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Becoming a Teacher 2

3. Identify the steps to becoming a teacher.
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4. What Are the Steps to Becoming a Teacher?
Step 1: High school preparation
Step 2: College preparation and teacher training
Step 3: Classroom experiences and student teaching
Step 4: Gaining certification 4

5. Step 1: High School Preparation
Starting the process
Maximize educational opportunities
Observe teachers
Explore college programs
Gain experience and improve skills 5

6. In what ways have you already started the process toward becoming a teacher?
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7. Maximize Your Educational Opportunities
Explore through teaching academies
Choose challenging high school courses
Maintain a strong academic record
Offer to help or tutor others 7

8. Observe Your Teachers Notice your teachers’ interaction with students
teaching styles
techniques of adapting material for different levels
rules and procedures
methods of earning student respect 8

9. Explore College Programs
Gather information about teacher education programs
Sources of information include
guidance staff
teacher recommendations
online sources
continued 9

10. Explore College Programs
Types of financial aid for college include
scholarships
grants
student loans
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11. Compare ways of gaining experience with children while in high school.
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12. Gain Experience and Improve Your Skills
Job shadowing
provides insight into daily tasks
can help identify needed skills
can help establish employment contacts
Volunteering
is a way to interact with children
can provide leadership experience
improves problem-solving and evaluating skills
continued 12

13. Gain Experience and Improve Your Skills
Service learning
fulfills a community need
requires analysis, research, planning, performing, and evaluating
Part-time work
Child care centers
Recreation programs
After-school care programs 13

14. What are some specific examples of ways you can gain experience in your city or town?
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15. Research the requirements for admission to a teacher education program.
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16. Step 2: College Preparation and Teacher Training
Teaching requires a bachelor’s degree
Entrance requirements often include
personal interviews
prerequisite courses
minimum grade point average
proficiency tests
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17. Step 2: College Preparation and Teacher Training
Elementary and secondary education students must complete course work related to education
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18. Step 3: Classroom Experiences and Student Teaching
Course requirements include
observation
helping teachers
tutoring
Student teaching
Required in every state
A cooperating teacher supervises and mentors 18

19. Step 4: Gaining Certification
Certified teachers
have met state requirements for teaching preparation
receive a license or certificate verifying that they are qualified to teach
Education programs usually follow the licensing requirements of the state
continued 19

20. Step 4: Gaining Certification
States with reciprocal agreements honor teaching credentials issued in another state
A teaching license must be renewed, which may require additional education or training
continued 20

21. Step 4: Gaining Certification
Community college teachers need a master’s degree in an area of specialization
College or university teachers may need a doctoral degree in an area of specialization 21

22. Would you be willing to earn a doctorate degree to teach at the college level? Why or why not?
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23. Getting Started Set a career goal Create a portfolio 23
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24. Develop a personal career goal.
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25. Set a Career Goal Consider
what subject you want to teach
what age group you would like to teach
Use answers to these questions to write a career goal in specific terms
This will help you identify interrelated goals
continued 25

26. Set a Career Goal Outline steps to complete each goal
Determine specific ways to complete these steps
Reevaluate strategies periodically
Consider roadblocks and challenges 26

27. What subject would you most like to teach? Why?
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28. Begin developing a personal portfolio for teaching.
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29. Create a Portfolio
A personal portfolio contains visual evidence of your knowledge and skills
These artifacts should show your best work and accomplishments
They show how you have developed over time 29

30. Characteristics of Effective Portfolios
Have a clear purpose—record and highlight experiences and abilities
Reflect your uniqueness—should be original and personal
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continued 30

31. Characteristics of Effective Portfolios
Show your progress—identify and date each item
Include a statement about why each artifact is important
Add items as you progress, showing differences in quality
Reflect professionalism—well organized, neat, interesting, accurate 31

32. What Should You Include in Your Portfolio?
Basic information about yourself
An essay on your goals and interests
Projects and assignments
Journal entries
List of high school courses you’ve taken
List of community activities and community service
continued 32

33. What Should You Include in Your Portfolio?
Information about jobs you’ve had
Academic letters, certificates, and honors
Information and leadership positions
Documentation of special skills 33

34. Using Your Portfolio Keep components of your career goals organized
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35. Using Your Portfolio Record your change and growth
Shows meaningful reflection
Use materials to apply for
teacher preparation programs
jobs 35

36. What materials can you think of that you would include in your portfolio? What do you still need to prepare?
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37. Electronic Portfolios
Easily stored, transported, and accessed
Take up less space
Can be shared electronically
Demonstrate the creator’s computer skills 37

38. Write your own philosophy of teaching.
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39. Develop Your Philosophy of Teaching
Your ideas and opinions form your philosophy of teaching
Articulate a statement of your philosophy of teaching to
think seriously about your beliefs
apply for teacher preparation programs
apply for teaching positions
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40. Develop Your Philosophy of Teaching
What do you want to teach?
What characteristics make a teacher effective?
How do students learn?
What is an ideal classroom?
What should the relationship between teacher and student be?
continued 40

41. Develop Your Philosophy of Teaching
What motivates students to learn?
What should be the primary goal of a teacher?
Who is the best teacher you have ever known? What made him or her so special?
What is the most important role of a teacher? 41

42. Can you articulate your philosophy of teaching
Can you articulate your philosophy of teaching? Do you think your philosophy will continue to change over time?
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43. Start exploring teaching while in high school
Begin by setting a specific career goal
Begin developing your portfolio
Develop a philosophy of teaching 43

44. job shadowing, volunteering, service-learning, part-time work
What are four ways to gain experience while you are still in high school?
job shadowing, volunteering, service-learning, part-time work
A ____ ____ is a collection of materials that shows how personal knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed over time.
personal portfolio
continued 44

45. Name three examples of artifacts.
projects or papers, examples from a volunteer activity, awards
What is a philosophy of teaching?
a personal statement about your thoughts, views, and values as they relate to teaching 45

46. articulate. To express thoughts into words.
artifacts. Physical items that are part of a portfolio, such as projects or papers, examples from a related volunteer activity, and academic and other awards.
career goal. A concise statement of the specific career toward which a person is working. 46

47. certified teacher. A person who has met the state requirements for teacher preparation.
cooperating teacher. An experienced teacher who supervises and mentors a student teacher.
grants. Money that is given for a specific purpose, such as educational expenses, that does not have to be repaid. 47

48. job shadowing. Following a person on the job for a few hours, a day, or even longer to experience what the person’s career typically involves to gain valuable insight into the person’s daily tasks, activities, and interactions with others. 48

49. personal portfolio. An organized collection of materials and information that shows how personal knowledge, skills, and attitudes have developed over time.
philosophy of teaching. A personal statement about your thoughts, views, and values as they relate to teaching. 49

50. prerequisite course. A course that must be complete before entering a program or prior to taking a high-level course.
proficiency test. A test that measures skill and knowledge in a subject area. 50

51. reciprocal agreements
reciprocal agreements. In teaching, agreements between states that allow teachers certified to teach in one state to teach in another state that is part of the agreement.
service-learning. A type of volunteer effort that links classroom learning with hands-on experience in order to meet community needs. 51

52. student teaching. A period during which a teacher education student practices and acquires teaching skill under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
teacher education programs. University or college programs that prepare students to become teachers. 52

53. teaching academies. Specialized programs within high schools that help students to explore the teaching profession through classes, observations, and hands-on experiences.
teaching license. A formal document, issued by a state, verifying that a teacher is qualified to teach at specific grade levels or particular subject areas. 53