaching philosophy, highlights academic job candidates’ teaching qualifications, explains their pedagogical approaches, and demonstrates how they will contribute to the teaching culture of prospective institutions.

Because hiring committees for academic jobs cannot observe the teaching of every applicant, they rely on other means of evaluating a candidate’s teaching. These alternatives may include a teaching demonstration during a campus visit; a teaching portfolio consisting of student evaluations, sample syllabi, etc; and/or a teaching statement. By illustrating a candidate’s teaching experiences and philosophy with concrete examples, a teaching statement helps the hiring committee imagine what it would be like inside the candidate’s classroom.

Teaching statements will vary from candidate to candidate (and one candidate’s teaching statements may vary from application to application). The sections below offer guidelines to help you prepare, write, and revise your own teaching statement.

Preparing to write a teaching statement

An effective teaching statement involves both reflection and research. Thinking about your teaching and your goals can be helpful before you begin writing or revising your teaching statement. This process can also prepare you for interview questions that address teaching, should your application lead to an interview.

Brainstorming

Before you begin writing your teaching statement, it can be useful to think more generally about your teaching philosophy. Once you’ve brainstormed some ideas, you can then focus on how to clearly and succinctly communicate those thoughts in a teaching statement. For some general brainstorming strategies, you can consult our Brainstorming handout; the following questions will help you brainstorm more specifically about your teaching philosophy:

What goals do you set for students in your courses?
How do you enact those goals?
How do you evaluate how well those goals are being met?
What is your plan for developing your teaching? What other aspects of pedagogy would you like to develop in your practice?
What can a student expect to experience in your class?
What is the relationship between your teaching and research?
What are the unique challenges or opportunities to teaching in your field?
What is your favorite aspect of teaching? Why?
What is your favorite course to teach? Why?
How do you effectively teach students with diverse identities and backgrounds?
How do your beliefs about student learning affect your instructional choices?

Consulting models

Looking at sample teaching statements can give you a better sense of the genre and can help you determine what elements you would like to include in your own teaching statement. Students in your program, recent graduates, and professors may be willing to share models, and many examples are also available online through libraries and faculty resource centers.

As you look at sample teaching statements, think about what you do or do not like about each statement. The following questions can help you determine how you might construct your own statement.

What is the most memorable part of the teaching statement? Why?
How is the teaching statement organized (e.g. thematically, chronologically)?
How easily are you able to follow the structure of the statement?
What is the writing style of the teaching statement (e.g. formal, conversational)?
What impression of the writer does the writing style convey?
What image of the writer are you left with after reading the entire statement?
How well can you imagine yourself as a student in the writer’s class?

Researching the institution

Different institutions will have different teaching cultures and, therefore, will value different types of teaching statements. For example, a research university and a community college may have different approaches to teaching, so the same teaching statement is unlikely to appeal to both institutions. Instead, you should try to tailor your teaching statement to each individual institution (and department) to which you are applying.

As a first step, you can explore the institution and department websites to learn how much emphasis they place on teaching. You might also research the department faculty, their areas of expertise, and the courses they have recently taught. By learning about your audience, their teaching expectations, and their values, you can tailor your teaching statement to demonstrate how well you will fit into the department’s teaching culture.

You might also think about the department’s needs by considering current offerings and what they can tell you about the priorities and values of the department. Without making assumptions, you can ask yourself:

How do the department’s offerings compare with common or standard course offerings in the field? How do they compare with courses you have taken or taught?
How does your current research relate to the department’s course offerings?
Which courses would you be prepared to teach?
What future courses might you envision creating for the department?
Does the department offer any special courses, seminars, or initiatives relevant to your research or teaching experience?

Although a targeted teaching statement is important at any point in the application process, the timing of the hiring committee’s request can also inform you about how targeted the statement should be. For example, if the committee requests a teaching statement after they have already reviewed your initial materials, then you should be even more purposeful in demonstrating how you will fit into their specific teaching culture and how you can contribute to their department’s teaching needs.

Drafting a teaching statement

Because teaching statements are variable in design and structure, you will have many choices to make during the drafting process. Here are some common decision points, considerations, and challenges to keep in mind while writing your teaching statement.

Organizational strategies

Teaching statements do not have one set organizational structure. Instead, you can employ different organizational strategies to emphasize different aspects of your teaching. Here are a few examples that you could consider:

Think of your teaching history as a narrative (past, present, future). How have your previous experiences informed your current practices? How might those practices transform within different contexts in the future? This narrative strategy allows you to build upon past experiences to point towards future development.

Structure your statement around your teaching goals, methods, and assessment. How do your goals inform your methods, and how do you assess the extent to which those goals have been reached? This process-oriented strategy can help you highlight connections between goals and outcomes and show how those connections inform your practice.

Identify themes, concepts, ways of thinking, or learning strategies that are prevalent in your teaching. How do these elements help students learn? This approach can characterize what’s distinctive about your teaching and how it serves students.

Be specific and concrete

Including specific details and explanations in your teaching statement will help the audience picture what it’s like to be in your classroom. Rather than simply mentioning a particular innovation or strategy, include examples of how it has helped students in practice.

Explain terms that could be open to interpretation by your reader. For example, if you mention the importance of critical thinking in your teaching statement, explain what that means to you as an instructor.

Use concrete examples from your teaching and classroom experiences to illustrate how your teaching philosophy informs your practice. How does your philosophy shape your students’ experiences in the classroom?

Incorporate inclusivity

While some applications will also require a diversity statement, the teaching statement is your opportunity to express how you consider diversity and foster inclusivity in the classroom through specific examples. Incorporating inclusivity throughout your teaching statement demonstrates that it is an integral part of your philosophy and practice rather than just a required element tacked on at the end. Here are some questions to help you reflect on how you might incorporate inclusivity in your teaching:

How does your course material reflect contributions from diverse perspectives?
How do you encourage collaboration among all students?
How do you help students from diverse backgrounds feel welcome and safe in your classroom?
How do you cultivate an inclusive learning environment that encourages students to think about the effects of racial, cultural, gender, socioeconomic, and other differences?
How do you make your instruction accessible to students with physical disabilities and learning differences?

How do I keep my teaching statement both professional and personal?

As with most writing, knowledge of your intended audience can help guide choices around style. You can use the information you gleaned from researching the institution to develop a sense of their values and level of formality. You might also consider models, especially those from applicants at comparable career stages or applying to comparable institutions, and assess the type of language and tone used.

Especially if you are writing a statement as part of an application, your teaching statement should be unique to you. See our handout on Application Essays for more general advice on writing in application contexts.

What if I’m not an experienced teacher?

Although having extensive teaching experience may help you to draw examples for your teaching statement, prior teaching experience is not required to write a quality teaching statement. In some fields, opportunities to teach are few and far between; committees will be understanding of this, especially at institutions where research is prioritized. Regardless of whether you have much teaching experience, be sure to frame yourself as a teacher rather than a student.

Here are some strategies to help you draft a teaching statement, even if you aren’t an experienced teacher:

If you haven’t taught your own courses, draw upon experiences when you served as a teaching assistant for another instructor.
If you don’t have any experience teaching in a classroom, think of other transferable experiences like tutoring, coaching, or mentoring that illustrate what you would be like as a teacher.
If you have time, seek out teaching-related opportunities, such as giving guest lectures or mentoring junior colleagues.
If you really have no teaching experience, imagine and describe what you will be like as a teacher, propose courses that you could teach, and provide concrete techniques that you will employ in the classroom.

How do I unify diverse teaching experiences?

Having extensive teaching experience may seem like the optimal situation for writing a teaching statement, but teaching experiences that span a broad range of courses or positions may feel disjointed or difficult to connect in a single teaching statement. In these cases, remember that you can use the diversity of your experiences to highlight your strengths and the approaches that you implement in the classroom. Here are some strategies that can help you identify commonalities across your disparate teaching experiences and construct a cohesive narrative:

Use a strategy like webbing to help you draw connections between the ideas, theories, and/or practices from your various teaching experiences. For more information about this strategy, see our Webbing video.
Highlight the flexibility of your teaching and explain how your unique combination of skills can contribute to your success in different teaching contexts.
Focus your teaching statement on the skills and experiences that are most transferable to your targeted position.

Remember that you don’t need to include every teaching experience in your teaching statement. Your CV will cover all of the courses that you have taught, so your teaching statement can be an opportunity to focus on specific experiences in more detail.

Revising a teaching statement

An effective teaching statement is often the product of a series of revisions. Once you have written a draft, the strategies below can help you look for opportunities to strengthen your statement for specific application contexts and audiences.

Review your application holistically

Consider how your teaching statement fits into your application as a whole. Your teaching statement should complement your other application materials without being redundant. For example, your CV likely lists the courses you have taught; your teaching statement should not repeat the list but may highlight certain courses. Similarly, whereas a research statement will go into detail about your scholarship, your teaching statement can be a place to explain how your research and teaching inform each other. Think about how your entire application paints a cohesive picture of you as an applicant, and determine whether any elements are missing and where they could be included.

Seeking feedback

After you have developed a draft of your teaching statement, seek feedback from multiple sources. Professors, especially those who have served on hiring committees, can provide informed suggestions about the genre, but other helpful readers include fellow students, roommates, partners, family members, and coaches at the Writing Center. Asking these readers for feedback about your entire application can help you identify redundancies or gaps that you could address. See our Getting Feedback handout for advice on how to ask for effective feedback.

Editing and proofreading

Like all application materials, your teaching statement should be free of mechanical errors. Be sure to edit and proofread thoroughly. See our Editing and Proofreading handout or Proofreading video for some strategies.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Meizlish, Deborah, and Matthew Kaplan. 2008. “Valuing and Evaluating Teaching in Academic Hiring: A Multidisciplinary, Cross-Institutional Study.” The Journal of Higher Education 79 (5): 489–512. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2008.11772114 .

Montell, Gabriela. 2003. “How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.” The Chronicle of Higher Education , 27 Mar. 2003. https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-to-Write-a-Statement-of/45133 .

O’Neal, Chris, et al. 2007. “Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy for the Academic Job Search.” Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. University of Michigan. http://www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/wp-content/uploads/sites/346/resource_files/CRLT_no23.pdf .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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News & Stories

What Motivates Teachers to Enter the Profession?

In a piece for EdSurge, researchers share their work that suggests the reason someone chooses to become a teacher could determine how successful they will be in the role.

Andrew Kwok and Brendan Bartanen

August 12, 2024

This commentary was originally published by EdSurge. (Photo iStock)

What if why you choose to become a teacher determines how successful you will be in the role?

Society has always been fascinated to learn about the motivations of famous athletes, entertainers, and politicians and how they came to their profession. We think about their career trajectory and consider its relevance to ourselves or people we know. What if, similarly, we learned about the motivations of aspiring K-12 teachers, and used that to predict how effective they will be and how long they will stay in the classroom?

Persistent concerns reiterate teacher shortages throughout the nation . Recent evidence has also pointed to declining interest in becoming a teacher, aligned with the decreased professionalization, prestige and pay of the sector . Yet noble individuals press forward and choose to educate our children anyway. Why, in spite of the headwinds, do they become teachers?

As professors and researchers in university teaching and learning programs, we’re fascinated by this question. We figured that learning more about teacher motivation could help us better understand teacher pipelines and find ways to diversify and improve the quality of our nation’s teachers, so we designed a study to gather more information.

From 2012-2018, nearly 2,800 preservice teachers within one of the largest teacher preparation programs in Texas responded to an essay prompt, “Explain why you decided to become a teacher.” We used a natural language processing algorithm to review their responses.

Historically , people went into teaching for relatively straightforward reasons: They desired a stable career, enjoyed having summers off, or had family members who were teachers. However, across the essay responses, we found that those motivations were not the most prevalent, nor were they related to teacher outcomes — but others were.

Read the full story, including the study results, at EdSurge.

News Information

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Audrey Breen

[email protected]

Research Center or Department

EdPolicyWorks

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Brendan Bartanen

News Topics

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