Posted by QuickReadAbout.com Staff in Teaching can be a wonderful career; however, many new teachers are filled with anxiety and concern as they begin to manage their own classrooms for the first time. It can be overwhelming to have 20 or more students who have diverse learning styles and diverse needs under your care and depending on you to teach them the curriculum. It is an awesome responsibility that is usually accompanied by low starting salaries. That is one of the reasons why there is a shortage of teachers in many subject areas and in many school districts in the United States.
However, becoming an educator is one of the most important things a person can do for the nation’s youth. Therefore, it is essential that beginning teachers get the education and support that they need to educate and support their students.
College
A prospective teacher’s first formal experience in the education field is in college. Any college student who wants to become a teacher should fulfill the undergraduate requirements at his or her college or university and any course requirements set forth by the state Department of Education in the state where the teachers intends to work.
Many colleges and universities now require that students who want to become teachers take courses not only in curriculum design, instruction and their particular subject area (such as elementary education, history or science) but also in things such as classroom management, behavior management, special education and teaching English language learners.
Even if these courses are not required, every student who plans to become a teacher should take them. Today’s classrooms are full of more diverse learners than ever. In order to excel as a teacher, all of these diverse learners must be successful in the teacher’s classroom. Therefore, it is to the teacher’s benefit to have the skills and confidence to teach diverse learners effectively.
Student Teaching
Student teaching has long been required of people studying to become teachers. It enables a student who is going to become a teacher to work in a real classroom with real students under the direct and often constant supervision of a certified and veteran teacher.
The student teacher often spends some time observing the regular classroom teacher and some time teaching the class. The certified teacher than provides constructive feedback about what the student teacher is doing well and what can be improved. This is a valuable experience before embarking on a classroom of one’s own.
Learning from Veteran Teachers: Mentoring, Observations and Continuing Education
Many school districts have special programs in place for new teachers. Some districts pair up new teachers and veteran teachers in a mentoring relationship. This allows new teachers to ask questions and get advice from a veteran teacher who is not their direct supervisor.
Some school districts also set up a series of observations for new teachers to observe in the classrooms of veteran teachers. For example, a new second grade teacher may spend some time during his or her first year observing in all of the other second grade classrooms in his or her school. That way, the teacher can see how another teacher is presenting the same material that the new teacher needs to present and pick up some good teaching tips.
All school districts also offer professional development and continuing education opportunities. Some of these offerings are mandatory and others are optional but all provide new teachers with valuable experiences.
Tips for New Teachers
New teachers have a lot of things to think about. However, putting in a little extra effort can go a long way. For example, new teachers should be especially courteous to and appreciative of office staff and teaching assistants. They can provide the extra support that a teacher needs to succeed. New teachers should also try to arrive a few minutes early for work and stay a few minutes late in order to promptly address questions and concerns of students, parents and administrators.
When colleges and other organizations spend time, effort and resources recruiting teachers it is important that they emphasis the training and support that new teachers receive. If fewer people feel that they will be alone to face an overwhelming task perhaps more people will be willing to enter the field and the next generation of new teachers will become the mentor teachers of tomorrow.