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what steps do I need to take in order to become a awesome teacher in the future.
I am a senior . I graduate in June of 2021. and I want to become a teacher . I am very strict when it comes to school . Education is my top priority . #teacher #education #school #student
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7 answers
Updated
Grace’s Answer
If you're a high school student - congratulations on having a career goal this early! Look for colleges in your area (or the area where you want to live) that specifically offer Education majors. Some will even specify Early Childhood education (pre-school and elementary). Most of these college programs are designed to set you up with the right student teaching experience and help you land your first job.
If you're in college but not in an education program - that's ok too! There are a bunch of programs designed to get people who majored in something else into teaching. Check out "Chicago Teaching Fellows" (you can google that name) for programs specifically in your area.
If you're in college but not in an education program - that's ok too! There are a bunch of programs designed to get people who majored in something else into teaching. Check out "Chicago Teaching Fellows" (you can google that name) for programs specifically in your area.
Updated
Jason’s Answer
I am not a teacher but have served as a part time faculty member at the college level for ten years.
Number 1- the answer above is awesome.
2- the fact that you already know what you want to do and are clearly passionate about it has you pointed in the right direction.
3- Ask the teachers that you have looked up to over the last few years and ask them. They will be flattered and will be more than happy to share their story with you.
4- be flexible. I have had great classes and others that I wanted to leave. Try to teach whatever makes you feel this motivated.
5- Stay humble- as much as you value education, you may go toe to toe with a parent who values it more than you or at least perceives that based on their potential superior education. Letters after a name mean a whole lot less than the person in front of them. Be a good listener and remember to make kids and their parents feel heard and they will tune in a lot more.
best of luck to you.
Number 1- the answer above is awesome.
2- the fact that you already know what you want to do and are clearly passionate about it has you pointed in the right direction.
3- Ask the teachers that you have looked up to over the last few years and ask them. They will be flattered and will be more than happy to share their story with you.
4- be flexible. I have had great classes and others that I wanted to leave. Try to teach whatever makes you feel this motivated.
5- Stay humble- as much as you value education, you may go toe to toe with a parent who values it more than you or at least perceives that based on their potential superior education. Letters after a name mean a whole lot less than the person in front of them. Be a good listener and remember to make kids and their parents feel heard and they will tune in a lot more.
best of luck to you.
Updated
Juan’s Answer
Teaching is a challenging and rewarding profession. I taught at the collegiate level for four years. I assume you are interested in teaching K–12, but hope this advice is useful, nonetheless. I recommend learning all you can from your current experiences, both classes and student teaching. Obtaining advice from current teachers, especially those with extensive experience, may provide you with some things to consider.
I recommend learning to adapt as a teacher. There were several things I realized didn't work for me. You need to develop your own teaching style and do a self-assessment periodically. Great teaching starts with consistent learning. Every group of students will pose its own challenges. Don't be afraid to throw out a lesson plan if you need to. Students need spontaneity to avoid becoming stagnant as learners.
Your relationship with fellow teachers and administrators is important too. It is easy to work in a silo. My fellow teachers were mentors who I tried to learn from, even if their teaching style differed from mine. Administrators have a different perspective than teachers. Working together for the benefit of each student is essential.
Determine the type of school you want to teach at.
Network with other teachers.
I recommend learning to adapt as a teacher. There were several things I realized didn't work for me. You need to develop your own teaching style and do a self-assessment periodically. Great teaching starts with consistent learning. Every group of students will pose its own challenges. Don't be afraid to throw out a lesson plan if you need to. Students need spontaneity to avoid becoming stagnant as learners.
Your relationship with fellow teachers and administrators is important too. It is easy to work in a silo. My fellow teachers were mentors who I tried to learn from, even if their teaching style differed from mine. Administrators have a different perspective than teachers. Working together for the benefit of each student is essential.
Juan recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Shelby’s Answer
Education is a wonderful field, and it shows that you care enough about becoming an effective teacher for your students. I think my two strongest pieces of advice would be to stay flexible and reflect on your work.
Staying flexible is super important, as you never know what is going to happen in a day. As a math teacher, I always have a plan set up for what we are learning each day in my class. However, a class may not understand the concepts in the time I allot. Therefore, I have to take that, understand that they need more time for comprehension, as change up my schedule. And I never, ever, consider this a bad outcome. If students need more time to learn, I will give them more time. Being flexible also falls on what you're teaching and how you're teaching. If I go about teaching my class and the concepts are completely going over their heads, I may take a step back and try a different method. Asking students who understand the concepts to explain their reasonings/understanding is also helpful! Don't be afraid to break away from your plan, because sometimes, the best learning comes from doing so!
My other piece of advice would be to reflect, reflect, reflect. A teacher's job is never done after instruction takes place. You want to look at what you did, see what went right and wrong, and find improvements you can make for next time. Also, don't dwell on everything that went wrong, as those are valuable teaching moments. I try to reflect after every lesson and at the end of each day, as it helps me recognize where my strengths and weaknesses are.
I hope this advice helps. Above all, be true to yourself and be honest to your students, and I am positive they will appreciate you!
Staying flexible is super important, as you never know what is going to happen in a day. As a math teacher, I always have a plan set up for what we are learning each day in my class. However, a class may not understand the concepts in the time I allot. Therefore, I have to take that, understand that they need more time for comprehension, as change up my schedule. And I never, ever, consider this a bad outcome. If students need more time to learn, I will give them more time. Being flexible also falls on what you're teaching and how you're teaching. If I go about teaching my class and the concepts are completely going over their heads, I may take a step back and try a different method. Asking students who understand the concepts to explain their reasonings/understanding is also helpful! Don't be afraid to break away from your plan, because sometimes, the best learning comes from doing so!
My other piece of advice would be to reflect, reflect, reflect. A teacher's job is never done after instruction takes place. You want to look at what you did, see what went right and wrong, and find improvements you can make for next time. Also, don't dwell on everything that went wrong, as those are valuable teaching moments. I try to reflect after every lesson and at the end of each day, as it helps me recognize where my strengths and weaknesses are.
I hope this advice helps. Above all, be true to yourself and be honest to your students, and I am positive they will appreciate you!
Updated
Gloria’s Answer
Hi Niya,
You have already gotten some great advice from my peers here on the platform. As a learning and development professional in corporate life, here are some elements that I would highlight as you become a teacher (instructor, trainer).
Since you are already have a desire to be a high performer as a teacher, I would advise you to always keep learning yourself. This does two things for you: 1) helps you learn something new and 2) it keeps you in a learner's mindset. I have worked with many teachers who simply forget how hard it is to learn something new. And every student that you have, each new start of a class, you will have students who do not know what you know and may have challenges with it. So if you are always learning as well, you can help them on their learning journey. That ability to meet them where they are is going to be the greatest advantage to being a great teacher.
Also, I would say make sure that you take good care of yourself. You cannot give of yourself if you do not take care of yourself. Eat well, sleep well, take vacations. Whatever you need to do to be your best, do that.
Lastly, the future is moving faster and faster. Stay engaged with technology. As we are learning during COVID, learning online can be very useful and it has its challenges. Make sure that you have the skills to teach in both environments. Sometimes the skill sets are similar, but technology is never as consistent as you hope. Also don't be afraid to use technology even if you teach in person. Make videos for your students to watch. Find ways for your students to be engaged in teaching each other. Whatever you can do to use technology to your advantage.
Teaching is a reward occupation. I am so glad that you have chosen it. I wish you luck wherever teaching takes you.
Gloria
You have already gotten some great advice from my peers here on the platform. As a learning and development professional in corporate life, here are some elements that I would highlight as you become a teacher (instructor, trainer).
Since you are already have a desire to be a high performer as a teacher, I would advise you to always keep learning yourself. This does two things for you: 1) helps you learn something new and 2) it keeps you in a learner's mindset. I have worked with many teachers who simply forget how hard it is to learn something new. And every student that you have, each new start of a class, you will have students who do not know what you know and may have challenges with it. So if you are always learning as well, you can help them on their learning journey. That ability to meet them where they are is going to be the greatest advantage to being a great teacher.
Also, I would say make sure that you take good care of yourself. You cannot give of yourself if you do not take care of yourself. Eat well, sleep well, take vacations. Whatever you need to do to be your best, do that.
Lastly, the future is moving faster and faster. Stay engaged with technology. As we are learning during COVID, learning online can be very useful and it has its challenges. Make sure that you have the skills to teach in both environments. Sometimes the skill sets are similar, but technology is never as consistent as you hope. Also don't be afraid to use technology even if you teach in person. Make videos for your students to watch. Find ways for your students to be engaged in teaching each other. Whatever you can do to use technology to your advantage.
Teaching is a reward occupation. I am so glad that you have chosen it. I wish you luck wherever teaching takes you.
Gloria
Updated
Trent’s Answer
My teaching experience is specific to other computer engineers, however my advice is something you can work on today.
Communication is key. Communication is not just your ability to speak or write well, but your ability to listen. Start taking notice in your daily conversations with people: Your friends, teachers, siblings, parents, they all are communicating with you verbally and with body language. People are even communicating when they do not say something. The next time you go to play a game with some new friends or family and you need to explain the rules, look at them all in the eyes while you talking to them. You will be able to see some of them might not understand what you are saying. You will know this even with out them saying, 'I don't understand'. Learn to explain things to different people using different words.
Ever since I was your age, when playing a game, I was always elected to explain the rules so everybody can understand them.
Communication is key.
Good luck.
Communication is key. Communication is not just your ability to speak or write well, but your ability to listen. Start taking notice in your daily conversations with people: Your friends, teachers, siblings, parents, they all are communicating with you verbally and with body language. People are even communicating when they do not say something. The next time you go to play a game with some new friends or family and you need to explain the rules, look at them all in the eyes while you talking to them. You will be able to see some of them might not understand what you are saying. You will know this even with out them saying, 'I don't understand'. Learn to explain things to different people using different words.
Ever since I was your age, when playing a game, I was always elected to explain the rules so everybody can understand them.
Communication is key.
Good luck.
Updated
Kiirsten’s Answer
Hi Niya!
First of all-- good for you for not just wanting to become a teacher-- you want to become an awesome teacher. All of the previous answers have been fantastic, and everyone who has answered looks to have served as an educator or at least an assistant, I have not have the privilege to teach but I will tell you that teachers have the most important job. Teachers have the power to mold the minds of their students, to inspire them, and I give them the utmost respect. When I think of awesome teachers that I've had in the past-- they've been engaging, fun, patient, passionate, inspiring, and they really cared about us students. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, even by asking for feedback on this forum shows me that you're passionate and ready to learn/grow so that you can provide knowledge for others. Do you know which subject or grade you'd like to teach? I have several friends who teach music in middle school, science in high school, and 4th graders-- they all love their jobs but they do have hard days. I recommend to you to keep focus, find out which subject you're really passionate about, and go from there!
Thanks for being inspiring!
First of all-- good for you for not just wanting to become a teacher-- you want to become an awesome teacher. All of the previous answers have been fantastic, and everyone who has answered looks to have served as an educator or at least an assistant, I have not have the privilege to teach but I will tell you that teachers have the most important job. Teachers have the power to mold the minds of their students, to inspire them, and I give them the utmost respect. When I think of awesome teachers that I've had in the past-- they've been engaging, fun, patient, passionate, inspiring, and they really cared about us students. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, even by asking for feedback on this forum shows me that you're passionate and ready to learn/grow so that you can provide knowledge for others. Do you know which subject or grade you'd like to teach? I have several friends who teach music in middle school, science in high school, and 4th graders-- they all love their jobs but they do have hard days. I recommend to you to keep focus, find out which subject you're really passionate about, and go from there!
Thanks for being inspiring!
Hi Kiirsteen. This is very good advice. I agree that teachers help have the power to mold the minds of young individuals and inspire them.
Sheila Jordan