Chapter 2: Becoming a Teacher Teaching By Sharleen L. Kato

Objectives After studying this chapter, you will be able to: Identify the steps to becoming a teacher. Compare ways to gaining experience with children while in high school. Research the requirements for admission to a teacher education program. Develop a personal career goal.

Vocabulary To Know Teaching academies Teacher education programs Grants Job shadowing Service-learning Prerequisite course Proficiency test Student teaching Cooperating teacher Certified teacher Reciprocal agreements Teaching license Career goal

What Are the Steps to Becoming a Teacher

Specific teacher preparation standards vary by state and by the level of teaching. The same general steps are involved across the country. You will explore the teaching profession, gain helpful experience, and begin to build the skill you will need to be a successful teacher.

Step 1: High School Preparation

Maximize Your Educational Opportunities Schools are offering students the opportunity to explore careers in teaching through special career exploration classes or programs. Teaching academies are specialized programs within high schools that help students to explore the teaching profession through classes, observations, and hands-on experience.

Choose challenging high school courses, and commit to doing well. Every course will give you insight into a new subject area. A strong academic record will make you a better candidate for the college or university of your choice and admittance into a teaching program.

Observe Your Teachers Take the opportunity to observe your teachers. Notice how they interact with students. What are their particular teaching styles? How do they adapt material for different levels or interests? What are their class rules and procedures? How do individual teachers earn the respect of their students?

Explore College Programs Gather information about colleges and universities that offer teacher training. Teacher education programs are universities/college programs that prepare students to become teachers.

Applications for admission should be sent to colleges in the FALL of your 12 grade year of high school. Talk to your guidance counselors, visit the college room, visit the schools when they are on campus, and research schools on the internet and talk to your teachers. When you narrow your list of potential colleges, visit their web sites to learn about their entrance requirements and what courses you would take. Try to visit the colleges.

If you need financial assistance look into: Financial aid Student loans Scholarships (don’t have to pay back) Grants (don’t have to pay back)

Gain Experience and Improve Your Skills Gain as much experience working with children of various ages as you can. This can help you have a better decision about whether teaching is an elementary or secondary school is good for you. Colleges look favorably on applicants who have shown community involvement.

Job shadowing, following a person on the job for a few hours, a day, or even longer to experience what the persons’ career typically involves to gain valuable insight into the person’s daily tasks, activities, and interactions with other.

Volunteering. Much of the work in communities is done by volunteers. Opportunities include (after-school programs, tutor, cub & girl scouts, brownies, Special Olympics and community recreation. Help with a fundraiser, fair, car wash, etc.

Teachers are those who lead others in learning. You may assist in planning, carrying out, and evaluating activities. Volunteer activities typically require creativity and problem solving skills. Dedication to volunteering strengthens your sense of commitment.

Service Learning, links classroom learning with hands-on experience in order to meet community needs. Service learning projects require analyzing needs, learning related information, planning a way to help, following through, and evaluating the experience.

Part time work. Is another way to gain experience with children while still in high school. Opportunities included: child care centers recreation programs after-school programs

Step 2: College Preparation and Teacher Training

Generally take 4 years to complete. To teach in Kindergarten through high school, a bachelor’s degree is required. Generally take 4 years to complete. It is either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS), depending on your college major and the course requirements you have met. Entrance requirements often include: √ personal interview √ prerequisite courses √ minimum grade point average √ proficiency tests Prerequisite course is one that must be completed before entering a program or prior to taking a higher-level course.

Education related courses help students with Background knowledge of how schools work. Teaching strategies. Classroom management techniques. Preparation for teaching all subjects for elementary. Secondary teachers focus on a specific subject.

Step 3: Classroom Experience and Student Teaching

As part of course requirements for teacher education students, most classes require working with children and teens. Students may observe, help a teacher, tutor students, teach a lesson, or be involved in some other capacity. Teacher education students gain more experience, improve their skills, and see how they like various aspects of teaching.

Student teaching is a period during which a teacher education student practices and acquires teaching skill under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Cooperating teacher is a classroom teacher who supervises and mentor a student teacher. A professor at the college oversees the student teaching experience. All states require teacher education programs to include a student teaching experience.

Step 4: Gaining Certification

Kindergarten through high school teachers must be certified in the state where they want to teach.

Requirements include but is not limited to: Certified teacher is one who has met the state requirements for teacher preparation. Requirements include but is not limited to: √ having a bachelors degree √ completing an approved teacher education program √ any other state requirements

A certified teacher receives a teaching license or teaching certificate. Through this official document, the state verifies for schools that the person is qualified to teach. A teaching license specifies the grade levels, and sometimes subject areas, for which a teacher is qualified.

College and university teacher education program are usually keyed to the licensing requirements of their state. States usually have reciprocal agreements with other states that allow teachers certified to teach in one state to teach in another state that is part of the agreement.

If your goal is to teach at the college level, you may need to complete a master’s degree to teach at the community college level. To teach at a four-year college or university, a doctoral degree may be required.

Getting Started

Set a Career Goal Career goal is a clear, concise statement of what you want to become in life. Your career goal forms the base for identifying interrelated goals that will help you achieve it. Outline the steps you will take to complete each goal.

Determine the specific things you will do to achieve each of these steps. Consider possible roadblocks or challenges to meeting your goal. Consider what can you do today, this week, this month, or this year to help you toward your goal.

iTeach by Se7en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbZ2TSub2Ow

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