Jump-Start Your Future As you prepare for college and a career in teaching, the knowledge and skills you gain from this text will help jump-start your future. Teaching is a contemporary text that presents the concepts that are vitally important for success in today’s education workplace. Did you ever wonder what it is like to be a teacher? This unique text presents information about the rewards and responsibilities of becoming a class- room teacher. Teaching presents a comprehensive introduction to the process of becoming a teacher in today’s society. Preparation to become a teacher, the history of education in America and its impact on teaching today, and an intro- duction to the processes, strategies, and techniques teachers use in the classroom provide an overview of the teaching profession. As you discover how learners develop physically, intellectually, and socio-emotionally, you will gain insight into the questions, experiences, concerns, and passions of classroom teachers. How are your writing skills? An important skill to learn and develop is writing. Knowing how to communicate is a vital requirement for success as a teacher. ■ Each chapter opens with a Journaling Activity. These activities provide opportunity to reflect about personal knowledge, understanding, and feelings about developing as a professional in the workplace. ■ The chapter concludes with a College and Career Portfolio activity. These activities present key concepts for developing effective portfolios, helping the “teachers of tomorrow” showcase their best work examples. H ave you ever wondered how schools came to be the way are today? Who decided which subjects should be taught? Whthey textbooks originate? Has h In th Ben shares his interest in pursuing a career in teaching with one of the residents, William, who is in his 90s. William was a teacher, school principal, and also served as a district superintendent during his working years. Cognitively, William is well and the conversation between him and Ben is lively and rich. Stories about his of being a student, own students, colleagues, and community experiences abound. gleaned a wealth of information and looked forward to continuing his relationship with William in the future. Let’s Discuss ■ Predict what William might have shared about the influences on the state of education in his youth. ■ What might William have shared about the influences on the state of education during his early career? As a class, read the case study and discuss the ques- tions that follow. After reading the chapter, revisit the discussion Have your answers changed? If so, explain how.questions. Ben’s class is visiting an assisted-living home for elderly residents as a part of his high school history class. He and his classmates are supposed to engage the residents in conversation as a way of practicing oral-history data collection. CASE STUDY d f hfunctioning m cmemories B fBen i L Fuse/Getty Images d Ben is lively and rich. Storie memories of being a student, hhis is ow perienc ation onship hav e s f educ red ab cation ely an d rich. S memories of being a student, h p a o h f r c Aneka is finishing her first week of student teaching in Mr. Sanchez’s third grade classroom. It has been a great experience so far. She has been primarily observing the class, getting to know the students, and working with individuals who need extra help. She is impressed with Mr. Sanchez’s ability to focus the students’ abundant energy into excitement toward learning. Aneka’s Thoughts… Right now, ideas are swirling through my brain. I met with Mr. Sanchez after school to go over the teaching plan for the next two weeks. In science, the students will be starting a new unit on weather. They will learn about seasons, clouds, forms of precipitation, tornadoes and hurricanes, and weather forecasting. Mr. Sanchez asked me to develop and teach a lesson to introduce the weather unit. He challenged me to get the students enthused about the of weather so they Sidekick/E+/Getty Images PERSPECTIVES on TEACHING weather unit. He challenged me to ge enthused about the sstudy ged me to ge used about the C Inc Chapter 1 The Teaching Profession they are often think g skills takes additional time. Most teachers attend w and many take classes toward a more advanced degree. PROFESSIONAL TIP Maintaining Confidentialityyou Did you ever receive an exam grade that were less than proud of? Most people have. Grades are personal. If there is a breakdown in confidentiality, it often leads to embarrassment and disengagement in the learning process. Likewise, events that happen on school grounds must remain confidential unless safety issues surround the events. Being a part of a school community, whether as a teacher or as a student helper, requires cautious and thoughtful behavior. This also includes actions in regard to record keeping and communication. It takes vigilance to maintain confidentiality. This is especially true about school events, and student behavior, achievements, and personal data. Teachers and administrative staff must use discernment, trust, and clear communication in regard to confidential issues.protects Maintaining confidentiality students from harm. Take note of how your school maintains confidentiality. This includes informal communication between teachers and students, school behavioral issues, and grade reporting. Dig Deeperonline Use reliable resources to further investigate confidentiality in schools. What factors influence confidentiality policies for schools? What information can be shared and what information cannot? How can you practice confidentiality in your daily life as you contemplate a teaching career? PHILOSOPHY of TEACHING Think about… The following question can help you on your journey to writing your philosophy of education. Reflect on the question. How do students learn? How do you think that teachers should address learning diversity? Write and discuss… Take a few minutes to reflect on your thoughts about this question. Jot down your responses. Then, discuss your responses in teams or with the class. Take note of additional ideas for future reference and reflection throughout the text. Effective teachers plan their Classes of students often inc students, and English langu diversity. As with different modes of instruction to maximize learnin a teacher often provides options or the students may choose op styles. For example, if students pillars into butterflies, the optio an experiment, using a comput cess. For each option, the teach fies how that learning will be ev Teachers who use differ into groups, but not always t son, a teacher might divide st know about the topic. For ano together, supported with impo guage. Sometimes, the teache ferent learning styles. You wil later in the text. Learning more now about sit in your classroom gives you your current teachers deal wit a teacher, choose projects, act well for this aspect of teachin teacher. p r o h d p d in Practical information helps prepare for your future. Important special features add realism and interest to enhance learning in each chapter. ■ A Case Study presents real-life scenarios that focus on teaching issues and concepts. The Let’s Discuss follow-up questions inspire conversation and engagement with the chapter content. ■ Perspectives on Teaching focus on the day- to-day reflections of teachers, their classroom experiences, and how they connect with students. Analyze It activities encourage critical analysis and discussion. ■ A Professional Tip feature spotlights relevant concepts and ethical issues for workplace success. Dig Deeper activities promote inquiry and analysis. ■ Philosophy of Teaching provides a reflective writing experience and discussion about personal thoughts, views, and values related to the practice of teaching. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 283 Examine the topic of this chapter. Before reading the chapter, write about your current knowledge and understanding about planning for instruction by responding to the following questions: Why is understanding curriculum development and course planning important to the practice of teaching? What do you think are the challenges for planning for instruction? After reading the chapter, review your initial response to the above questions. How have your knowledge and understanding increased about this topic? What do you feel you still need to learn on your journey to becoming a teacher? JOURNALING ACTIVITY JOURNAL Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. this to p ic? What do y ou f eel y ou still need to learn on y our j ourne y to becomin g a teacher? COLLEGE and CAREER PORTFOLIO Employers and colleges review candidates for various positions and abilities that focus on hard skills, or skills that help you produce an observable result. For example, do you have ability to use a variety of software programs, computers, and other digital media important to carrying out effective teaching lessons? If not, begin now to learn those hard skills that can benefit you as an effective teacher. ■ Use the internet to locate articles about hard skills, especially those that benefit teachers and help them succeed. ■ Make a list of hard skills you possess that you think are important to a job in teaching. Choose two of these skills. Write a paragraph about each that describes your abilities and illustrates your skills. ■ Save a copy in your e-portfolio and in your print portfolio container. In addition, save copies of your work for Items 20, 21, and 24 for future reference. Digital Vision/DigitalVision/Getty Images