Foundations of Education and Instructional Assessment/Educator as a Professional/Requirements

Teaching: The Essential Guide to Becoming An Educator Written by: Jasmine Tucay

Learning Objectives

- The reader will find out what makes a good and well-balanced teacher

- The reader will learn the different types of degrees and the cerficates that are offered

- The reader will learn about the tests that one is required to take prior to become a teacher

- The reader will learn about the career opportunities existing after getting licensed

Introduction

"Those who can't do, teach, and those who can't teach...teach gym" (IMDb.com, Inc., 2008). All silliness aside, in the movie "The School of Rock" the career of a teacher, in so many words, chose the main character. Through various events, he learned to love the profession. However, he lacked the credentials and certification that teachers need to teach.

All right, so life isn't exactly like the movies, but this particular movie does show an important point. There are certain steps that a person has to take before he or she can be a licensed teacher.

In today's career driven society, there are always steps that you have to take to get where you want to go. Becoming a teacher falls in line with this mentality. The first step to becoming a teacher is taking the plunge and deciding that you want to be in the field of education. After this decision, you want to find a university where you'll take classes that will earn you a degree and licensure to teach. While taking various classes, you'll be required to take various tests to assess your competency on knowledge regarding your future as an educator. After taking classes and teaching tests, you can then be awarded with your degree(s) and find a school to start your career as an educator.

What Qualities Make A Good Teacher?

There are many qualities and characteristics that make up a good teacher. Engaging, caring and innovative are some things that may come to mind. According to Dr. Richard M. Reis, the top priority of teachers should be that they want to be good teachers. In his article he states that as teachers "we respect students who really try, even if they do not succeed in everything they do, so they will respect us, even if we are not as good as we want to be" (Reis, 2007). The students that you will teach will that you want to be a good teacher if you yourself strive to become one.

In addition, Reis adds that teachers should be good listeners as well (Reis, 2007). With the varying ages, gender and personalities of your future students, it will benefit you and the students you teach to listen to what works for them, and what to never try again.

Getting Your Degree

There are many programs that you can pursue on your way to get your degree. First you would choose your specific grade level, then you would go onto to taking your various classes. For example, at Old Dominion University, there are a few different educational tracks that you can pursue including: Pre-K - 3, Pre-K - 6, K - 12, K - 12 with a emphasis on Special Education, and Secondary Education which includes 6 - 12 (Darden College of Education 2008).

After picking a program, you will be required to take different courses such as History and Math, depending on your focus. For example, if you were pursing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies Teacher Prep. With a Concentration on Pre-K - 3 Early Childhood Emphasis, you would be taking various general education courses, major content courses and some classes focusing on professional aspects of being a teacher (Old Dominion University Catalog, 2006-2008). Within the profession education courses that you may be required to observe in the classroom among other things.

Once you've graduated with your Bachelor's Degree, you may want to move on to take your Master's Degree. You may be thinking that an extra year of school isn't going to matter. There are two sides to this argument. According to Linda Gorman states that " Teachers who entered teaching with a master's degree, or who earned it within five years of beginning to teach, were as effective as teachers without a master's degree" (Gorman). You may be one of the people has what it takes to make it as a teacher with four years of college and an undergraduate degree. Contrary to this opinion, according to The Apple, teachers in the United States with a Master's degree can get paid any where from $2,000 to almost $10,000 more than what they would be getting paid with only a Bachelor's (The Apple, 2008).

Testing

There are many tests that are required for future educators to take. Two of the most known ones, that have many future teachers writhing in fear, are the Praxis 1 and 2. According to the Educational Testing Service, better known as ETS, the Praxis is a test consisting of "rigorous and validated assessments that provides accurate, reliable information for use by state education agencies in making licensing decisions" (ETS, 2008). Within these tests, you will be assessed on basic mathematics, reading and writing skills, along with a specialized test that is more focused on the path of education that you chose to go for (ETS, 2008).

After achieving a passing score on the Praxis 1 and 2 tests, you can start to apply for your license. Applying for licensure is different for every state, but for a general list of what to do to apply for your teaching license, you may want to visit a general website such as Ehow.com (Reynolds, 1999 - 2008) or ask your university for information.

References

Darden College of Education: Teacher Education Services. (2008). Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs. September 21, 2008, from http://education.odu.edu/tes/pages/admission_ug.shtml.

Gorman, Linda. Teacher Credentials Don't Matter for Student Achievement. National Bureau of Economic Research. September 21, 2008, from http://www.nber.org/digest/aug07/w12828.html.

IMDb.com, Inc. (1990 - 2008) Memorable Quotes for The School of Rock. September 21, 2008, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332379/quotes

Reynolds, L. (1999 - 2008). How to Apply for a Teaching License. eHow. How to Do Just About Everything. September 21, 2008, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2164868_apply-teaching-license.html.

Old Dominion University Course Catalog. (2006-2008). Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies – Teacher Prep. Concentration. September 21, 2008, from http://uc.odu.edu/advising/docs/curriculumsheets/2006-2008/al-IDSTeacherPrepPK-3.pdf.

Reis, Richard M. (2007) What Makes a Good Teacher Article. Minnesota State University Mankato. September 21, 2008, from http://www.mnsu.edu/cetl/teachingresources/articles/goodteacher.html.

The Apple. (2008). Bachelor’s vs. Master’s: Compare Salaries in 50 States. September 28, 2008, from http://www.theapple.com/careers/articles/2078-bachelors-vs-masters-compare-salaries-in-50-states-.