Educational Foundations
Chapter 2: Today’s Teachers
Outline: pp. 32-67
Becoming A Teacher
A. School/Grade/Level Designations
· Pre-K/Early Childhood Education: birth-age 8
· K-6/Elementary School:
1) single-age
2) multi-age
3) single-subject
· 6-8 or 9/Middle School:
1) content specific
· High School:
1) content specific
B. Specialized Teaching Designations
· Art
· Music
· Physical Education
· Special Education
· English Language Learning
· Vocational Education
· Family and Consumer Science
C. Essential KNOWLEDGE teacher needs:
a. Self
b. Student Characteristics
c. Subject/Content
d. Educational pedagogy-theory, best practices, research-based
WISDOM ABOUT TEACHING + LEARNING + STUDENTS + CONTENT
e. Technology Integration
f. Reflection and Problem-Solving
D. The Teaching Profession
“possess high degree of specialized theoretical knowledge, along with methods and techniques for applying this knowledge in their daily work. United by high degree of in-group solidarity, common training, and common adherence to certain doctrines/beliefs. (p. 50)
· Institutional monopoly: must be certified to teach
Exceptions: emergency/temporary certifications in shortage areas:
1. 25% not fully licensed (1996);
2. 25% high school teachers lacked even a minor degree in what their primary teaching field
· Teacher autonomy
1. not many formal/informal observations
2. constraints: accept all students; follow proscribed curriculums; much public scrutiny
· Years education/training
1. not as long as for other professionals
2. no formal induction period (only student teaching): “hit the ground running.”
· Provision of essential service: What [we] do is vital to our very existence. “No other professions without first having teachers.”
· Degree of self-governance: limited (Table 12.2: p. 449)
· Professional knowledge/skills: no one set of requirements for all teachers
1. Varied programs at the 1300 colleges/universities that train teachers
2. NBPTS-national standards: 2004 teachers certified: 32,000; 2006-100,000 planned
· Level of public trust: sheer size makes it difficult to maintain high professional standards
· Prestige/Benefits/Pay
1. teachers have high societal status-based on educational attainment, NOT WEALTH
E. Professional Organizations
· NEA = National Education Association: oldest: 1857, largest: 3.2 million, includes both teachers and administrators, suburban/rural membership (union)
· AFT = American Federation of Teachers: 1.4 million
ONLY teachers and nonsupervisory school personnel, urban membership (union)
(both NEA and AFT BARGAIN)
· Others: more than 500: PDK, ASCD
F. Build Learning Communities/Build Relationships with:
· Students
· Colleagues and Staff
· Administrators
G. Teacher Collaboration
· Peer coaching: observing one-another teach; feedback, reflection
· Staff Development
· Team teaching
· Co-teaching (term also used for Special Education delivery of services)
· Parents/Guardians
“…research study showed that parental involvement is associated with higher levels of student achievement, more positive attitudes toward school, greater participation in extracurricular activities, fewer suspensions and expulsions, and fewer grade repetitions.”
· Community-at-large