Essay About A Teacher

During my time on the PGDE Course both in University based learning, and more evidently during my Professional Practise placements, I have come to realise the significance of reflection within the teaching profession. Not only does reflecting on best practise benefit the children's learning but also increases the teacher's confidence and ability in making decisions and delivering lessons. 'Reflective teaching is a great deal to do with facing such features of ourselves in a constructive and objective manner which incorporates a continuous capacity to change and develop' (Moon, 2004).

Since embarking on the course I now question my own actions and assess the best alternatives to develop my practise by taking constructive criticism from...show more content...

'Reflective teachers need to be able to relate their findings to those of others and to consider results in the context of the current debates about educational issues' (Pollard, 2008). Having a range of theorist's viewpoints, tried and tested ways of teaching, and working with more experienced professionals has furthered my knowledge and understanding. I do not believe teachers are required to know everything there is to know about all subjects but will have more expertise in some subjects than others. The subjects and topics which they have limited experience in will require a professional commitment in order to research. This research ultimately builds teacher's knowledge and understanding to plan more interesting and effective lessons. Curriculum for Excellence is allowing teachers more flexibility to organise and deliver the experiences and outcomes in a more effective way for learners. In delivering the various curricular areas I have become more confident in subjects which I felt less confident in at the start of the course.

I have found that through additional reading I am better equipped to question and suggest methods tried by others in professional disscussions. I found that attending In–service day training and Continued Professional Development (CPD) sessions has increased my knowledge and understanding allowing me to develop lessons which are more rewarding for the Get more content

Being a Teacher

Is your life important to you? That is a statement anyone would replay, "yes" to. As surprising as it may seem, though, an important, successful life would not even be, without one essential element: teachers.

Teachers, educators, instructors, mentors, or baby–sitters, whatever they may be classified as, they are necessary for many reasons. They are foundation or our American society, they are a source of security, and possibly the parents some never had.

They are the foundation of our American society, meaning they educate everyone. Attending school, whether it is public, private, or home taught is mandatory in America at a certain age. Therefore, all the basics of life...show more content...

Those are just a few illustrations of the obligations teachers have. These should not be considered obligations, but honors. Who would not want to be such an influential role model in others' lives?

As I begin my teaching career and the years prior to it, many ideas and decisions will take place. Being that I plan to teach elementary school and deal with small children, I plan to be excessive on classroom accessories. Children have a limited attention span and a dull, plain room would not be appealing to them. The adjustment of leaving "mommy" will be hard enough for them anyway. I hope to make the environment comforting and welcoming for them. Bright colored bulletin boards and posters with needed information on them. I would like my students seated around the room in a circle. From experience, I've found that children feel more at ease and apt to speak up when seated this way.

I believe the teacher should be authoritative, especially in the lower grades. The students need to know who is in charge and feel that there is someone of authority to look up to. Still yet, I want the children to feel a sense of authority, to make decisions and play a leadership role. Possibly, let one child be "leader of the day" each day; for example, lead the lines or pass out the papers.

Motivation and discipline, I view as the primary topics of educating a classroom. Children have to be motivated, it is human

The Teacher that Changed My Life

Whenever someone asks me what helped influence me to become a teacher the first thing I tell them is "a wise friend." This friend was my tenth grade history teacher, Coach Carroll. I had always been very smart, but was board with school and tended not to always apply myself because of my lack of interest. Most teachers acted negatively towards me when I didn't put forth the effort that I should and very easily could have. Some went as far to tell me that "I shouldn't even apply to college" or "That college would be a waste of my parents money." But then there was Coach Carroll.

One day he told me a story of a boy, that all he wanted to do was play football. He didn't care about his classes, he...show more content... That day he told me that the best teachers were some times the worst students. I know when he told me that I must have made a really weird face cause I remember him laughing at me.

He told me that I understood what it was like to come to class and be board, or to struggle with certain tasks, and much it hurts when teachers don't encourage you, but in turn put you down. He said, that because I understood these things first hand, I would be able to offer a more pleasant environment for a wide range of students, verses only being able to connect with the very serious students. For the next two years of high school I did a lot of soul searching, and worked on becoming a better student. Every time I would see Coach Carroll he would say things like, "Hello Miss Konieczny, Did we have homework last night?" This was my little reminder that I had the personality and the drive to do a good job at something...teaching. I will never forget at Senior awards night when they announced that I would be attending Texas Wesleyan University on a partial scholarship and seeking a degree in Education. I think Coach Carroll cheered for me more than my own family. I learned how powerful it is to have a teacher believe in you so much, long after you have left their classroom. I hope that one day someone can say the same about me, that I inspired them to achieve their dreams and to make them a

A good teacher is not defined by a specific personality or style of teaching; rather, a good teacher is defined by her commitment to her students ' learning. A good teacher is someone who is patient with her students, who creatively and relentlessly finds helpful ways to communicate ideas to students, and who instills confidence in her students by setting them up for success. A good teacher inspires her students to strive for more than they think possible. A good teacher teaches her students how to learn on their own. A good teacher is able to manage a class effectively and cultivate a space that is free and safe for learning. And, most importantly, a good teacher is always driven by a motivation of genuine love and care for her students....show more content...

It 's good for the mind and body to have a break, get some sleep, be with friends, eat some food, etc.; sometimes I just get so excited and focused on going above and beyond that I neglect other, equally important things. This has always been a problem in my life throughout high school and college and various jobs I have worked. I was always an Astudent and a dedicated athlete and a devoted employee – I have even received feedback from employers at times telling me to not work so much in my free time. I have learned that sometimes it is better to settle for simpler and equally sufficient activities/solutions than to spend hours of personal time coming up with something more "interesting" or creative; and while I believe I have made some progress in making these determinations of when to spend less time on work in personal time, I think it will always be an area I can work to improve on.

Teaching Approaches

There are several methods and approaches of teaching available to be used in the EFL classroom. As Davies and Fraenkel point out in their book, The Language in English Teaching, there is no "best" method but rather different choices based on each unique learning situation.1 In the context of a B2 level classroom, where students have already developed a degree of fluency and spontaneity in the target

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Professional Skills As A Teacher

Being an educator is one of the most challenging professions in the world due to its constantly changing clientele and practices. To be a successful teacher in this field one must be committed to lifelong learning. Learning in the field of education comes from colleagues, students, reflection on one's practices and the advice and observation of other's in the profession (Garmston, 1998 ). One valuable tool that teacher's have to rely on are the numerous professional organizations catered to the field of education. Teachers who wish to improve usually join organizations that will educate them on the newest and most effective practices in their field. In this paper, I will discuss the educational organizations that I have joined and believe will enrich my professional skills as a teacher. Educators have a number of responsibilities that they are held accountable for. They are required a master in several different areas. Charlotte Danielson (1996) author of "Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching" discusses what responsible teachers must do to improve student learning. She believes that there are 4 domains in which teachers must function. After reviewing Danielson's domains, I have identified my strength in Domain One. This domain focuses on planning and preparation. I find this domain to be my strength because of my ability to organize my class period to maximize learning. On several occasions, I have been praised by my administration staff for

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Introduction The statement 'Teaching– reflections, questions, decisions' sums up what it means to be an effective teacher. Teachers are constantly making decisions about professionalism and ethics, teaching strategies, classroom management, and how to keep their students motivated. These decisions can have a major impact on student learning and how effective they are as teachers. Questioning is an essential–and one of the most important–instructional skills that a teacher can possess. Teachers need to be able to ask the appropriate types and levels of questions, such as the high and low order questions based on Bloom's taxonomy, as well as being skilled in responding to students answers. Teachers also need to be constantly evaluating and...show more content...

It is essential to encompass all of these behaviours and standards to succeed in being an effective teacher, as they are in an authoritative position and therefore need to lead by example. Teacher professionalism is also dependant on professional judgement, which involves making decisions on what is the right thing to do in certain situations, and ethical behaviour. The code of ethics is based on respect, caring, integrity, diligence and open communication (Groundwater–Smith, Ewing & Le Cornu, 2007, p. 332). Sometimes teachers can come across 'ethical dilemmas' which are complex problems that have more than one solution, and in turn, each solution has different advantages and disadvantages, therefore having no clear correct answer (Groundwater–Smith et al., 2007, p. 336). For example, "You observe another teacher publicly humiliate a child who is known to have previously bullied other students. What do you do? Do you say anything?" Ethical dilemmas require teachers to explore all situations and outcomes, and make a decision on what is right and just. Professionalism and ethics together, as relevant to teachers, demands all of these appropriate behaviours and responses in any circumstance (Whitton et al., 2010, p. 123). Constructivism Teaching techniques and strategies, such as proactive teaching, collaborative learning and constructivism, can also affect the quality of

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What makes a good teacher? Essay

In my opinion, a good teacher should be one who puts her heart into teaching. This is because only by doing so will the students feel their passion and hard work. When a teacher strives hard for the students, students will put in their effort as well. If a teacher dislikes her job, goes to classes in a bad mood, her teaching would also be affected and students would not be able to enjoy lessons as well.

Another point that makes a good teacher would be his/her patience. Teachers should not get upset or even worse, give up on the students who are not so strong in their studies. Instead, they should have the patience to slowly coach them, give them extra lessons, and find different ways to encourage them. Let them know that the teacher...show more content...

It would be better if the teacher is able to find common topics to chat with the students. This would let the students feel like they can relate better to the teacher.

"You must not give up. I want to let you know that even if you're facing so many problems, and feel like there's no one to talk to, I'll be here for you. Everyone else might want to be the sun that lights up your life, but I rather be the moon that guides you through your darkest hours. Let's strive hard and work toward our goal together!" This was what my high school teacher told me 10 years ago and I have remembered it until now, and will remember it for the next 10 years and so on.

I was once a problematic kid who mixed with bad company and flunk tests. I never thought about what I was going to do the next day, what more when I grew up. Of course when I was younger, I had lots of dreams. I wanted to set up my own company, I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to be able to drive an airplane and the list went on. But as the years went by, they became less insignificant to me and soon, I forgot every single one of those dreams and goals. I got to a new school and knew friends who smoke and took drugs. My grades started dropping from "A" to fails. But I did not care. I could not be bothered by then. I went partying every night and got home drunk. What was the point of studying? My parents are

My Passion As A Teacher

Me: As an Educator Becoming a teacher has always been a passion of mine. Two of my older sisters teach young children. Seeing the joy they bring to children, helps me strive to be as good at teaching as they are. They have shown me how important it is to be kind and loving with children. My first–grade teacher is also part of the reason I continued to follow my dreams. She made school fun and was always caring to all the children. She made me excited about learning and made school a place that I felt important and safe when I missed my parents. She touched my life forever and I am so thankful for her. Growing up, I enjoyed school and truly looked up to my teachers. I have had a lot of experience working with children. Throughout my...show more content...

I am very positive and encouraging because I believe this helps children be more motivated to learn and I believe it is better to reinforce positive behavior than punish negative behavior. One disposition that I believe I have is Professional and Ethical Practices. Being respectful is always important but especially in professional environments. My parents taught me at a young age that respect goes a long way and it is important to always be respectful. I believe looking professional is also very important. It is better to be over–dressed than being under–dressed. Being early is important to me regardless of where I am going and equally important to have tasks completed before the deadline. I also possess Interactions with Students and Effective Communication. I try to always be fair and use a respectful and positive tone of voice, as well as show a supportive and encouraging place for learning. Communication is always essential for any relationship, but especially when working with children so they understand what is being asked of them. It is also especially important when working with a coordinating teacher or supervisor to ensure everything is planned and running smoothly. A skill that I feel is so important that I possess is being able to comfort children and ensure they are motivated and excited to learn. Having good grades have

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Becoming a teacher can be an exciting and challenging experience for anyone. It can be quite difficult to put four years of knowledge into their teaching and into a classroom environment. And while it may seem challenging at first it does become easier over time.

A teacher is not only someone who teaches, but they are a symbol of learning. A teacher is a person who plays the most important role in the development of any student. The future of those students depends on the qualities and the dedication of that teacher. It is the teacher who creates an interest in students to develop and to progress. It is the teacher who helps the students achieve whatever aims they set for themselves.

Teachers have a lot to do with motivating...show more content...

The curriculum then becomes more relevant, therefore the motivation for the students to accomplish the tasks increases. The subject matter not only has to be relevant but it also has to be stimulating to the students' curiosity. If a student is bored with the content, they are not going to want to learn it. The classroom also has to be seen as a caring and supportive place with a sense of belonging. Every student must feel respected, valued and heard. Giving children the support for learning by welcoming their questions and encouraging exploration is very important for teachers to do.

Extrinsic motivators are sometimes used when teachers have a student or class who feels like they have earn't something for their hard work. This could be things such as stickers or stamps on their homework and tests. Or it could be receiving verbal or written praise. It could be just the thing that motivates certain students. But not all students need to be extrinsically motivated. Teachers need to find out which type of motivation works best for which student to help them succeed.

Classroom teaching is more likely to be effective when it is informed by an understanding of how students learn. Constructivism is the current approach to learning in Australian schools today. Constructivism is how each student goes about constructing his or her own knowledge. This type of

My creator. My abettor. My sidekick. My teacher. My defender. My superstar. These are all the things that my sire wholeheartedly is. From keeping me safe to play childish games, he is always there to guide me. Although his overloaded job keeps him at station for an eternity, he quickly maneuvers through the overwhelming pile of work, and somehow still finds time to help me study for a test, help me finish my homework, and play games with me. When a monstrous test is charging at me with all of its might, he uses his brilliant mind to swiftly teach me how to defeat the test with a triumphant score. Then comes the period of activity, the hardest part of his day, the part where he almost always quits and leaves: the workout. With a determination to become physically fit, he bolts up the rigid stairs, charging into his closet to get dressed into his navy baggy sweatpants and his neon yellow t–shirt; then races down to the basement like it's the end of the world. The Xbox sits idle while the fitness game eagerly waits to be played. He fires up the Xbox and starts on his 1–hour journey to absolutely destroy the computer in tennis. Following his crushing victory over the weak computer in tennis, I wandered to the basement in hopes of escaping my dreadful homework, only to be absolutely flabbergasted by the number of experience points he has gained on the game. Then comes the part where my ponderous dad sluggishly lumbers up the stern stairs. Suddenly his stomach rumbles and Get

Who is a teacher and what makes a good teacher? By definition, a teacher is a person who teaches, especially in school, but can anyone be a teacher? That is a matter of the possession of qualification and the overall talent utilized whilst on the workforce. Having such qualification simply doesn't create a good teacher, though. Becoming a good teacher requires work, effort and time that one must be willing to sacrifice from their daily lives. A good teacher must be able to teach the students clearly. He/she must be well prepared, whether it is regarding the lesson of the day or any sudden questions the pupil may ask. A good teacher should have confidence with themselves and be organized at all times. A good teacher respects his/her job and tries to be as effective as possible.

But from being a good teacher, there is one higher form of teachers' ranking and that is being a great and effective teacher. Being a good teacher is easy, but being a great teacher requires more effort than what is usually expected and required. With being a great teacher, teaching is not a job, but a...show more content...

With that knowledge only can a person be creative about it. A certain degree of knowledge is essential for one person to be able to adapt it to any situation or use it as an output in the education industry whilst teaching. But can intelligent people be creative? Few studies have claimed that not all intelligent people can be creative, but other researches have shown this to be fabricated. Creativity is claimed to be the highest form of intelligence. So, should creativity be looked upon as if opposed to intelligence? Creativity is one of the qualities of intelligence; same way as analytical intelligence and practical intelligence. Although analytical and practical intelligence plays an important role, without creativity, the task loses the touch of the creator, thus making it the same as everyone

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Reflection On Myself As A Teacher

Inspiration "When we are too busy to reflect on how we are living our lives; it is almost certain that we are too busy not doing the right things"(Kelly, 2017). As I began to reflect on myself as a teacher, I asked the question of what made me desire the career in the first place. To answer this, I will tell you a story of a young girl who was entranced by her parent's careers as Nassau BOCES employees. She took in as much information as possible as she watched her mother, a Speech Pathologist, feed a child through a feeding tube, and her father, a SpecialEducation Teacher, create a comfortable environment in his classroom. As one might guess, this girl was me, and my parents are my inspiration to become a teacher. While I lack the...show more content...

As a case in point, Susi Long (2002), author of, Tuning in to teacher–talk, suggests using visual aids, familiar language, alternating tone of voice, activating prior content knowledge, and observing others and using prior cultural knowledge. To incorporate these methods into the classroom, is to create a multicultural classroom where no student is left behind. Moreover, this weakness is not endless. I will continue to push myself, as I do my students, to learn not only how to teach, but other languages and cultures as well. This will require hard work and patience, which my parents have demonstrated and taught me throughout the years.

Hard work and patience may be terms used to not describe myself, but vigorous and upstanding teachers worldwide. More often than not I have witnessed my parents bring their work home to do during their free time. They spend what little time they have to themselves calling parents, writing lesson plans, attending seminars to learn more, collecting clothes or food for their students, or even attending events, such as soccer games to connect with who they are teaching. This work, that is not necessary, and these traits are often taken for granted. Especially patience, for when a teacher does not have patience, incidences, such as, altercations between staff and students may occur. Furthermore, when educators have less patience for behavioral Get more content

My Experience As A Student Teacher

Today's classroom is one of variety and challenge. I have seen first hand, in the classroom I observed this semester, the impact of various children's backgrounds. There were second graders from every walk of life and this diversity impacted how they interacted with each other, and, on some occasions, how the teacher interacted with them. When working with a group of children such as these, the educator must be aware of every aspect of diversity in their classroom. Diversity may come in many forms: academic achievement, race, language, or socioeconomic differences, and it may be difficult to address each of these needs individually. Regardless of these challenges, a successful teacher will have the ability to create an atmosphere which will turn the student's perceived "limitations" into their strongest ability. This what will keep them determined and ready to engage with the curriculum. My experiences as a student teacher showed me that the biggest barrier that I will have to surmount is finding a way to communicate the necessary information to my students so that they will learn and even thrive in my class. This is especially true when working in a low income area where students are worried about problems that are much bigger than school: where their next meal is coming from or how much money they can earn to help their family when they go to work that night. Such larger concerns will dwarf what happens in school, making homework seem irrelevant and/or impossible. With

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Autobiography Of A Teacher

As children, we absorb information and learn from experiences that mold us into who we are. Many individuals impact a child's life, but the most powerful and influential role lies in a devoted teacher, a teacher provides growth to students as a gardener would to a garden of flowers. Each child can bloom into a thriving flower so long as you water their garden with optimism, love, patience, and guidance. Throughout my educational experiences I was lucky enough to have educators who poured their knowledge and optimism into me, and now I would like to reciprocate that back to students who are in the position I was once in. Balancing life and school is hard enough for a student, but a powerful and caring teacher can steer you in the right direction. In this autobiography you will read about my educational background, experiences that influenced my decision to become a teacher, and what I believe the role of a teacher should be in a student's life. As a student I went to multiple schools, I went to three different elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools in Brownsville, and through it all I had great experiences. Brownsville is a humble community with low socioeconomic status, but rich in culture, history, and unity. In retrospect, the socioeconomic status was changing as I attended different schools, depending on the area of the school, of course. I was able to see peers of mine with different statuses than the person next to them, some more affluent than

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Secondary School Teacher Nelson Mandela, a famous South–African president, once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." Teachers can be the people to inspire the next person to change the world. It is their job to bring out a different side of students and help them become successful adults. A teacher can change the outlook of a student and change the eventual outcome of the country. This career is important to society because the country is dependent on the next generation, and without correct education the world could become very corrupt. Teaching can be a very important job that requires adults to have special skills to complete very complex duties. Teachers must be able to cooperate with other...show more content...

All states require teachers to have a bachelor's degree("Secondary School Teacher" 491). Teachers can work in different types of environments which include: hazards, travel, and location. Teachers can work in classrooms, science labs, computer labs, or machine shops. These environments usually lack necessities for educating students. Some schools fund field trips once or twice a year and the teacher gets to go along to supervise the students on this trip("High School Teacher"). One hazards of this job is the stress the teacher must endure to complete their job("High School Teachers"). A teacher must also spend a lot of their own time completing schooling activities to make a class as prepared as possible. Teachers may have to deal with unruly students depending on the location of the job, and this could cause harm to the teacher physically and mentally("High School Teacher").

The job of a teacher is very vital to the control of the country in future years. The job is growing and will add six percent by 2024. There are expected to be 55,000 more teaching jobs opening up by 2024("High School Teachers"). Overall, the field of education will be growing in the coming years. The job of teaching can require a huge amount of work and time to be done successfully. Teachers usually work school hours which can vary for different schools("High School Teachers"). Although

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My Career as a Teacher Essay

As I begin my rewarding career as I teacher, I sit and reflect on what my goals and priorities are in the classroom. I am excited to be engaged in a future career where I can implement my own beliefs and mold the future into something extremely positive. I believe the most important aspects that I want to bring to my students are threefold: I want to educate, motivate, and inspire. In order to have a productive learning environment where I will be able to educate my students, many different factors must take place. First and foremost, it is important to me that I master exceptional classroom management skills. Effective and efficient learning takes place when expectations in the classroom are consistent and clear. Also, discipline in...show more content...

These learning styles include; auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. By mastering and using as many learning styles as I can, I will make sure each student is able to get the most out of their learning experience. I understand that every child learns differently and understanding how to use different approaches in each lesson plan will benefit every student. Not only is it important to use different learning styles but I will also use different teaching styles during the curriculum. The different methods I would like to use to teach my lessons include but are not limited to; scientific investigation which uses the scientific method. The scientific method includes first investigating the problem, coming up with a logical hypothesis, performing the experiment, reading the results, and finally completing an analysis of the results. The next method I would explore is decision making which is the thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available options. Next is problem solving. When I teach the students to problem solve accurately they be able to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue. Next, I will help my students think critically which includes identification and evaluation to problem solving. Finally, I will use the method of cooperative learning which is an approach to organizing classroom activities into academic and social learning experience. I believe that every one of these method can be valued Get more content

I believe education is one of the most important tools a person can have in life. Every child deserves to receive the best education possible. It has always been my passion to help each child discover their individual God given gifts and talents and to reach their full potential.

Role of the Teacher

When I think about my role as a teacher, one of the most important things I consider is the relationships I build with my students, parents, colleagues, and community members. In the classroom, I need to ensure that I create a safe, loving, and positive learning environment. In order to make all students feel welcome, I get to know their names, the correct pronunciation and spellings, learning their culture and background, and their ...show more content...

Teaching Styles

As an educator I need to be flexible in my teaching styles, what works one year, may not work the next, and even day to day can change. I believe that it is important that I reflect daily on what was successful and what could have gone better. I then make the adjustments to my teaching. As a whole though, my teaching approach I believe is very similar the the progressivism theory of education. "Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world" (Cohen, 1999). In Knight (2008) he states that "Children have a natural desire to learn and discover things about the world around them." (p. 104). This couldn't be more true in my opinion, my preschoolers are constantly asking questions about the world around them, I have had some pretty interesting meal time conversations at school based on the questions and conversations about life these littles bring up! "Children's interest, therefore, are the natural starting point for their learning experience." (p. 104). This past school year in my morning class are students were really into bugs–so we did a whole unit on bugs, this

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Teachers and Students

The education habits of students are rooted in them from the earliest days of their educational careers. The different influences on students, whether it be inside educational institutions, or outside is huge. The teacher of a classroom is the first and most pertinent influence in a student's educational career.Teachersprovide students with the basic skills they would need to survive not only in the academic world, but also the world beyond. The relationship between teachers and their students is the key element in creating an educational atmosphere that is both pleasant and effective.

The experience of a student at school, especially at a younger age, in most cases sets the main base of the skills of that...show more content... Unconsciously or not, they consistently reinforce and reward more 'feminine' behavior. Although it may be true that boys are more active than girls, but to say that they are treated differently is to be overly generalizing the situation. A teacher is supposed to be able to handle different types of children in the classroom, and cater to their activeness or passiveness in a class. For example, a teacher would try to involve a quiet and shy student as often as possible. The same goes for an active child; the teacher should be able to find activities for that child which would not only educate them, but also keep them busy.

Thomas provides various arguments as to how boys and girls are different; therefore they are treated differently in a classroom. It cannot be argued that boys and girls are different, especially at such a young age, but to say that teachers specifically do treat boys in a rougher manner would be going too far. Thomas introduces the idea that society instills ideas of prejudice towards women in young boys, so that when they do go into a classroom governed by a female teacher, they are predisposed to be defiant and unruly. In my opinion, it is unfair to judge teachers based on the performance of their students on various tests. Thomas's article introduces the idea that as the number of female teachers is increasing, the performance of boys in school is declining. One much question whether it is in fact the teachers who cause this

I believe that teaching is the most important profession in the world. How else can we continue to develop in such a technical world, or in any other way, for that matter? Without the transfer of knowledge to young minds, we will stagnate and wither as a world. Teaching is hope for better, more successful futures. Learning is hope for becoming better individuals, for gaining intelligence, and for implementing practical experiences in our future. Since we always tell our children that they should plan for their futures and work to realize those goals, the teaching profession should "practice what it preaches" by helping young people to reach those goals. Teaching reading during the past five years has been rewarding beyond my...show more content... But with a little ingenuity and a great deal of training, change has become easier for me as a reading teacher. Not only do professional activities lend themselves to opportunities to learn new ideas, they are also ways that we professionals can share our experiences–our victories and our defeats–with others, creating a bond and a network from which we all can gain support and advice when we need it. Since my time of training for the reading competencies, I have served on the school literacy team. In addition to setting goals and working to achieve those for our school as a whole, I have tried to mentor some of the younger teachers who did not teach reading the first year it was offered at our school. I have tried to be an inspiration, a cheerleader, and encourager. I have offered to help with their classes, to help with lessons, to offer supplies, or whatever other things I could do to serve as a sort of "cheerleader for reading" at my school. As a result, we now have several teachers who are also implementing those important reading strategies, and our school is indeed seeing the results from the test data. We're now a community of learners, rather than individual teachers doing our "own things." So, is professional development important? Most assuredly! Not only have I have learned new methods and strategies and how to improve them, but I have also shared them with my peers.

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To be a professional teacher, it takes skill to train young minds. Education is extremely important to go through. Teachers have many different philosophies to choose from when teaching in a classroom. Out of the five philosophies, I ranked the highest in Essentialism and Progressivism. Both of these philosophies are taught entirely different from each other. Essentialism is teacher–centered learning and expresses the teaching by the core curriculum. Progressivism is student–centered learning and expresses the teaching by doing group work. I believe that a classroom should be divided between using both philosophies. I believe that a teacher should stick to the core curriculum, but a teacher should also let the students learn by working together in small groups. The teacher is still giving lectures in front of the classroom, but there is still group work throughout the week. From experience, I think a combination of both would make the perfect classroom setting. When a classroom is both teacher–centered and student–centered, students will gain a better education in my opinion. The purpose of education is to further the knowledge of a student. Education is meant to teach students the essentials of education and to create a better understanding of real–world experiences. From the philosophies, I agree with, education is working towards students with their knowledge and living in society. Education needs to help students to not only become smarter, but also be able to work in

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