Part I-- What I already Know:
My knowledge about becoming and being a teacher, is not that much. When I was younger, I was inspired to become a teacher due to that my mom and aunts have been a teacher in their life time. But now I’m wondering if I should or shouldn’t be one. What I do know is becoming a teacher takes a lot of hard work. From going to high school, graduating, and going to college; to then majoring in a subject and earning a degree. Teaching students for some teachers is easy for others is hard. Planning a daily lesson plan, grading work after work, looking over the homework, and many more things teachers have planned to teach can take a lot of work and time. Teachers have a huge schedule to go over everyday that not many people know.
Before becoming a teacher, you have to go through a long process, depending what kind of teacher you plan to be. There are some teachers that teach young children a few subjects and there are others that teach teens one subject. It just depends what subject you major on and who you love to teach. Either way you have to go through the same process to become a teacher. You have to at least earn a degree and have background information about teaching. Also you have to have good experience with children because if you don’t, then your really going to have a hard time. Your mostly teaching young kids and possibly making a difference in their life. Becoming a teacher just takes time because you don’t want any random person without any background knowledge teaching your kids or family. So, becoming a teacher is not an easy job I would say.
Part II-- What I want to find out:
I chose to find out about becoming a teacher because when I was younger, that was the only thing I have planned for me to do is to become a teacher. Also I know I can find many information through teachers and information from the internet. What I would love to find out is what do you need to do to become a teacher? I know you have to go to college and get a degree. But what type of degree? How many years do you need to be in school to become or gain enough knowledge to be a teacher? Future teachers need to go to school to at least learn a subject so they can teach it to students. But what inspires teachers to teach? Do they want to make a difference in the world and create a leader in the future? Do they want to see students success in this world and make their family happy? Did you ever think that becoming a teacher was going to be easy or hard?
Not only do teachers teach to share their knowledge with students but what else motivates them? Do they just love to teach? Are there advantages to teaching? Disadvantages? What motivates them to move on and still teach students? After becoming a teacher, what do you do next? Is making lesson plans for the class a lot of stress? Where do you get work or projects ideas? Do you have to take any work from school to the house and finish it there? Is there more than just teaching students? These are the main questions I have going on in my mind. There’s probably more that I would like to ask but this will be it for now.
Part III-- The Search:
Book- “Becoming A Teacher”
This book is by Forrest W. Parkay, is the fifth edition. His textbooks has been inspiring to me and many others who has read it. Parkay teaches administration of higher education, social foundations of education, improvement of instruction, and basic principles of curriculum design. He has taught in the University of Florida for eight years. Also at Texas State University for five years. Parkay also taught for eight years and was department chair for four years at a high school on Chicago South Side.
This book just tells you the basic about teaching and what to expect the few days and so on. Starts off by saying what you went through to become a teacher and all of your hard work is going to pay off. Then goes off by saying the basic things you know about teaching.
--About the author
Parkay has had many recent accomplishments:
Student involvement in the worldwide quest to create school based learning communities in 2010. From the U.S. to China.
Parkway 8th edition of his book “Becoming A Teacher”.
Curriculum leadership: Readings for developing quality educational programs, 9th edition.
Socials foundations for becoming a teacher. Boston (2006).
Political foundations for becoming a teacher. Boston (2006).
Parkay Educational Background
Ph. D. Education, University of Chicago, 1978
M.A. English, University of Illinois- Urbana, 1969
B.A. English education and journalism, University of Illinois- Urbana
Article: ezinearticles.com
This article mostly talks about teaching and what’s required. Also what to expect if you become a teacher. The article comes straight forward saying that is a lot of responsibility to teach students because you want to teach them the right information. You have the many students in your class lives in the palm of your hands. Is you who tell them what is the right thing to do so their future is bright and successful. A teacher must study hard to become qualified and to keep their skills up to date.
A tip their giving is that future teachers should start their teaching career by teaching younger children. This can be through volunteering at a school or tutor kids that need help. Also, they say you should try to major in elementary schools if the college provides it. Many successful teachers start there and then progress and maybe end up teaching in college. When becoming a teacher there are many challenges that can approach. One can be where you work, there are rural areas and you have to be prepared for the challenges. This means certain employment but possibly less money and bigger outlays.
Once you become a teacher, get ready for the stress. You may need to prepare many lesson plans for the week and just maybe take that work home. When becoming a teacher your never done. You have to grade tests, work in class, go over homework, and plan activities throughout the whole day. Some teachers might find this fun but others might not. But all the stress shouldn’t be taking out by students either, so try to relax and use the skills you have to teach students. At the end of all the work, you’ll feel inside a enjoy that you might be changing people lives. This will make the world a better place and possibly a good leader in the future.
Interview: Mrs. Littrell
For this part of my research I decided to interview Mrs. Littrell. I first wanted to ask Ms. Holland, since I noticed she loves to teach students and she has more learning experience. But then something let me to Mrs. Littrell that reminded me of me and who I thought I might be if I do become a teacher. I met Mrs. Littrell my freshman year when I had a her as my CCP teacher but then we got closer during cheer season when my sophomore year came by. She was the coach for the JV cheer squad that I was in. The instant the season started we got along. I was the loud and funny girl in the squad that got everyone’s attention. Ms. Littrell is a loving and really nice coach, I saw her more than just a coach, but a good friend. She was there and supported me when I had my injuries during the season or any other problems I had. Not only is she the JV cheer coach but she’s also the U.S. Government teacher. She has also some years of experience in teaching that’s why I interviewed her.
Me: How long do you have to go to college for?
Mrs. Littrell: At least 4 years and a Bachelors degree to become a teacher.
Me: Any certain requirements to be a teacher?
Mrs. Littrell: As I mentioned a bachelors degree, highly qualify in a subject, background search ( if you’ve been a sex offender or anything weird), need to be patient, organized, and like children.
Me: What inspired you to be a teacher?
Mrs. Littrell: I worked before at the bank, but then I saw what my husband goes through being a teacher. That inspired me to become a teacher and to help students out.
Me: What do you love about teaching students?
Mrs. Littrell: I love to take different challenges everyday. I love to see students progress in life and I like to control the environment.
Me: What’s the advantages in being a teacher?
Mrs. Littrell: is really fun to teach the students, they make it that way. The society respects the teacher and their work. Also you make a difference in the world.
Me: What are the disadvantages?
Mrs. Littrell: You don’t get paid very well. Also you have a lot of stress. Mostly making lesson plans and you have to take work home and grade it.
Mrs. Littrell is 29 years old, born in Iran. Later when she was 8, she moved to Phoenix. She then attended ASU. She chose to teach U.S. Government because her home, Iran, nobody has freedom, women are not treated the same. But when she moved to the U.S., she saw how much freedom everyone has, that don’t realize it. But by teaching it, she wants students to know the privilege they have to be here in the U.S.
Part IV-- What I learned:
This whole research about finding what it takes to become a teacher and what you do while being one takes a lot of courage. I learned that not only does it take hard to become a teacher but also there’s a lot of work being one. I give a lot of credit to the teachers out there, trying to make a difference in this world. Looking for information about my topic wasn’t really hard. I found various information every where. On the internet, around the school, and in books. There was information that I really used throughout this research and it was mostly the one that I already know. Maybe because I have more experience in my life because of my aunts and my mom being a teacher in their life. Also because in some point I wanted to be a teacher in my life but now I’m doubting to be one but I’m still keeping it as one of my main options.
This research also opened up my eyes while looking for information telling me mostly the stress and hard work you have to do in a daily base while teaching. You have to make a daily lesson plan for the week or else you don’t know what to teach the students . Also you have to grade many of the students work and homework. This takes a lot of responsibility for a person to take while teaching. I don’t see this as the greatest part of teaching. But the feeling that your possibly changing peoples lives and making a difference in the world is what counts. This is probably the only reason why I would love to teach students. This research really answered most of all my questions and left me really informed about all my doubts.
Bibliography-- Cited Work
- Article
- Book
"WSU College of Education | Faculty & Staff Directory." WSU College of Education | College of Education. Web. 10 May 2011. <http://education.wsu.edu/directory/faculty/parkayf>.
- Interview
