Bachelor in Teaching - Western Washington University - (Winner)
Editors Note: This student story essay was selected as 2nd place winner from BrainTrack's Teaching Scholarship for Spring, 2011. At the time of submittal this winner, Elie Hartman, was studying for a Bachelor in Teaching at Western Washington University.
Wishes Had Known | Advice on Career | Study TipsWhat do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your business school that would be helpful to others going into teaching?
When selecting and applying for a teaching school or program, know that teaching is what you want to do. If you're not sure, don't apply! Spend time in the classroom and with children. Then, you will know if teaching is your passion or not. Teaching programs seem to want to accept students who know they are passionate about teaching and won't quickly drop out of the program once they start working with kids or when the workload becomes difficult.
Lastly, I wish I had known that teaching is difficult and time consuming. It drains all the energy I never knew I could lose. The enormous time and energy commitment made me reconsider my choice to become a teacher, but I knew that I had a passion for teaching and learning; that's what allowed me to keep moving forward. My advice for someone in my position is to be aware that teaching is difficult, but, if you're passionate about it, the work is well worth the sacrifice.
Other than school, what would you advise people entering the teaching field to consider or prepare for?
Be aware that you will face disappointment. You will work with children who fail their classes and don't want to try. Everything you do will fail and the student will slip through your fingers. It happens. You cannot let one disappointment make you reconsider becoming a teacher. You can only learn from your failures. However, be prepared to fight for the success of each and every one of your students. Each of them are facing some sort of struggle, some greater than others, and each deserve a chance at receiving an excellent education. It is up to you to do all you can to ensure their success.
Prepare to go out of your way to work with children. Especially before beginning a teaching program, you'll probably need experience. These experiences will not be handed to you; you must seek them out. This extra initiative and experience will help immensely. Your resume will shine and you will know that teaching is for you. Even involvement with education clubs are beneficial. Clubs help you find volunteer opportunities, network, and gain advice from senior members. Again, these experiences won't be handed to you - you must look for them.
Be prepared for your peers and even family members to try to persuade you to not teach. The profession doesn't pay much, you have to work outside of class to grade papers, kids don't want to learn anyway, etc. If you know you are passionate about teaching, don't listen to these put-downs. Sure, teaching may not pay well and you may be exhausted from time to time, but it's worth it. After all, we teach for the students, not for ourselves or for the content. We teach to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children, and we must be willing to sacrifice some sleep, a big paycheck, and weekends to grade papers.
Lastly, know that not all students will be just like you. They will come from different socio-economic status, they will have different color skin than you, they will practice different religions, and they may even speak different languages. Embrace the diversity and don't be afraid to learn from your students. They can teach you and other students more than you can possibly hope to teach them. To teach the students, you must know who they are and where they come from. Take time and care to understand each of their situations. Knowing their background will make our jobs much easier and rewarding.
What study tips would you recommend to other teaching students?
The study tips I recommend are the same for any college student seeking a degree in any subject: don't procrastinate, ask questions, work closely with your professors and fellow students, and study frequently - but not too much.
Procrastination is a skill in which most college students excel, but procrastination often leads to panic when the due date approaches. When panicked, the work we produce is often sub-par. If we wish to become educators ourselves, we must work as hard as we want our future students to work and to produce quality homework assignments.
More often than not, if students have questions, it seems that going to the professor is the last idea on their mind. I have learned over the years that professors are not nearly as scary as they seem, and most of them are more than happy to have a chat and answer questions. They are a wealth of information and are often willing to share it with you if you take initiative to see them.
Forming bonds with fellow classmates is equally important as forming relationships with professors. Two brains are often better than one, and study groups are almost always beneficial. Pick each others' brains whenever possible.
Lastly, I cannot stress enough the importance of studying frequently and not just the night before the exam. Keeping information from lectures and reading fresh in our minds is vital for processing and understanding. For those of us who have a tendency to work far too much and to avoid fun at all costs, relaxation is necessary. Teaching programs are rigorous, but we are in danger of overworking ourselves if we do not take some time to relax.