How do I start thinking like a teacher?

I think I have started converting to teacher thought and not student thought. Obviously I still need a lot of student thought so I can be successful in classes, but thinking like the teacher can make learning easier. For example reading a chapter in a textbook can be easier if you think like a teacher. First skimming and looking for things that you believe the teacher would deem important to be on the exam. Now that I've started student mentoring at the Mt. Blue Middle School, it is imperative to start thinking like a teacher. This is great practice in explaining less complicated material so younger children can understand it. Once I get more into my teaching program, I will likely begin thinking more like a teacher and less like a student. It is important, however, to keep the ability to think like a student when I am teaching so I can more easily understand what students need when they are stumped.

How can I keep the mindset of a student and a teacher when I begin teaching?

Which theories and historical influences should most impact the schools we'd like to have?

I do not feel like I have learned this to the extent of being able to write a summary about it.

What kind of schools would we like to have?

How can diversity in the classroom help me be a better teacher?

Diversity means being different and unlike. This is the hardest thing a teacher has to encounter in his profession. Diversity in my classroom will affect my teaching in that I will put a strong effort into understanding the learning capabilities of both academically gifted students and students who have a harder time grasping concepts. All students learn at different paces; some are far better with visual than auditory and vice versa. Furthermore it is crucial to incorporate different learning techniques into the lessons. For instance, if I was to do my lesson via speech, the visual learners might not glean as much information from it as would the auditory learners. For the students to prosper as much as possible in my class, I would need to fulfill the needs of all students. As far as racial diversity is concerned, I will work to ensure equality for all students. Diversity of this sort might bring challenges at times. I will need to closely watch both my students and myself for offensive word choices in my classroom. Inappropriate comments by anyone could make the students feel uncomfortable and upset. While I do not foresee this happening in my classroom, it is always something that will need to be taken seriously.

What is the best way to keep every student, regardless of their learning style, interested in the class?

How can I be successful at UMF?

Being successful at UMF is dependent on how much you put in. As the old adage says: You get out what you put in. UMF gives every student the tools they need to be successful and students need to take advantage of that. Being successful does not just mean grades; it also means the clubs, sports, organizations, jobs, etc. that you participate in during your time at UMF. Everything you do might be something that you could put on your resume that future employers might want to see. Grades, however, are a crucial part of that resume. Showing up to class and getting work done in a timely fashion is essential in being successful here. I believe that hard work will pay off in the long run, and that is what many people should be thinking about right now at this stage in their lives.

When will I start making my resume, and what should I be looking for to put on it?

How do I become a teacher?

To become a teacher, first college students must accept that they will have a very stressful yet very rewarding job. At the University of Maine at Farmington, students jump into a rigorous education department right off the bat. Within their first four weeks in college, they will be assigned a specific job at the local middle school to work with children and get a feel for what they will be doing for the rest of their lives. Along with that, students will be in the classroom working individually and with peers to learn to become a successful teacher. At UMF, that is the goal of the professors: to make each and every future teacher a successful and confident professional in their field. There are many obstacles in the the path to becoming a teacher, and they are obstacles that can be overcome with hard work and perseverance. Each student must pass Praxis I before they can begin practicum in their Sophomore year. Praxis I tests on the basics of three categories: math, reading, and writing. Once completed, students will dive into practicum which will surely push them to the edge. Practicum is a very time consuming and mentally and emotionally draining program. Students will go to a local school and work with students as well as make lesson plans in the meantime. Following practicum, students will take Praxis II which tests them on their intelligence in their concentration subject. While the years are passing and students are completing these difficult tasks, they must also be keeping a journal of all their work in a neat and tidy portfolio. This portfolio will be presented at the end of their four years in order to get certified as a teacher. Becoming a teacher is not for the weak at heart; however, the dedication and perseverance will pay off in the end.

What do you need to do at the state level to become a teacher?

Chapter 5: The History of Schools in the United States

How has the curriculum developed over the past 300 years?

In chapter five of "The Joy of Teaching," the authors display the timeline of education in the United States. During the Puritan era, higher education was primarily for the "well-to-do" individuals, while other students of the middle class would only learn how to read and write for the purpose of knowing the laws of the community. Children who were poor did not attend any type of schooling. As time went on, more laws were established such as compulsory attendance, a nine month schooling period, etc... Many different types of schools were being invented such as elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and later on early childhood schools. Now was the question of what was supposed to be taught in the schools that had so many students in them. Students were to be educated no only on subjects, but on being good citizens in the community. Clearly now-a-days, it is expected that students excel in their schoolwork as well as be model citizens to represent their families, their school, and their communities.

Psychologists started weighing their thoughts in on the newly founded schools and their effectiveness. One of the big issues was the junior high schools that many believed were just mini high schools that wasted the time of the youth. In today's day and age, it is expected that students attend pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, and some on to college. When these schools were being established many people were confused on what exactly should be taught in them and what purpose they actually served. Of course students of wealth were the only ones who could attend regular schooling in the Puritan times; however, as the schooling has evolved, a free and universal education is expected by Americans. This is a topic that is difficult to come to a conclusion on in this era because of the two polar opposite political parties in America that believe in different ways to pay for education.

Chapter 3: Families and Communities

Resolved: All students can achieve at high levels regardless of the structure of their families.

Every student is given an equal opportunity to excel in the classroom. Teachers have special skills to work with students regardless of their race, religion, family, or home. A majority of students come from families of two married parents (68%), while other students come from families of one mother (23%), one father (5%), or neither, where the child is raised by a different guardian (4%). Some students in tradition households (two married parents) still experience hardships such as abuse, fighting, or neglectful parents. Students that live in the non traditional household (32% from above) may be in a better or worse situation than those in the traditional. Children with one mom, one dad, or a different guardian may be put into a bad school experience because they don't have anyone to help or drive them at home. In the household I grew up in my mother would always "nag" me to do my very best at all times and get my work done on time. In other structured families, children might not experience that person in their life that will drive them or make them a better student. Nevertheless, students who are in traditional, nontraditional, or poor family structures still receive the same opportunities in the classroom. It is the teachers job to work with the students and do everything it takes to help them succeed.

Chapter 2. Today's Students (Summary)

How does Gender Influence Students?

In the section, “How does Gender Influence Students?” Gene Hall put the idea of gender and education into perspective. She displayed how each of the sexes is generally better at some subjects rather than others. This theory ties back to the biology of the gender’s brains. However, a lot of the time, students don’t drive themselves in certain classes because of the fear of being ridiculed by peers. The fact that boys and girls are naturally better in some subjects than others is not regularly thought of. Nevertheless, it is important in taking into consideration for educators teaching those “gender specific” classes.

Chapter 2: Today's Students (In depth response)

How does gender influence students?

Gender plays a role in the way some students preform in school. In fact, some students actually do worse in classes because they believe they will be viewed differently by their peers. For example in art class, boys may be hesitant to try and excel because they believe it will make their appearance of masculinity diminish to their friends. This situation is based from one of the sexes being hesitant in trying their hardest; however, some studies have reported actual differences in testing scores in certain classes for boys and girls. In math and science, boys have historically preformed better than girls. For girls; however, studies have shown that they preform better in speaking, reading, and writing than boys. While this is certainly not a cardinal rule, some differences have been detected. This is an interesting concept to think about because each sex should be given the same opportunity in every subject. This concept is attributed to biological differences between the way boys' and girls' brains work. Girls tent to favor the left hemisphere of the brain which is responsible for sequential skills, speaking, reading, and writing. The right hemisphere is responsible for spatial relations which leads to better scores in math and science. Teachers should keep these studies in mind when they teach their "gender specific" courses.

Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher

Pros:

• Most teachers say they want to teach because they care about children and youth and believe they can make a difference in the lives of their students.
• I truly believe that I will be able to impact student's lives by becoming a teachers. I am very excited to help them become better at math and share my life experiences with them.
• Excellent teachers hardly ever stop thinking about the subjects they teach.
• I love math so much that I think about it all day. I try to connect some sort of situation to math or physics so I can understand it better. As a teacher I believe I will be able to help students make connections between the real world and the math they are learning.
• By 2012 around 700,000 teachers—almost one of four current teachers—are projected to retire.
• Because math is an under covered subject area for many schools across the country, I am not worried about finding a job. However, I would like to teach in Maine because I love it here and I received the Educators for Maine scholarship loan. That requires I teach in Maine for the next four years after I graduate so my loan is forgiven in full.

Cons:

• Teaching, at first, does not pay well.
• This is troubling to me. I am extremely excited to become a teacher; however, I am disappointed in the pay. I know I will be doing what I love for the rest of my life, and that in and of itself is pay enough. 
• Some students seem to resist learning.
• It will seem difficult at first to get students to stay on task, but I hope with more experience I will be able to use many "tricks" to solve the problem.
• The assessments that need to be passed include standardized paper and pencil tests, portfolios, case studies, student teaching or internship, comprehensive examinations at the end of the program and projects.
• There are a very large number of exams and requirements that future teachers need to pass in order to become a teacher. I am a bit overwhelmed and apprehensive about it. I know; however, that I will be able to work hard and pass the requirements no matter what.