BECOMING A TEACHER, 7/e Forrest W. Parkay & Beverly Hardcastle Stanford Chapter 1 Teaching: Your Chosen Profession

BECOMING A TEACHER, 7/eForrest W. Parkay &

Beverly Hardcastle Stanford

Chapter 1Teaching: Your

Chosen

Profession

Copyright © 2007 Allyn and Bacon

The desire to work with children and young people Day to day interactions build strong

bonds/relationships Appreciation of the unique qualities of youth Rewards derived from meeting diverse needs of

students Student variability (developmental needs, interests,

abilities) Student diversity (gender, race, ethnicity, culture,

socioeconomic status)

Why Do You Want to Teach?


A passion for teaching Elementary as well as secondary teachers

describe themselves as “passionate” about teaching A passion for the subject – Mr. Jarrell A passion for the teaching life – enjoy school

environment A passion for the teaching-learning process –

excited about helping students learn, think on your feet, teachable moments



Influence of teachers Teacher influence during the formative years

(elementary or secondary school) has the greatest influence in individuals’ decisions to chose teaching as a profession

Teachers as people, rather than the subject taught by the teacher, was cited as the bigger influence – the human factor

Inspirational memories of earlier teachers



Desire to serve Teaching is chosen out of a desire to serve others Influenced by experience volunteering in educational

settings Desire to give something back to society

Teach for America – college graduates assigned to teach for a min. of 2 yrs in urban and rural school districts

severe shortages of science, math, and language arts teachers 5 weeks of intensive training After 2 yr. commitment is over…

earn regular teaching certificate go back to regular job



Practical benefits of teaching Teachers’ hours and vacations Flexibility not available in other professions Year-round schools offer “mini vacations” year

round Teachers’ salaries are becoming more attractive –see

chart page 12 – keep in mind cost of living Many teachers moonlight to increase their income

hold a second job 1/4 of the nation’s teachers

Teachers receive fringe benefits Medical insurance and retirement plans



Job security and status Teachers enjoy a higher rate of job security during periods of

economic recession The widespread practice of tenure contributes to job security

Job security granted after satisfactory performance of 2-5 yrs. Some areas with teacher shortages are offering large signing

bonuses: moving expenses, loan forgiveness, etc. The nation will need 1 million new public school teachers

Greater demand for bilingual teachers & teachers of English as a second language

NEA survey reports that teachers feel more respected in today’s society



Job opportunities for teachers from diverse groups Exceptional job opportunities for teachers from

diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as teachers with disabilities The typical undergraduate in teaching is young, white,

female and a recent high school graduate Currently only 10 percent are Teachers of color – see chart

page 15 Expected to drop to 5 percent over the coming years Because some attend impoverished schools, there is little

motivation to become teachers



Why Do You Want to Teach? To attract more minority candidates to

teaching, districts need to: Prioritize the recruitment of ethnic educators Consider nontraditional sources of Teacher recruitment Expedite the application materials of ethnic applicants Discuss the possibility of offering hiring bonuses for ethnic

candidates Develop a paraprofessional-to-teacher program Understand how ethnically diverse employees perceive the

district Create a support network for educators of color


The challenges as well as the satisfactions of teaching need to be considered to help you… develop a personal philosophy of education build a repertoire of teaching strategies strengthen your leadership skills acquire a knowledge base of research & theory to guide

your actions

What Are the Challenges of Teaching?


Classroom management and increasing school violence 22% of more than 2,300 students surveyed in the

MetLife Survey of the American Teacher reported worrying “a great deal” about “being safe at school”

dealing with discipline can be disturbing and emotionally draining

possible risk factors for increase in school violence: many schools have high teacher-student ratios

Some teachers experience high levels of occupational stress high student-mobility rates

Teachers have difficulty meeting students’ needs as well as recognizing and remembering names



Social problems that impact students… Substance abuse Teen pregnancy Homelessness Child abuse and neglect Violence and crime Suicide Poverty Health problems

AIDS/HIV Fetal alcohol

syndrome

These social problems place students at risk through… Low productivity in the

classroom Learning difficulties Attitude problems that

demand increased teacher attention

Teachers are often unaware of the source of the problems

Teachers lack the resources or expertise to offer help

Increase in teacher frustration



Need for family and community support Can make a significant increase in the teacher’s

effectiveness in the classroom – learning increases Student leaders who attended the 1999 United States

Senate Youth Program said “parental support” was the biggest factor in their success at school Students’ success is enhanced by parents/guardians who talk

with them



Long working hours and job stress “Real working” hours (not compensated for) include

after-hours or extra working assignments Detailed record keeping of students’ progress,

absences, tardies Supervising students on playground, extracurricular

events, hallways, study halls, lunch Teachers are required to attend faculty meetings,

parent conferences, open houses Student lack of interest Conflicts with administrators Public criticism



Gaining Professional Empowerment Efforts to empower teachers include:

Professionalizing teaching Teachers need to participate in job related decisions Unprecedented opportunities for teachers to extend their

roles beyond the classroom – read clip on bottom of pg 19 Teachers are developing leadership skills

Skills necessary to an extent not required or needed in the past

What Are the Challengesof Teaching?


What is it Like to be a Teacher? Teaching is more complex than just observable

behaviors demonstrated in classrooms A good Teacher is not about methodology or

ideology Requires engagement with identity for ones students It is a creative endeavor Requires a continual shaping and reshaping of

lessons, events, and experiences for their students It is exhaustive, complex, never the same twice, and

at its heart an intellectual and ethical enterprise


What is it Like to be a Teacher?

Reality 1: The Unpredictability of Outcomes The outcomes of teaching are often unpredictable

and inconsistent – teachers nor students can predict with any certainty exactly what will happen next There may be disinterest on the part of students – blank

stares, yawns of boredom, acting out, etc Lack of preparation on the part of teachers does not rule out

the possibility of a real breakthrough in understanding for students

Teachers are often surprised at students’ reactions to classroom activities – read note bottom of pg 24


Reality 2: The Difficulty of Assessing Students’ Learning It is difficult if not impossible to determine exactly

what a human being does or does not understand Some of what students learn may be indeterminate and

beyond direct measurement In spite of state-by-state efforts to standardize

assessment, teachers know that there is always uncertainty about just what their students have learned beyond the answers they record for various tests



Reality 3: Limited Influence on Students’ Behavior The Teacher’s ability to influence student behavior is

limited The best that teachers can do is attempt to influence

students so they make internal decisions to behave in the desired manner

Teachers’ are evaluated by their ability to help students become active seekers of knowledge Underscores the need for a partnership between teacher and

students/learners



Reality 4: The Importance of Teachers’ Attitudes It is critical that teachers model appropriate

behaviors Students learn by imitation Teachers are models for students

In the primary grades, children idolize their teachers Teachers at the high school level have the potential

to inspire Teachers need to develop positive relationships with

their students – read bottom pg 26 Teachers model attitudes about the subjects they

teach – learning is life-long



Reality 5: The Unpredictability and Immediacy of Teaching Interactive Teaching - marked by events that are rapidly

changing, multidimensional, and irregular Teachers must be able to think on their feet Teachers must be flexible and able to deal with the unexpected Teachers must be able to operate on two levels

Monitor the discussion Monitor the students for confusion or comprehension Be ready for the next question or comment Be alert for signs of misbehavior

Preactive Teaching – prepare to teach or reflect on previous teaching Planning for lessons, grade papers, reflect on misbehavior of

students



Reality 6: The Uniqueness of the Teaching Experience Teaching involves a mode of being between the student

and the teacher Involves the teacher’s thought processes – see figure

1.6 pg 29 Inner reflective thinking Exterior reflective action Physical constraints of the environment Teachers’ abilities to be involved in the curriculum writing

process Teachers are influenced by students’ behavior



What Will Society Expect of Teachers?

As a Teacher you will be a public servant accountable to the people As a Teacher you will be expected to have advanced knowledge and skills As a Teacher you will be expected to be proficient in the use of instructional

strategies As a Teacher you will be expected to understand the factors that influence

student learning High academic and ethical standards You will be expected to further students’ social, emotional, and moral

development You will be expected to address social problems and risk factors that affect

student success Public trust increases and decreases in response to social and political

changes – see chart pg 30


How do Accomplished Teachers View Their Work?

A Way of Being Teachers take their role and make it a part of

themselves They need to be aware of who they are and how they

see themselves teaching Teaching is a state of being – it’s who you are, it’s

natural, there is a passion about what you are doing


A Live Performance Every class period is a live performance

Unpredictable Contains live dialogues with students Intense Attention demanding Provides minute-to-minute challenges Teaching is full of surprises



A Form of Empowerment Teachers have power due to their ability to influence Are responsible for what happens when students are

with them Establish goals Select the teaching methods Set the pace in the classroom Evaluate students’ progress Determine whether students pass or fail Are in the position to humiliate if misuse their power



An Opportunity to Serve There is an selfless dimension that takes

precedence over all other motivations to become a teacher Paycheck, public regard, vacations cannot

compare to the opportunity to serve This is the heart of teaching This is a part of teachers nature and their ethical

responsibility


Documents

BECOMING A TEACHER, 7/e Forrest W. Parkay & Beverly Hardcastle Stanford Chapter 1 Teaching: Your Chosen Profession