Delimitation of the topic Politicians and policymakers are frequently criticizing and blaming educators for the decline in education. Current teachers are voicing their lack of training and readiness for the classroom from pre-service training. Who would want to go into the profession of teaching, with the current reputation of educators? What improvements can pre-service programs to better prepare future educators for the profession? What others have said about the topic A national survey completed by The Teachers Network in 2010 of 1,210 teachers in urban and rural schools revealed that high quality teacher training improved their effectives and new teacher retention. An overwhelming amount of teachers who participated in the survey commented that high quality pre-service teacher training programs lack a curriculum that supports the needs and environment of local schools and districts. Numerous teachers voiced the importance of early and frequent clinical experiences to better prepare them for them effective teaching. Teachers also suggested an apprentice program for new teachers, “If that first year, instead of being thrown into a classroom by yourself, you were thrown into an apprenticeship where you still were paid and had benefits [like other teachers], you could be in a room with somebody else [who was more accomplished and could guide you].” Implications of diversity related to the topic Teachers who participated in the survey conducted by The Teachers
The differences were connected with a teacher’s original preparation for the teaching profession, licensing in the particular subject area to be taught, strength of the educational experience, and the degree of experience in teaching along with the demonstration of abilities through the National Board Certification, in which all of these facets can be addressed through policy (Darling-Hammond, 2010).America has not produced a national method containing supports and reasons to guarantee that teachers’ are adequately prepared and equipped to teach all children effectively when they first enter into the career of teaching. America also does not have a vast collection of methods available that will maintain the evaluation and continuing development of a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom, or support decisions about entry into the field of teaching and the continuance in the profession of teaching (Darling-Hammond, 2010). n order to reach the belief that all students will be taught and learn to high standards calls for a makeover in the methods our system of education in order to be a magnet for, train, support or uphold, and cultivate effective teachers in more efficient ways. A makeover that is contingent in a certain degree of how the abilities or skills are comprehended (Darling-Hammond, 2010).In the last few years there has been increasing
Being the veteran teacher on my team, makes me realize the importance of similar training and depth of experience. Teachers like myself who graduated from college and entered education more than ten years ago have had uniquely different experiences than those working through the edTPA process. Use of professional training varies based on geographic area teachers become employed, thus deeply impacting their clinical knowledge. I have only worked in one Cobb County Middle School located in the southern part of the district. From my understanding, the clinical experience of teachers working in schools located in East or West Cobb is very different.
I was recently put to the test of how prepared I am for a career in teaching. Half-way through Fundamentals in Methodology, I was called to substitute a pre-k, class with 30 students. Thirty, 3 and 4 year olds! I began this assignment without any time to prepare before entering the classroom. Upon entering the classroom, realized how deficient the classroom was. I had already started reading the book “Excellent 11” and knew that the classroom was a critical component in teaching.
America has encountered a change within the teaching profession: concerning, experience, age, credentials, and ethnic background (Feistritzer, 2011). It is almost as if the year of 2005, overturned the trend of older employed teachers (Feistritzer, 2011). A six-year survey shows that the amount of teachers under the age of thirty has increased drastically, and that most teachers have earned master degrees. Also, although teaching has been a predominately white profession, more Hispanic and African American teachers were hired between the years of 2005 and 2011 (Feistritzer, 2011).
Becoming a teacher in the United States is fairly easy compared to other countries. In order for the students to get the best education possible they must be taught by the best teachers. On page 85, Amanda talks about how the U.S. stress such emphasis on the medical school process. I totally agree with her when she states that the teacher-training process should be just as important and
Fifty percent of new teachers quit with in the first five years of teaching (NEA, 2015), with this number being so alarmingly high it begs the questions: Why do so many teachers leave after going through years of college for this profession? Were teachers not prepared for the job, through college training, what should colleges teach in order to better prepare teachers?
Teachers today face a number of challenges that contribute to a lack of job satisfaction, leaving schools for other professions that are more lucrative, low comparative compensation, and poor working conditions:
Many states across the country are experiencing teacher shortages. Without enough teachers, we can not successfully educate our children. According to Glori Chaika “Forty-two states issue emergency credentials to people who have taken no education courses and have not taught a day in their lives. Many teachers are hired based solely on their experience leading church or camping groups.” (Chaika) Due to the shortages, States are allowing those who are not even qualified to teach. One can not believe that children are being educated as best as they can be, if those teaching them have no experience or training before hand. Another problem is that teachers are not being place in the fields were they can perform at their best, Glori Chaika also states that “One-fourth of new teachers -- if they are licensed -- are not licensed to teach in the field they are teaching.” (Chaika) Many teachers have very little knowledge on the subject they are teaching, “About 55 percent of students taking physics in the United States, for example, are taught by someone who never majored or minored in the subject.” ( Asimov) As a result of the current teacher shortage, the quality of America’s educational system has gone down. People are being hired with no teaching experience and teachers are being forced to teacher subjects that they are not familiar with. Adding to the current teacher shortage is the problem of teacher
Preservice training includes all the stages of education that leads to the teacher’s entry to an occupation in a school. In-service training is the education and training that the teacher receives while employed. To be given a permanent teaching certificate, elementary-school teachers needed to complete a college-degree course. To be given a permanent basis in high school the teacher must have a bachelor's degree. Furthermore a teacher must excel in at least one academic subject. To teach, a teacher must know a immerse knowledge of general education, and must understand the psychology of children or teenagers. They also must know the morals and techniques of teaching, and the historical structure of
Since my first day of grade school I have dreamt of becoming a teacher. It was not until my junior year of high school that my dream grew into a passion for wanting to teaching in an urban environment. During a field tip to a Chicago Public School, I observed that the students where clearly in an underfunded and disadvantaged environment compared to my own experience in school. The moment that I saw that teacher earning respect and influencing her students, it was obvious to me that these teachers were the most influential factor in the classroom. The teacher’s attitude and ability to influence was more important than any other resource.
However, how we educate our teachers currently affects generations of people to come. Because of the influx of teachers, we need to metamorphose how we educate our educators. How are we doing in terms of educating our teachers now? Not as great as we could be doing. In a report by the National Council on Teacher Quality, going to a certain school for a teacher’s education could be a never-ending path of sorrow and pain.The failing college in undergraduate education for elementary teacher education was Jackson State University, a public university in Jackson, Mississippi. This university has a population of 9,802 and sits at #537 out of 660 universities on the Forbes Magazine America’s Top Colleges List. If a public university harbors such scores, it cannot be accepted as a viable path for teacher training. In a study done by Dan Goldhaber, Lesley Lavery, and Roddy Theobald (Goldhaber and Theobald of American Institutes for Research and Lavery of Macalester College) it was found that students in currently disadvantaged demographics in Washington State get the teachers with the least experience and of the lowest quality. The study judged disadvantagement in three ways: by race, by income, and by academic success. All the teachers that were put to these disadvantaged groups were deemed to be extremely novice and not effective at all. Experience is key, as a
Woullard, R., & Coats, L.T. (2004). The community college role in preparing future teaches: The impact of mentoring program for preservice teachers. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 28, 609-624.
My decision to be a teacher did not come easily to me. This choice was dependent on a reflection about what I was passionate about and how I could make a difference. I have chosen to become a teacher, as I believe teachers have the ability to provide future generations the stimulation for one of the most significant roles in life; to become a lifelong learner. Many teachers that I have had during my education have had a positive impact on my decision to grow and develop the skills that are fundamental to pursue a successful teaching career. My aim is to be a part of an honorable profession with the optimism that one day I will become an efficacious teacher who can provide future teachers with inspiration, as my teachers have provided for me. Through personal educational experiences and peer-reviewed academic literature, I am able to shape my approach to my pre-service teaching, as it will influence my future practice. As a teacher, there is not just one singular approach to educating students; there is a need for flexibility, diversity, adaptation and reflection.
Gutek (2013) discusses how clinical experiences and practice teaching, orginated in normal schools and they are crucial components in teacher preparation programs today (p. 219). He describes William C. Bagley’s contributions to normal school programs and provides the four components in the teacher education program he designed (Gutek, 2013, p. 218). Gutek
When I think about teachers that I have had in the past, several different ones come to my mind. Each of these educators stands out in my mind for a variety of diverse reasons. Whether it is their sense of humor, their tactfulness, their love of the subject matter, their fanatical and sporadic behavior, or their yearning to be childish themselves, I can still remember at least one quality of every teacher I have ever encountered. Every one of these teachers conveyed subject material to their students just as they were educated and employed to do. However, I trust that every professional in the world has an abundance of opportunity for improvement; teachers could discover and improve themselves merely by having