Editors Note: This teaching student story essay was selected from BrainTrack's Teaching Schools Scholarship for fall 2009. At the time of submittal this entrant was studying for a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English / Language Arts Education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Wishes Had Known |
Program Likes/Dislikes |
Choosing Teaching
What do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your teaching school that would be helpful to others going into teaching?
I wish I would have known that most expenses for my classroom comes out of pocket. There is only so much the system provides for your classroom but additional materials will come out of pocket.
I wish I would have been prepared more on how to create lesson plans. It sometimes get hard to prepare a lesson plan for the entire month. You run out of ideas and they have to be really creative.
I didn't know that I would only be certified to teach in the state that I got my degree from. So, instead of moving out of Texas, I will teach first.
What have you enjoyed most and least during your teaching degree program so far?
What I've enjoyed most in teaching is the impact that I have on my students and the relationship I have with my students. Forming a bond with my students allows me to know their story. Each of them come from many backgrounds and walks of life which make them unique. But, what brings us on one accord is that we are able to relate to one another in many ways.
Being an English/ Language Arts teacher is so ideal because I get to enhance my students writing and speech ability. I take their story, their words, and way of thinking and help them to better express themselves.
What I've enjoyed the least is the lack of parent involvement with their child's life. Some parents may work a lot and others just don't care about their child's education. Therfore, the children don't care as much because the parent don't instill in them the importance. I try to inforce getting an education while their at school but once they go home, their parents don't reinforce education.
I've noticed that parents who are involved in their child's education tends to do a lot better.
What led you to choose teaching as a career path?
I am currently an English Education major. I want to make a difference in the inner city, African American communities, and impoverished areas. We must understand this nation does not tolerate unproductivity in mainstream America. Minority men are suspended, expelled and failed in schools at rates that are two to five times higher than students of other races and go to jail at rates five to ten times higher than people of other races.
Education in impoverished schools is also a concern to me. The 2003 National Assessment of Educational Progress indicates that, by fourth grade, children in low income communities are on average two to three grade levels behind in math and reading compared with children in higher income areas. Moreover, the Education Trust, a nonprofit school-reform organization, states that children in low income areas are seven times less likely to graduate from college than those in high income areas.
I aspire to major in this field because there is a lack of male educators in the field and I feel that I can be a positive male influence to those who lack one in their life.
My passion for education didn’t begin now. It was instilled in me as a young child. My mother consistently reminded me the importance of it. I thank her because I realize the importance; to not become a negative statistic as a young black male that will either drop out of school, join or gang, or die before the age of 25.
I chose to teach English Education to help students develop their ability to convey thoughts clearly and creatively while gaining a deeper appreciation for a wide range of literature. In the future, I hope to become a teacher in Teach for America. I wish to teach in impoverished regions in the country. My goal is to close the achievement gap that exists between students in low income communities and their peers in wealthier areas. Eventually, I want to gain the experience needed in higher education administrations to impact education and low-income schools. I will be able to help increase literacy in schools that are summed up to be “failing schools.”
Mail List
|