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I Teach Therefore I Can Essay examples

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I Teach Therefore I Can

George Bernard Shaw wrote that “He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.” Based on this statement, Shaw was either able to do everything or was a poor teacher. A teacher must be able to do and then teach it to others. In order to do this, a teacher must first obtain the skills him/herself. Teachers have the responsibility of providing their students with the skills necessary for success later in life, and the most essential skills are the ability to read and write.

As time evolves and technology advances, the skills necessary to get by in life have also progressed. As a result, it is no longer enough to be able to read and write on a basic level. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 …show more content…

Teachers are not only responsible for their own literacy but also for developing and promoting their students’ literacy. The National Association for the Education of Young Children and the International Reading Association state that learning to read and write is imperative for success and the critical period for this development occurs from birth to age eight (National Association for the Education of Young Children). Knowing this, a teacher must first assess a child’s ability to read and write and then help the child to progress and develop his/her literacy skills. Since literacy in today’s society includes high reading comprehension and analysis and the demand for interaction via written communication such as e-mails and faxes, students must demonstrate their competent literacy skills (National Association for the Education of Young Children).

Since education is driven by politics and public policy, teachers need to be familiar with the current standards and legislation mandating education at that time. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) holds teachers accountable for their students’ progress and requires schools to show improvement in their students’ abilities here and now. Without knowing and understanding all that NCLB entails and ensuring their students are ready for the mandatory standardized assessments, a teacher can find

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