I really need some advice on my career path as a future teacher from current teachers!  I'm really frusturated
85934
Ask yourself what it is about teaching that you like.\n\nAsk yourself what you don't like.\n\n(Not many of us would put writing lesson plans at the top of our I-just-love-it list.)\n\nOnly you can know whether you will want to continue this as a career.\n\nWhat I can tell you as a teacher with since 1977, is that whole children come into your classroom every day. Some have wonderful lives. Others come from unspeakably awful situations. They are all kids. They all need to be cared for and challenged and supported.\n\nThe teachers who "make it" in the long term learn about boundaries. We know what we can do and what we can't. We are optomisitic, but not sentimental about the future. We understand ourselves and keep expanding that understanding. Most of us could make much more money doing almost anything else, but we do what we do because internally, we have no choice.\n\nChalk dust runs in my veins and in the times of my life when there was no paying job in teaching available, I taught anyone who stood still long enough anything I knew and thought the onther person should know, just like I'm doing now.\n\nIf you MUST teach, you will find the stamina to do it. If there is no inner need to do it, you can still give it a shot, but you will either discover the joy, or quit after a short time.\n\nIn any case, find a mentor, a local teacher you admire who is willing to stand by you as you make these big decisions.\n\nBest wishes.
45445
Tenure is one thing that has been helpful, but it's becoming less available in many states.  So, I would say this.  Do your job well, gain admiration and support from your administrators, colleagues, and the parents of your students, and you'll likely be begged to stay when you're announcing your plans to retire.\n\nBear in mind.  There is a REAL teacher shortage out there, and it is wide spread.  Unless your performance is sheer unacceptable, you're not likely going to be pushed out of the job.
808603
I would love to email you more offline. I asked this question not ten minutes before you asked yours. \n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aq6XmCFq0GO2oc2rAE5VBpvsy6IX?qid=20061115134105AAjuk9Q\n\nAnd guess what, I'm a teacher ... and have been for the last three years ... and I just finished my master's four months ago. I thought it was what I would do for the rest of my life ... but this year is different. The passion has just died in me, and I promised myself that if the passion left, I would leave the profession. So, I am trying to figure out what to do. \n\nIf you feel comfortable, please email me (it's in my profile) and we can talk more about this.
719002
It's easily the hardest job there is. Some say it's extremely rewarding and it can be.  \nYou won't be "teacher of the year" caliber your first year. You might not even be great.  It's something that takes time.  You might have days when you'll "suck" but you'll also have days when you rock! After practice and experience and lots of trial and error, there will be less sucky days.  \nHopefully, you'll get hired in a good district that supports and works with new teachers to make them great.  \n\nGood luck...and remember that each new day in the classroom truely is a new day!!
1170440
Hey!\nI just got accepted onto a teacher training course two days ago (GCSE English) and it has made me so happy! I wasn't sure at first, and thought I'd just apply and see how I got on, but when I was accepted I was absolutely thrilled!\nIt's a rewarding job, certainly, and everything that you do will have a huge impact on peoples' lives. You'll never have the same day twice and you'll always be learning. I think you should go for it. Even if you decide in a few years that it's not for you, you'll still have made a bit of cash and it's a great stepping-stone into other lines of work, as it shows how flexible and bright you are.
274063
Ahhh the nightmare that is letters of application - I know it well!  I, too, have gone over mine a million times but am more than happy to share what I'm doing (not that I've had much success at the moment)!  \n\nI had a chat with my tutor and she said to organise it so you are demonstrating your priorities.  So mine starts with "Class Organisation" - where I've discussed my classroom ethos, the guidelines I set, and relationships I establish within the class.\n\nNext up for me is "Current policy", where I talk about government initiatives I think are relevant (I focus on Excellence and Enjoyment).  Then "Assessment" - progression of students and self-assessment mainly.  Followed by "School Relationships" - management styles, skill sharing, communication, etc.  Next up is "Use of Resources" (self-explanatory, lots of focus on ICT).  \n\nI then move on to "Subject Specialism" - what I teach best and an example.  Next is "Career Progression" - how I plan to improve.  And end with a section on my hobbies and interests and how I could include them in eg extracurricular activities.\n\nOne tutor recommended basically using the person specification for the headings, that way you can be sure you have included everything they've asked for.\n\nBest of luck.
146736
I wish there was a book.  I've found the best way is to simply talk to other teachers.  Borrow their ideas and shape them into what will work for you and your class.  It seems like at most staff developments the best you can hope to come away with is a few good ideas.
783461
You should really take stock and figure it out soon, especially if you are going to have to go back to school.  The older you get, the harder it will be to change careers.  \n\nSee if there is anything on the net or if a career counseling center can help.
705479
I taught in an inner city school my first three years of teaching. I could not afford a car so I took the job as it was in walking distance to my home. Around the middle of my second year I realized that I loved my job! The only reason I left was due to marriage and relocating. \n I want to make it clear that teachers in a high need school need to be MORE qualified! They are a special breed of people who are willing to give of themselves.They find themselves spending longer hours at the work site. They also will need to be prepared to supply some basic comforts for their students such as snacks, tissues and supplies as the parents are not able to do this and the school is on a tight budget. \nMost of the  children have learning problems "up the kazoo". This may be due to poor nutrition,or mothers who took drugs, used alcohol and smoked during pregnancy. You will find yourself working with many specialists. The reading teacher, speech pathologist, math specialist, physical therapist, and possibly an audiologist quickly become your new best friends and colleagues.\nThey will mentor students who have many emotional, physical  and social problems. It comes with the job. The school psychologists, social workers and pediatricians become not only their advocate but yours also!  It is harder to teach these children as they usually are not socially aware of the world.\nAll in all, however, I look back with great pleasure on those years. I truly believe I made a difference! \nSo to answer your question-- Why would one teach in a high need school. ? You do it because you truly want to.\nThose teachers who go into this type of teaching solely because they want loans paid off soon fall by the wayside. \nCheck out this link for some interesting reading.\n\nhttp://www.successinhighneedschools.org/journal/
1083851
Basically, they're asking "Out of all the people that applied for this position, why do you think we should choose you?". In other words, you have to sell yourself. You have to tell them what is so special about you that will make you stand out from the rest. If you had experience in teaching, then say that you will brng your expertise into the classroom from your previous teaching experience. Say that you will bring a positive attitude and tons of energy to the classroom, which will facilitate the learning of your students. In other words, tell them what do you have to offer to your students and the school that is rare. \n\nFor the second question, they're asking you, how your skills and abilities will facilitate YOUR growth in the workplace. So you can say something like "Since I bring a lot of energy to the classroom, the students will be more willing to participate in my exciting activities. This will give me an opportunity to learn more about my students and the special needs that they might have. This will help me in my future because I will know how to handle different personlity types and different learning styles that students have." Hope this helps! Good luck!
409332
Caligirl, I know what you are feeling, I was there once too, just starting out, I am a teacher.  \n\nI have a Multiple Subject, Single Subject in Spanish and the BCLAD.  I have taught at one time or another at all grade levels in both English and Spanish.   My assignment now is an ELD teacher, K-12.  Included in my daily schedule is a morning 1/2 hour daily pull out instruction with a small group of kindergarten kids.  This has become one of the favorite times in my daily schedule.  It took me some time to get used to it, but one of my favorite age groups now is the Kindergarten age.  So much so, that now, when I could choose to do so many different kinds of assignments for summer school, I choose to do Kindergraten review.\n\nGo with the Kindergarten assignment.  I know you are specializing in reading and are considering teaching upper grades, but there is nothing more rewarding than working with children at the Kindergarten level.  Yes, you may not want to do it for long, or perhaps for more than a year, but it is true this experience will be rewarding and respected for years to come and for future interviews.  Reading is now introduced at the kinder level and your knowledge and experise will be appreciated by parents, teachers and district staff alike AND you will get some great initial classroom experience in pre and early literacy instruction.  If this is a public school, you will probably sign up for the BTSA teacher support program providing additional training, peer support and some classroom/materials funding.\n\nGo For It, Caligirl!\n\nP.S,\nHave you ever considered looking into the Peace Corps?  I was a training coordinator for the Peace Corps once and there are some great education programs for teachers to work in now where one not only gets some great teaching experience but can help train colleagues in other countries as well while getting a good second language and culture experience.\n\nGood Luck In Your Endeavors!
576488
Remember that teaching in real life and teaching "concepts" and "methods" they teach you in school are very very different.  You have to be resourceful, patient, resilient, confident, creative, and strong!!!  Dealing with students daily is not easy and sometimes feel like a battle.  Also, there is a lot of politics involved with the administration and parents.  Be prepared for the worst and reap your rewards!
814607
I wish I had known how much paperwork and "fluff" was involved.  After student-teaching, I was SO EXCITED to have my own class and just TEACH.  I was motivated and had fun, interactive lesson plans on which I had worked VERY hard.  However, when I started out the school year, I quickly realized how much fluff there is - committees, meetings, paperwork, demands of your time from administration, etc. and felt that I wasn't really being given much time to do what I truly loved and what brought me there in the first place...to TEACH.\n\nI learned to be as efficient as possible and use your planning time VERY effectively so that those things can be minimized and put to the side...as they should be.  Then you have more time with your students, who are all that really matter.\n\nHope this helps!  :o)\np.s. I have taught third and fifth grades...mostly third.
771805
Well, Im sorry to hear you are going through all this drama. However, i suspect a hint of jealousy among the other teachers. Since you are there for the kids then you should try to push this out of your mind because in any situation if you try to make yourself appear better to others you usually will always appear desperate for attention or worse. So take pride in your work, know that eventually things will pan out for you because you deserve it. Who knows, maybe fate has something planned for you through all this.
1002450
Oh, my gosh... you want to be a teacher but you aren't able to put together a decent classroom presentation by yourself?  What the heck do you think teaching is?\n\nEither get your act together, or choose a different career!
787234
Being a teacher is just hard. Some days you feel like a 3rd grader knows more than you do. Sorry for the bad days but don't let it get you down. What you are doing is a worthwhile thing. Love your students and forget about the others.
17324
Try a web site that lists teachers bios and qualifications. You can then pick which local teacher is best suited for you. Good ones below...