Question for teachers.?
373767
The students always make it worth it, but you're in for lots of stress and heartburn (mostly administrative).  The coursework (if you keep your answers "politically correct") is pretty straightforward. Learn education-profession lingo, get faimiliar with laws, rules, and procedures, learn about different curriculum and methodology, etc.\n\nWhile you go through your teacher prep at the college/university, I would strongly recommend that you substitute teach for your local district (as soon as your credit hours make you eligible). There is a world of difference between a new teacher with substitute teaching experience, and one who only has had practicums.\n\nIt's once you walk into your first day as a full teacher that the "overwhelming" path to burn-out (lol) starts. Make sure you have a mentor teacher, who has at least 5 years teaching experience, preferably one that teaches the same level/subjects you teach, who is organized and not burnt out yet, and who is upbeat and patient, to walk you through all the expectations the district will have that nobody happened to mention to you during induction, interviews, staff meetings, etc. because the "old hands" all have those routines down...\n\nBe prepared for overloaded classes, an even greater diversity of learning abilities and behavior issues in your class as inclusion becomes an even greater focus, weekly lesson plans, daily paper grading, attendance paperwork, progress reports, fundraiser paperwork and coordination, parent outreach paperwork and phone calls, duty schedule, safety drills and related paperwork, student referral (learning or discipline issues) paperwork, Child Study meetings, grade-level meetings, school-wide staff meetings, school committee meetings, in-service training meetings, evening classes for professional development requirements, PTA, NEA or other professional organization activities, evening activities from different organizations, parent-teacher conferences, supervision of educational assistants and classroom volunteers, collaborative projects with other teaching staff, oh, and I think teaching the students comes in somewhere in there, too. \n\nIf you choose special education, also be prepared (in addition to the above) for IEP meetings, additional student progress reports, additional student assessments, additional planning time for individualized programming, additional time taken up consulting with other teachers for inclusion support and/or joint projects, additional conferences and training for profressional development, additional staff meetings and in-service trainings for special education specifically, and increased contact time for parents. \n\nDo all this for 1/2 to 1/3 the pay of any other profession with your level of training. \n\nAnd then, the kid turns to you, with a big grin on his/her face, and says..."WOW. That makes Sense!!! THANK YOU!!!" and all of it is TOTALLY worth it! My husband (also a teacher) has had the joy of running into students, now as adults, who have thanked him for his efforts.\n\nI love my job. It is a difficult path to take, however. I would suggest volunteering at your local school system to get a feel for things and see if it is something you really do want to do.
972940
try google. Or talk to your teachr. Or look at these websites-
428030
Politics!  Most teachers have an opinion one way or another.\n\nThe war in Iraq...\n\nReligion...\n\nSports...\n\nCollege...(where they went and/or your future plans)\n\n\nGood luck!
117162
get involved with the students and know them beyond the teacher/student relationship.  is there anything that they're dealing with at school?  perhaps a school event?  talk with them about things other than books and problems.  i don't know what grade level you're talking about and i'm not a teacher, just a student.  perhaps have activities that can show the students that it's not all about homework and tests.  how to do this?  not so sure.  but these are my suggestions.
418652
Interesting question (I think it is a question.) Seems to me there is enough blame to go around...let's not stop with teachers. How about the students themselves? How about the parents? We have seen a huge dumbing down of students in the past 30 years...lowest common denominator effect, or "let no child be left behind." When students are pushed further into classes they cannot understand, when the quality of education is such that many students are left in the dark, when parents remain detached from their children and expect teachers to do it all, we have what we now have...a nation of illiterate kids graduating from high school Not all students are illiterate, but you don't have to look further than the questions/answers here to see that many kids cannot spell, cannot write a sentence, and cannot communicate clearly with written words. We have spawned a system where it is NOT cool to be educated, and certainly NOT cool to achieve anything in public schools. NERD is all but a curse word, isn't it? Yet it is the Nerds who inherit the jobs, the salaries, the world. Kids may think it is "cool" to be ignorant, but there comes a day when they must look around and wonder how they were left out ... of everything. IF I were to come home with a bad grade, IF I were to not do my homework, IF I were to mouth off to a teacher, I wouldn't sit for a week. So, to avoid the punishment, I did the work. Isn't it strange today that when a child misbehaves, the parents are up in the face of the teacher with accusations, threats, etc. Is it any wonder that teachers give up trying to educate a bunch of students who have no interest beyond text messaging? Teachers head into the career thinking they will make a difference. It doesn't take long for them to find out they are underpaid baby sitters of out-of-control thugs and brats. Unfortunatly, time has a way of evening things out. Sad to say, but I am glad I do not have to face the daily challenges of gangs, bullies, and "cool" people that students are surrounded by today.
1106223
I don't have time to watch the video...at least not now, but I think it would depend how the money is spent, it's not just how much money a district has that can make the difference. BUT, of course having money and using it wisely could make a significant difference - for example...up to date text books, computers in the classroom, current maps in the classroom. It's difficult to teach when the material is 10 years old. It would also help to pay teachers more :-) because some really awesome teachers leave the profession because it costs more to live than we make. We do spend A LOT of out of pocket money for pencils, folders, paper and tissue and more because not all kids come from families who value education and send their kids to school with pencils or other supplies. I know I could make 3 times the money doing 1/3 the work, but there are things money can't buy, like the spontaneous hugs from kids and notes that tell me I'm the best teacher in the world.
1055068
All of the answers that you have been given so far are good!!  I am an elementary teacher and one thing that I would ask is that you teach your child how to follow directions. You would be suprised how many children have a hard time listening and following simple directions.
615763
I think : Teachers....Students...and Curriculum.
569432
I teach jr. high self-contained special ed. My district has no curriculum for that....hhmmmm, so I teach English, reading, soc. stud. science, and math every day to my self-contained class and I do ALL the curriculum myself, every day,  something different and exciting, for 6 hours every day,as well as all the tons of extra paperwork demanded by special education "in my spare time"  OMG, WHAT was I thinking!!!!  lol
71749
First be yourself and do not be intemidated by your students. You can be a good teacher and still feel extremely comfortable with your students as well as your students being the same.\nGet them interested and do not assume that a student is too stupid to learn. Always be there for your students and have assistants to help.\nReading material is great. Ask students for what they got out of the reading material. There should be no wrong answer.\nMake things fun. You are the teacher. Teach and enjoy
921738
awwww.....that was a really good thing you did! I actually helped teach one of my classmates a lesson when he wasnt understanding it from the teacher......he understood after I taught him.\n\n\n=) Have A Great Day! (=
161340
Teachers dont get paid like the educated professionals that they are.  They put in a lot of overtime hours and they dont see a cent of that.  The more overtime they put in, the less they are getting paid.  Teachers also buy a lot of materials out of pocket.  Take the time one day and look inside a classroom.  The borders on the bulletin boards, half the books in the class library, markers, erasers, pencils, stickers, prizes, even some of the furniture was purchased by the teacher and NOT provided by the school.  Been there, done that...but still can't imagine myself doing anything else.
709647
Hm... well, I have a teacher that I really don't like at all right now.  But yeah, you should like reword your question and use correct grammar.  It would probably help you to get more responses to your questions.  Just a friendly suggestion!  :)
24755
Where I work, we call a moving class a "looping team".  I work in a 7-8 building and we keep kids from one year to the next.  This is a great thing to do, as it builds relationships, and saves a great deal of time in the fall of the second year.  There are issues that can arise, especially if teachers and/or parents and/or students have personality conflicts, but on the whole, I've liked doing it.  I feel I know my students and their families better and as they grow and I learn more about their learning styles and needs, I can cater to that and be a better teacher for them.  Worst case scenario: You get a rough bunch of kids and know you're stuck for the next two years :)
817089
"Why do teachers give a load of homework and projects?"\n\nTeachers give you a load of homework and projects to educate you in that field of study. You'll be suprised at what you could possibly learn or become, and realize that you are fortunate to even recieve an education. So quit your complaining and count your blessings.\n\nAlso, I reccomend you focus a little more on that english homework of yours, okay?
598215
I am still in school! What is that shit! Anyway, there are nice teachers who do their job well and try not to show favoritism, just as there are teachers who do not. High school teachers are generally not as open as Middle school teachers.
151785
Great question!  As a former teacher, and a student for a long time!!! I would say, yes it does affect students.  Maybe on an unconscious level, but yes.  Students look up to teachers-- what's inside the teacher matters more than what's outside, but you see the outside first. . .